About this opportunity
The KITLV Visiting Fellowship is aimed at scholars who want three focused months inside a research institute rather than a teaching or conference role. Applicants propose the work they wish to carry out themselves, whether that is a book, an article or a wider research project, as long as it sits in the fields of Southeast Asian or Caribbean Studies. An affiliation with a university or a research institute is not required, which opens the door for independent scholars. The fellowship runs for three months and the 2027 call offers two windows, 1 March to 1 June 2027 and 1 June to 1 September 2027, with the chosen period confirmed through the institute’s own review of the proposal.
The money needs reading carefully before anyone plans around it. This is not a salaried position and KITLV states plainly that fellows are expected to have a steady income during the period. What the institute does cover is the cost of being in Leiden: a return economy air or train fare to and from the Netherlands, reimbursement of accommodation costs including rent, energy and, where relevant, service charges, up to a maximum of EUR 2,000 per month against proof of payment, and a monthly compensation for the difference between living costs in Leiden and in the fellow’s main place of residence, worked out case by case. Where a permit is needed, KITLV can issue a formal letter of invitation and support the application, though finding somewhere to live stays the fellow’s own task.
Five conditions decide whether a proposal is in scope. The applicant must have obtained a PhD in the social sciences or the humanities by the time the fellowship begins, must carry out research in Southeast Asian or Caribbean Studies, must want to do that work in the Netherlands, must be prepared to be based at KITLV for the whole three months, and must not be a tax resident of the Netherlands. There is no nationality rule and no country list, so a scholar working in Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town or anywhere else is assessed on the same terms as anyone else, as long as those five boxes are ticked and the unpaid nature of the residency is workable for them.
Applications go in in English and the package is short: the institute’s own application form, which is uploaded in place of a cover letter, plus a brief two-page CV. Both are submitted through the Apply Now button on the KNAW vacancy page for the call. The latest moment the institute prints is midnight CET on 14 October 2026, and the same posting lists 14 October 2026 as its end date, so treat that day as the close and do not leave submission to the final hour. Incomplete proposals are not considered, and the institute does not review projects before they are submitted, so questions about the call itself go to applications@kitlv.nl while the proposal itself must not be emailed to the programme chair, Prof. Dr. Ward Berenschot.
What you receive
- Three months of residency at KITLV in Leiden, in the Herta Mohr building, alongside an institute of comparative historical researchers
- A return economy air or train fare to and from the Netherlands
- Reimbursement of accommodation costs in Leiden, including rent, energy and where applicable service costs, up to EUR 2,000 per month against proof of payment
- A monthly compensation for the higher cost of living in Leiden compared with the fellow’s main place of residence, assessed case by case
- A formal letter of invitation and support with a residence permit application where one is needed
- Time and space to advance a publication or research project of the fellow’s own choosing, with no institutional affiliation required to apply
Who can apply
- A PhD in the social sciences or the humanities, obtained by the moment the fellowship starts
- Research in the field of Southeast Asian Studies, Caribbean Studies, or both
- Willingness to carry out the proposed work in the Netherlands
- Preparedness to be based at KITLV for the entire three-month period
- Not a tax resident of the Netherlands
- A steady income of your own during the fellowship period, since the position is not salaried
- An application submitted in English, using the institute’s own form and a brief two-page CV
- Applicants are not required to hold an affiliation with a university or a research institute
Who should not apply
- People who are tax residents of the Netherlands cannot be considered for this call
- Candidates without a PhD in the social sciences or the humanities by the start of the fellowship are outside the scope
- Research outside Southeast Asian or Caribbean Studies is not covered by this call
- Incomplete applications are not considered
- The fellowship pays no salary or stipend, and KITLV does not help fellows find accommodation
Documents to prepare
- The KITLV visiting fellowship application form for 2027, completed and uploaded in place of a cover letter
- A brief two-page curriculum vitae
- A description of the research or publication project you intend to carry out at KITLV, in English
How to apply
- Read the full call on the KITLV website at https://www.kitlv.nl/news/call-for-fellowships-2027/ and check your work against the five stated conditions.
- Choose which of the two three-month periods suits your project, 1 March to 1 June 2027 or 1 June to 1 September 2027.
- Download the application form from the KITLV site and complete it in English, since the form is uploaded instead of a cover letter.
- Prepare a brief two-page CV that shows your doctorate and your research area.
- Submit both documents through the Apply Now button on the KNAW vacancy page at https://vacatures.knaw.nl/job/KITLV-Call-for-Fellowships-2027/3151-en_US before midnight CET on 14 October 2026.
- Send questions about the call to applications@kitlv.nl. Do not email your proposal to the programme chair, and note that the institute does not review projects before submission.
Selection process
- Applications are assessed by the institute against the published conditions for the call
- Only complete submissions in English, with the form and the two-page CV, enter the review
- The chosen candidates are offered one of the two three-month periods in 2027, subject to the arrangements set out in the official call
- Where a fellow needs a permit, KITLV can provide a formal letter of invitation and support the application
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Is the fellowship paid?
No. KITLV states that the position is not salaried and that applicants are expected to have a steady income during the three months. The institute does cover return travel, accommodation costs in Leiden up to EUR 2,000 per month against proof of payment, and a case-by-case monthly top-up for the higher cost of living there.
Do I need a university job or an affiliation to apply?
No. Applicants are not required to hold an affiliation with a university or a research institute. You do need a PhD in the social sciences or the humanities by the time the fellowship starts.
Can a researcher based in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa apply?
Yes. The call sets no nationality rule and no country list. The only residence condition is that you are not a tax resident of the Netherlands, and you must be able to be based at KITLV in Leiden for the whole three months.
Which research topics qualify?
A publication or research project of your own choice in the fields of Southeast Asian Studies or Caribbean Studies.
When does the call close?
The institute states the latest submission moment as midnight CET on 14 October 2026, and the vacancy page carries the same date as its posting end date. Incomplete applications are not considered.
Can KITLV help with a visa?
The institute can provide a formal letter of invitation and support a residence permit application if needed. It will not, however, help find accommodation in Leiden.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
