Cultuurfonds visual arts scholarship

Cultuurfonds visual arts scholarship

You receive up to 25,000 EUR towards a master's degree in visual arts abroad. The award covers at most half of your total budget, so you fund the rest yourself. The exact amount depends on your costs and how long you stay. It pays for rent, living costs, tuition fees and one return trip. The money comes from het Cultuurfonds, one of the largest private cultural foundations in the Netherlands. It does not cover study materials, congresses, competitions, internships, research that is part of a bachelor's or master's, or online programmes.

Who can apply

• Your degree: You have finished, or are about to finish, a bachelor's at a Dutch art academy (HBO level). A foreign diploma counts if the Netherlands recognises it as equal to a Dutch bachelor's or master's.
• Where you go: You study abroad and live in that country during your studies. The programme must lead to a master's title.
• Field of study: Any area of visual arts in the broad sense, for example painting, sculpture, photography, graphic and product design, social design, architecture, fashion, textiles, ceramics or glass.
• Nationality or residence: You are a Dutch national, or you have lived in the Netherlands for more than 5 years.
• Timing: From July onwards, your studies must still run for at least one more full academic year. You may already have started, but the grant does not cover time that has passed.
• First time: You have not received a Cultuurfonds scholarship before.

How to apply

You apply online through the Cultuurfonds portal between 1 February and 1 April. The final deadline is 23:59 on 1 April. Only complete applications count, though your diploma and admission proof may follow later. An advisory committee reviews all eligible applications at the end of May. You hear back in writing about three weeks after that meeting.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is cut narrowly: you must be a Dutch art academy graduate heading abroad for a master's, which keeps the eligible group small. The foundation gives around 250 study scholarships a year across all disciplines, but says more people apply than the budget allows. So a strong portfolio and clear motivation matter. If you fit the profile and apply early in the February to April window, your prospects are solid.