Netherlands Institute at Athens - Nederlands Instituut Athene - Beurzen Nederlands Instituut Athene (NIA)

What the NIA scholarships give you

The Netherlands Institute at Athens (NIA) funds research stays in Athens of up to three months. You get free accommodation at the institute and up to 200 EUR towards your travel. There are four options, differing mainly by the monthly allowance and who they target:

• PhD stipend: 700 EUR per month for PhD students and recent PhDs. Up to 2 awarded each year.
• Study grant: 400 EUR per month for MA students, recent MA graduates, and recent BA/BSc graduates. Several awarded each year.
• VVNIA-Goekoop Grant: 400 EUR per month for research-master students, PhD students and post-docs without a permanent job, working on Greek antiquity (archaeology, epigraphy, ancient history, philology). Up to 2 awarded each year. Recipients are asked to join the Association of Friends of the NIA (VVNIA).
• Accommodation allowance: 4 EUR off your daily room rate, up to 200 EUR per calendar year.

The NIA is one of twenty foreign archaeological schools in Athens and a joint research institute of six Dutch universities.

Who can apply

• University link: You are connected to one of six Dutch universities: VU Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Leiden, Utrecht, Groningen or Radboud Nijmegen.
• Level: Depending on the grant, you are a BA/BSc graduate, MA student or graduate, PhD student, recent PhD, or post-doc without a permanent post.
• Topic: Your research is connected to Greece, and a stay in Athens clearly adds value to it.
• No double funding: You do not already receive pay or another grant for this research.
• No repeat: You have not received the same NIA grant in the last five years. The accommodation allowance does not count here.

How to apply

You apply through the online form on the NIA website by 1 February or 1 October (23:59 Greek time). Your main supervisor must email a signed letter of support separately by the same deadline, otherwise your application is rejected. You hear back within six weeks, and an approved grant must be used within one year.

How realistic are your chances?

These grants are aimed at a narrow group: you must be tied to one of six Dutch universities and pursue Greece-related research, so the applicant pool is small. The study grant has several places each year, while the PhD and VVNIA-Goekoop grants offer only up to two each, making those tighter. A well-argued proposal that genuinely needs an Athens stay stands a strong chance.