Institut français NL - Institut Français Netherlands - France Excellence Van Dongen

What the France Excellence Van Dongen scholarship gives you

You receive 900 EUR per month for 10 months, from September 2026 to June 2027, to study an arts or design master's in France. The award also covers your travel costs for the round trip between the Netherlands and France. On top of the money you get French scholarship-holder status. This gives you help with housing and student life, priority for a room at the Collège néerlandais in Paris, and membership of the France Alumni network. The programme is run by the Institut français in the Netherlands and has funded over 250 students since 2001.

Who can apply

• Degree: You hold a Dutch bachelor's (WO or HBO), or you finished one recently and are enrolled at a Dutch higher education institution.
• Field of study: Arts and design only. This covers visual arts and design, architecture and landscape, performing arts and music, or audiovisual media and film.
• Where you go: You plan a master's in France and are not yet studying there. If you already attend a French art school, you cannot apply.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply except French nationals.
• Language: French is not required. The level you need depends on the course and its teaching language.
• Other funding: You cannot combine this with other Institut français NL, French government, AUF or Erasmus+ scholarships.

How to apply

You send your application by email to the Institut français NL. Include a CV, an arts portfolio and a motivation letter in English or French. The deadline is 30 April 2026. If you make the shortlist, you present a pitch to a jury online on 13 May 2026, and the winners are announced in mid-May.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is cut narrowly: only arts and design applicants with a Dutch bachelor's who are not yet in France. It is decided partly on your portfolio and a live pitch. That keeps the field small, so if your project fits one of the four art fields and you can show strong work, your prospects are solid. Note that the scholarship becomes final only once a French institution admits you, so arrange your admission early rather than waiting for the result.