Nicolaas Mulerius Foundation - Stichting Nicolaas Mulerius Fonds / University of Groningen - Nicolaas Mulerius Foundation

What the Nicolaas Mulerius Foundation gives

You get a one-off contribution towards a research, teaching or cultural project at the University of Groningen (RUG). The money comes either as a grant you never repay or as an interest-free loan. There is no fixed sum. Each project gets a single payment worked out from its budget, and the funding period depends on what your project needs. To give a sense of scale, the foundation paid out 45,700 EUR in total in 2024. Individual awards ranged from a few thousand euros up to 25,000 EUR for a larger event. The money supports every academic field at the university, plus activities that raise its profile, including cultural ones. Staff costs are covered only in rare cases and for short periods.

Who can apply

• Who you are: You are a researcher, a research group, a faculty or a university institute at the University of Groningen. People from outside the RUG cannot apply.
• Degree level: As an individual you must have a completed PhD. PhD students are considered only in rare cases. Bachelor's and master's students cannot apply.
• Field of study: Any field taught at the university, plus projects that improve the university's public image.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply. There are no country restrictions.
• What counts most: Your project must clearly serve the University of Groningen. Projects funded by many different parties at once are not a priority.

How to apply

There is no deadline, so you can apply at any time by email to the foundation's secretary. First send an informal email to check that your project fits the foundation's aims. Then submit a short description of the activity and a clear budget. Individual applicants also add a CV with a publication list and references. The board decides within a few months.

How realistic are your chances?

This is an internal fund for the University of Groningen, not a student scholarship, so few people qualify: only RUG researchers with a PhD, or RUG faculties and institutes. If you fit that and your project clearly helps the university's teaching, research or public standing, your prospects are solid. There is no deadline, and the board welcomes an informal check-in first. A well-focused single project counts for more than a request spread across many funders.