Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen - KNAW Van Leersum Beurs

KNAW Van Leersum Beurs

You receive up to 9,000 EUR as a one-off grant to spend 1 to 3 months at a university or research institute abroad. The money covers your return travel (a train ticket or an economy-class flight) and your accommodation while abroad. If you get no salary or other income during the stay, it also covers basic living costs such as daily shopping, insurance and local transport. The grant comes from the KNAW Van Leersum Fund, run by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), and supports young researchers in neurology, radiology and pharmacy. It does not cover research materials or costs that keep running back in the Netherlands.

Who can apply

• Career stage: You are doing a PhD (a doctoral research project), or you finished your PhD no more than four years ago in the year you apply.
• Where you are based: During the funded stay you are employed at a university or research institute in the Netherlands.
• Field of study: Your research is in neurology, neurobiology, radiology or pharmacy, including research on medicinal plants.
• Where you go: Your stay is at a university or research institute outside the Netherlands, lasting 1 to 3 months without a break.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply. What counts is your link to a Dutch institution.
• One-time only: You can receive this grant only once.

How to apply

You apply through the KNAW online portal, in Dutch or English. You need a completed form, a CV of up to 2 pages, an invitation letter confirming the visit, and a description of the visit of up to 3 pages. A committee of three reviews each application, and you hear back within two months of the deadline. The next round opens on 1 May 2027.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant is aimed at a narrow group: early-career researchers based in the Netherlands, working in neurology, radiology or pharmacy, and planning a specific stay abroad. That keeps the applicant pool small, and roughly 7 to 12 grants are awarded each year. If your research fits these fields and you present a clear plan with a confirmed host, your prospects are solid.