IIAS Fellowship Frequently Asked Questions

1. When can I apply for the IIAS Fellowship?

Please see the Fellowship application webpage for the most recent application dates.

2. How do I apply for the FMSH Fellowship?

The FMSH Fellowship is not a separate fellowship, it is a combined IIAS+FMSH Fellowship. In order to apply for the FMSH Fellowship you must apply for the IIAS Fellowship. The FMSH Fellowship is an additional fellowship of two months initiating directly after the IIIAS Fellowship ends.

3. Is there a minimum/maximum age limit to apply? Can early to mid-career scholars apply? 

There is no age limit to apply for the IIAS and IIAS+FMSH fellowships. However, as you may have read in the call and in the Terms and Conditions, it is necessary to have completed a PhD or be in the final stages of your PhD, with a pre-scheduled defense no later than 15 February. Our fellowship is aimed at young and mid-career scholars, while senior scholars are invited to apply for our Visiting Researchers fellowship as self-funded fellows. The digital form for this fellowship category can be found here: https://www.iias.asia/visiting-researchers-strategic-collaboration-fellowships-application-form.  

4. Can I change the start/end date of the IIAS Fellowship period?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to change the start or end date of the IIAS Fellowship as stated on the Fellowship application webpage. The IIAS Fellowship is a 12-month residential fellowship in Leiden, and fellows are expected to arrive in the first week of September and leave before the last week of August. IIAS has to abide to strict scheduling due to the housing crisis. Additionally, when you have been selected for the IIAS Fellowship, the visa procedure initiates as soon as possible as it can take up to three months to complete the procedure.

5. Is it possible to have a shorter stay than 12 months? 

It is not possible to have a shorter stay when you apply for the IIAS or IIAS+FMSH fellowships. The IIAS Fellowship is a 12-month residential fellowship in Leiden, and fellows are required to reside in Leiden for the duration of their fellowship. 

6. Do I have to stay in the apartment IIAS provides?

Yes, IIAS reserves these flats specifically for the IIAS Fellowship. These apartments are pre-booked, and should not be left vacant as it incurs costs for IIAS. As a residential Fellowship, the apartments also play a role to create a space for temporary community, with the possibility of contact and mutual support during your stay.

7. Can projects with a focus on fieldwork apply for a fellowship? 

Projects with a focus on fieldwork can apply only if the fieldwork has already been conducted. Funding for field research is not within our scope. 

8. Is it possible to apply to the IIAS Fellowship programme while simultaneously being research fellow, or employed, elsewhere? 

No. However, researchers may apply for a self-funded fellowship. Click here for more information.

9. Is it possible to reapply if turned down a previous year? 

Yes. 

10. To what extent do projects/applications need to be community focused or socially engaged? 

This is not a mandatory requirement for a successful application. We suggest carefully reviewing the call and the Terms and Conditions. 

11. What am I expected to do as an IIAS fellow? 

All fellows are expected to participate as much as possible in the academic and social activities proposed. Fellows are also expected to attend the institute on a weekly basis. We also expect them to maintain transparent communication with the Fellowship Programme coordination and with the IIAS administration. We emphasize the creation of a space for healthy and inspiring exchange of ideas, where fellows can blend their individual research with moments of dialogue and interaction with their peers.

12. I have been accepted for the IIAS Fellowship, can I still withdraw from the IIAS Fellowship?

If you have been selected for the IIAS Fellowship and decide to withdraw less than three months before the start of the Fellowship, IIAS will incur a €150 administrative fee.