Nederlands Letterenfonds Fellowships 2027 in the Netherlands | €17,500 Stipend and Five-Month Residency
The Nederlands Letterenfonds Fellowships 2027 provide an outstanding opportunity for established Caribbean literary writers to spend five months in Amsterdam while working on a significant writing project. Organized by the Dutch Foundation for Literature (Nederlands Letterenfonds) in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS), the fellowship offers a €17,500 stipend, subsidized accommodation, research facilities, and the chance to collaborate with an international academic community.
Unlike many international writing fellowships, this program is specifically intended for writers based in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Only one fellow will be selected for the 2027 residency.
Fellowship Summary
- Host Country: Netherlands
- Host Organization: Dutch Foundation for Literature (Nederlands Letterenfonds)
- Host Institution: Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS)
- Program Type: Writing Fellowship
- Fellowship Duration: 5 Months (February–July 2027)
- Eligible Nationalities: Writers residing in Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, or Sint Maarten
- Financial Benefits: €17,500 Stipend, Travel Support, Subsidized Accommodation
- Application Mode: Online
- Application Deadline: August 25, 2026 (12:00 PM CET)
Degree Level
The fellowship is intended for:
- Established Literary Writers
- Mid-Career Writers
- Senior Writers
- Professional Fiction and Literary Non-Fiction Authors
Available Subjects
Applicants working in literary fields are welcome, including:
- Fiction
- Literary Non-Fiction
- Creative Writing
- Literature
- Literary Research
Benefits
Selected fellows will receive:
- Monthly stipend of €3,500
- Total financial support of €17,500 for five months
- Reimbursement for one international return airfare
- Subsidized accommodation in Amsterdam
- Private office at NIAS
- Access to research facilities and library resources
- Participation in seminars, workshops, and academic events
- Opportunities to collaborate with international researchers and writers
- Membership in an interdisciplinary academic community
Note: Accommodation is subsidized rather than fully funded. Fellows may still need to contribute toward housing costs. Meals, visa expenses, health insurance, and family relocation costs are generally not covered.
Eligible Nationalities
Applications are accepted only from established writers currently based in:
- Aruba
- Bonaire
- Curaçao
- Saba
- Sint Eustatius
- Sint Maarten
Applicants must currently reside in one of these Caribbean territories.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be an established fiction or literary non-fiction writer.
- Be currently based in Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, or Sint Maarten.
- Have a strong literary track record with published or professionally recognized work.
- Submit a well-developed literary project rather than an early-stage idea.
- Demonstrate that the proposed project would benefit from a five-month residency.
- Possess a good command of English, the working language at NIAS.
- Be available to participate full-time during the residency period.
- Be willing to attend seminars, workshops, and interdisciplinary activities.
Application Procedure
Required Documents
Applicants should prepare:
- Completed online application form
- Project proposal
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- List of published literary works
- Writing samples (if required)
- Personal statement
- Any additional documents requested by the organizers
Application Process
Interested applicants should follow these steps:
- Visit the official Nederlands Letterenfonds fellowship webpage.
- Carefully review all eligibility requirements.
- Prepare a detailed literary project proposal.
- Complete the online application form.
- Upload all required supporting documents.
- Submit the application before the deadline.
- Await evaluation by the independent ranking committee and the final decision from NIAS.
Selection Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on:
- Literary quality of the applicant's previous work
- Quality and feasibility of the proposed literary project
- Suitability for the interdisciplinary academic environment at NIAS
The Dutch Foundation for Literature will first assess eligibility before forwarding qualified applications to an independent selection committee. NIAS will make the final selection after consulting its Academic Advisory Board.
Why Apply for the Nederlands Letterenfonds Fellowship?
This fellowship provides established writers with dedicated time, financial support, and access to an inspiring academic environment. Fellows can focus entirely on advancing their literary projects while engaging with scholars, researchers, and fellow writers from around the world. The combination of funding, residency, and interdisciplinary collaboration makes this one of the most valuable literary fellowships available for eligible Caribbean writers.
