29-01-2026

KITLV invites scholars working in the fields of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies to apply for a Visiting Fellowship. Candidates are invited to send in a proposal of the work they wish to carry out while at KITLV. Fellows may work on a publication or research project of their own choice. Applicants are not required to have an affiliation at a university or a research institute

Duration

3 months

Periods

– 1 September 2026 up to 1 December 2026 (two fellowships available)
– 1 December 2026 up to 1 March 2027 (two fellowships available)

Eligibility

Candidates are invited to send in a proposal of the work they wish to carry out while at KITLV.

Fellows may work on a publication or research project of their own choice in the fields of Southeast Asian or Caribbean Studies. Applicants are not required to have an affiliation at a university or a research institute. They are, however, expected to have a steady income in the period of the Visiting Fellowship. The KITLV Visiting Fellowship is not a salaried position.

Eligible applicants:

– Have a PhD in the Social Sciences and/or Humanities;
– Carry out research in the field(s) of Southeast Asian and/or Caribbean Studies;
– Are interested to carry out their desired research in the Netherlands;
– Are prepared to be based at KITLV during the entire period of the fellowship;
– Are not a (tax) resident of The Netherlands.

Our offer

The selected candidates will be offered:
– A return air or train fare (economy) to and from the Netherlands;
– Reimbursement of the costs of their accommodation in Leiden (including rent, energy costs, and if applicable service costs) up to a maximum of € 2,000 per month, based on proof of payment;
– A monthly compensation for higher living costs in Leiden, as compared to the main place of residence (calculated on a case-by-case basis).

If needed, the KITLV can provide a formal letter of invitation and offer support in applying for a residence permit. The institute will not, however, assist in finding suitable accommodation. The latter is the fellow’s own responsibility.

How to apply

Candidates are invited to submit their application in English.

Applications must include:

– A completed application form: download here
– A brief, two-page CV.

Deadline:

The deadline for submitting your application is: 21 March 2026, midnight (CET).
Please submit your application via the Apply Now button. You may address the application to the Program Chair, Professor Ward Berenschot (do not email him your application).

Apply here

Apply

Questions?

For questions or more information, please contact applications@kitlv.nl. Please note that we will not review any proposals before submission and/or the deadline.

Selection procedure

Selection is based on the submitted application documents. No interviews are held. We aim to inform all applicants end of April whether their proposals have been selected, not selected, or placed on the reserve list.

The institute

The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV-KNAW) is an research institute of the KNAW. The KITLV conducts interdisciplinary and comparative historical research. Its research focus is Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, with an emphasis on Indonesia and the ‘Dutch’ Caribbean. It is particularly interested in such issues as state formation, violence and citizenship, processes of mobility and the formation of ethnic and national identity. KITLV is active in the humanities, social sciences and comparative area studies and works closely with Leiden University.