Deadline: 03-Aug-2026
The KNAW Van Leersum Grant Programme offers up to €9,000 to support young researchers in neurology, radiology, and pharmacy for a working visit of 1 to 3 consecutive months at a foreign university or research institute outside the Netherlands. Eligible applicants must be PhD candidates or early-career postdoctoral researchers affiliated with a university or research institute in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the visit must take place between 1 November 2026 and 1 November 2027.
What is the KNAW Van Leersum Grant Programme?
The KNAW Van Leersum Grant Programme is an annual international research mobility grant that supports young researchers from Dutch universities and research institutes.
It is designed to fund a temporary working visit abroad to a foreign university or research institute in order to strengthen:
- International academic collaboration
- Research capacity and scientific exchange
- Early-career researcher development
- High-quality research in specialized scientific fields
This grant is especially relevant for researchers seeking international exposure, collaborative research opportunities, and career advancement in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.
Grant Focus Areas
The KNAW Van Leersum Grant supports research in the following disciplines:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Pharmacy
- Research on medicinal plants (within the pharmacy-related scope)
Research Priorities
Applications are expected to demonstrate:
- High scientific quality
- Clear contribution to the advancement of the field
- A feasible work plan within the available time and resources
- Strong academic value for the applicant’s development
- Scientific merit and relevance of the proposed working visit
Grant Objective
The main purpose of the grant is to enable a short-term international research visit that helps young researchers:
- Build partnerships with foreign universities or institutes
- Access specialized laboratories, archives, methods, or supervision
- Develop research skills in neurology, radiology, or pharmacy
- Increase the impact and quality of their ongoing research
- Strengthen future academic and scientific career prospects
Funding Amount
The KNAW Van Leersum Grant provides up to €9,000 per selected applicant.
What the Funding Can Cover
The grant may be used for:
- Travel costs
- One outbound journey
- One return journey
- Accommodation expenses
- Housing costs during the stay abroad
- Primary living expenses
- Daily necessities
- Insurance
- Local transportation
Important Funding Condition
These living expenses are covered only if the applicant does not receive salary or other financial support during the visit.
Key Funding Restrictions
- The grant is awarded only to the applicant
- It is not transferable
- The same researcher can receive the grant only once
Duration of the Working Visit
The proposed international working visit must:
- Last at least 1 month
- Last no more than 3 consecutive months
Eligible Activity Period
The visit must take place between:
- 1 November 2026
- 1 November 2027
This means the funded research stay must be scheduled entirely within this official grant window.
Who is Eligible?
To apply for the KNAW Van Leersum Grant Programme, applicants must meet all core eligibility conditions.
Eligible Applicant Categories
You may be eligible if you are:
- A PhD student, or
- A researcher who obtained a PhD no more than 4 years before the application year
Early-Career Rule
For postdoctoral researchers, the PhD must normally have been awarded within the last four years before the application year.
Note:
This may be subject to extension rules, which can apply in specific circumstances according to the programme guidelines.
Institutional Affiliation Requirement
Applicants must be affiliated with:
- A university, or
- A research institute
within the Kingdom of the Netherlands during the funded activity.
In Simple Terms: Who Can Apply?
This grant is best suited for:
- Early-career biomedical researchers in the Netherlands
- Doctoral candidates needing international research collaboration
- Postdocs in neurology, radiology, or pharmacy
- Researchers working on medicinal plants within pharmacy-related research
- Scholars planning a short, structured research visit abroad
Why This Grant Matters
The KNAW Van Leersum Grant is important because it supports international research mobility, which is often essential in highly specialized scientific disciplines.
Why It Matters for Researchers
This programme can help applicants:
- Gain access to international expertise
- Use advanced facilities or methodologies unavailable locally
- Build cross-border scientific collaborations
- Strengthen publication quality and research output
- Improve chances for future fellowships, grants, and academic positions
Why It Matters for the Research Fields
In fields like neurology, radiology, and pharmacy, short-term research visits can accelerate:
- Clinical and translational research exchange
- Innovation in diagnostics and treatment
- Pharmaceutical and medicinal plant research
- Data sharing and interdisciplinary scientific progress
What Makes a Strong Application?
A strong KNAW Van Leersum Grant application usually includes:
- A clear research objective
- A strong fit between your project and the host institution
- A realistic 1–3 month work plan
- Evidence of scientific value and feasibility
- A convincing explanation of why the visit must happen abroad
- Clear relevance to neurology, radiology, pharmacy, or medicinal plants
- Strong academic benefit for your career development
How to Apply for the KNAW Van Leersum Grant Programme
The original article provides the eligibility and funding framework, but not the full procedural steps. Based on the programme structure, applicants should prepare a complete research mobility application aligned with the official KNAW call.
Step-by-Step Application Approach
- Confirm your eligibility
- Verify that you are a PhD student or within 4 years of PhD completion.
- Confirm your affiliation with a university or research institute in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- Define your research visit
- Identify a foreign university or research institute outside the Netherlands.
- Ensure the visit duration is between 1 and 3 consecutive months.
- Check timing carefully
- Plan the visit so it takes place between 1 November 2026 and 1 November 2027.
- Align your project with the grant scope
- Make sure the proposed work clearly falls under:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Pharmacy
- Medicinal plants research (if relevant)
- Make sure the proposed work clearly falls under:
- Prepare a concise research plan
- Explain:
- What you will do during the visit
- Why the host institution is necessary
- Expected outputs or outcomes
- Why the plan is feasible within the proposed timeframe
- Explain:
- Build a realistic budget
- Estimate:
- Round-trip travel
- Accommodation
- Living costs
- Insurance
- Local transport
- Keep the total within €9,000
- Estimate:
- Clarify your funding status
- State whether you will receive salary or any other financial support during the visit, since this affects coverage of living expenses.
- Review one-time award rules
- Confirm you have not already received this grant before.
- Submit through the official KNAW application channel
- Follow the official call instructions, deadlines, forms, and document requirements once published.
Suggested Documents to Prepare
Although the article does not list all required documents, applicants will likely need materials such as:
- Application form
- Research proposal or visit plan
- CV or academic resume
- Proof of PhD status or PhD award date
- Institutional affiliation confirmation
- Invitation or support letter from the host institution (if required)
- Budget estimate
- Explanation of funding/salary status during the visit
Common Mistakes to Avoid
To improve your chances, avoid these frequent problems:
1. Proposing a weak international justification
Do not simply say you want to travel abroad.
Instead, clearly explain:
- Why the host institution is uniquely relevant
- What expertise, facilities, or collaboration it offers
- Why the work cannot be done equally well in the Netherlands
2. Submitting a vague research plan
Avoid broad or unclear proposals.
Your plan should define:
- Research tasks
- Methods or collaboration goals
- Expected outcomes
- Deliverables within 1–3 months
3. Ignoring the time window
Make sure your visit falls fully within the eligible period:
- 1 November 2026 to 1 November 2027
4. Overbudgeting
The maximum is €9,000.
Do not submit an unrealistic or inflated budget.
5. Forgetting the salary condition
If you receive salary or another form of financial support during the visit, be transparent.
This is especially important because it may affect whether living expenses can be covered.
6. Assuming multiple awards are possible
This grant can be awarded only once per researcher.
Quick Facts at a Glance
- Programme Name: KNAW Van Leersum Grant Programme
- Grant Type: International research mobility / working visit grant
- Host Location: Foreign university or research institute outside the Netherlands
- Applicant Base: Researchers from Dutch universities or research institutes
- Fields Supported: Neurology, radiology, pharmacy, medicinal plants research
- Funding Amount: Up to €9,000
- Visit Duration: 1 to 3 consecutive months
- Eligible Period: 1 November 2026 to 1 November 2027
- Who Can Apply: PhD students and researchers within 4 years of PhD completion (subject to extension rules)
- Affiliation Requirement: Must be affiliated with a university or research institute in the Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Repeat Funding: Same researcher can receive it only once
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the KNAW Van Leersum Grant Programme?
It is an annual grant that supports young researchers from the Netherlands to undertake a short-term working visit abroad at a foreign university or research institute in the fields of neurology, radiology, and pharmacy.
2. How much funding is available under the KNAW Van Leersum Grant?
Selected applicants can receive up to €9,000 to cover eligible expenses such as:
- One outbound trip
- One return trip
- Accommodation
- Basic living costs
- Insurance
- Local transportation
3. Who is eligible to apply for the KNAW Van Leersum Grant?
Eligible applicants include:
- PhD students
- Researchers who completed their PhD within the last 4 years before the application year
Applicants must also be affiliated with a university or research institute in the Kingdom of the Netherlands during the funded activity.
4. What research fields are covered by this grant?
The grant supports research in:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Pharmacy
- Medicinal plants research (where relevant within the pharmacy scope)
5. How long can the funded research visit last?
The working visit must last:
- Minimum: 1 month
- Maximum: 3 consecutive months
6. When must the funded visit take place?
The research visit must occur between:
- 1 November 2026
- 1 November 2027
7. Can the same person receive the KNAW Van Leersum Grant more than once?
No. The grant can be awarded only once to the same researcher.
Final Takeaway
The KNAW Van Leersum Grant Programme 2026–2027 is a valuable international research mobility opportunity for PhD students and early-career researchers in neurology, radiology, and pharmacy affiliated with institutions in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
For more information, visit KNAW.
