Stipend: €39,000 for PhD Fellows or €45,000 for postdoctoral Fellows (12-month period), plus up to €5,000 annual travel allowance; visa fees for Fellow covered
Application Deadline: 4 January 2026
Location: Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum)
Overview
The purpose of the Fellowship Programme is to encourage and support scholarly investigation, and to contribute to academic discourses while strengthening bonds between the museum and universities. The programme enables highly talented candidates to base part of their research at the Rijksmuseum, and offers access to the museum’s expertise, collections, library and laboratories. Furthermore, it facilitates opportunities for Fellows to engage in workshops and excursions to encourage exchange of knowledge—both amongst themselves and the broader museum audience.
Application Details
Location: Amsterdam
Number of hours per week: 36
Closing date: 04 Jan 2026
Fellowship Focus
This Fellowship centres on the Netherlands as an international intersection of art, artists, artistic ideas and materials. Recent decades have seen an increased scholarly interest in themes such as mobility, cultural networks, shared cultural heritage and globalization. The Rijksmuseum has played an active role in these developments, with international interfaces with Netherlandish art central to its collection and exhibition policy. The Fellowship aims to stimulate high-quality, object-based research, focusing on the Low Countries as a hub of international cultural exchange.
Possible Research Topics
Proposals may address a wide range of subjects, including but not limited to:
- Migration of artists to and from the Netherlands
- International exchange of art in the Low Countries
- Trade in art materials and naturalia for collectors
- Artistic and personal identity and style
- Artistic and social strategies
- Shared cultural heritage
- Intercultural networks
The Fellowship promotes diversity and seeks to attract early career scholars from varied social, ethnic and economic backgrounds. It will preferably lead to a publication, developed in consultation with Rijksmuseum academic advisors.
Research Support
Fellows will receive:
- Joint working space at the Rijksmuseum
- Access to Research Library collections, museum archives and documentation
- Guidance from a curatorial or scientific staff advisor
Eligibility
The Fellowship is open to:
- PhD students whose proposal is part of their forthcoming dissertation
- Postdoctoral researchers who have completed and obtained their PhD at the time of application
Additional requirements:
- Open to all nationalities and specialisms (art history, cultural history or related fields)
- Proven research ability and academic credentials
- Excellent written and spoken English
- Proficiency in Dutch or German preferred but not required
Funding
Fellowship stipends support study and research during the twelve-month appointment beginning 1 September 2026:
- €39,000 for PhD Fellows
- €45,000 for postdoctoral Fellows
(Amounts subject to taxes and deductions)
Additional support includes:
- Up to €5,000 annually for research-related travel within Europe
- Visa fees for the Fellow (not for dependents)
