Honours
Honours

Beyond the Frontiers

Collaborate with that one brilliant professor. Or work in that super-innovative department. Stroll in the library where you will find everything that you need. Or follow the footsteps of the artist you are studying. How amazing would it be to just go for it? The honours programme Beyond the Frontiers offers you the opportunity to do just that. Live in another city and work for at least ten weeks at the university where you can take your research to the next level. And get access to everything else the Honours Academy has to offer.

    General

    What’s in it for you?

    • Conduct your research in the most inspiring environments
    • Work at a major university in your field, in the Netherlands or abroad
    • Expand your network with leading scientists within your research field
    • Extend your research internship, for example from three to six months
    • Show yourself to your future promotor #dreambig
    • Boost your CV with a self-initiated research project
    • Follow Honours Academy courses to prepare yourself: for example, work on your presentation or writing skills

    Facts & figures

    • For whom pre-Master's or Master's students
    • Duration min. 10 weeks during your (pre-)Master's
    • Study load ± 40 hours per week
    • Language English and Dutch
    • Scholarship up to €3300
    I followed honours education for the entire duration of my studies.
    A photo of Karlijn behind a microscope
    Karlijn Bouman Read Karlijn's story

    Starting date

    To be announced
    When your research project starts
    Main Language
    Dutch-English
    Intake
    Yes

    Factsheet

    Type of education
    Course
    Study hours
    40

    Contact information

    Do you want more information? Or make an appointment to talk about your project idea? Please contact the programme coordinator, Victor Reijnders.

    Victor Reijnders
    victor.reijnders [at] ru.nl (victor[dot]reijnders[at]ru[dot]nl) 

    You design your Beyond the Frontiers honours programme yourself – with our help, obviously. Do you know exactly who to go to if you want to learn from the best? Is it obvious that you have to master exactly those techniques from that one, leading lab? Or are the answers to your research questions hidden in these specific archives? You are free to go wherever you want to go. Explain why you need to visit the university of your choice, and why it offers possibilities that Radboud University does not. Can you persuade us? Then we just might help you make your visit come true. And more: Beyond the Frontiers honours students are regularly asked to return to their host university for a longer stay. We open doors.

    Where do you start?

    Obviously, you don’t do everything yourself. We help you with your preparations. And we are your point of contact for questions, both before you leave and during your stay.

    Do you have a research project in mind? And would you like to submit a project proposal? Please contact Victor Reijnders, victor.reijnders [at] ru.nl. He will help you sharpen your plans. He will ask questions like: What are you going to do? How do you expect your visit to go? When will you leave? You can also discuss your options if your plans are different from the rest, for example if you want to carry out your research together with a partner.

    Proposal and pitch

    Is your project plan solid? Then write your proposal in detail. What are your research questions? And what is your method? How is your research relevant to society? Make sure that you have a letter of recommendation from two supervisors, one from Radboud University and one from the university you want to visit. Make a realistic and feasible planning, including a budget and a good plan B. Are you ready? Pitch your proposal and convince us!

    You got a go! What is next?

    Did your proposal get approved? Then you can start planning your stay. Arrange your accommodation, your workplace and your trip. The Beyond the Frontiers honours programme will bear part of your expenses, up to a maximum of €3300. You will receive 60% before your visit, and 40% when you return. All settled? Then all you have to do is go and have a great time! Go on an adventure and write your own story.

    Your entire research in ten weeks?

    You will work for at least ten weeks at the university of your choice. We can hear you thinking: isn’t that way too short for an entire research project? Yes, you are right! But keep in mind that on the day that you leave to your host university, you will already have made great progress, thanks to your thorough preparations. And no stress: after you come back to Nijmegen, you will have another three months to finish your end product. This can be a scientific article, but also an advisory report or an essay. Does your supervisor approve your end product? Then you will receive an Honours certificate.

    Follow Honours Academy courses

    During your time as an honours student, you can follow workshops and courses offered by the Honours Academy, if you want. For example, do you dread your pitch? Then work on your presentation skills. Or did you collect beautiful data during your visit, but do you want to learn to write them up properly? Then take a writing course.

    Symposium

    Your Beyond the Frontiers experience is mostly individual. Still, you are not alone. Along with you, all over the world, other Beyond the Frontiers honours students are conducting their own dream research. We regularly organise Beyond the Frontiers symposia during which students who have finished their projects present their results to professors, colleagues, but also to family and friends. An inspiring afternoon on a wide variety of topics based on research conducted all over the world. Do you see yourself presenting at our symposium? Go for it, push your limits!

    Attach to the form below one pdf file that consists of the following elements:

    • Make one pdf file that consists of the following parts:
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • List of grades
    • Motivational letter (max. 500 words)
    • The confirmation of a principle investigator or senior researcher at Radboud University and also of a senior researcher at a renowned laboratory or research institute, stating that he or she will supervise the project and assess the result of the project.
    • At least two letters of recommendation, whereby at least one of them should be from your intended supervisor at Radboud University
    • The research proposal

    The research proposal, consisting of:

    • A brief introduction to the project (max. 500 words)
    • A plan of work, including a time schedule and the approximate study load (at least 420 hrs) (max. 500 words)
    • The research question(s) and the research method (max. 600 words)
    • Literature references
    • A description of the presentation of the final results (article, essay, book, report)
    • Explanation of the research proposal for a layman's audience
    • A valorisation section
    • A detailed estimation of the costs (maximum of €3300,-). Take in account travels costs, costs for stay, insurances and fees. Other costs, such as costs for research or to support daily life abroad, will not be covered.

    Selection criteria

    • presentation skills
    • feasibility of the project in the available time
    • valorisation possibilities
    • plan B: what are your options when the project doesn't turn out the way you planned because of the circumstances abroad

    Apply now

    * Mandatory field

    Great that you would like to participate in the Honours Programme Beyond the Frontiers. Please fill out the form below and we will contact you shortly after receiving it.

    Your proposal

    One file only.
    20 MB limit.