FOBOS FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Starting from academic year 2023-2024 the UT is executing a pilot for FOBOS for entrepreneurs. Through the use of this instrument, entrepreneurial students get the chance to put a hold on their study and fully focus on their start-up for one year. For 2024-2025, the pilot will be continued for one more year. On this page you can find more information about the FOBOS regulations, the requirements, and the selection procedure. Do you want to apply for the activism grants for entrepreneurs? This can be done via this form.
WHAT DOES FOBOS ENTAIL?
FOBOS, in Dutch, stands for Financial Support Special Circumstances of Students. This support ensures that if you have suffered a study delay due to special circumstances, you can receive a scholarship for this. Within FOBOS there are four types of scholarships, namely a top-level sports grant, a top-level arts grant, a force majeure allowance, and an activism grant. Information about all four types of scholarships can be found on the UT website. More information about activism grants can be found here.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for receiving the activism grants, students will have to meet the conditions of the activism grants scheme in the FOBOS policy. (Currently, the policy for 2024 is not yet finalised. For now, you can check if you are eligible according to the 2023 policy). This will be checked by the registry. Any remaining activism grants from a student who does not comply with the conditions of the activism grants scheme cannot be reallocated. These requirements include among others the recognised period, grants for pre-master students and first-year bachelor students, amount of a grant, obtaining credits, and the extent of the support. Below you can find a FOBOS information document with information about these requirements. This is also incorporated in the policy of FOBOS. Please check these requirements before the start of your year to not be surprised at the time of the application!
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Completing the Novel-T START programme and being accepted to the ADVANCED programme;
- To be accepted to the ADVANCED programme the following questions must be answered:
- Can you make it? (technical feasibility)
- Can you sell it? (commercial feasibility)
- Do you really want to do it? (entrepreneurial ambition)
- To be accepted to the ADVANCED programme the following questions must be answered:
- A minimal requirement of 60 ECTS received at the University of Twente;
- Delivering a measurable plan with metrics on the progress for both your own personal development as for your start-up that are both realistic and ambitious;
- Deliverable 1: Personal development plan
- Reflection on encountered personal development in your experience as a student entrepreneur so far;
- Personal development plan for the upcoming year.
- Deliverable 2: Start-up development plan
- What problem does your start-up solve?
- Is there a market?
- Is there not too much competition?
- What sets you apart from the competition?
- Deliverable 1: Personal development plan
Participation in one of the following programmes can also be seen as an additional bonus, but is not a requirement for the application:
- UT Entrepreneurial Challenge;
- Design Lab;
- Honours Programme Bachelor or Master.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
The pilot of the FOBOS category for entrepreneurs consists of activism grants for five full-time entrepreneurs. The selection procedure looks as follows.
- Check whether you fulfill the requirements to apply for FOBOS for entrepreneurs.
- Apply for the activism grants for entrepreneurs using this form.
- Your deliverables will be checked on the criteria as described in the information document.
- If your deliverables are of good quality, you will be invited for an in-depth interview with a committee consisting of professionals in the area of entrepreneurship.
- Based on the interviews the committee will select five students that can make use of the activism grants in the upcoming academic year.
Do you have questions regarding the activism grants for entrepreneurs in general or about the selection procedure specifically? Do not hesitate to contact m.m.j.janssen@utwente.nl.
APPLY NOW
Have you become enthusiastic about this unique possibility to fully focus on your start-up while getting your tuition fee reimbursed? Apply for the activism grants via this form.