American Scandinavian Foundation

Owned by Felicity Dominguez Howell
Last updated: Jun 05, 2023
4 min read

About

ASF’s award program for study and research abroad has been the Foundation’s most long-standing commitment to educational exchange. During the past 100 years, over 4,000 fellowships and grants have been given to Americans in the Nordic region (Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sámpi, and Sweden) and Scandinavians in the US engaged in study, research, or creative arts projects.

For AY 2022 -23 American Fellows were granted over $287,775 in total funding, the fellowship opens in November annually.

Duration

  • Academic Year (start date is after April 15), or

  • 1-3 months (start date is after April 15) 

For more information about applying to ASF’s Fellowships for Americans in the Nordic Countries, please see ASF’s Program Guidelines.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be United States citizens or permanent residents.

  • Team projects are eligible, but each member must apply as an individual, submitting a separate, fully-documented application.

  • Applicants must have completed their undergraduate education by the start of their project in the Nordic region.

  • First priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received an ASF award. Applicants are eligible to receive only two awards within a ten year period. Only in exceptional cases will a third award be considered.

  • Please note that ASF does not ordinarily support art residency programs. To be considered for funding, you must explain why this residency is crucial to your work.

 

Nomination Materials

  • Curriculum Vitae 

  • Project Abstract (Limit: 150 words) 

  • Project Statement (Limit: 1,500 words) 

  • Project Budget (Enter expenses into the online application’s budget template) 

  • Three Letters of Recommendation. Note: If you are a MA or PhD student, then 1 of the 3 letters must be from the committee chair 

  • A Letter of Affiliation/Invitation (in host country) 

  • Evidence that you will comply with research ethics, if applicable (e.g., IRB application or approval, reference to relevant ethics code)  

  • Transcripts (undergraduate and graduate transcripts). Note: Full-time faculty members and independent scholars who have completed their PhDs more than 7 years ago do not need to provide transcripts 

Language Proficiency

ASF considers it desirable that all candidates have at least some ability in the language of the host country, unless your project does not require the use of a Nordic language. For projects that require a command of one or more Nordic (or other) languages, candidates should defer application until they have the necessary proficiency.

If interviews are part of the project, the applicant is expected to be able to conduct the interviews in the appropriate local language/s. If language proficiency is required for your project then one of your three letters of recommendation must address the level of Nordic language proficiency, as necessary for the project, and must be written by a qualified instructor or professional in that Nordic language.

Award Terms

  • Projects should not begin before April 15th.

  • The awards support project-related costs, including roundtrip airfare, room and board in the Nordic region, in-country travel, tuition and fees (where applicable), and materials (e.g., books, photocopying, art supplies).

  • ASF awards may require supplementation from other sources, but they should not duplicate the benefits of additional awards (and vice versa). Candidates must notify ASF if they have received other award offers. ASF will not provide funds if, in its judgment, a proposal can be carried out without its assistance.