Fellowships for Americans in the Nordic Countries

Overview
The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) has long served as a cultural bridge between the United States and the Nordic countries, fostering scholarly and artistic exchange since its founding in 1910. Its fellowship program is a cornerstone of this mission, offering vital support to graduate students and academic professionals who wish to immerse themselves in the rich cultural and intellectual landscapes of Denmark, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sápmi, and Sweden. The fellowships are designed to facilitate projects that require on-site research or creative production, whether in the archives of Copenhagen, the studios of Helsinki, or the landscapes of Iceland. Awardees receive substantial funding: up to $23,000 for year-long fellowships and up to $5,000 for short-term fellowships lasting one to three months. These grants are intended to cover travel, living expenses, and project costs, allowing fellows to focus on their work without the burden of financial strain. The program is open to a wide range of disciplines, from the visual arts and performance to writing and design, reflecting ASF’s commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry. Fellows become part of a distinguished network of alumni who have gone on to shape their fields. The curatorial vision behind these fellowships is one of deep engagement and reciprocity. ASF seeks projects that demonstrate a genuine need for Nordic resources—be they material, institutional, or environmental—and that promise to contribute meaningfully to the fellow’s practice and to the broader cultural dialogue between the U.S. and the Nordic region. The selection committee looks for proposals that are rigorously researched, thoughtfully articulated, and feasible within the fellowship timeline.