FAQs (Fellowships)

Here you will find FAQs regarding the Fellowship Programmes.

(Updated: 29 May, 2024)

Can the Admissions Office give advice as to what may increase a candidate’s chances of being awarded a fellowship?
The Admissions Office is not able to give advice as to what may increase a candidate’s chances of being awarded a fellowship.

It is up to the candidate to decide on research topic, which programme to submit an application to, and whether or not to include letters of recommendation. Please see the questions below for further information on research project and letters of recommendation.

Can I apply to more than one fellowship programme?
We kindly ask candidates to only apply to one fellowship programme. Applications to all our fellowship programmes are reviewed by the same committee. For this reason, we ask you to only apply to one fellowship programme in a given academic year.

Applying to more than one fellowship programme will not increase your chances of being awarded a fellowship at SCAS.

If the programme you choose to apply to has an open call for two different academic years, it is possible to apply to both academic years (only applicable to the Human Past Fellowship Programme and the SCAS-Nordic Fellowship Programme).

Can the Collegium give advice about which programme would be the best fit for me?
It is up to the applicants to decide which programme would be the best fit for them. The General Fellowship Programme is very general while the Barbro Klein Fellowship Programme, the Global Horizons Fellowship Programme, the Human Past Fellowship Programme, the SCAS-Nordic Fellowship Programme, and the SCAS-VUIAS Fellowship Programme are more specific. Detailed descriptions can be found on the respective programme page (see links above).

Your choice of programme will have no bearing on your application but will aid us in the administrative process.

Can I apply even if I do not hold a university position?
Applicants are not required to hold a university position at the time of application, or during the period of the fellowship.

The only exception is the SCAS-Nordic Fellowship Programme (see link above).

Can the Collegium help me determine if I meet the PhD requirement ?
Candidates are responsible for making sure that they meet the PhD requirement of the programme they are applying to. The phrase “at the time of application” refers to the deadline to apply. For example, if the deadline is June 1, 2024, and if the requirement is that applicants must have held a PhD for at least three years at the time of application, then you must have held a PhD for at least three years on June 1, 2024.

Can I apply for a fellowship even if I do not have a PhD, or have not held a PhD long enough?
Applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be considered. If a candidate does not have a PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree), or has not held a PhD long enough to meet the eligibility criteria, the application will not be considered.

Does the Collegium offer fellowships to undergraduate or graduate (postgraduate) students?
SCAS does not offer any fellowships to undergraduate or graduate (postgraduate) students. If you do not yet have a PhD, but are interested in coming to Uppsala, you may be interested in Uppsala University External link, opens in new window..

Can I apply for a fellowship or a short-term research stay if I have already been a fellow at SCAS?
If you have already been a fellow (no matter the length of your stay), and wish to apply to our residential fellowship programmes again, at least three years must have passed between the end of the academic year you were in residence and the beginning of the academic year you wish to be in residence.

For example, if you were part of the 2023-2024 cohort of fellows, the earliest academic year you can apply for is 2027-2028.

If you have already been a fellow, but not a short-term researcher, you are welcome to apply for a short-term research stay without any restrictions.

Can I apply for a fellowship or a short-term research stay if I have already been a short-term researcher at SCAS?
If you have already been a short-term researcher (no matter the length of your stay), and wish to apply for a new short-term research stay, at least three years must have passed between the end of the academic year you were at SCAS and the beginning of the academic year you wish to be at SCAS.

For example, if you were at SCAS sometime during 2023-2024, the earliest academic year you can apply for is 2027-2028.

If you have already been a short-term researcher, but not a fellow, you are welcome to apply to our residential fellowship programmes without any restrictions.

Are there any guidelines as to what to include in the description of the research project?
There is no set format for the description of the research project, apart from the length (see the Call for Applications), and there are no guidelines as to what to include in it. Since the applicants come from many different disciplines, it is up to the applicants to decide what their project proposals should look like and what they would like to work on while they are at SCAS.

Can the Collegium give advice about research topics?
It is up to the applicants to decide what topic they would like to work on.

Is it possible to apply as a group or submit a joint project proposal?
Candidates can submit joint project proposals. However, it is not possible to apply as a group. Applications are assessed individually, and candidates who are accepted are invited on an individual basis. Candidates who are interested in applying as a group may want to consider applying for a short-term research stay.

Is it possible to submit an article that is not in English?
The article must be in English.

Are letters of recommendation important?
Letters of recommendation are optional and not necessary for the selection process. It is up to the applicants to decide whether to include letters, and, if so, how many (up to three). Please note that reference letters must be uploaded by the candidate by the application deadline. It is not possible for referees to upload references into Varbi or send them to SCAS.

Is it possible for referees to submit confidential letters of recommendation?
It is not possible for referees to submit confidential letters (for more information, see the question above).

Should a cover letter be included in the application?
It is possible to add a cover letter in the Varbi online application system. However, a cover letter is optional and not a requirement. Since it is up to the candidates to decide whether or not to include a cover letter, there are no guidelines for such a letter.

Is it possible to add information to the application (for example, new positions or publications) after the deadline has passed?
Once the deadline has passed, the application cannot be changed and no information can be added to the application materials (only information in a candidate’s Varbi account, for example, the email address, can be updated).

When will applicants be notified of the results?
Applicants who are applying for a fellowship in the academic year 2025-2026 will be notified of the results via Varbi no later than 28 February 2025.

Applicants who are applying for a fellowship in the academic year 2024-2025 will be notified of the results via Varbi no later than 15 May 2024.

If you get a new email address after you have submitted your application, please make sure to update it in your Varbi account.

What are the guidelines for absences (for going on trips, conferences, fieldwork) while in residence?
Fellows can be away for 10 working days each semester. In addition, there are a couple of breaks. During the autumn semester, there is a one-week break, usually at the end of October/beginning of November. During the spring semester, there are two breaks: a one-week winter break, usually at the end of February, and a two-week spring (Easter) break.

If you have any other questions about our fellowship progammes, please contact the secretariat: fellowselection@swedishcollegium.se

If you are applying and have questions related to the Varbi online application system, please contact Varbi’s support: varbi@uadm.uu.se