Nordic Africa Institute’s (NAI) Nordic Scholarship Programme 2027
The Nordic Africa Institute’s (NAI) Nordic Scholarship Programme funds a one-month research stay in Uppsala, Sweden, for students and researchers already affiliated with a university or research centre in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, or Iceland — not a scholarship to bring African researchers to the Nordic region from elsewhere. If you’re already based at a Nordic institution and your work is Africa-focused, within the social sciences or humanities, this covers your travel, accommodation, and a daily allowance. Applications close October 11, 2026.
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NAI holds one of the more substantial library collections on contemporary Africa anywhere in the Nordic region: books, periodicals, newspapers, and government publications, and this scholarship exists specifically to get researchers physically into that collection, working alongside NAI’s own research hosts, rather than accessing materials remotely. The programme runs once a year, and its underlying goal is building research capacity and connections between Nordic institutions and Africa-focused scholarship, not funding research in the field itself. This is a month spent reading, connecting, and advancing an existing project, not starting new fieldwork.
NAI Nordic Scholarship Programme Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | Nordic Scholarship Programme |
| Host Country ⇒ | Sweden |
| Study Level ⇒ | Masters |
| Benefits ⇒ | Travel expenses, free accommodation in Uppsala, a shared office desk and computer, and a subsistence allowance of SEK 450 per day |
| Funded By ⇒ | Nordic Africa Institute (NAI) |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Open to any citizenship, but you must be affiliated with and based at a university or research centre in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, or Iceland |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | October 11, 2026 |
Applicant Requirements & Eligibility
You must:
- Be pursuing Africa-oriented studies or research within the social sciences or humanities
- Be a Master’s student, PhD candidate, postdoctoral researcher, or mid-career researcher
- Be affiliated with and based at a university or research centre in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, or Iceland — both when you apply and when you actually take up the scholarship
Citizenship isn’t restricted, but your institutional base is: without an existing affiliation to a Nordic university or research centre, you’re not eligible, regardless of how strong your Africa-focused research is.
NAI Nordic Scholarship Programme Financial Coverage & Allowances
- Travel expenses, calculated as the least expensive fare from your residential address in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, or Iceland to Uppsala and back
- Free accommodation, centrally located in Uppsala, for the one-month stay
- A desk and computer in a shared office at the Institute
- A subsistence allowance of SEK 450 per day
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Health care insurance and other insurance are explicitly not included — arrange your own coverage before travelling.
Required Application Documents for the NAI Nordic Scholarship Programme
- An up-to-date CV, including a list of publications if you have any
- A research project outline, 3 to 5 pages, covering your objective and its context within your discipline, your method and timeframe, and a brief explanation of your theoretical basis
- A one-page work plan specific to your time at the Institute — what part of your research you’ll actually work on during the stay, not your project as a whole
- A signed letter of support from your supervisor or head of department, confirming your current affiliation and field of research
Applications are evaluated primarily on the research project outline, and they’re explicit that using AI tools to develop this text may put you at a disadvantage in their assessment; they want to read your research in your own words and framing.
How to Apply for the NAI Nordic Scholarship Programme
- Confirm your eligibility first. You need to be pursuing Africa-focused research in social sciences or humanities, at Master’s, PhD, postdoctoral, or mid-career level, and affiliated with a university or research centre in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, or Iceland — both now and if you’re selected.
- Write your research project outline (3-5 pages). Cover your objective and where it sits within your discipline, your method and timeframe, and a brief theoretical explication. Write this yourself rather than leaning on AI tools — NAI evaluates applications primarily on this document and wants your own framing, not a polished but generic draft.
- Write a one-page work plan specific to your stay. This isn’t a summary of your whole project — it’s what part of that project you’ll actually work on during your month at the Institute.
- Get a signed letter of support from your supervisor or head of department, confirming your current affiliation and field of research.
- Update your CV, including a list of publications if you have any.
- Apply online through NAI’s official application portal, uploading your CV, research outline, work plan, and supervisor’s letter of support together. Make sure every document is in English — applications and appendices in any other language aren’t accepted.
- Submit before October 11, 2026. Incomplete applications aren’t considered, so double-check everything is attached before you submit rather than assuming you can follow up afterward.
- Wait for the outcome. NAI confirms results as soon as the selection process concludes, by the end of November 2026 at the latest.
Questions before you apply? Contact Marie Karlsson at [email protected] or +46 (0)18 471 52 54.
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How the Selection Process Works
A selection committee is formed for each scholarship round, made up of staff chosen for a wide range of backgrounds, professions, genders, and other diversity criteria. NAI describes its process as following ethical guidelines built around transparency, equity, fairness, and respect for candidates. You’ll be notified of the outcome as soon as the selection process concludes, by the end of November 2026 at the latest.
Who’s Excluded
- Incomplete applications aren’t considered
- Anyone currently or previously employed by, or professionally affiliated with, the Nordic Africa Institute isn’t eligible
- Your application and all supporting documents must be submitted in English
NAI also notes that if the programme doesn’t receive full funding or can’t be implemented in 2027 for other unforeseen reasons, applicants will be informed directly.
Application Deadline
Applications close October 11, 2026, with outcomes confirmed by the end of November 2026 at the latest.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply if I’m currently based in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa?
Not directly, unless you’re already affiliated with and based at a university or research centre in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, or Iceland. This scholarship funds a stay in Uppsala for researchers already working from a Nordic institution — it isn’t designed to bring researchers to the Nordic region from Africa.
Does my research need to be in a specific academic field?
Yes, within social sciences or humanities specifically, and it needs to be genuinely Africa-oriented. Research outside these broad fields, even if Africa-focused, wouldn’t meet the eligibility criteria as described.
Can I use AI tools to help write my research outline?
You can, but NAI is explicit that doing so may put you at a disadvantage, since they evaluate applications primarily on the outline and want to understand your research in your own words and framing, not a generic AI-assisted version of it.
Is health insurance included as part of the scholarship?
No. Health care insurance and other insurance are explicitly excluded, so arrange your own coverage before your stay.
What happens if the programme can’t run in 2027 for some reason?
NAI states that if the scholarship programme doesn’t receive full funding or can’t be implemented in 2027 for other unforeseen reasons, applicants will be informed directly rather than left waiting without explanation.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of September 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official Nordic Africa Institute website before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the Nordic Africa Institute.
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