Barbro Klein Fellowship Programme 2027–2028 | Fully Funded Research Residency at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS), Sweden

Omran Aburayya
Apr 27
5 min read

If you are a postdoctoral researcher or mid-career scholar in the humanities or social sciences with a passion for studying cultural diversity, heritage, and the dynamics of societies across the globe — the applications for the Barbro Klein Fellowship Programme 2027–2028 are now open! Hosted by the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS) in partnership with Uppsala University, this prestigious residential fellowship invites scholars from across the world to spend a semester or a full academic year in Sweden, deepening their research in a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment. Since its founding in 1985, SCAS has championed curiosity-driven research, academic freedom, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, making it one of the most distinguished institutes for advanced study in the world. If your work interrogates culture, power, creativity, or resistance — this is your opportunity to pursue it at the highest level, free from teaching duties and administrative burdens, surrounded by leading global scholars.

📚 Fellowship at a Glance

Location: Uppsala, Sweden (Stockholm–Uppsala region)
Host Institution: Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS), affiliated with Uppsala University
Fellowship Type: Residential Research Fellowship (postdoctoral and above)
Target Group: Scholars in humanities and social sciences, with priority to younger scholars from non-Western countries and underrepresented genders
Fields of Focus: Cultural and social diversity, cultural heritage and creativity, societal structures and public resistance, cultural expressions in local and global perspective
Value & Coverage: Monthly salary + accommodation (for fellows outside the Stockholm–Uppsala region) + fully equipped private office
Duration: One semester or full academic year
Application Deadline: 1 June 2026 (23:59 CET)
Programme Start Date: 1 September 2027 (Autumn semester) / 11 January 2028 (Spring semester)
Eligible Nationalities: Open to scholars worldwide

🎓 Fellowship Overview

The Barbro Klein Fellowship Programme at SCAS is a prestigious residential fellowship designed to support scholars who investigate cultural diversity from a global perspective, inviting applications from researchers across the humanities and social sciences and encouraging innovative and interdisciplinary work that addresses cultural heritage, societal structures, public resistance, and diverse cultural expressions in both local and global contexts.

What makes this fellowship particularly compelling is its institutional prestige. SCAS is a member of the SIAS group — a collaboration of ten leading institutes for advanced study — including Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study, the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, and the National Humanities Center, among others. SCAS is also a founding member of the European network NetIAS, bringing together over twenty-five institutes across Europe.

🧩 Structure, Activities & Schedule

Candidates may apply for a single semester or for the full academic year, with the following schedule:

Autumn semester: 1 September 2027 – 17 December 2027
Spring semester: 11 January 2028 – 16 June 2028
Full academic year: 1 September 2027 – 16 June 2028

The programmes give fellows the opportunity to concentrate on their own research interests, free from the teaching and administrative duties of ordinary university life. Fellows are, however, expected to be active members of the Collegium's scholarly community and to participate in seminars and other academic events outside their own fields of specialization.

Fellows are expected to be free from other obligations and spend their working days at the Collegium. A fellow should not be absent from SCAS for more than ten working days per semester. Fellows are required to attend and participate in daily on-site lunches and weekly seminars, and are expected to give a seminar during their period in residence. Other activities such as fellow dinners and excursions are also important features of the fellowship programme, and attendance is expected.

SCAS typically hosts a scholarly community of around thirty-five fellows from at least a dozen countries and more than twenty universities on several continents, with the vast majority of senior scholars coming from abroad. This makes the daily intellectual environment genuinely international — an invaluable asset for scholars seeking to build global academic networks.

🎁 Fellowship Benefits

Monthly salary provided by SCAS throughout the fellowship period
Accommodation provided and fully covered by SCAS for fellows residing outside the Stockholm–Uppsala region
Fully equipped private office at the Collegium for the duration of the fellowship
No teaching or administrative obligations — full focus on your own research agenda
Access to the Carolina Rediviva Library and other world-class research facilities at Uppsala University
Participation in interdisciplinary seminars, fellow dinners, and academic excursions
Membership in a global scholarly community with connections to top institutes for advanced study worldwide
Opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration with fellows from diverse fields and institutions

ℹ️ Important note on salary: The fellowship provides a monthly salary based on institutional standards. However, SCAS does not fully match salaries from home institutions, and candidates are encouraged to supplement their income through sabbatical funding or external grants.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the Barbro Klein Fellowship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Hold a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree that was awarded at least three years prior to the application date (i.e., no later than 1 June 2023 for the 2027–2028 cycle)
Demonstrate a strong track record of independent scholarly achievement beyond the postdoctoral level, including significant publications
Be active in international academic forums and research communities
No university position is required at the time of application — independent researchers are welcome to apply
The programme particularly encourages, though is not limited to, applications from talented younger scholars from non-Western countries and scholars of underrepresented genders
Applicants must be prepared for potential security vetting, which is a condition of employment eligibility

📝 Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted through the Varbi online application system. The following documents are required:

Curriculum Vitae (maximum 4 pages)
Research project description (maximum 1,500 words, excluding bibliography)
List of major publications — up to ten articles in international peer-reviewed journals and/or major research monographs or edited volumes
One representative article or book chapter of your choosing (must be in English; does not need to relate to your proposed project)
Statement on why you wish to be at SCAS specifically, rather than another institute for advanced study (maximum 100 words)
Statement on how you would benefit from a stay at SCAS (maximum 100 words)
Statement on how you would contribute to the academic and social environment at SCAS (maximum 100 words)
Copy of your PhD diploma
(Optional) Up to 3 letters of reference — must be uploaded by the candidate by the application deadline; referees cannot submit letters directly to SCAS

✍🏻 Key procedural notes:

Applications to all SCAS fellowship programmes are reviewed by the same committee, and candidates are kindly asked to apply to only one fellowship programme, as applying to more than one will not increase chances of selection.
Final decisions are taken by the Principal of the Collegium in consultation with a selection committee composed of Long-term Fellows. All applications, including personal data, may be shared with external referees outside the EU/EEA.
Applicants will be notified of results through the Varbi online application system no later than 28 February 2027.
Candidates are strongly advised to submit well ahead of the deadline to allow time for technical support if needed.