Heads-up! The instructions below are currently under revision and will be updated during week 36. Most changes concern clarifications, so you can still use them as a basis if you want to start writing your application before week 36.
Instructions for the application.
In this document, we have gathered everything related to your application. You will find both the regulations that apply to eligibility and assessment, as well as some information on how the handling of applications is carried out. Good luck!
The application period
The application period for fall 2025 begins on July 1st.
Decision
Decisions regarding submitted applications are made by the scholarship fund’s board in May for the spring semester’s application period and in November for the autumn semester’s. Once a decision has been made, all applicants will be notified of whether their application has been approved or not.
General
Scholarships from the J. C. Kempe Memorial Scholarship Fund are awarded twice a year following announcements on the website and notifications sent to institutions and doctoral students. The application deadline is typically Monday of week 10 and Monday of week 40, but may vary; see above for details.
When awarding scholarships, consideration is given to the overall quality of the project and the applicant’s ability to carry it out. Particular emphasis is placed on scientific quality and originality. The scholarship is intended to cover expenses related to ongoing research, such as materials and equipment, analytical services, statistical processing, and similar needs. It is also intended to cover costs associated with travel of significant importance to the research, such as the collection of primary data in the field, archives, museums, and libraries.
The size of the scholarship ranges from 1/5 to 4/5 of the price base amount. For exceptionally strong project applications, the board may grant a scholarship of up to SEK 47,040. Applications should not be made for amounts exceeding SEK 47,040.
If the project for which you are seeking funding takes place before the decision period mentioned above, your chances of receiving funding will be significantly reduced. If your project is conducted before the decision date, you must clearly justify in a separate attachment how the project will be financed if you do not receive the scholarship. A supervisor’s statement must be attached to the justification. Please note that providing these documents does not guarantee an approval, since it often comes down to prioritizing due to an increasing amount of applicants each semester. Please note that providing these attachments does not guarantee an approved application, as the process often requires prioritization due to the increasing number of applications each semester.
A work scholarship for a maximum of 3 months, amounting to 1/5 of the price base amount per month (the price base amount for 2025 is SEK 58,800), may also be awarded. However, this is not intended to cover salary costs for regular dissertation work.
In exceptional cases, scholarships may be awarded for the completion of studies for an academic undergraduate degree under challenging social and economic circumstances.
Applicants must be registered with the student union at Umeå University and be registered as a resident in the counties of Västernorrland, Västerbotten, or Norrbotten at the time of application. Normally, eligibility requires that the applicant, after completing their undergraduate studies, has been admitted to doctoral education and is actively conducting research at Umeå University. Master’s students may also apply for the scholarship, specifically for their master’s thesis or projects directly related to it. In regards to doctoral students, the fund should prioritize those who are in the early stages of their doctoral education.
The scholarship can be awarded to an applicant a maximum of three times, provided that previous scholarships have been properly accounted for and a new application is submitted.
Payment of the scholarship
The scholarship is paid out in one full installment. A report must be submitted to the Umeå Student Union after the work period is completed. Payment is usually made before the end of the current semester.
Incorrect information
If the applicant has provided incorrect information and the scholarship has been awarded, repayment may be required.
The form
Note that the application must be fully completed in order to be processed.
1. Applicant
The applicant’s personal details. Please note that the scholarship is awarded only to individual applicants, not entire project groups. If the project involves multiple applicants, a separate application must be submitted by each applicant. An applicant can only apply for funding for one project at a time. For quick and easy processing, please provide your bank and account number (this can be updated later). If both the scholarship recipient and the supervisor agree that the scholarship funds should be deposited into the institution’s account, this must be communicated by the institution’s administrator via email to kempe@umeastudentkar.se. If you are a master’s student, check the box indicating that the application pertains to graduate studies. Then, in the box labeled ”Date of registration to doctoral studies,” state that you have been admitted to the master’s program.
2. Project
Here, the project title should be stated (this can also include the name of a conference, or if the scholarship is being sought for social/economic reasons, this should be mentioned), along with the supervisor’s name, institution, phone number, estimated project start date, and end date.
3. Attachments
Note that you can submit the attachments throughout the entire application period.
1. Project Description
A presentation of the project in 3 (maximum 5) pages.
2. Population Registration
Population registration certificate from Skatteverket. The applicant must be registered as a resident in the counties of Västernorrland, Västerbotten, or Norrbotten. The certificate must not be dated more than three months prior to the application deadline.
3. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
A summary of the applicant’s qualifications. Do not attach copies of course certificates or work references.
4. Copy of the current student union fee receipt
The applicant must be a member of one of the three student unions at Umeå University. A valid copy of the receipt from the student union office, a receipt from payment via the membership portal, or a printout from the online bank is accepted as the student union fee receipt. If you have paid for multiple terms at once, include a copy of that receipt.
5. Letter from the supervisor
The certificate should be an assessment of the applicant’s realistic ability to carry out the project that the application concerns. The certificate must be signed by the supervisor, either physically or digitally.
6. Cost summary
A summary of the project’s costs and the amount you are requesting from the Kempe Foundation. Other potential funding sources should also be listed. You do not need to report all costs for your entire PhD, only the portion for which you are applying for scholarships from the Kempe Foundation. The appendix should specify which parts of the project costs the application to SJCKMS pertains to. The summary must be accompanied by a clear justification for the specified amount and the relevance of the purpose to the dissertation work. Great emphasis is placed on a detailed cost summary. An incomplete or unclear cost summary may result in rejection or in the approval of an amount smaller than what was requested. The maximum amount that can be applied for is SEK 47,040; do not apply for a larger amount than this.
7. Other attachments
Any other attachments are optional. Please note that we would prefer not to receive theses or entire articles. It is possible to upload multiple additional attachments.
4. Cost summary
This section specifies the purpose of the application and the requested amount. (Maximum SEK 47,040)
If the scholarship is being applied for due to challenging social/economic circumstances, information such as the following can be provided:
- marital status – financial responsibility for children under the age of 18
- academic results, ongoing studies
- student loans and eligibility for grants and loans from CSN
- any illnesses and/or disabilities that have hindered studies
- reason for the current difficult financial situation
5. Granted Kempe Scholarships
The applicant can be granted a maximum of 3 scholarships from the J C Kempe Memorial Scholarship Fund. Each granted scholarship must be reported no later than when submitting a new scholarship application.
6. Information about the applicant’s finances
Not a mandatory field. To be filled out if the applicant wishes to clarify their financial situation.
7. Project summary
The project summary should be a maximum of 2,500 characters, including spaces. Provide background, objectives, methods, work plan/timeline, and the scientific significance of the project. If applying for travel grants, specify how the project will be presented or how the results will be reported. Applications without a project summary will not be considered.
If the applicant intends to travel to a conference, the conference should be specified with dates and location. Personal participation in the form of an accepted abstract/presentation is a requirement for the application to be considered for funding. The summary should also highlight the importance of the conference for the dissertation work in these cases.
Please note that you must also attach a certificate confirming that your abstract/presentation will be presented at the conference.
Hand in your application
Finally, click to submit your application. You can add attachments throughout the entire application period.
After the application period ends, no additions can be made, so make sure to submit a complete application.