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Eligibility varies from foundation to foundation. Each call specifies the purpose for which the foundation allocates funds and who may apply.

Unless otherwise specified that students may apply, funds announced for research are normally reserved for PhD candidates, postdocs, and researchers.

Unless a maximum grant amount is specified, there is no upper limit to the amount you may apply for. The call for applications will state the total amount the foundation has available for allocation. It is not possible to receive a grant larger than this amount.

You may apply for full or partial coverage of a budget. The portion of the budget you are seeking to have covered must be specified in the application.

As a general rule, it is only possible to submit one application per call. Foundations that allow multiple applications from the same applicant within the same call will provide this information at the top of their application form.

As a general rule, support is not granted for activities that have already been completed. However, a few foundations may consider awarding support to applicants even if the activities have already concluded. This will be clearly stated in the relevant calls for applications.

It is possible to apply for support for activities that have not been carried out at the time of application, but which will be completed before the decision/response to the application is sent.

Any expenses incurred before the decision/response must be covered by the applicant in the event of a rejection. The foundations do not guarantee support to all applicants.

The application deadline is at midnight on the due date. If the deadline is 1 March, you can submit your application until 1 March at 11:59 p.m.

Application deadlines are fixed dates and are not moved due to weekends or public holidays.

UNIFOR recommends submitting your application well in advance if you may need to contact us. UNIFOR is available for guidance and technical assistance during regular office hours.

UNIFOR’s application system sends automatic email confirmations for received applications.

If you have not received a confirmation for your application, you should check the application’s status. If the status is “Saved,” it has not been received. If the status is “Submitted,” it has been received.

In cases where applications cannot be submitted, this is usually due to firewalls blocking the use of UNIFOR’s application system. In such cases, we recommend trying to submit the application using an alternative browser.

If you encounter problems submitting your application, please contact UNIFOR for guidance. UNIFOR is happy to assist with application guidance during office hours throughout the entire call period. However, we cannot guarantee assistance if questions arise close to the application deadline, so you should apply well before the deadline expires.

Unless otherwise specified in the call for applications, the application may be submitted in English or in a Scandinavian language.

UNIFOR’s application system and application forms reject files with encryption, such as electronically signed or non-editable files. This is because the boards/juries compile all applications into a single PDF file, which is not possible with locked documents. Free tools for decrypting PDFs are available online.

Testing has revealed that Firefox’s built-in PDF reader has limitations that may prevent the downloading of certain types of PDF files. This is due to a lack of support for all PDF formats.

Recommended solutions:

• Install Adobe Reader: This software ensures correct opening and downloading of PDF files in Firefox.

• Use Google Chrome: Chrome has a built-in PDF reader that handles most PDF files without the need for external software.

A temporary adjustment has also been implemented to reduce the issue, but it should be noted that Firefox may still encounter problems with certain PDF files.

Errors when attempting to set Google Chrome as the default browser may be caused by:

• Restrictions on work computers set by the administrator.

• Incomplete or outdated installation of Chrome.

• Limited user rights on the device.

Recommended solutions:

• Ensure that Google Chrome is correctly installed and updated.

• Check user rights on the device.

• On work computers, it may be necessary to contact your IT administrator for assistance.

For further questions or issues, you are encouraged to get in touch for additional guidance.

All attachments must be uploaded with the application by the application deadline. If you do not have all attachments available when you apply, you may add them later, but before the deadline expires.

If you do not receive a mandatory attachment before the application deadline, you may explain the reason for the missing attachment in the application.

UNIFOR does not accept attachments submitted afterwards by email or post.

The purpose of the foundations and the intention of their founders is to directly support the specific project or initiative for which funding has been sought. The foundations do not cover indirect costs or overhead in their grants. This includes, for example, administrative costs, general operating expenses, and other non-direct costs that are not directly related to the implementation of the specific project or initiative.

By selecting a listed employer from the drop-down menu in the application form, you are also selecting the bank account number of the specified institution. UNIFOR makes frequent payments to these institutions, and the bank account number is automatically entered into the application.

If you select “Other,” a blank field will appear. This field must be filled in with your employer’s bank account number (11 digits, no special characters). The field should not contain the employer’s name.

“Purchase code,” “Cost centre,” and “Project number” are not relevant fields for everyone. Contact your finance department to clarify which information you need in order to receive funds through your employer. Fields that are not relevant can be skipped by entering “-” or writing “not applicable.”

The normal processing time is 3 to 4 months.

Applications are first sent for expert review. The foundation’s board must then make a decision on the allocation. UNIFOR does not send out responses until the allocation decision has been made.

All applications receive a response. If you have not received a reply to your application within 3 to 4 months, your application is still being processed.

When a decision letter is issued, you will be notified by email. The decision letter can be found after logging in to My Page.

Check your spam folder for emails from unifor@unifor.no. You may also log in to My Page to check the status of your application.

A report is a financial account of how the awarded funds have been used. All funds must be used in accordance with the application and any approved reallocations. Funds that have not been used in accordance with the application or an approved reallocation must be returned to the foundation.

The applicant must provide an account of how the awarded funds have been used and attach receipts as documentation. The receipts documenting the expenses must be arranged in the same order as the reported amounts. If the applicant has had the funds disbursed to their employer, a copy of the general ledger report showing the use of the funds must be attached. Applicants who have had the funds disbursed to a private bank account must attach copies of the original receipts.

UNIFOR’s application system and application forms reject files with encryption, such as electronically signed or non-editable files. This is because the boards/juries compile all applications into a single PDF file, which is not possible with locked documents. Free tools for decrypting PDFs are available online.

To be tax-free, a scholarship must cover additional expenses (e.g., operating costs and/or travel expenses). Even if you have used per diem rates in your budget, you must document all expenses with receipts in your report. This is to avoid a surplus on the scholarship and thus tax liability.

Scholarships intended to cover general living expenses are considered salary and are taxable. This means you must pay tax on such grants. The maximum grant amount for covering living expenses is normally set at NOK 80,000 per award, but some foundations may have different grant amounts. See the call for applications for the foundation you are applying to.

If you have not used all the funds in accordance with the application and cannot document all expenses, the “surplus” must be repaid. If the awarded funds are not used in accordance with the purpose, or if you fail to submit an adequate financial report, the funds must be repaid to the Foundation.

Expenses that fall under general living expenses are costs that are normally covered by salary. These may include rent, mortgage payments, kindergarten fees, daily food expenses, etc. Grants to cover such expenses are considered a form of salary and are therefore taxable. Most of UNIFOR’s foundations do not award scholarships to cover general living expenses.

Additional expenses are costs beyond general living expenses – that is, expenses that are not normally covered by salary. These may include the purchase of equipment, books, and expenses related to travel (airline tickets, hotel costs, temporary accommodation rental, meals, conference fees, visa costs, insurance, etc.). Grants to cover such expenses may be exempt from tax, provided that receipts for the entire awarded amount are submitted with your reporting. Most of UNIFOR’s foundations award tax-free scholarships.

UNIFOR is aware that it is not always easy to obtain a receipt for an expense when travelling to countries where electronic payment solutions are not widely used. If you do not have a receipt for all goods and services you have purchased, you must explain the reason in your report.

For most foundations, the reporting deadline is automatically set to one year after the application deadline. For example, if the foundation’s application deadline is 15 February, the awarded funds must be reported on by 15 February the following year. The reporting deadline will be stated in the decision letter you receive from the foundation.

If you know that the funds will cover costs beyond the given reporting deadline, you should apply for an extension as soon as possible. This can be done via a dedicated task on My Page. Note that the reporting deadline applies equally to all recipients of grants from the same round, and individual assessments are not made.

As a rule, a bank statement alone is not sufficient. It must be accompanied by a receipt showing a description of the purchase and the date of the transaction. If you have received an invoice, you may attach a bank statement to show that the invoice has been paid. It is also possible to request a receipt from the issuer of the invoice.

It is not necessary to attach a bank statement if there is already a receipt for a transaction.

The reporting deadline is automatically set by UNIFORs application portal. Applicants can request a new reporting deadline via My Page. For the new deadline to be approved, the applicant must explain when the funds are planned to be used.

Applications are submitted from user accounts linked to MinID. As the applicant, you are therefore primarily responsible for reporting on the use of any awarded funds in UNIFOR’s application system. However, it is possible to arrange for another registered user to be given access to your reporting task in the system. Applicants who have submitted an application on behalf of a project or group may contact UNIFOR for assistance in transferring the reporting task to another person in the applicant group.

It is not possible to reallocate a surplus from a grant to other activities/expenses. Any surplus must, in accordance with your decision letter, be repaid to the relevant foundation.

If you wish to receive support for other/new activities, you must submit a new application in the foundation’s regular call for applications.

It is possible to apply for a reallocation of funds.

An application for reallocation should be brief and to the point, with necessary references to the original application. It must include information on the desired changes, new priorities, and justifications for why the changes are being made. An updated budget showing the new expense items must also be attached.

Remember that the application must still align with the foundation’s purpose in order to remain relevant for the scholarship. Check the foundation’s website before drafting your application.

The application can be easily submitted to UNIFOR by email at unifor@unifor.no and will be considered on a rolling basis.

You can easily apply for an extension of the reporting deadline via My Page at www.unifor.no. Applications for an extension of the reporting deadline are considered on a rolling basis.

If it is not possible to reallocate the funds (see the first point above), we must ask that the scholarship be repaid to the foundation.

We understand that it may not always be possible to recover expenses that have already been paid. We will not require repayment of such costs. In such cases, we ask that you provide available documentation in consultation with our administration.

It is not possible to reallocate a surplus from a grant to other activities/expenses. Any surplus must, in accordance with your decision letter, be repaid to the relevant foundation.

If you wish to receive support for other/new activities, you must submit a new application in the foundation’s regular call for applications.