Fritt Ord's grants for master’s degrees

May 11 2025

Is your master’s project about freedom of expression, social debate or journalism? If so, you can apply for a student grant from the Fritt Ord Foundation.

Is your master’s project about freedom of expression, social debate or journalism? If so, you are entitled to apply for a student research grant from the Fritt Ord Foundation.
The Fritt Ord Foundation invites applications for grants for master’s degree projects that address freedom of expression in the legal sense and/or the culture of freedom of expression in a broader, cultural sense. The role of technology for freedom of expression and the culture of freedom of expression, minorities and other social groups’ relationship to and experience of freedom of expression are also key topics.

We would encourage projects that are critical and analytical. Projects that require support for relevant travel, research and data acquisition will be given priority.
The grants are for NOK 40 000 each.

Applications are to be submitted on the Fritt Ord Foundation’s application form by 3 p.m. on September 12

Please include the following information: project title, issue for discussion, method and theoretical perspectives employed. Attach a project description, CV, transcripts of academic records and a reference from your supervisor.

The application form can be found in our application centre

Select ‘Application centre’ and the programme ‘Project support – 2025 – Deadline – Student research grants’

There are several deadlines for applications throughout the academic year: June 6 (passed) and September 15 in 2025.

If you are in doubt about whether you are qualified to apply, contact Joakim Lie, project manager at joakim@frittord.no

News

Free Media Awards for 2025

September 9 2025

The Fritt Ord Foundation and the ZEIT Stiftung Bucerius hereby announce that the Free Media Awards for 2025 will be presented to media outlets and journalists from Ukraine, Georgia, Hungary, Russia, Belarus and Azerbaijan

Greater diversity among journalists results in greater diversity among sources

September 2 2025

A recently published report reveals biases in who is allowed to participate in the public debate. According to a new report from Retriever commissioned by the Fritt Ord Foundation, men who have Nordic names dominate both as sources and journalists in Norwegian media. Women, younger people and people with foreign names are less likely to be included. This is true both as interviewees and as authors of articles. That being said, greater diversity among journalists results in greater diversity among sources.

Eirin Larsen and Hadia Tajik join the Fritt Ord Board

August 5 2025

Eirin Larsen (36) and Hadia Tajik (42) bring valuable experience from journalism, technology, politics and jurisprudence to the Fritt Ord Board.

Making the film «Farouk» – on the geologist that secured Norway its oil

July 1 2025

Geologist Farouk Al-Kasim joined the the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate in 1968, shaping Norwegian petroleum resource management for decades afterwards. Now, documentary film director Halkawt Mustafa and producer Janne Hjeltnes are making a film about Al-Kasim’s life and reflections.
“Farouk tells me something in this film that he has not talked about before, because he has always told the version he feels Norway wanted to hear,” recounts Mustafa, who has Iraqi roots himself.

Read the interview with the director and see the list of grants awarded by Fritt Ord in June 2025.