The Fritt Ord Foundation's climate grant

March 7 2019

​Are you planning to write a master’s thesis on the relationship between §112 of the Constitution of Norway and climate change?

The Fritt Ord Foundation and the Norwegian Climate Foundation are announcing up to three climate grants for students at the faculties of Law at the University of Tromsø, the University of Bergen and the University of Oslo. The grants are earmarked for students who would like to write a major* master’s thesis. The grants are for NOK 50 000 each.

Grants will be awarded to applicants who would like to analyse whether – and, if so, how – section 112 of the Constitution of Norway represents a judicial barrier to initiatives/decisions with environmental consequences, not least for the global climate. Importance will be attached to technical quality and execution.

Applications
Applications shall include the following elements:

  • A concise application
  • A project outline (up to 1200 words) with a working title that specifies the subject of the thesis and a clear presentation of the issues you plan to address, as well as your choice of method.
  • Brief references to relevant research literature.
  • eference to the department/faculty you would like to write for.
  • Transcript of academic records and copies of references.
  • Brief description of any other support (grants or the like) you have received for the project.

Submit your application to post@klimastiftelsen.no. Please mark the email “Climate grant” in the subject field.

A statement from a potential supervisor could support your application. Originals of your attachments must be available on request. Please send any attachments as pdf files.

Application Deadlines
Students at the University of Oslo: 7 March 2019 at 4 p.m.
Students at the University of Bergen and the University of Tromsø: 15 May 2019 at 4 p.m.

Any questions may be addressed to the Norwegian Climate Foundation at post@klimastiftelsen.no.

The Norwegian Climate Foundation will process the applications. Final disbursement of the grants is conditional on Fritt Ord’s approval of the recommendation.

*Please note that in this context, a “major master’s thesis” refers to a written thesis that is based on research and has a scope equivalent to 60 credits or more. The thesis is to be prepared within the framework of a master’s degree programme with a total scope equivalent to 120 credits or more.

Photo: Creative Commons -
Jeremy Wilburn

General information on the Fritt Ord Foundation’s student research grants
In collaboration with a number of Norwegian universities and university colleges, the Fritt Ord Foundation calls for applications for grants for students who are working on master’s theses and documentary films in fields such as human rights, journalism, freedom of expression and democracy building. The calls for applications are on the websites of the institutions involved, but please contact Fritt Ord if you have trouble finding information about the student grant in your area of interest.

Applications should be sent directly to the relevant departments. The deadline for applications varies from institution to institution, but is often in October.

You will find a complete list of the Fritt Ord Foundation’s 18 different types of grants for students here. On the list of agreements, you will also find the names of contacts at the various places of study, as well as a list of previous grant recipients. Please contact us if you have trouble finding information about the student grant of interest to you.

Students who are not affiliated with any of the universities/university colleges on the list, but who are working on master’s theses of particular relevance to Fritt Ord’s objectives, may apply for support to Fritt Ord directly through the ordinary application system. See information about deadlines and processing times. The application should contain a thorough project description, budget, transcript of academic records and a recommendation from a supervisor or other professionals.

News

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.

Bård Vegar Solhjell new chair of the Fritt Ord Board

July 1 2025

Bård Vegar Solhjell (53) has taken over as the new chair of the Fritt Ord Foundation Board.

Cultural newspaper TBATBA.no and new journalism grants – June 2025

June 19 2025

– Cultural journalism is under pressure. Part of the problem is media outlets failing to cover culture in formats and ways that appeal to people under 30, says Ida Madsen Hestman, editor, freelance critic, and founder of TBATBA.no. Last year, she started the kind of publication she herself would want to read.

The magazine TBA is among those awarded funding in June 2025. See the full list of grants in Norsk Journalistikk.