East Foundation - Short-term scholarship for Far-east students to study in Portugal or for Portuguese students to study in Far-east countries

Fundação Oriente short-term scholarship

You get a monthly grant of around 500 EUR for a study trip, course or placement that lasts between 30 and 90 days. The exact amount depends on how long your project runs. On top of the grant, the Fundação Oriente (East Foundation), based in Lisbon, pays your return travel between home and the place where you work, and covers accident insurance for the whole stay. If a room is free, it may also offer you accommodation in one of its offices abroad. The programme supports cultural exchange between Portugal and Asia in both directions: Asian artists and researchers coming to Portugal, and Portuguese ones going to Asia.

Who can apply

• Who you are: You are an artist or a researcher. Students on a basic undergraduate course cannot apply.
• Where you come from and go: You are from an Asian country and would like to work in Portugal, or you are Portuguese and would like to work in an Asian country.
• Field: You work in fine arts, art history, architecture, museology (the study of museums), conservation and restoration, design, photography, history or anthropology. These fields get priority, as do projects that could lead to future work at the Museu do Oriente.
• Your project: You have a confirmed host institution and a clear work plan. You will be assessed on the basis of your previous work, your publications, your grades and the relevance of your project.
• Not covered: Work placements that form part of a Bachelor’s degree programme, as well as language courses in Portuguese or Asian languages.

How to apply

Register on the Fundação Oriente website and upload your documents: a CV, a work plan, confirmation of admission from your host institution and – for applications in the field of the arts – a portfolio. Applications are accepted in June each year, and the scholarship is taken up in the following calendar year. The next application period is in June 2026. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

You can find more scholarships in our guide Scholarships in Portugal.