Martin and Birgit Östlingers Foundation - Martin and Birgit Östlingers Foundation

What the Östlingers Foundation offers

This Swedish foundation, funded by teachers Martin and Birgit Östlinger, awards two scholarships to young people from migrant backgrounds. The foundation does not specify a fixed amount; the level of funding depends on your project or course of study. One grant supports language projects for children and can be extended for up to 5 years. The other grant supports vocational training following the A-levels and can be extended for up to 4 years.

Who can apply

• Background: You (or the children in your project) have a migrant background, which means that one or both of your parents have moved to Sweden.
• Language scholarship: Schools, pre-schools or similar institutions in the counties of Södermanland or Östergötland may apply for projects in the fields of reading, writing, sport, art and culture that promote integration. Individual pupils from year 8 onwards may also apply.
• Vocational scholarship: You live in the counties of Södermanland, Stockholm or Östergötland and would like to undertake an apprenticeship in healthcare and care, industry, the skilled trades or business management after completing your A-levels.
• School type: To be eligible for the vocational training grant, your training must take place at a state-regulated school.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. The decisive factors are the applicant’s migration background and their place of residence or study within the districts mentioned.

How to apply

Applications are made via the online form on the Foundation’s website: one form for organisations, one for individuals and a separate form for the vocational training scholarship. There are two application deadlines each year: on 15 April and on 15 October. The Foundation makes decisions on the award of scholarships on an ongoing basis.

How realistic are your chances?

Both scholarships have very specific eligibility criteria: you must have a migrant background and be able to demonstrate a connection to certain Swedish provinces, meaning that the pool of eligible applicants is small. If you clearly fall into one of the two target groups and can demonstrate this in your application, your chances are good.