The Bicentennial Swedish–American Exchange Fund for the exchange of qualified persons from the United States and Sweden was established by an Act of the Swedish Parliament in 1976 as a tribute to the United States Bicentennial and began operations in 1978 with grants to Americans and Swedes working within the fields to which the Fund gives priority. The purpose of the Fund is to provide opportunities for those in a position to influence public opinion and contribute to the development of their society to make a two-to-four weeks’ study trip to Sweden or the United States. The Bicentennial Fund awards travel grants up to SEK 30 000 for proposed study visits of two-to-four weeks to Sweden or the United States. ELIGIBILITY Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Sweden. Applicants must supply a realistic and comprehensive project description, which indicates follow-up plans as well as a plan for disseminating research results. U.S. applicants who have made recurrent visits to or resided in Sweden, and Swedish applicants who have made recurrent visits to or resided in the United States, will be considered only in exceptional cases. The grant may not be used to finance participation in conferences or ongoing academic research projects, or vocational or academic courses. The grant is intended for professional enrichment and is thus not applicable to studies or work-related to academic degrees. The travel grant’s purpose is to support opinion-forming projects within areas such as politics, public administration, unions, organizations, mass media, industry and commerce, K-12 education, and culture. The opinion-forming component requires that the applicant emphasizes how she/he/they can disseminate their project.
