Kierkegaard and Friends Foundation Fellowship

Encouraging the sharing of academic thought in relation to Kierkegaard’s writings, the Kierkegaard and Friends Foundation (previously Kierkegaard House Foundation), a private entity, offers support for both pre- and post-doctorate scholars who wish to work in the Hong Kierkegaard Library for extended stays.

The Kierkegaard and Friends Foundation considers applications once a year. The deadline for applications is November 1 of the year before the beginning of the Fellowship term, which is normally September 1. We expect that we can announce awards no later than December 15th.  Scholars from the United States and from around the world are invited to apply. 

Fellows sponsored by the Foundation receive a stipend of $1,500 per month and guest housing at the Kierkegaard House typically from the beginning of September through the end of August. Shorter stays will be considered. As the board seeks to support a balance between emerging and established scholars, both pre-doctoral and postdoctoral candidates are invited to apply.

In addition to the usual scholarly qualifications, the Foundation looks for applicants who will bring Kierkegaard into conversation with St. Olaf undergraduate students and with the wider college community. At the conclusion of the fellowship, the Foundation will receive a written report from the Fellow that summarizes their work completed at the Hong Kierkegaard Library.

The criteria the Board uses in selecting KFF Fellowship winners can be found in the following

Application Process

All application materials for the KFF Fellowship must be submitted via email to HKL@stolaf.edu by November 1 for the following academic year. Please list “KFF Fellowship” in the subject line.

1. 1-2 page (250-500 words) cover letter with the proposed dates of residence and a brief personal narrative about the applicant’s background and how it relates to the proposed project.
2. An updated curriculum vitae, including information about language competence relevant to the research project.
3. A 3-5 page (750-1250 words) description of the research project, including plans for the use of library resources and a timetable for the completion of the project. Please attach a bibliography.
4. Two letters of recommendation sent directly HKL@stolaf.edu from the recommender.
5. If available and appropriate, 2-3 samples of relevant writings by the applicant submitted electronically by links or attachments.

KFF Fellowship Recipients

All Kierkegaard and Friends Foundation Fellows since the year 2004 can be found in the following:

Prior to this period (1998 – 2003), The Foundation provided what was referred to by Howard Hong as “residencies for visiting scholars.” This involved providing rooms at the Heath Creek apartments or at the Hong’s home as needed for scholars using the Kierkegaard Library.