How to write your application

At SKH your application centres around your own research project. Try to describe your research proposal by answering three basic questions:

1. What is your project trying to find out?
2. Why is it worth knowing?
3. How will you go about finding out?

Research is based on not yet knowing or understanding something you have a deep curiosity about, something not fully understood or something which you do not have full operational experience in or of.

Application

Language: The application must be written in English.

Use non-subject specific language or provide definitions of such terms if used. State your name and project title in all parts of the application.
The application contains:

• an abstract (maximum 1 800 characters including spaces)
• a research plan (maximum 8,000 characters including spaces)
• a budget (use the budget template)
• a CV (maximum 3 A4 pages) including previous education and artistic achievements.

If you do not have academic qualifications to support your eligibility, you need to apply for a validation of prior learning.

Abstract

The abstract should provide a brief overview of your research project. The abstract is written in English and consists of a maximum of 1,800 characters including spaces. State your name and the title of the project. Then briefly describe

• your research project,
• what you intend to explore (your basic research question and the purpose of the research project),
• how you intend to do it (your methods including a short timeline),
• why it is important to do this work (expected impact of your research); and
• whether/how you plan to interact with the wider community (how does your research reach out).

Research plan

The research plan describes your research project in detail. The research plan is written in English and consists of a maximum of 8,000 characters including spaces. State your name and the title of the project. Bibliography/references and images are not included in the character count.
Then explain:

The project's research question

What is the project trying to find out? Why is it worth knowing? What do you hope your research will lead to?
Try to formulate a clear research task, such as asking/answering a question; trying to solve a problem or test a hypothesis; exploring and describing a less studied phenomenon; experimenting with a specific method, material, process, issue, theme, relationship or situation; describing or revealing or demonstrating or in some way dealing with something that is not already known, understood, familiar or acknowledged; or testing whether something is practically possible.
Relate your research question to existing knowledge, methods and experience through references. Cite work that has already been done and is relevant to your project? If the project draws on work from different disciplines, describe how you plan to integrate these in your research.

Planned research methods

How do I go about finding out?
How will you select or innovate the artistic research methods suitable for your project? In what way are these methods necessary to carry out the project? Briefly describe your relevant experience with the methods you plan to use.
Also describe the specific resources you will need to carry out your project. This may include equipment, people with specialist knowledge, access to specific archives or premises.

Activities

When do I do which activities?
Provide a proposed timetable for the project within a timeframe of 4 years. Describe which activities you plan to carry out in order to investigate your research question and when you will carry them out.

Ethical considerations

Which ethical issues are explored through your research project/question?

The research plan should relate to your own artistic/academic merits as well as SKH's research areas and existing research expertise. State why your project is relevant to the research activities taking place at SKH.
Include a bibliography/reference list/list of works (max 2 pages) that are relevant to your research project or that you think you will use during the research process.

Budget

Provided there is room in the total budget of SKH, admitted doctoral students receive SEK 400,000 in project funding during their studies. The budget should cover all costs such as any planned travel, fieldwork, technical equipment, productions or publications (e.g. in connection with the public defence).
Use the budget template to outline the project's budget during the study period. This budget outline aims to show the feasibility of the project in terms of production, documentation and publication of the project within a financial framework. Specify the costs required to complete the project, except your own salary. Project costs may for example include fees for participation, costs of materials, technical support. If you do not know which fees or prices apply in Sweden, assume the cost level you are used to and make a budget sketch based on that.

CV

List relevant education, degrees, employment, commissions and other artistic activities on a maximum of 3 A4 pages. Focus on your most important experiences.
Digitally attach certificates of your academic and artistic qualifications.
To support your academic qualifications, please attach attested copies of all certificates. These certificates should be in Swedish, English or another Scandinavian language. If the documents are not written in one of these languages, you must provide translations by an authorised translator to enable us to assess the documents. Attach both the original and the translated documents to your application.
To prove your artistic merits, please attach relevant documentation of your artistic work/practice. This can be uploaded or attached as a link, with the following specifications: Maximum five A4 pages of text and/or images, maximum three minutes of sound and/or video material, in total 650 MB. The documented artistic practice should be clearly identified and briefly contextualised so that the documentation can be easily read and navigated. In some cases, at a later stage of the admission process, the admission committee may request additional documentation/access to artistic works.