The BVO Scholarship Program

The Brittingham Viking Organization has been making academic, social and professional connections between UW-Madison and Scandinavia for more than 50 years. The Viking Scholarships present a unique link between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Nordic Countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. The Brittingham Viking Organization was founded in 1953 by Thomas E. Brittingham Jr. to bring Nordic students to UW-Madison. Soon after, a program was instituted that provided scholarships for UW-Madison students to study in Scandinavia, and since then, hundreds have benefited from the program. Once students participate in a BVO program, they become members of the organization, which raises funds to sustain the scholarships for future generations.

The Madison Ehrnrooth Viking Scholarship is awarded annually to two UW-Madison students (US citizens). The Madison Ehrnrooth Viking Scholarship includes tuition, housing, and travel for study at either the Helsinki University of Technology (HUT), the Swedish School of Economics (Hanken), or the University of Helsinki in Helsinki, Finland. The scholarship experience generally goes from January through June, with an option of extending study through a summer internship.

This scholarship, like all Viking scholarships, includes travel within Scandinavia, with a standing invitation to visit BVO members and their families throughout the region. Some travel is pre-arranged and a requirement of the scholarship experience. Scholars are encouraged to pursue the advantages of the BVO network including learning more about individual interests in careers and hobbies through meeting other BVO members. In addition, scholars are expected to attend the annual BVO convention following the scholarship experience. The 2010 BVO convention will be in Finland in August 2010.

Important Notes

• Commitment requires scholar availability from January through June
• All UW majors and standings are welcome to apply (undergraduate & graduate students)
• Scholars must be US citizens.
• Scholars must be returning to Madison the following fall semester for study or employment.
• The scholarship will cover tuition and housing in Helsinki; roundtrip airfare; and travel fare to visit BVO alumni
• Scholars should assume responsibility for additional study abroad expenses (entertainment, metro, personal expenses, etc.). Please note that the cost of living in Scandinavia is significantly higher than in the US.

Application Instructions

1. Download application Here.
2. Complete the scholarship application thoroughly. Respect the word limits and do not change the font or formatting of the document.
   
3. Save your document with the file name "FirstNameLastName.doc"
   
4. Email your completed application as an attachment to the Viking Scholarship Coordinator at VikingScholarships@gmail.com by midnight on Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
5. Late applications will not be accepted.

Scholarship Selection Timeline

• Thursday, March 12th and Thursday March 26th--informal Q&A sessions will be held at the Memorial Union Rathskeller at 7pm. Looking for the “Viking” table hosted by scholarship alumni.
• Wednesday, April 1st—applications due by midnight
• Saturday, April 18th—selected applicants will have interview
• Saturday, April 25th—selected applicants will have a second interview. Two scholarship winners will be selected on the eve of the 25th and invited to a dinner that evening in their honor.
• Applicants MUST be available in person for both interviews and dinner.

The Brittingham Viking Organization offers two scholarships for summer study abroad programs in Copenhagen, Denmark and in Oslo, Norway. The scholarships are open to undergraduate and graduate students at UW-Madison who are US citizens.

The scholarships cover tuition, housing, and a travel stipend for the transatlantic flight. Scholars also have the opportunity to travel to other destinations in Scandinavia with alumni members of the BVO.

The two summer scholarships focus on a different areas of study. The opportunities include:
Madison (CBS) Viking Scholarship
Two students will study at the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. Classes are taught in English.

Madison ( Oslo) Viking Scholarship
Two students travel to Oslo , Norway, to take courses at the International Summer School (ISS). ISS welcomes students from around the globe for a wide variety of liberal arts courses. Classes are taught in English.

To qualify for the scholarship, students must be available for travel during the selected programs, be in good academic standing, and return to Madison the following year for school or to work. Questions can be directed to VikingScholarships@gmail.com, Scholarship Coordinator.

This scholarship sends two Scandinavian graduate students to the University of Wisconsin for one academic year. The value of the scholarship is about $30,000 (USD) and the applicants are interviewed and selected by BVO members in the respective Scandinavian countries. During the year in Wisconsin, the scholars are taken care of by BVO members living in Madison and the U.S.A. The scholarship year ends by the scholars being invited to the Annual Convention held in one of the Scandinavian countries or the U.S.A. They then meet with BVO members and are initiated as members of the BVO.

Applications are generally due in January of a given scholarship year.

For further information about this scholarship please contact:
Nicolai Ellehuus (Denmark)
e-mail: NicolaiEllehuus@hotmail.com
Eric Von Walzel (Finland)
e-mail: Eric@VonWalzel.com
Anders Loken (Norway)
e-mail: bvo.norway@gmail.com
Magnus Gottas (Sweden)
e-mail: Magnus.Gottas@nordiccapital.com