About The Forum
Join us for the 2026 edition of the Arctic Frontiers Student Forum and grab the opportunity to contribute to the dialogue about the Arctic, in the Arctic, by the Arctic! This year’s Student Forum is organised in collaboration with Háskóli Íslands, with generous funding from the Nordic Atlantic Cooperation Fund (NORA) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The purpose of the Student Forum is to increase capacity and network amongst Arctic youth. Through the Student Forum, the participants get the opportunity to build skills, partake in cross-cultural exchange and develop their own visions for the future of the region.
The purpose of the Student Forum program is to increase capacity and network amongst Arctic youth. Through the Student Forum the participants get the opportunity to build skills, partake in cross-cultural exchange and develop their own visions for the future of the region.
2025 Program
The Student Forum program lasts from Sunday, 1st of February to Friday, 7th, including travel days. During these six days, the participants will be involved in Arctic issues, raise awareness, provoke discussions, engage in networking opportunities, demonstrate innovative ventures taking place in the Arctic, and explore possible contributions from Arctic youth. The program includes elements of the main 2026 Arctic Frontiers Conference, as well as workshops, a group project, presenting ideas/findings, and social and cultural events.
Additionally, participants are expected to join four mandatory preparational webinars before the Student Forum week, which are intended to prepare them for attending the conference. The first introductory webinar will take place on the 14th of November 2025. More information will soon be provided about the other dates.
The 2026 Student Forum covers all costs of the program, which includes registration to the 2026 Arctic Frontiers conference, accommodation during your stay, as well as all travel and meals for the duration of the program in Tromsø, from 1st of February to 7th of February. Please note that participants must provide proof of sufficient travel and health insurance, covering the whole project period. You will also be asked to share a room, in a separate bed, with one other participant of the same gender. We will ask who you are willing to share a room with once you are confirmed to the program. If you have any concerns or wish to discuss sleeping arrangements further, please contact the Youth Program Coordinator before submitting your application.
Eligibility
Must EITHER be a Bachelor’s or Master’s student enrolled at one of the following Universities:
🔸 UiT- The Arctic University of Norway
🔸 Nord University, Norway
🔸 Sámi University of Applied Sciences, Norway
🔸Háskóli Íslands | University of Iceland
🔸Háskólinn á Hólum | Hólar University
🔸Háskólinn á Akureyri | University of Akureyri
🔸Ilisimatusarfik | University of Greenland
🔸Fróðskaparsetur Føroya | University of the Faroe Islands
🔸University of Oulu, Finland
🔸University of Lapland, Finland
🔸Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
🔸Umeå University, Sweden
OR
- Attending a post-secondary Canadian educational institution or is an Indigenous knowledge holder from Northern Regions of Canada. Preference will be given to applicants belonging to the following groups: First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and people from or living in a Northern area. Northern area is defined as: the three Territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut), Nunavik (northern Quebec), Nunatsiavut (northern Labrador), and the Churchill region of northern Manitoba.
Students enrolled in shorter programs or on similar levels are also eligible. The Student Forum program is hold in English only.
Participants must provide proof of sufficient travel insurance before project start, covering the whole project period.
Application Materials
CV/Resume to be copied into our application form
Answering the questions provided in the application form
Funding
The Arctic Frontiers Student Forum is generously funded by the following institutions:
- North Atlantic Cooperation (NORA)
- Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
FAQ
Will I need to cover any costs during the program?
The program covers all costs of the program. This includes travel to and from, accommodation during, and registration for the 2026 Arctic Frontiers conference. Travel and meals from the program start on Sunday, 1st of February, until Saturday, 7th of February, 2026. Accommodation and meals during layovers are also covered for some participants arriving from remote areas.
Do I have to make my own hotel and travel arrangements?
Everything will be taken care of during the period of the program outlined above. All accommodation and travel will be arranged by the Arctic Frontiers Student Forum program for the duration of the program. You will only be required to provide necessary information for the organizers.
What if I arrive earlier or need to stay longer?
You will have to book your own accommodation if you arrive in Tromsø earlier than intended for the program start on the 1st of February 2026, and if you plan to stay longer in Tromsø than the 7th of February 2026. This does not apply, if the only available flights back and forth from your homebase falls outside the program dates.
What if I want to travel from a different place than my homebase/home university?
The Arctic Frontiers Student Forum organizers are open to discussing travel from different destinations, if the price of flight tickets from these areas is either cheaper than from your homebase or your home university. For students studying at institutions in Northern Norway, travel costs are only covered from places in Norway, not from abroad.
What do I have to pay myself? What costs are included?
The Program covers all accommodation, registration to the conference, travel and meals from program start to program end.
Participants must provide proof of sufficient travel insurance before the start of the project, covering the whole project period. The participants themselves must cover the cost of travel insurance.
Alcoholic beverages are not covered during the program, and the participants must adhere to the Arctic Frontiers Code of Conduct at all times. The participants must agree to the Terms and Conditions of the program.
What is the duration of the Student Forum program?
The Student Forum takes place from February 1st to February 7th, 2026, in Tromsø, Norway. Prior to the program, the participants must attend four mandatory preparational webinars. Some participants coming from remote areas might have to undertake an extra day or two for travel, which will be covered by the program.
2024 and 2023 Student Forum
In the past years the Arctic Frontiers Student Forum gathered bachelor’s and master’s students from Northern Norway, Northern Finland, Iceland and the USA for a six-day program in conjunction with the Arctic Frontiers conference. Hear from former participants in the videos below to get an impression of Student Forum 2024 and 2023!
In addition to attending the conference program, the students participated in career mentoring, an interdisciplinary group project, and workshops throughout the week. At the end of the week, participants delivered group presentations based on the Big Picture sessions, demonstrating their engagement with the conference.
Participating in the program helped build professional networks, and the conference setting enabled the students to approach senior professionals whom they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to speak to. Social events were an essential part of the informal learning experience.
