CPFF to Harvard Kennedy School

In 1993, HRH Crown Prince Frederik studied at Harvard University and turned 25 years old. As a gift to HRH Crown Prince Frederik, Danish-Americans raised funds to establish the Crown Prince Frederik Fund.

Each year, Crown Prince Frederik Fund awards a scholarship to one or more excellent visiting student(s) at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Enrollment takes place:

This scholarship provides a unique opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the world and to learn alongside some of the most talented students and scholars within public service, governance and leadership. Crown Prince Frederik Fund rewards academic excellence and outstanding scholarly performance. It is the most prestigious scholarship of its kind in Denmark.

The most prestigious scholarship for Master students and Mid-Career in Denmark

1 scholarship for one year as a non-degree Master in Public Policy or Master in Public Administration, at Harvard Kennedy School.
1 scholarship for a 1-year Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) Program at Harvard Kennedy School.

Fulbright Denmark assists Crown Prince Frederik Fund with marketing, selection of candidates and administration. Funds are administered in the U.S. by Crown Prince Frederik Fund.

Learn more about CPFF

Academic year

2025/2026

Amount

The scholarship covers tuition expenses.

Deadline

The deadline for the next academic year will be September 1, 2024.

Who can apply

Danish Citizens (see eligibility)

Leadership and learning are indispensable to one another

— John F. Kennedy

How

Crown Prince Frederik Fund scholarships can only be applied for the following academic year. Application decisions will be made in late fall – Scholarship will be awarded in the following spring.

Eligibility

In assessing the applicants, great emphasis is on relevant work experience within public administration or public service, extra-curricular activities within political science, economics, law, public administration or similar, excellent grades and recommendations.

General:

  • Applicants must have Danish citizenship and strong affiliation to Denmark.
  • Applicants cannot have dual Danish-American citizenship or an American ‘Green card’
Non-degree Master student (Visiting student for one year)
  • Applicants must have an undergraduate degree or similar before commencing the studies.
  • Applicants who already have a graduate degree are also eligible to apply.
  • Applicants need to live up to the Harvard Kennedy School’s high requirements for admission.

2023/2024 Grantees

Emil Bender Lassen

Emil Bender Lassen is the 2023 Crown Prince Frederik Fund Recipient, pursuing a Master in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. His interests focus on exploring systemic solutions to climate change and economic inequality.

Prior to Harvard, he spent six years in the realm of social entrepreneurship. First, as the CEO of Project Access International, a charity he co-founded in 2016 to increase access to top universities for less privileged students. He stepped back to chair its Board of Trustees in 2020 and, after a brief stint at McKinsey & Company, he co-founded Home.Earth in 2021, a real estate investor and developer established to address growing urban inequality and climate change, where he still functions as a shareholder and advisor.

Emil serves on the board of Teach First Denmark, as the Chair of Trustees for Project Access International and as a Goalkeeper with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Originally from Middelfart, Denmark, he holds a BSc in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from King’s College London with visiting undergraduate studies at the National University of Singapore and Yale-NUS College.

Fotokredit: Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset ©