Government scholar (Norwegian: statsstipendiat) is a position awarded by the Parliament of Norway upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education and Research and funded directly over the state budget of Norway. The position can be "for life" (until the normal age of retirement, 67 years) or for a limited period of time, although modern appointments usually are "for life." The scholarships are awarded to a select number of persons whose work is deemed important for the society, and who may engage in research, culture or other societal areas.[1] The number of government scholars has gone down in recent years from 48 in 2009, to 15 in 2021.[2]