Postdoctoral Fellowships in Sweden: All you need to Know

Postdoctoral fellowships are an excellent opportunity for early-career researchers to gain valuable experience in their field and conduct innovative research projects. In Sweden, there are numerous postdoctoral fellowships available, providing funding and support for researchers from a variety of disciplines. These fellowships can provide an opportunity for researchers to work with world-class research institutions and collaborate with leading researchers in their field while receiving a decent salary. In this blog post, we will explore the different types of postdoctoral fellowships available in Sweden, the funding opportunities for researchers, and the research grants available to support their work. Whether you’re a recent PhD graduate or an experienced researcher looking for a new opportunity, a postdoc in Sweden could be the perfect next step in your career. In this post, we have listed all the Postdoctoral Fellowships program in Sweden with requirements, eligibility criteria and more.

Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) Postdoc

The Swedish Research Council offers several postdoctoral fellowships in various fields of science, including medicine, natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences. These fellowships are designed to support researchers at an early stage of their career, typically within three to eight years of completing their PhD. You can find similar Postdocs with salaries in Austria, too (You can find out more here).

Some of the key postdoctoral fellowships offered by the Swedish Research Council include:

  • International Postdoc: This fellowship is open to researchers of all nationalities who have completed their PhD within the past three years. The fellowship provides funding for up to two years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.
  • Swedish Research Council’s Starting Grant: This fellowship is aimed at researchers who have completed their PhD within the past eight years. The fellowship provides funding for up to six years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

The amount of funding provided by the Swedish Research Council varies depending on the fellowship and the research project. For example, the International Postdoc fellowship provides up to 1.5 million SEK per year (approximately $175,000 USD) for salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Wallenbergstiftelserna) Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation offers several postdoctoral fellowships in natural sciences, medicine, and technology. These fellowships are intended to support researchers who have recently completed their PhD and wish to conduct research at a Swedish university or research institute.

Some of the key postdoctoral fellowships offered by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation include:

  • Wallenberg Academy Fellow: This fellowship is open to researchers in natural sciences, medicine, and technology who have completed their PhD within the past six years. The fellowship provides funding for up to five years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.
  • Wallenberg Clinical Scholar: This fellowship is aimed at medical doctors who have completed their PhD within the past six years. The fellowship provides funding for up to five years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

The amount of funding provided by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation varies depending on the fellowship and the research project. For example, the Wallenberg Academy Fellow provides up to 1.5 million SEK per year (approximately $175,000 USD) for salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

Ragnar Söderberg Foundation (Ragnar Söderberg Stiftelse) Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Ragnar Söderberg Foundation offers postdoctoral fellowships in humanities, social sciences, law, and economics. These fellowships are intended to support researchers who have completed their PhD and wish to conduct research in Sweden.

Some of the key postdoctoral fellowships offered by the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation include:

  • Postdoctoral Fellowships in Humanities and Social Sciences: These fellowships are open to researchers who have completed their PhD within the past three years. The fellowships provide funding for up to two years and cover salary, research expenses, and travel costs.
  • Postdoctoral Fellowships in Law and Economics: These fellowships are open to researchers who have completed their PhD within the past four years. The fellowships provide funding for up to two years and cover salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

The amount of funding provided by the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation varies depending on the fellowship and the research project. For example, the Postdoctoral Fellowships in Humanities and Social Sciences provide up to 1.1 million SEK per year (approximately $130,000 USD) for salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (Stiftelsen för Strategisk Forskning) Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research offers postdoctoral fellowships in natural sciences, engineering, and medicine. These fellowships are intended to support researchers who have completed their PhD and wish to conduct research at a Swedish university or research institute.

Some of the key postdoctoral fellowships offered by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research include:

  • Ingvar Carlsson Award: This fellowship is open to researchers in natural sciences, engineering, and medicine who have completed their PhD within the past five years. The fellowship provides funding for up to five years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.
  • Future Research Leaders: This fellowship is aimed at researchers in natural sciences, engineering, and medicine who have completed their PhD within the past five years. The fellowship provides funding for up to five years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

The amount of funding provided by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research varies depending on the fellowship and the research project. For example, the Ingvar Carlsson Award provides up to 1.25 million SEK per year (approximately $145,000 USD) for salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (WCMM) Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine offers postdoctoral fellowships in molecular medicine. These fellowships are intended to support researchers who have completed their PhD and wish to conduct research at one of the six WCMM nodes in Sweden.

Some of the key postdoctoral fellowships offered by the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine include:

  • WCMM Fellowship: This fellowship is open to researchers in molecular medicine who have completed their PhD within the past three years. The fellowship provides funding for up to four years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

The amount of funding provided by the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine varies depending on the fellowship and the research project. For example, the WCMM Fellowship provides up to 1.5 million SEK per year (approximately $175,000 USD) for salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

Qualifications, eligibility, and application requirements for each of these fellowships vary, and it is important to check the specific requirements for each fellowship before applying. However, in general, most fellowships require a PhD degree, a strong research background, and a well-defined research proposal that aligns with the funding organization’s mission and goals. Additionally, some fellowships may require applicants to be Swedish citizens or permanent residents, while others may be open to researchers of any nationality.

Kempestiftelserna Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Kempestiftelserna offers postdoctoral fellowships in various fields, including natural sciences, engineering, and medicine. These fellowships are intended to support researchers who have completed their PhD and wish to conduct research in Sweden.

Some of the key postdoctoral fellowships offered by the Kempestiftelserna include:

  • Eva and Oscar Ahrén Foundation Fellowship: This fellowship is open to researchers in medicine who have completed their PhD within the past three years. The fellowship provides funding for up to two years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.
  • Ragnar Söderberg Fellowship in Medicine: This fellowship is open to researchers in medicine who have completed their PhD within the past three years. The fellowship provides funding for up to three years and covers salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

The amount of funding provided by the Kempestiftelserna varies depending on the fellowship and the research project. For example, the Eva and Oscar Ahrén Foundation Fellowship provides up to 1 million SEK per year (approximately $116,000 USD) for salary, research expenses, and travel costs.

Qualifications, eligibility, and application requirements for each of these fellowships vary. However, in general, most fellowships require a PhD degree, a strong research background, and a well-defined research proposal that aligns with the funding organization’s mission and goals. Additionally, some fellowships may require applicants to be Swedish citizens or permanent residents, while others may be open to researchers of any nationality.