Guidelines for postdoctoral fellowships

Who can apply – requirements at the time of application

The applicant must be employed by a health trust in the region or by a private, non-profit institution that has an agreement with Helse Vest. If the employment requirement is not met, people who are employed by universities and colleges in the region, as well as private substance abuse centres and rehabilitation institutions with an agreement with Helse Vest, can still apply if an agreement of support with a health trust or a private, non-profit institution is attached.

Fellowships are not given to candidates who have earlier had a postdoctoral fellowship at an institution in the western healthcare region.

It is possible to apply for a postdoctoral fellowship before the doctoral thesis is defended and approved. If the applicant's dissertation has not been submitted by the time of application, the progress towards this is to be explained in a declaration by the supervisor.

The research fellow cannot start in the position before the PhD dissertation defence is completed and approved. Please be advised that the PhD dissertation defence must be completed and approved before July 1st, as there is a requirement that the applicant must be able to start the fellowship on July 1st at the latest.

If funds are awarded

The positions financed by the research funds are to be employed by the applicant institution (health trust or private, non-profit institutions). Postdoctoral fellows are expected to activly participate in the research enviroment they will be part of.

Postdoctoral fellowships are given for two and a half years (100 %). The fellowship can be extended by 6 or 12 months if the candidate pursues a fellowship abroad of an equivalent length. There are available application categories for applying for such project extension.

The fellowship can be implemented as either a 50 % or 100 % position. Payment of the fellowship will follow chosen implementation period. If other implementation schemes are needed, this must be specifically applied for after the award letter is received.

It should be possible for the research fellow to change employers during the fellowship, as long as this is another health trust or private, non-profit institution in the region. It is nevertheless the applicant institution that has the final word on whether the institutional responsibility for the project should also be changed. Conditions for any such potential change must be clarified by agreements between the institutions in question.

What can be applied for

Postdoctoral fellowships are awarded according to rates that are regulated yearly based on the estimated price increase in the national budget. The rate is to be used for salary with social expenses and running costs in the project.

The Liaison Committee (Samarbeidsorganet) wishes that postdoctoral fellows pursue a fellowship abroad at a relevant research institution in the course of the fellowship period. A fellowship abroad can be applied for at the same time as applying for the postdoctoral fellowship, (refer to the specific guidelines for fellowships abroad).

The extension of a postdoctoral fellowship with a fellowship abroad can also be applied for in later calls for research funding applications.

Rates

Rate 2024: 1 235 000

Need for running cost beyond what is included in the scholarship rate, must be met from other sources.

Project description and other attachments

Two attachements must be uploaded:

A general template for project description has been prepared, which is to be used when submitting applications for research funds. The template gives information about which elements to include in the project description. The project description is to be uploaded as an attachment to the application (PDF document).

The attachments must be compiled into one attachment in the order that is outlined below. Upload the attachment as one PDF-document under "other attachments" in the application form:

For all applications:

1. The applicant's CV and list of publications from the last five years (see template suggestion)
2. Agreement of support, if applicable (please refer to the information about Who can apply for research funding).

If the applicant's dissertation has not been submitted by the time of application:

3. CV and list of publications from the last five years for the main supervisor
4. Declaration from supervisor, including consideration of feasibility

If applicable:

5. If overseas fellowship is applied, please include:

Invitation from overseas research environment
Declaration from own research environment

6. CV and list of publications from the last five years for principal investigator and main collaboration partners