The Novo Nordisk Foundation offers postdoctoral fellowships for early-career researchers who want two years of research at Uppsala University in Sweden, followed by a final year at a Danish research institution. Each fellowship provides up to DKK 3.6 million over three years, about DKK 1.2 million per year. Applications close on 29 January 2027 at 2:00 pm Copenhagen time.
This is not a fixed post waiting to be filled. You apply with your own research project, and you need two institutions behind you: a host group at Uppsala University and a Danish host institution. The project must combine fields and show clearly how it could matter for human health or sustainability.
What the fellowship provides
The fellowship runs for three years: two years at Uppsala University with your host supervisor’s group, then a return year at your Danish host institution, where you continue the same project. The grant of up to DKK 3.6 million covers your salary and project costs together, so it is one total. The Danish host pays your salary into a Danish account, taxed under Danish rules.
| Fellowship | Postdoctoral Fellowships at Uppsala University |
| Hosts | Uppsala University, Sweden, then Denmark |
| Duration | 3 years (2 in Sweden, 1 in Denmark) |
| Funding | Up to DKK 3.6 million (about 1.2m a year) |
| Fields | Natural and technical sciences, biomedicine, biotechnology |
| Deadline | 29 January 2027, 2:00 pm Copenhagen time |
Who can apply
The call sets four tests:
- A PhD in natural sciences, technical sciences, biomedicine or biotechnology, gained within five years of the fellowship start date; periods of leave do not count. PhD students can apply when their supervisor confirms in writing that they will graduate before the fellowship starts.
- A real link to Denmark, such as a Danish degree, citizenship, or several years of research at a Danish institution, plus time spent in Denmark beyond an ordinary holiday.
- A host supervisor at Uppsala University who will be your main research mentor throughout your stay in Sweden.
- A confirmed Danish host institution that will employ you for all three years, manage the whole grant, and host your return year — a Danish university or another public, non-profit research institution.
You must not have spent more than one year as a postdoctoral researcher at Uppsala when you apply, although a stay already started counts within that limit. Only one application at a time is allowed across the Foundation’s postdoctoral fellowship grants, so wait for the outcome before applying to another one.
If you have no Danish connection, read this first
This rule removes the most applicants. A good idea and a willing Uppsala supervisor are not enough. If you have never studied or worked in Denmark, and you hold no Danish degree or citizenship, this fellowship is not for you. The Foundation asks for experience with the Danish education or research system, not just interest in it.
What the money can and cannot cover
The DKK 3.6 million is a fixed ceiling. The Foundation will not add money later if salary costs rise, so you must move funds from other budget lines. Your salary must be a full salary, not below the host’s minimum standard.
Funding for accompanying children is a fixed DKK 55,000, whatever their number, and it must fit inside the same total. Living-abroad costs are treated flexibly when genuinely connected to the stay; confirm each item with your Danish institution first. Bench fees are not eligible at Uppsala, and the project supplement applies only to the Denmark year.
How to apply
Applications go through NORMA, the Foundation’s application platform:
- Find a host supervisor at Uppsala University whose group fits your project, and agree the idea with them.
- Secure a Danish host institution and supervisor to employ you, manage the grant, and host your return year.
- Read the application guidelines and the Foundation’s answers to applicants first.
- Prepare your proposal, budget and papers with both hosts. You need a support letter and short CV from your Uppsala supervisor; budget and hosting letters come from the Danish institution.
- Submit the application through NORMA before 2:00 pm Copenhagen time on 29 January 2027.
Allow extra time if your Danish institution is not yet registered in NORMA, and state any co-funding in the application.
How to make your application stronger
The strongest proposals treat the health or sustainability link as the heart of the project, not a sentence added at the end. Explain what could change for people or the environment if the work succeeds, and show why two fields must work together. Plan the return year too: say what will continue in Denmark and who will use the results.
Agree the budget with your Danish host early, because salary, project costs and family funding all come from the same fixed total. Write so a researcher outside your field can follow it, since the project is judged as interdisciplinary work. For comparison, see the EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships and the Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply before I finish my PhD?
Yes, if your supervisor confirms you will graduate before the fellowship starts.
Do I need to be Danish to apply?
No, but you need a real link to Denmark’s education or research system, such as a Danish degree, citizenship, or several years of research there.
Can I apply if I already work at Uppsala University?
Yes, if you have spent no more than one year as a postdoctoral researcher there.
What happens if I return to Denmark early?
You may return early, but the Foundation can then offer only up to one year on the grant.
This fellowship suits researchers with a Danish base and a clear Uppsala collaboration in mind. If both hosts are in place, the proposal is the work that remains.
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