Other funding
Doctoral students may be admitted with some other form of funding, but the department must ensure that this is sufficient to cover the full period of study so that the applicant can devote enough time to their studies to complete them within eight years (equivalent to four years of full-time study).
Industry-based doctoral student
An industry-based doctoral student is employed in the private or public sector and is permitted by their employer to pursue doctoral studies as part of their paid duties. The decision to admit an externally employed doctoral student rests with the Working Committee of the Faculty Board. A written agreement between the University and the employer shall be concluded before admission. A template for such agreements is available under “Forms”.
Some externally employed doctoral students conduct a large part of their studies in their workplace, while others will spend more time at the department to which they are admitted. An externally employed doctoral student will often have one supervisor in the workplace and one at the department.
Employment at another higher education institution
A doctoral student admitted to a doctoral programme at Uppsala University may be employed by another higher education institution. A written agreement between the two institutions clarifying their respective undertakings during the study period shall be concluded before admission. A template for such agreements is available under “Forms”.
Scholarships
The Faculty Board has decided that scholarships should be used restrictively.
The admission of a doctoral student funded by a scholarship requires a written agreement with the organisation providing the scholarship. Admissions are prepared by the Board of Doctoral Education for a decision by the Working Committee of the Faculty Board. The agreement with the scholarship provider shall be drawn up before the Board of Doctoral Education considers the matter.
Scholarships for doctoral studies are permitted in cases where a foreign student has a scholarship from their homeland or the funds for the scholarship have been obtained from a financier other than Uppsala University. Unless special grounds exist, the scholarship may only be used to cover the first year of doctoral studies and the vacant doctoral position must have been advertised.
A scholarship is not to be equated with a salary, it is a tax-free stipend to cover the student’s living costs during their studies. A doctoral student funded by a scholarship must be admitted to a doctoral programme.
Funding through a scholarship means that the student lacks certain social security such as unemployment insurance (A-kassa), parental benefit and sickness benefit, nor is a scholarship pensionable income. Basic insurance cover is provided for doctoral students studying on a scholarship through the University’s group insurance policy with the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet). The department shall offer the doctoral student a good work environment and good conditions for completing their doctoral studies in accordance with the general syllabus and individual study plan. Like any other doctoral student, scholarship-funded doctoral students are entitled to leave equivalent to annual leave, the use the University’s occupational health service and time off for wellness activities.
The department shall ensure that a doctoral student funded by a scholarship has a stipend equivalent to the pay level for doctoral students according to the doctoral student salary ladder. This is achieved by paying a supplementary allowance (forskarstuderandetillägg), see under “Forms”. For information on supplementary funding for doctoral students, please refer to the Faculty’s Guidelines for doctoral education.
For further information on scholarships, please visit the Staff Portal.
Learn more about insurance in the Staff Portal.