Guidelines for Postdoctoral Fellowships

The purpose of the research funds is to help ensure research activity in the healthcare institutions and to increase the productivity, quality, and impact for the health services. A significant share of the funds will go towards research training and building research competence.

Page in Norwegian

Evaluation of Applications

Applications are assessed based on scientific quality and impact for the health services. The two criteria are equal in the sense that quality or impact alone is not sufficient for the allocation of funds. Read more in Aims and Criteria.

Who Can Apply – Requirements at the Time of Application

For applications for postdoctoral fellowships, the fellow must be the applicant, and the fellowship cannot be transferred to others. Applicants cannot submit multiple applications in the same category.

One cannot start a postdoctoral position before the doctoral dissertation has been defended and approved, how ever applications are welcome. Please note, if the applicant has not submitted the doctoral thesis at the time of application, the progress and expected submission date must be detailed in an attached statement from the main supervisor.

The applicant must be employed (at least 20%) by a health trust in the region or by a private, non-profit institution that has an agreement with Helse Vest.

If the employment requirements are not met, individuals employed at University of Bergen, University of Stavanger, and Western Norway University of Applied Sciences can still apply if there is an "agreement of support" with a healthcare institution or a private non-profit institution, see "Who can apply for research funds".

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

What Can Be Applied For

Postdoctoral fellowships are granted for up to three years at 100 percent, or six years at 50 percent position. The rate is regulated annually, and should be used for salary with social expenses and running costs in the project.

Rates

Rate 2026: 1 336 000 NOK

Need for running cost beyond what is included in the fellowship rate, must be met from other sources. The application must explain the financing of costs necessary to carry out the project, but not covered by the rate.

Extension of Postdoctoral Fellowships for research stays abroad

Postdoctoral fellowship applicants are especially encouraged to apply for a research stay abroad over the course of their fellowship period. See the specific guidelines for research stays abroad. Applications for funding for this can be submitted at various times:

Funds can be applied for a planned stay abroad of six or twelve months in the same application as the application for a postdoctoral fellowship.
Ongoing postdoctoral fellowships funded by Helse Vest can be extended by six or twelve months if an overseas stay of the same length is undertaken. Use the application category "Extension of Postdoctoral Fellowships" The original project description can be adjusted to account for the benefits of the overseas stay.

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 must have their permanent workplace in the region, and are expected to actively participate in the professional and/or research enviroment they will be part of.

Please note that the doctoral defense must be completed and approved before July 1 in the first award year, as there is a requirement that the applicant must be able to start the fellowship no later than July 1. This applies regardless of planned or started leaves.

The fellowship can be granted as either a 50 % or 100 % position, and payment will be adjusted accordingly. 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 the employer 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.

Researchers who receive Helse Vest's research funds must complete a course in user involvement. Employees in the health enterprises receive a course certificate if they complete the course through the learning portal ("Læringsportalen").

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)

If applicable:

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

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

If overseas fellowship is applied, please include:

4. Invitation from overseas research environment

5. Declaration from own research environment

If applicant is not employed in a health trust or private institution in the region:

6. Agreement of support, (please refer to the information about Who can apply for research funding).

Optional:

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

Disclaimer

This English text is provided for informational purposes only. In the case of any inconsistency or ambiguity between the English translation and the original Norwegian version, the Norwegian version shall take precedence and be considered the authoritative source.

Page updatet: May 2025