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 benefits of the research. A significant portion of the funds will go towards researcher education and building research competence.

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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. The applicant cannot submit multiple applications in the same category.

One cannot start a postdoctoral position before the doctoral dissertation has been defended and approved. However, it is possible to apply earlier. If the applicant has not submitted their doctoral thesis at the time of application, a statement from the main supervisor detailing the progress and expected submission date must be attached.

The applicant must be employed by a health trust in the region (min. 20%) 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 a formal agreement 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 employment. The rate is adjusted annually, and should be used for salary with social expenses and running costs in the project. Need for running cost beyond what is included in the scholarship rate, must be met from other sources.

Rates

Rate 2025: 1 284 000

Overseas Fellowships and Extension of Postdoctoral fellowships

The Liaison Committee (Samarbeidsorganet) encourages postdoctoral fellows to pursue an overseas stay at a relevant research institution during the fellowship period. See the specific guidelines for overseas fellowships. Applications for funding for this can be submitted at various times:

Applications can be made for funding for a planned overseas stay of six or twelve months in the same application as the application for a postdoctoral fellowships.
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 activly participate in the professional- and/or research enviroment they will be part of.

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 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.

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

Page updatet: June 2024