The NNF-IAS Fellowship Programme on Health and Sustainability is offering five fully funded research fellowships for talented researchers from around the world.

The first call is focused on Inequity in Health. Researchers from different academic fields can apply if their research fits the theme.

The fellowships are based at Nordic Institutes for Advanced Studies in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

The fellowship will start on 1 September 2027 and will continue for 23 months, until July 2029.

The application deadline is:

📅 1 October 2026 at 12:00 noon CEST

The programme is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and is designed to bring researchers from different fields together to work on major health and sustainability challenges.

NNF-IAS Fellowship Quick Facts

What Is the NNF-IAS Fellowship Programme?

The NNF-IAS Fellowship Programme is a new research programme supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

The programme brings together eight Nordic Institutes for Advanced Studies.

The first call offers five fellowships for international researchers from any academic discipline.

You can check more Scholarships in sweden here

The main research theme for this call is:

Inequity in Health

The programme wants researchers to study health inequalities and the wider connection between health, society and the environment.

Researchers can approach the topic from different academic backgrounds.

This makes the fellowship particularly interesting for researchers who want to work across different fields.

What Is the Research Theme?

The first NNF-IAS call focuses on Inequity in Health.

The official call is open to research projects from all disciplines that aim to understand health differences, health inequalities and the relationship between health and the environment.

Possible research areas include:

• Social causes of health inequality
• Structural causes of health inequality
• Global health
• Health innovation
• Health technologies
• Equal opportunities
• Environmental health
• Health and environmental change
• Social and economic factors affecting health

The programme does not limit applicants to one specific academic subject.

Your research idea should clearly connect with the main theme.

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship is open to researchers of all nationalities.

Applicants can come from different academic disciplines.

However, you need to meet the programme’s career and mobility requirements.

Post-PhD Research Experience

Applicants should normally have between 2 and 10 years of research experience after completing their PhD.

The time spent completing the PhD is not counted in this period.

This means the programme is mainly aimed at early-career researchers who already have a PhD.

Mobility Requirement

The fellowship also has an important mobility rule.

Applicants must not have lived or carried out their main work activity in their preferred host country for more than 12 months during the two years before the application deadline.

Successful fellows must also be willing to live in the country of their selected host institute during the fellowship.

Applicants should carefully check the official mobility rules before applying.

What Does the Fellowship Provide?

This is a fully funded research fellowship.

The official programme includes several forms of support.

💰 Full-Time Salary

Fellows receive a full-time salary based on seniority.

The exact salary and employment conditions depend on the Nordic country where the fellow is hosted.

🔬 Research Budget

Each fellow can receive a research budget of up to:

€20,000

This money can be used for eligible research costs according to the programme rules.

✈️ Relocation Support

The fellowship includes support for approved relocation travel expenses.

Relocation assistance is also available.

🏢 Research Environment

Fellows will become part of an international research environment.

They will have opportunities to:

• Attend academic events
• Join workshops
• Meet researchers from other disciplines
• Build international research connections
• Take part in collaborative research activities
• Develop their research profile

The official programme is designed to encourage researchers to work across academic boundaries.

Where Will the Fellows Be Hosted?

The five fellowships are distributed among four main Nordic Institutes for Advanced Studies.

🇩🇰 Denmark

Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS)

🇫🇮 Finland

Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies (HCAS)

🇳🇴 Norway

Centre for Advanced Study (CAS)

🇸🇪 Sweden

Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS)

Applicants must prioritise their preferred hosting institute.

The selected researchers will then become part of a wider Nordic research network.

An Interdisciplinary Research Opportunity

One of the strongest parts of this fellowship is its focus on interdisciplinary research.

You will work on your own research project, but you will also work with other fellows.

The fellows will come from different academic backgrounds.

This can help researchers:

• Learn from other disciplines
• Develop new research ideas
• Build international connections
• Work on wider health problems
• Improve their research profile
• Create future research collaborations

The programme expects fellows to be curious and willing to take part in discussions outside their own academic field.

Who Is a Good Fit for This Fellowship?

This fellowship may be a good fit if you:

• Already have a PhD
• Have 2–10 years of post-PhD research experience
• Have a strong research background
• Have an original research idea
• Are interested in health inequality
• Want to work across different academic fields
• Are interested in international research
• Are willing to relocate to a Nordic country
• Enjoy working with researchers from different backgrounds

Your academic subject does not have to be called “health.”

The important thing is that your research can make a clear contribution to understanding Inequity in Health.

How to Apply for the NNF-IAS Fellowship

The application is handled through the official Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS) programme website.

Step 1: Read the Full Call

Start by reading the complete fellowship call.

Pay special attention to:

• Eligibility
• Career requirements
• Mobility requirements
• Research theme
• Host institutes
• Application documents
• Selection process

Step 2: Read the Applicant Guide

The official applicant guide explains the application requirements in more detail.

Read it before preparing your application.

Step 3: Choose Your Preferred Host Institute

You need to prioritise your preferred host institute.

You can choose from the four main Nordic partner institutes in:

• Denmark
• Finland
• Norway
• Sweden

Step 4: Prepare Your Research Idea

Your research project should clearly fit the theme of:

Inequity in Health

Explain the problem you want to study, why it matters and what new knowledge your research could provide.

Step 5: Prepare Your Application

Follow the official applicant guide and prepare all required information and documents.

Step 6: Submit Your Application

Submit the application through the official application system before the deadline.

Step 7: Check the Deadline Carefully

The closing time is:

🚨 1 October 2026 at 12:00 noon CEST

Do not wait until the last few hours to submit your application.

Application Timeline

The current programme timeline is:

June 2026
Call opens.

1 October 2026
Application deadline.

November 2026 – February 2027
Peer review and selection.

March 2027
Applicants receive results.

1 September 2027
Fellowships begin.

July 2029
Fellowship period ends.

Fellowship Duration

The fellowship starts on:

1 September 2027

The fellowship lasts for 23 months and is expected to continue until:

July 2029

This gives fellows almost two years to develop their research project and work with the Nordic research community.

How to Make Your Application Stronger

1. Choose a Clear Research Question

Your research idea should be easy to understand.

Explain:

• What problem you want to study
• Why the problem is important
• What is missing from current research
• What you want to discover
• How your research can help

2. Connect Your Research to Health Inequality

Your proposal should clearly connect with the theme Inequity in Health.

Do not leave the selection committee to guess how your project fits the theme.

3. Show Your Research Experience

Include important parts of your research background, such as:

• Research projects
• Publications
• Academic achievements
• Research methods
• International collaborations
• Conferences
• Previous fellowships

4. Show Interdisciplinary Interest

This programme is not designed only for researchers working inside one academic field.

Explain how your research can benefit from ideas, methods or collaboration with other disciplines.

5. Explain Why You Need This Fellowship

Tell the selection committee why working in a Nordic Institute for Advanced Studies would help your research.

Be specific rather than using general statements.

Useful ScholarInt Resources for Fellowship Applicants

Before applying, you may also find it useful to explore other research opportunities and application resources on ScholarInt.

For example, ScholarInt currently lists funded research opportunities in areas such as BioScience and PhD research.

You can explore our:

BioScience Scholarships – useful for researchers working in biological and life-science fields.

PhD Scholarships – useful for applicants looking for doctoral and research opportunities.

You can also explore related research opportunities on ScholarInt, such as the Western Sydney University PhD Scholarship in Plant Genomics and Mango Research, which shows another example of a funded research opportunity in the biological sciences.

Important Application Advice

This fellowship is different from a normal university admission application.

You are applying for a research fellowship, so your research idea and research record are very important.

Before submitting your application, make sure that:

• Your PhD is completed
• Your post-PhD experience fits the required period
• You meet the mobility rule
• Your research fits Inequity in Health
• You have selected a suitable host institute
• Your research proposal is clear
• Your application documents are complete
• You understand the deadline and time zone

Application Deadline

📅 1 October 2026 at 12:00 noon CEST

The application is currently open.

Because this is a competitive international fellowship, applicants should begin preparing their research proposal and supporting documents early.

Do not wait until the final day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many NNF-IAS fellowships are available?

There are five fellowships in the first call.

Are these fellowships fully funded?

Yes. The official programme describes them as fully funded fellowships.

The package includes a full-time salary, approved relocation travel support, relocation assistance and a research budget of up to €20,000.

Can international researchers apply?

Yes. Researchers from all nationalities can apply if they meet the programme’s requirements.

Do I need a PhD?

Yes. Applicants are expected to be researchers who have completed a PhD and have between 2 and 10 years of post-PhD research experience.

What is the research theme?

The first call focuses on:

Inequity in Health

Can researchers from different subjects apply?

Yes. The call is open to researchers from all research disciplines as long as their project fits the theme.

Which countries host the fellows?

The four main host countries are:

• Denmark
• Finland
• Norway
• Sweden

What is the research budget?

Each fellow can receive a research budget of up to €20,000.

How long is the fellowship?

The fellowship lasts for 23 months, from September 2027 until July 2029.

When does the fellowship start?

The fellowship starts on:

1 September 2027

What is the application deadline?

The deadline is:

1 October 2026 at 12:00 noon CEST

Is IELTS required?

The official fellowship announcement does not specify an IELTS requirement.

Applicants should check the official applicant guide for any language requirements that may apply.

Final Thoughts

The NNF-IAS Fellowship Programme on Health and Sustainability is a strong opportunity for researchers who want to work on important health problems while being part of an international research community.

The first call focuses on Inequity in Health and is open to researchers from different academic disciplines.

Five researchers will be selected to work at Nordic Institutes for Advanced Studies in Denmark, Finland, Norway or Sweden.

The fellowship provides a full-time salary, relocation support and a research budget of up to €20,000.

If you already have a PhD and have between 2 and 10 years of post-PhD research experience, this fellowship may be worth considering.

The most important date is:

📅 1 October 2026 at 12:00 noon CEST

Before applying, read the full call and applicant guide carefully. Make sure your research idea clearly fits the Inequity in Health theme and that you meet the mobility requirements.

📌 Scholarship Summary