Sweden stands as one of Europe's leaders in university-industry collaboration, particularly through its industrial PhD programs (Industridoktorand in Swedish). The Government is therefore making a substantial investment in Clusters of Excellence for groundbreaking technologies to enable Sweden to remain a leading knowledge and technology nation. These programs enable PhD students to conduct their research while being employed by companies, creating a unique bridge between fundamental research and applied innovation.
The Swedish Doctoral System: A Favorable Framework
Main Industrial Doctoral Programs
Eligibility Conditions and General Terms
Calendar and Application Procedures
Practical Information and Resources
By Tania Suvorova
The Swedish doctoral system presents distinctive characteristics that favor the emergence of industrial doctorates. Unlike other countries, pursuing a PhD in Sweden is equivalent to applying for a job: doctoral students receive a monthly salary rather than scholarships, and positions are advertised on university job sites. This professional approach naturally facilitates the integration of industrial employers in doctoral funding and supervision.
With approximately 17,400 doctoral students in 20221, Sweden maintains a dynamic doctoral ecosystem where the most popular fields include medicine and health, social sciences and natural sciences2.
The WASP program constitutes Sweden's largest individual research program, a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education and faculty recruitment. Specialized in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software, WASP offers industrial doctoral positions in five partner universities: Chalmers, KTH, Linköping University, Lund University and Umeå University.
The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP)
The WASP Program strengthens, expands and renews national competencies through:
Operation: The WASP industrial doctoral student must spend at least 20% of time in the company and at least 20% at the university. WASP's plans for industrial doctoral development aim to reach 150 by 2031:
They benefit from an academic advisor and an industrial mentor. The host company receives fixed annual funding from WASP corresponding to four years of full-time studies.
Open Calls
WASP Industrial PhD Student Projects 2025
WASP Industrial Postdoctoral Positions 2025
Application deadline: October 1, 2025
Industrial PhD Students and Postdocs Calls 2025 Webinar
For contact details: info@wasp-sweden.org
The SSF invests 39 million SEK in research and postdoctoral training for 12 industrial doctoral students. This program aims to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry in SSF's priority areas:
Sound waves separate cancer cells from blood!
Plants can communicate using electronics!
Programs Sponsored by SSF:
1. Grant for writing an EU application!
2. Ingvar Carlsson Award – Across the Atlantic 2025
4. 60 million investment in cyber-resilience for AI systems
Terms: During the grant period, the doctoral student must conduct research and be employed at least 80% by a company, with two supervisors, one at the university and one in the company. The grant provides 3.25 million SEK, approximately 50% of the costs of a regular doctorate.
For more information, contact:
WISE facilitates cooperation between industry and academia to strengthen Sweden's competitiveness in sustainable materials. WISE industrial doctoral students conduct their studies while being employed by a private or public sector company.
Guest Professor Program The guest professor program is part of WISE's recruitment and outreach activities and aims to establish international research connections.
KAW Proof of Concept Grants in Materials Science for Sustainability
Contact via website
IDS facilitates collaboration between university researchers and private and public sectors, with doctoral students represented in all four faculties. This doctoral school illustrates Sweden's decentralized approach to industrial doctorates.
The Laura Bassi scholarship was established in 2018 with the aim of providing editorial assistance to graduate students and young academics whose research focuses on neglected subjects of study, broadly defined, in their disciplines.
Scholarship value provided only through editorial assistance:
How to apply: Applicants must submit a completed application form with their CV using the portal via the 'Apply' button before the relevant deadline.
Seed funding for new collaborations after AIMday on AI
Call open May 13, 2025 - August 25, 2025
To develop an idea from AIMday: AI Perspectives, there is the possibility to apply for up to 85,000 SEK to launch a new project with an external partner – and take the first step towards a future research funding proposal.
Objective: This seed funding aims to give you and your collaboration partner a chance to start a joint project addressing a societal challenge related to the UN's Agenda 2030. For example, your project could explore AI solutions for health, education, sustainable industry, or climate action.
Who can apply: You must be a researcher or teacher at Umeå University who had a productive exchange with a non-academic organization during AIMday on May 13. The project must be new, with no previous formal collaboration.
The Industrial Doctoral School announces a call for doctoral resources
Call open June 10, 2025 - September 22, 2025
Want to start a research project with a company or organization? As a researcher at Umeå University, you now have the opportunity to apply for a doctoral resource via the Industrial Doctoral School.
Terms: The call concerns projects carried out in collaboration with external organizations (private as well as public and non-profit). The doctoral student's salary costs are jointly funded – half by the Industrial Doctoral School and half by the external partner. All researchers at the University qualified to act as main supervisor for doctoral students are invited to apply. Applications are accepted from all faculties and research areas.
Contact: Industrial Doctoral School at ffs@umu.se
KTH has a long tradition of attracting doctoral students employed by companies or organizations, particularly those working for industrial companies. Doctoral students employed by industry are normally funded by the salary they receive from their main employer, and it is also common to obtain external funding.
Program: KTH's personal mobility initiative facilitates movement of people between the university and surrounding society for individual and societal development. Offers various forms of personnel exchange between companies, organizations, public sector and KTH.
Program Types:
Strategic Focus: Provides interfaces beyond existing cooperation (partnership projects, commissioned research, research centers), enabling bidirectional knowledge transfer and strengthening research direction and focus across sectors.
Contact via website
Required degree: Master's degree in corresponding field of study
Language skills: Excellent English required to apply for a PhD in Sweden. In some cases, Swedish proficiency depending on subject
Research experience: For certain specialized programs (SSF Ingvar Carlsson), 7-12 years research experience since PhD required
Special status: Programs dedicated to researchers in exile, Swedish-origin American researchers, or candidates with international mobility
Diversity: Active encouragement of gender and age diversity in applications
Location: Established research activities in Sweden
Supervision: Ability to provide qualified industrial supervision with designated industrial supervisor
Financial commitment: Commitment to co-finance doctoral project (generally 50% of costs)
Employment: Ability to employ doctoral student at least 80% (SSF) or with balanced time distribution (WASP: minimum 20% company)
Collaboration: Willingness to establish formal collaboration with partner university
Standard duration: 4-5 years for complete doctorate
Short programs: 2 years for Licentiate of Engineering (KTH), 2 years for industrial postdocs
Time distribution: Variable but balanced between university and company
WASP: minimum 20% in each environment
WASP postdocs: at least 50% university/20% company (preferably 50-50)
IDS: 48 months + 3 months paid internship in external organization
Academic preference: It is generally preferred that doctoral students spend majority of working hours in academic environment
Flexibility: Distribution adaptable according to project needs and specific agreements
Swedish industrial doctoral funding generally combines several sources:
Company salary: Monthly salary from employing company (KTH: 33,000-37,100 SEK/month starting)
Foundation grants:
SSF: 3.25 million SEK per project (≈50% of total costs)
WASP: Fixed annual lump-sum funding over 4 years
IDS: 50% of salary (75% in exceptional circumstances)
University funding: Complementary contributions from universities
Additional funding: Companies and higher education institutions expected to provide additional required funds
Employee status with access to Swedish social security system (healthcare, parental leave)
Occupational pension
Individual study plans with at least two supervisors
Annual contract renewals (maximum 1+2+2 years)
Relocation services and active student representation
Application calls vary significantly by program:
WASP: October 1, 2025, 2:00 PM (industrial doctoral students and postdocs)
SSF multiple programs:
AI Cyber-resilience: September 2, 2025, 2:00 PM CET
Strategic Mobility: September 9, 2025, 2:00 PM CET
Ingvar Carlsson Award: September 23, 2025, 2:00 PM CET
IDS Umeå:
AIMday AI Funding: May 13 - August 25, 2025
Doctoral Resources: June 10 - September 22, 2025
WISE: October 15, 2025 (Proof of Concept)
Laura Bassi Scholarship: June 2 - July 31, 2025
Joint company-university applications generally required
Submission via program-specific online portals
Required documentation: CVs, motivation letters, project descriptions
Evaluation by expert panels according to scientific and industrial criteria
Main official links:
WASP Program: wasp-sweden.org
SSF Foundation: strategiska.se
WISE: wise-materials.org
KTH: kth.se
IDS Umeå: umu.se
EURAXESS Sweden: Information portal for international researchers https://www.euraxess.se
Specialized contacts:
WASP: info@wasp-sweden.org (call information and seminars)
SSF: Jonas Bjarne (Research Secretary): jonas.bjarne@strategiska.se, 08-505 816 73
Joakim Amorim (Program Manager): joakim.amorim@strategiska.se, 08-505 816 65
IDS Umeå: ffs@umu.se (Industrial Doctoral School)
WISE: Contact details available on industry portal wise-materials.org
EURAXESS Sweden: Practical assistance for international researchers settling in Sweden https://www.euraxess.se
Cooperation between industry and academia strengthens Sweden's competitiveness and ensures essential cross-fertilization between academia and industry as well as research oriented towards needs. These programs contribute to maintaining Sweden at the forefront of sustainable materials science, artificial intelligence and technological innovation.
Swedish industrial doctoral programs represent an exemplary model of university-industry collaboration, offering doctoral students a unique experience combining academic rigor and industrial relevance, while contributing to the country's innovation ecosystem.
This article was written by ABG - Association Bernard Gregory, specialist in professional development of PhDs since 1980.
Sources:
1. Statista - "Sweden: number of doctoral students 2022" - https://www.statista.com/statistics/549782/sweden-number-of-doctoral-students/
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