Call for proposals for postdoctoral grants 2026

Area: All scientific areas. The research must clearly demonstrate relevance to sport.

Applicant: Individual researcher at a Swedish higher education institution

Granted for: 2 years

Funding amount: SEK 550,000 per year for postdoctoral salary (including overheads that the salary cost generates), plus a maximum of SEK 100,000 for operating costs

Application period: 12 June 2026 – 15 September 2026 at 17.00  (CET)

Grant decision published: 10 December 2026

Project period: 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028

What is funded?

The Swedish Research Council for Sport Science (CIF) is announcing postdoctoral grants for research with relevance to sport. The aim is to support research merit to qualify for a docentur.

Sports research can be conducted in any scientific field. An application must clearly demonstrate relevance to sport to be eligible for funding. CIF has a broad definition of what constitutes sport. Read more about this in the CIF definition of relevance to sport.

The grant includes funding for part of a postdoctoral position’s salary, including the overhead costs associated with that salary. Additional funding can be applied for to cover operating costs, including the overhead costs associated with those costs. The grant can not be used for stipends.

Who can apply?

• The applicant must have submitted the final report of a previous CIF grant on time.
• The applicant should hold a Swedish doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree obtained between October 15, 2021 and October 15, 2026. Extended career breaks due to parental leave, long-term sick leave, positions of trust, service in the total defence, or clinical training (AT or ST) can be credited. Career breaks should be detailed in the CV, inclding the type, dates, and duration. A career break should be verified with documentation upon request.
• Docents are not eligible to apply, as the aim of the grant is to promote research merit to obtain a docentur.
• The applicant should be employed by a Swedish higher education institution (HEI) and the research should be performed as part of the employment.
• The applicant is the project manager and is scientifically responsible for the project. The funds are administered by the recipient’s department. By submitting an application, the applicant confirms that it has been approved by an authorised representative of the higher education institution (HEI).
• The applicant should ensure that the research complies with the Swedish Research Council’s requirements on conducting ethical research and obtain ethical review permission if required.
• The applicant should be employed by the administering organisation at the start of the grant period. Exceptions are made for clinical researchers, for whom the administering organisation and another employer can agree on affiliation.
• Researchers may as the main applicant submit one application for a project grant, one application for a postdoctoral grant and one application for a grant for associations, networks and collaboration. Should a researcher be granted both a postdoctoral grant and a project grant, the additional SEK 100,000 from the postdoctoral grant will not be awarded.
• Researchers who have previously been awarded a postdoctoral grant cannot apply for an additional postdoctoral grant.