Purpose
In NORMA you find the call under the title Postdoctoral Fellowships for ETH Zurich, MIT, University of Oxford and Uppsala University 2026
NOTE: Guidelines contact info has been updated 12-11-2025
The postdoctoral fellowship offers a unique opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research projects in collaboration with researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT stands as a top global university in science and technology, renowned for its education, innovative research, and tradition of advancement. The programme invites early career researchers to apply for a three-year fellowship in collaboration with a research group at MIT. Fellows will develop a research project at MIT for the first two years, followed by a return phase of up to one year at a Danish university or other Danish public or non-profit research institution.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) aims to propel the career development of outstanding early-stage researchers by:
- Providing them the opportunity to gain extensive research experience and training in a unique interdisciplinary environment at the highest international level, while fostering an open exchange of intellect and ideas.
- Promoting their scientific networks and innovative spirit through mobility, thus fostering scientific independence and international collaboration.
- Supporting their continued research collaborations and knowledge transfer between the Danish research ecosystem and the MIT.
Fellowships within this programme are also offered with ETH Zurich, University of Oxford and Uppsala University as the hosting institution.
Eligibility
The fellowship supports postdoctoral research projects for up to 3 years, where the first 2 years are spent at MIT. The final year may be dedicated to the return phase at the Danish host institution.
All applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Have obtained a PhD degree in natural and technical sciences, biomedicine, or biotechnology within 5 years of the fellowship start date.
- Leave of absence periods do not count towards the 5 years (documentation must be available upon request).
- Can apply as a PhD student if the PhD supervisor provides a statement that the applicant is expected to graduate before the start date of the fellowship.
- Establish contact with a host PI at MIT who commits to being the primary research mentor for the duration of the stay abroad.
- Demonstrate association to the Danish educational system or research environment (e.g. graduated from a Danish University, Danish citizenship, or several years of research experience at a Danish institution).
A Danish university or other public, non-profit research institution in Denmark (Danish Host Institution) must employ the applicant and administer the fellowship for the entirety of the grant period.
Special rules for applications:
- Applicants can only submit one application at a time for any of the NNF postdoctoral fellowship grants and must receive notification of the outcome before re-applying.
- The project can receive partial funding from other sources. Any co-funding must be explicitly mentioned in the application.
The general conditions for receiving a grant from NNF can be found on our webpage.
Funding
The fellowship will cover up to DKK 1.2 million per year over a three-year project period, with a maximum grant size of DKK 3.6 million per fellowship (pro rata).
Application
It is important to carefully read the “Information and guidelines for applicants” (link found at the top of this page), before initiating the application process, as these guidelines contains the complete call text as well as instructions regarding the completion of the application.
Recurring call
September 2026
