Uppsala University WIVA Visiting Researchers 2027 in Sweden (Funded)

Here's something you won't find on every scholarships list: a paid three-month research stay in one of the world's oldest universities, inside a brand-new Centre of Excellence devoted to the Viking Age. Uppsala University's Centre for the World in the Viking Age (WIVA) regularly recruits International Visiting Researchers from all over the world — scholars who spend a full-time, salaried three months in Uppsala, with their travel paid, collaborating with one of the most ambitious archaeology teams on the planet. The Spring 2027 call closed on 28 September 2026, just days ago. But WIVA advertises new visiting researcher positions every year, so this guide doubles as your playbook for the next round.

In short: Uppsala University's WIVA Centre offers 3-month full-time salaried visiting researcher positions in Sweden for PhD-holding scholars with an international profile. The Spring 2027 call closed on 28 September 2026. Positions include a salary, round-trip airfare, and office space — accommodation costs are on you.

Quick Overview

• Host Country: Sweden
• Host Institution: Uppsala University, Department of Archaeology, Ancient History and Conservation (WIVA Centre)
• Degree Level: Postdoctoral researchers (PhD holders)
• Program Duration: 3 months, full-time (Spring 2027 window: January–June 2027)
• Funding Type: Paid employment — fixed-rate salary plus round-trip economy travel
• Deadline: 28 September 2026 (now closed — prepare for the next call)

Benefits of the Uppsala WIVA Visiting Researchers 2027

The position is an employment contract, not a grant, which is actually simpler: you get a proper salary instead of chasing reimbursements. Here is what the official call text offers:

• Three months of fixed-rate salary — the position is full-time temporary employment (SÄVA), so you are on Uppsala's payroll for the whole stay.
• Round-trip economy travel — one return journey to Uppsala is paid by the Centre. Repeat trips during the stay and accompanying partners are not covered, so plan accordingly.
• Office space and full facilities — desk, IT, library access, and everything else a regular Uppsala researcher gets, at one of Europe's top research universities.
• Accommodation assistance — the Centre helps you find a place to live, and where possible places you in subsidised university researcher housing. Important honesty point: the actual rent comes out of your own pocket.
• A genuinely world-class research home — WIVA was established in June 2023 as one of 15 national Centres of Excellence funded by the Swedish Research Council, with the highest possible assessment grade ("Outstanding"). You'll be working under Professor Neil Price with co-directors Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson and John Ljungkvist — names that carry serious weight in archaeology.
• Interdisciplinary freedom — although the Centre sits in the archaeology department, it actively encourages applications from history, genetics, runology, philology, and any other relevant field. The working languages are English and Scandinavian languages.

Eligibility Criteria for the Uppsala WIVA Visiting Researchers 2027

This is not a student program and it's not open to everyone with a master's degree. The bar is clear and honestly stated:

• PhD required — applicants must hold a PhD or an equivalent foreign degree in a relevant discipline (archaeology, history, and neighbouring fields; related areas are welcome).
• Established international profile — this is "of primary importance" in the official text. You need to show academic achievements at universities outside Sweden — a track record of significant and relevant research.
• Any career stage after the PhD — unusually flexible: early-career, mid-career, and senior scholars are all welcome, as long as the research track record is there.
• Thematic fit — your research should connect with the Centre's mission: the world in the Viking Age (c.750–1050 CE), with openness to the longer Late Iron Age (c.400–1050). The priority focus is Norse contacts along the Silk Roads — overland and maritime interactions with western, central and eastern Asia, and both shores of the Mediterranean. Comparative work on the Norse diaspora is also welcome.
• Collaborative spirit — selection weighs research skills, the quality and thematic focus of your proposal, and your "social fit and collaborative potential." They are building a community, not filling desks.

How to Apply for the Uppsala WIVA Visiting Researchers 2027

The Spring 2027 call has closed, but the process will repeat. When the next call opens on Uppsala's vacancies portal, here is the drill:

1. Find the call on Uppsala's vacancies page — search for "WIVA" or "International Visiting Researchers" at uu.se/en/about-uu/join-us/jobs-and-vacancies. The call is published on both the university jobs portal and the Varbi recruitment system. 2. Prepare your full CV — education, work experience, and a complete list of publications. This is a research position, so the publication list does real work. 3. Write a covering letter with a detailed plan — not a generic motivation letter: spell out exactly what you would like to do during your three months in Uppsala. Research project, sources you'd use, people you'd collaborate with. 4. State your preferred three-month period — give your first choice plus alternative dates, fitting inside the announced window (for Spring 2027, within January–June; the university is largely closed for summer holidays in July and the first half of August). 5. Submit through the online recruitment portal before the deadline, and contact the Centre beforehand if you have questions — Professor Neil Price (neil.price@arkeologi.uu.se) or coordinator Rahaf Abu Shaer (rahaf.abu_shaer@arkeologi.uu.se) are listed as the official contacts. 6. Wait for the assessment — selection is an overall assessment of your research skills, the proposal's quality and fit, and collaborative potential.

Required Documents

Only what the official call text requires:

• Full CV — education and work experience, with a list of publications
• Covering letter — including a detailed plan for what you would like to do while in Uppsala
• Statement of preferred dates — a clear statement of which three-month period you wish to spend in Uppsala, preferably with alternative choices

Uppsala WIVA Visiting Researchers 2027 Deadline

The deadline for the Spring 2027 round was 28 September 2026, and it has now passed — the position was advertised as a vacancy on Uppsala University's official jobs portal with that closing date. The good news: WIVA advertises visiting researcher positions roughly twice a year (separate fall and spring calls), and the official call text explicitly states that additional positions will be advertised later for 2027. Keep the WIVA research page and the Uppsala vacancies portal bookmarked, and have your CV and covering letter ready so you can apply the moment the next call drops.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the WIVA visiting researcher position really fully funded?

Almost — with one honest caveat. The position pays a fixed-rate salary for three months, covers your round-trip economy airfare, and gives you an office plus full university facilities. But your accommodation rent is not covered; the Centre only helps you find a place, and may be able to secure subsidised researcher housing. Budget for Uppsala rent (roughly 6,000–9,000 SEK/month for a modest place) before you accept.

Do I need a PhD to apply?

Yes. The requirement is a PhD or an equivalent foreign degree in a relevant discipline. This is a postdoctoral-level position, not a student scholarship.

Is it only for early-career researchers?

No — and that's unusual and welcome. The official call states the positions are open to scholars "at any level of career experience after the award of the PhD," from fresh postdocs to established professors, as long as you can demonstrate significant and relevant research achievement.

Can I apply if I am based in Sweden?

Technically the call doesn't exclude Swedish residents, but the stated purpose is to expand WIVA's global contacts, and "an established international profile" with academic achievements at universities outside Sweden is of primary importance. If you're Sweden-based with strong international credentials, you can apply — but expect international applicants to be favoured.

What exactly is WIVA?

The Uppsala Research Centre for the World in the Viking Age — one of 15 national Centres of Excellence established by the Swedish Research Council in June 2023, funded for an initial five years (2024–2028) with a possible five-year extension. Directed by Professor Neil Price with Docents Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson and John Ljungkvist. Its mission is to study the Viking Age as a global phenomenon — the Norse diaspora across Eurasia, c.750–1050 CE — with a special focus on contacts along the Silk Roads to Asia and the Mediterranean.

What will I actually do during the three months?

The format is deliberately flexible, per the official call: some visitors produce a paper, some work on a book, others give seminars or public lectures, and some simply talk and think. The priority is "longer-term contacts and productive exchanges of ideas." It's a research residency, not a teaching post.

What language do I need?

The WIVA Centre operates in English and the Scandinavian languages. English is fully sufficient for the research stay.

Can I bring my partner or family?

The position funds travel for one journey for you only — the official text explicitly says accompanying partners cannot be funded. You may of course arrange private travel for family at your own cost.

Can I apply again if I was rejected before?

There is no stated ban on re-application, and since calls repeat twice yearly, you can strengthen your CV and proposal and try again. Showing how you've engaged with WIVA's research themes since your last application would help.

When is the next call expected?

The official Fall 2026 call stated that "additional positions will be later advertised for 2027." WIVA runs separate fall and spring calls, so the next round will likely appear on the Uppsala vacancies portal in 2027. Check the WIVA research page and the vacancies portal regularly from early 2027.

Final Words

WIVA is one of the most exciting new research environments in the humanities anywhere in Europe — and it is actively looking outward, hiring international scholars twice a year to come and think with it. If you hold a PhD and your research touches the Viking Age's global connections, this is a genuinely prestigious, properly salaried stay at a 500-year-old university. The Spring 2027 window just closed; use the time to sharpen your proposal and watch for the next call.