Swedish-Turkish Scholarship Programme for PhD Studies and Postdoctoral Research

About

The deadline for applying for SI scholarships for PhD studies and postdoctoral research for the academic year 2016/2017 has passed. The results will be announced via email by the end of May 2016.

Next call will be at the end of 2016 for PhD studies and postdoctoral research for the academic year 2017/2018. The eligibility criteria as well as the application procedure and key dates may differ from this year.

The Swedish-Turkish Scholarship Programme aims at supporting advanced level studies and research within the selected fields in order to contribute to closer relations between Turkey and the European Union.

The programme offers a total of 3–5 scholarships for the academic year 2016/2017 for PhD studies and postdoctoral research in Sweden. The exact number of scholarships depends on the quality and length of the applied study/research period of all applications received.

The scholarship application call for the academic year 2016/2017 will be open between 2 November 2015 and 16 January 2016.

Who are we looking for?

The Swedish-Turkish Scholarship Programme is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden and administered by the Swedish Institute (SI). The programme offers a unique opportunity for future leaders to develop professionally and academically, to experience Swedish society and culture, and to build a long-lasting relationship with Sweden and with each other.

The programme aims to forge closer links between Turkey and the EU, and to contribute to strengthened democracy and a greater respect for human rights. Ideal candidates are ambitious young professionals with outstanding academic qualifications and a clear idea of how a research period in Sweden would benefit their country.

Who is eligible?

The scholarships are intended for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from Turkey conducting part of their studies/research in Sweden within one of the following disciplines:

Democracy/Human rights/Gender issues
Economics and management
European studies
Law
Social issues

Candidates belonging to any of the following categories may apply:

PhD student, applying for a part of his/her ongoing PhD studies to be carried out in Sweden (12 months maximum).
Postdoctoral researcher, with priority given to holders of a PhD degree from 2011 or later (12 months maximum).

A scholarship cannot be granted to an applicant who:

has already lived in Sweden for two or more years when the scholarship period is due to begin.
already has a Swedish permanent residence permit.
has a Swedish work permit and is not an EU citizen.
is applying for a scholarship at PhD level but is not enrolled in ongoing PhD studies at your home university.
is applying for a scholarship at postdoctoral level, but does not hold any PhD degree.
has already been awarded three or more grants from SI.

Selection criteria and areas of priority

Applications are evaluated by the Swedish Institute (SI) and an academic board. The primary evaluation of the application takes into account the applicant’s academic background and personal motivation, research quality and expertise in the project field of the host department. The strength of the research proposal with regards to its scientific quality, originality, methodological approach, and relevance is also evaluated. In the final selection of candidates SI will consider the distribution of scholarships with regards to academic fields, universities, purpose of study, nationality and gender.

The personal motivation of the applicant should include a statement of how the research proposal will correspond to needs emphasized in the existing frameworks for relations between Turkey and the European Union (e.g. European Enlargement Policy).

Scholarship benefits

The scholarship is free of tax and amounts to SEK 15,000 per month for PhD students and SEK 18,000 per month for postdoctoral researchers and senior scientists. The scholarship cannot be prolonged or extended.

Insurance

Scholarship holders are insured by the Swedish State Group Insurance against illness and accident during the scholarship period.

SI Network for Future Global Leaders

All Swedish Institute scholarship holders are invited to become members of the SI Network for Future Global Leaders (NFGL), a network that offers unique opportunities during and after the stay in Sweden. Together with other talented people from all around the world, the scholarship holder is able to take part in a variety of events, exchange ideas and create networks that benefit both to career and personal development.

Scholarship limitations

the scholarship is designed to cover living costs for the scholarship holder. There are no grants for family members. No funding for bench fees is provided.
the granted scholarship period cannot be altered or extended; however, it is possible to apply for subsequent funding through a new call for applications.
in case of a postponed arrival date, the scholarship period can be decreased accordingly.
there is no travel grant included in the scholarship offer.

Application procedure and key dates

Please read the instructions on the official website for more information on the application procedure and to access the online application portal.

The scholarship application call for the academic year 2016/2017 will be open from Monday 2 November 2015 to Saturday 16 January 2016, 24:00 CET.

Scholarship offers will be sent to successful candidates by the end of May 2016 at the latest, and candidates are required to respond to the offer within 14 days. Please note that all decisions are sent by email only.

Contact

Please contact sischolarships@si.se if you have any questions.

Swedish-Turkish Scholarship Programme for PhD Studies and Postdoctoral Research

Deadline:

September 22, 2015

Disciplines:

Democracy Studies, Economics, European Studies, Gender Studies, Human Rights, Law, Management