Uppsala University, Sweden’s oldest university, is hiring. Its official job board currently lists more than 70 vacancies. We’ve picked out 15 English-language academic roles that international applicants, including Africans, can apply for: salaried PhD positions, postdocs and assistant professorships. All of them are in Uppsala.
Deadlines run from 9 November to 10 December 2026, so start with the earliest ones.
At a Glance
| Employer | Uppsala University, Sweden |
| Roles listed here | 9 PhD positions, 4 postdocs, 2 assistant professorships |
| Location | Uppsala, Sweden |
| PhD tuition fees | None, regardless of citizenship |
| Deadlines | 9 November – 10 December 2026 |
Why a PhD in Sweden Is Different
According to Uppsala University, it “regards PhD students as employees”. You don’t apply to a general doctoral programme. Instead, you apply for a specific advertised position, and the department handles the application. In practice, this means:
- You’re paid a salary. The job ads state a fixed salary scale for doctoral students.
- PhD programmes are free of charge in Sweden, regardless of citizenship, according to Uppsala University. Fees only apply if a non-EU PhD student chooses to take extra bachelor’s or master’s courses outside their PhD programme.
- Positions are typically full-time (100%), and doctoral students are usually offered some teaching or other departmental work.
PhD Positions
Postdoctoral Positions
| Position | Department | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Postdoc in Structure-Based Drug Design Using Machine Learning | Department of Cell and Molecular Biology | 23 November 2026 |
| Postdoc in Impacts of Extreme Weather Events | Department of Earth Sciences | 23 November 2026 |
| Postdoc in Computational Materials Chemistry | Department of Chemistry – Ångström Laboratory | 30 November 2026 |
| Postdoc in Fast-Neutron Dosimetry and Reference Neutron Fields | Department of Physics and Astronomy | 7 December 2026 |
Assistant Professorships
| Position | Department | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Professor in Computer Science, specialising in Cybersecurity | Department of Information Technology | 4 December 2026 |
| Assistant Professor in Biochemistry, Experimental Protein Biochemistry (SciLifeLab Fellow) | Department of Chemistry – BMC | 10 December 2026 |
Uppsala’s board also lists many other roles, but most of the administrative and technical jobs are advertised in Swedish and generally need Swedish. We’ve left those out.
Benefits
- A salaried job, not a scholarship. PhD students are employed on a doctoral salary scale.
- No tuition fees for PhD studies.
- Employee benefits, including the insurance and parental leave rights that come with Swedish employment.
- Research at a top European university with strong international networks.
- Support for new international employees from Uppsala’s International Faculty and Staff Services, including information and welcome activities.
Eligibility
- PhD positions: you generally need a master’s degree in a relevant subject, or at least 240 higher-education credits (ECTS) including at least 60 at advanced level. Some ads also welcome applicants who haven’t finished their degree yet.
- Postdocs: a PhD in a relevant field, usually awarded within the last few years. Check each ad.
- Assistant professors: a PhD plus a strong research record. Check each ad.
- English: the ads listed here require good spoken and written English.
- Nationality: none of the ads we checked restricts applicants by nationality.
If you’re from outside the EU, you’ll need a Swedish residence permit for doctoral studies or work after you’re offered a position. You apply to the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), so allow time for processing.
How to Apply
- Open the ad for each role you want (links in the tables above) and read the specific requirements and documents.
- Prepare the usual documents: a CV, a cover letter explaining your fit for that project, degree certificates and transcripts, and, for PhD roles, your master’s thesis or degree project if requested.
- Apply online through Uppsala University’s recruitment system (Varbi), using the “Apply” button on each ad.
- Submit before the last application date shown in each ad.
See all current Uppsala University jobs and vacancies (official)
Tips for African Applicants
- Tailor every application. Each PhD position is tied to a specific project, so explain clearly why your background fits that project.
- Send your thesis. Many ads ask for your degree project. Have a clean PDF ready.
- Get your transcripts in English and certified copies of your degrees in good time.
- Apply to several. These are competitive, so apply to every role that genuinely matches your skills.
