Who can be nominated?
Wallenberg Academy Fellows (WAF) who received their grant in 2021 can be nominated for another five years of funding. Up to 40% of the original Wallenberg Academy Fellows 2021 may obtain an extension.
Swedish Universities and institutions of higher education are invited to nominate Wallenberg Academy Fellows appointed 2021 for prolongation before April 25, 2026. The nominating University should guarantee that the researcher will obtain a relevant position at the University and is expected to take long term responsibility for their nominated Fellow.
The following points need to be met for a nominated Fellow :
- The nominee should have received a Wallenberg Academy Fellows grant in 2021 (or 2019 or 2017 if the conditions in the last point stated here below is met)
- A researcher cannot simultaneously hold both a Swedish Research Council Consolidator Grant and a WAF prolongation grant.
- A Fellow cannot be nominated by more than one university for prolongation. The fellow must approve the nomination.
- Must spend at least 70 % of the position and working time at the host university.
- It is possible for a Wallenberg Academy Fellow 2021 to be nominated for a WAF prolongation, two yeasr later (i.e. with WAF 2023) if the Fellow can, on request, prove documented parental leave, sick leave or defence service for more than six months during the project period.
The financing of the Foundation for the WAF 2021 prolongation grant will include:
A prolongation grant of SEK 2,200,000 will be granted per year during five years for all disciplines. Fellows who is not granted prolongation will receive a bridge grant of SEK 1 million for year 6 if the researcher maintains a relevant position at a Swedish University or an institution of higher education during this year.
The universities co-fund the initiative by guaranteeing that 50% of the researcher’s salary is covered by the university. A university may choose to fund the researcher’s entire salary, thereby helping to give him or her a larger unencumbered research grant. The university will also co-fund the initiative by contributing to indirect costs, and rent over and above the potential contribution from the foundation for indirect cost and rent. Up to 20% of the awarded amount can be used for indirect costs and rent.
Documents
Documents attached should all be English except for the popular scientific summary in Swedish. One A4 pages corresponds to 3500 characters including blanks.
The nomination should include:
- Vice chancellor approval/ the University nomination – each nomination must contain a brief presentation of the reasons why the nominee´s activities are considered a key component of the research profile of the university and a description of the nomination process, i.e. the arguments, evaluations and processes on which the nomination was based (maximum two A4 pages)
- Project summary – a brief popular scientific summary in english, maximum 2000 characters including blanks
- A project proposal (maximum six A4 pages)
- The person’s research qualifications, i.e. CV (maximum two A4 pages) covering positions held, awards won and postdoctoral research stays, if any
- A short (maximum two A4 pages) account of the person’s career, i.e. primarily his or her academic achievements together with information of present support from Universities or other financial support
- A list of all publications in peer-reviewed journals, with the ten most important publications marked. If relevant, an H-index (Web of Science, Scopus or Google Scholar) together with number of publications and number of quotes the H-index is based on, is attached. Google Scholars preferably use Harzing’s Publish or Perish. For nominations in the field of humanities, a list of the candidate´s scientific work should be enclosed)
- A brief popular scientific summary in Swedish (maximum one A4 page)
Publishing
Research funded by the Foundation must be published with open access, that is, published articles must be archived in openly searchable databases. The respective university's rules apply to open access. The additional cost for this can be taken up as a direct cost in project applications.
Application period and closing date for nominations
The application period begins March 25, 2026 and a complete nomination must be received by the Foundation April 25 at the latest 1:00 pm.
Complete documentation for each nominee must be submitted electronically, by the universities, to the Foundation in accordance with the routines for grant applications.
The complete budget form is not required with the nomination, only submit the amount and a brief description of how the grant will be used.
E-application
The Foundation accepts only electronically registered nominations.
Instruction e-application
- Principal investigator – state the nominated candidate
- Amount applied for – state 11 million Swedish kronor
- Research field – choose your research field (medicine, technological, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences) from drop down list
- Financing – mark the box where it says “no other financing will be applied for”. The grant cannot be combined with a VR consolidator grant
- Project budget – should not be included in this application. Attach a specification what the funds are meant to be used to
All should be written in English except for the brief popular scientific summary in Swedish.
Evaluation process
Two evaluation panels approved by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities and the Swedish Academy, will be responsible for the evaluation.
The evaluation panels (one within the area of social sciences and humanities/religion and one within the area of medicine, engineering sciences and technology and natural sciences) will evaluate and rank all incoming nominations within their area of expertise. The ranking lists will then be submitted to the Wallenberg foundation for final decision
The evaluation process will include thorough evaluation of the written documentation as well as personal interviews and consultations with external international reviewers. A summarizing rate will be submitted according to the ERC five-grade assessment scale, i.e.:
0 = Insufficient, 1 = Good, 2 = Very good, 3 = Excellent, 4 = Outstanding
Evaluation panel assessment will be in complete confidentiality, and will not be disclosed. Decision on continued or discontinued WAF grant will be taken by the Board of the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
Decision
The Board of the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation will decide who will be granted a Wallenberg Academy Fellow prolongation grant for year 6-10, and the decision will be announced in December.
Additional information