PhD positions in Norway
A PhD in Norway normally takes three years of full-time research, or four years when 25% of the time is duty work such as teaching. PhD candidates are usually employed as research fellows (stipendiat) with a salary and employee rights, and PhD study at public institutions is tuition-free for every nationality.
Listings updated · Guide reviewed
PhD in Norway at a glance
As of 8 October 2026, Graduates Corner lists 79 open PhD positions in Norway from 9 organizations.
- Open listings
- 79
- Organizations
- 9
- Closing within 30 days
- 75
- State pay or funding
- 79
- Duration
- 3 years full-time, or 4 years including 25% duty work (teaching, supervision or lab assistance)
- Funding
- Salaried employment as a research fellow (stipendiat) on the state salary scale; the vacancy states the salary level
- Tuition fees
- None for PhD study at public institutions, regardless of nationality
- Employment rights
- PhD candidates are employees with social security, pension, and parental leave rights
- Entry requirements
- A master's degree in a relevant field, plus any grade or subject requirements stated in the vacancy
- Where positions appear
- Jobbnorge, university career pages, EURAXESS and Graduates Corner
Open PhD positions in Norway
79 current matching listings
NTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
PhD Candidate in AI-Assisted Software and Systems Engineering
Due todayPaidComputer Science
Apply by ViewUniversity of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
PhD position
PhD Research Fellow in Special Needs Education
Due todayPaidEducation
Apply by ViewUniversity of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
PhD position
PhD Research Fellow in the field of Special Needs Education
Due todayPaidEducation
Apply by ViewUniversity of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
PhD position
PhD Research Fellow in the field of Special Needs Education
Due todayPaidEducation
Apply by ViewNTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
PhD Candidate in Empirical Software Engineering
Due todayPaidComputer Science
Apply by ViewUiT The Arctic University of Norway
Narvik, Norway
PhD position
PhD Fellow in Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Arctic Railway Infrastructure Monitoring
Due todayPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewUniversity of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
PhD position
PhD Research Fellow in Soft Matter
2 days leftPaidChemistry
Apply by ViewNTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
Ph.D. Position in European Studies
2 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewNTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
PhD in Advanced Testing, Modelling, and Simulation of Composite Materials under High Velocity Impact
3 days leftPaidMaterials Science · Civil Engineering
Apply by ViewNTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
PhD Candidate in Exercise and Brain Health – The MolEx Studies
3 days leftPaidNeuroscience · Medical Sciences
Apply by ViewUiT The Arctic University of Norway
Tromsø, Norway
PhD position
Stipendiat i farmakoepidemiologi
3 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewUniversity of Bergen
Bergen, Norway
PhD position
Stipendiat ved Institutt for klinisk og biologisk psykologi
3 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewNTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
PhD in Computational Neuroscience
3 days leftPaidNeuroscience
Apply by ViewUiT The Arctic University of Norway
Tromsø, Norway
PhD position
Stipendiat i prosjektet Smerter, Insomni og Depresjon basert på Tromsøundersøkelsen
3 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewUiT The Arctic University of Norway
Tromsø, Norway
PhD position
PhD Fellow in Remote Sensing of Rain-On-Snow Preconditioning Sea Ice Melt Onset
3 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewUniversity of Stavanger
Stavanger, Norway
PhD position
Stipendiat i matematikkdidaktikk
3 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewNTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
PhD Candidate in Multimarket Bidding Decision Support in Nordic Power Markets
4 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewNTNU
Ålesund, Norway
PhD position
PhD Candidate in Sea Ice Monitoring
4 days leftPaidCivil Engineering
Apply by ViewUniversity of Bergen
Bergen, Norway
PhD position
Stipendiat i atmosfærefysikk
4 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewUniversity of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
PhD position
PhD Research Fellow in remote sensing of the cryosphere
5 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewNTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
PhD Research Fellow in Self-Organising Maritime Autonomy
6 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewUniversity of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
PhD position
PhD Research Fellow in Population Genomics
6 days leftPaidLife Sciences · Humanities
Apply by ViewNTNU
Gjøvik, Norway
PhD position
Ph.D. Candidate in Reinforcement Learning for Project Scheduling Problems
6 days leftPaidMechanical Engineering · Civil Engineering
Apply by ViewNTNU
Trondheim, Norway
PhD position
PhD Candidate in Advancing Corrosion Science Through AI and High-Throughput Experimentation
6 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by View
PhD in Norway: what you need to know
How to apply for a PhD in Norway
Norwegian universities advertise PhD research fellowships for defined projects, usually on Jobbnorge or their own career pages. Apply to the vacancy before the closing date; if you are hired, you are then admitted to the institution's PhD programme.
Applications typically include a CV, a cover letter, degree certificates and transcripts, a project description or statement of motivation, and references. Read the vacancy carefully: some ask for a project outline, while others recruit for a fully defined project.
Salary and working conditions
PhD candidates in Norway are employees, not students on a stipend. Salaries follow the state salary scale and are stated in each vacancy. Four-year positions include duty work, which you can usually spread over the employment period.
Tuition fees: PhD versus master's
Since autumn 2023 most students from outside the EU/EEA pay tuition fees for bachelor's and master's programmes at Norwegian public universities. PhD study is not affected: it remains tuition-free for all nationalities.
Search terms used in Norway
- stipendiat: PhD research fellow (salaried PhD position)
- ph.d.-kandidat: PhD candidate
- doktorgrad: doctoral degree
Frequently asked questions
Is a PhD in Norway paid?
Yes. PhD candidates are normally employed as research fellows (stipendiat) with a salary on the state salary scale and the rights of other employees.
How long is a PhD in Norway?
Three years of full-time research, or four years when the position includes 25% duty work such as teaching.
Do international students pay tuition for a PhD in Norway?
No. PhD study at public institutions is tuition-free for all nationalities. The tuition fees introduced in 2023 apply to non-EU/EEA bachelor's and master's students.
What is a stipendiat?
A stipendiat is a PhD research fellow: a salaried employee hired to complete a doctorate, often with some teaching duties in a four-year position.
How many PhD positions in Norway are currently open?
As of 8 October 2026, Graduates Corner lists 79 open PhD positions in Norway from 9 organizations. Listings whose deadline has passed or whose original posting is marked closed are excluded from this count.
Which fields are most common among PhD positions in Norway?
The most frequent fields among current listings are Interdisciplinary Research (43), Education (7) and Civil Engineering (5).
Which organizations have the most open PhD positions in Norway?
The organizations with the most open listings are NTNU (34), University of Oslo (19) and University of Bergen (11).
Are these PhD positions funded?
79 of 79 current listings state a salary, payment or stipend. Where the source does not state compensation, the listing shows "Not specified". Confirm the terms on the official posting before applying.
How often is this list updated?
Listings are refreshed through scheduled imports and direct publication by organizations. 75 of the current listings have a stated deadline within the next 30 days. Check the original posting before applying.
Official sources
Rules and salaries change; the official vacancy and university pages are authoritative. See also scholarships and funding.