Apply for admission to the PhD programme with external funding

If you have secured external funding for a PhD position, you can apply for admission. Your application can be sent as soon as your funding is secured and up until 2 months after starting your PhD project. If you have not yet secured funding or want to apply for a PhD position at UiO, please go back to review the details regarding these steps.

Admission requirements

For admission to the PhD program at the MN Faculty, the following criteria must be met:

External funding

Vacant position listings

Externally funded PhD positions can be announced online on the following websites:

Funding schemes

The Research Council of Norway offer funding schemes both for public sector and companies seeking to enhance their research expertise and activity through a PhD candidate project. The project is intended to result in research and development outcomes that strengthen products and/or services for the company/public sector.

You find more information on The Research Council of Norway web pages:

What must the funding cover?

External PhD candidates are required to secure funding for:

  • Salary equivalent to the standard PhD candidate salary covering three years of full-time study
  • Research expenses, if necessary for the project.
  • Financial compensation to UiO. This includes both the follow-up contribution and any potential expenses for the use of research infrastructure at the department.

Follow-up contribution

This financial compensation to UiO covers the University's costs related to the PhD candidate's education. The cost will be invoiced over three years, with one-third due at the start. The above contributions are exempt from Value Added Tax.

Use of research infrastructure

In case the PhD candidate will use research infrastructure at the department (such as laboratory facilities or specialized data computation infrastructure) the external party cover potential expenses. Costs are based on the TDI model and the Leased Space model.

Funds from foreign foundations or universities

If you have funds from foreign foundations or universities, you must have a minimum of NOK 25 000 per month to cover both accommodation and living expenses during your stay in Norway.

Apply for admission

Once you have secured external funding, you can apply for admission. You are required to submit your admission application through an online form no later than 2 months after starting your PhD project.

The complete application consists of a project description, a completed admission form, your CV and other relevant supporting documents. You and your supervisors collaborate on your admission application and project description. 

The online submission form also serves as a checklist and will require you to provide all required documents.

Submit your application

Prepare your research proposal

The project description is the key part of your application and must demonstrate good academic quality. The project description (from 4 to 10 pages) must adhere to the respective department’s/unit’s project description guidelines.

Specific guidelines

Compile all the required supporting documents

You will be asked to upload the following attachments:

In addition, for externally employed candidates:

In addition, for PhD candidates funded by international stipends:

  • Documentation of a granted stipend that secure funding for the whole PhD period

In addition, if relevant:

  • A list of your publications
  • Course description of special syllabus/-i and/or research course/-s you are including in your educational component
  • Confirmation of already passed courses you are including in your educational component
  • English language skills test, for international applicants (some are exempt from the requirements. For more information, see § 5.1.4 English language skills)
  • REK approval and/or recommendation from Sikt (Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research) for projects that will include processing of personal data or conduct health-related research
  • PhD candidates planning to spend less than 1 year at UiO must attach an application for reduced residence duty authored by the UiO associated principal or co-supervisor arguing how the external institution provides a rigorous research environment and that the academic demands for supervision are sustained. Consult the Faculty regulations § 5.1.6.5 Residency for details

In addition, for applicants with bachelor’s and master’s degrees outside the University of Oslo:

  • Copies of diplomas for bachelor’s and master’s degrees, supplemented with transcripts showing which courses are included in both degrees
  • Official description of the grading structure from the degree conferring institution (for applicants with international education)

In addition, for candidates who apply for having an external principal supervisor (not employed at UiO or UNIS):

Submission of original documents

You may be requested to provide original documents for your bachelor's and master's degrees, along with accompanying transcripts.

Special requirements

If you have a completed degree from one of the following countries, you must provide original documents for your degree, along with accompanying transcript prior to applying for admission.

Cameroon, Canada, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, The Republic of the Philippines, USA.

The qualification documents must be sent directly from the educational institution to the MN Faculty administration at the following address:

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, PhD office
PO Box 1032 Blindern
NO-0315 Oslo
Norway

Applicants with completed degrees from China can, instead of sending original diplomas, provide a CDGDC or CHESICC verification.

Applicants with completed degrees from Republic of the Philippines and USA can ask the educational institution to send original diplomas digitally to phd-godkjenning@mn.uio.no, if they offer this service.

Review our learning outcomes

During the application process, it is important to consult the PhD programme learning outcomes. Ensure that your project and courses align with and contribute to achieving the expected learning outcomes as outlined in the PhD programme description.

Minimum progress and working hours

A minimum of 50% of your working hours should be dedicated to working with your PhD. It is therefore not possible to plan completion of the PhD programme over a period of more than 6 years.

Affiliation, residency and supervision

All external PhD candidates are required to establish affiliation with a research community within our Faculty. This entails both supervision from UiO and residence duty.

Supervision

All externally funded PhD candidates must have at least one supervisor from the MN faculty. You can reach out to a potential supervisor at the MN faculty either before or after securing your funding.

Usually the supervisor from the MN faculty is the principal supervisor. For detailed information, please refer to the Faculty regulations § 7.3 on The principal supervisor.

The induction conversation

At the initial stage of the supervision, you and your main supervisor must agree on the framework for the supervision, i.e. progress plan and expectations for guidance etc. Having conducted the mandatory induction conversation is a requirement for admission.

Residency requirements

External candidates are expected to spend a total of 12 months at UiO to facilitate close interaction with their UiO supervisor(s) and the local research environment. During this period, the department will provide office space and infrastructure on the same terms as for internal doctoral candidates. For detailed information, please refer to the Faculty regulations § 5.1.6.5 on Residency.

Decide which courses you want to take

In the application form, you must provide a list of the courses you want to take as part of your PhD. 

What happens after I have submitted the application?

Once you have submitted your admission application, you will receive a confirmation email from us. There is no further action required on your part unless your department/unit contacts you for additional information or changes.

Your admission application will undergo evaluation by the PhD council at your department before being forwarded to the Faculty for final approval. The purpose of the evaluation is to check that all formal requirements have been met, ensure the quality of your project, and enable adjustments at an early stage.

Official letter of admission

Following approval at the Faculty, you will receive an official letter of admission. This confirmation letter serves as your formal agreement with the Faculty.

Changes to the PhD agreement

You can make changes to your PhD agreement after the admission application has been approved, but you must apply to have the changes approved.

Find out more

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Published Apr. 11, 2016 4:23 PM - Last modified July 2, 2026 2:35 PM
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