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Funding

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Maintenance


According to the regulations relating to study funding, admission to a programme of research training should in the first instance take place in connection with appointment to a doctoral studentship or the approval of a study grant. It is however possible to be admitted to third-cycle studies with some other form of funding if the faculty board judges that the student in question has maintenance guaranteed for the whole duration of the study period.

Doctoral studentships most common


The commonest form of maintenance is through employment on a doctoral studentship. Other forms of funding are study grants, some other post at an institution of higher education, paid employment that allows scope for doctoral studies, study support from CSN, stipends or other external funding. The conditions for each of these are detailed in this chapter.

Impact on the length of your studies


The way in which studies are funded has an important impact, for instance, on how much time can be devoted to study and therefore the length of the entire study period. Social security is also affected, as some forms of funding do not offer the same level of social benefits.

Stipends offer no social benefits


One example is that scholarships are often not taxable and therefore offer no entitlement to social benefits. Normally appointment to a doctoral studentship is the most advantageous form of funding. Many students begin their postgraduate studies with study grants before being appointed to doctoral studentships when they are some way into the programme.

The 1998 reform


One aim of the 1998 reform was to raise the proportion of doctoral students who would be able to study full-time (or 80 per cent) through employment on doctoral studentships. Another important aim was to speed up these studies. This is what has happened. Raising the pace of study has also meant that more degrees are awarded. 80 per cent of those admitted are awarded degrees — a much higher figure than ten years ago. You find more information in the report The 1998 reform of postgraduate education — throughput and graduation, 2007:35 R, summary in English

Distinguish between work and training


It is usual for doctoral students to have some form of departmental duties, such as administration, research or teaching, alongside their research training. It is important to distinguish between time devoted to study and time spent working for the department, and the simplest way of doing this is to regulate it in the individual study-plan. It is important to prolong the time allowed for study in proportion to the time spent working. If students are uncertain about how a department will compensate them for the work they do, they should ask to be advised of this in advance. They should not begin working without a clear idea of the details of the compensation they will receive.

Funding is necessary


A faculty board is only permitted to admit an applicant whose funding is considered to be guaranteed for the entire programme (Higher Education Ordinance 9.3). But according to the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education report Studiefinansiering för doktorander — rättssäkerhetsaspekter (only in Swedish), [Financing doctoral studies — legal entitlement], 2003:33 R different institutions of higher education and even faculty boards within a single institution interpret this paragraph in different ways.

Interpretations differ


Some faculty boards consider that they have the total responsibility for funding. If other funds dry up the faculty board then has to support the doctoral student from its own resources. Other faculty boards interpret this as meaning that the board has no unconditional obligations or that the responsibility is shared by the faculty and the doctoral student.

According to the report, departments are very hesitant to admit doctoral students with ‘other sources of funding'. This applies in particular to applicants claiming private means or funding from relatives, etc.

Financial guarantees


To avoid future problems certain faculty boards require a written certificate from the provider of the funds in question. It seems easier to accept a certificate from an employer who is providing funds, and the same applies to scholarships and study support from CSN. There are examples of students who have been admitted with their parents or a partner as financial guarantors. This has been severely criticized, as it means that an individual's personal financial circumstances may influence their opportunities of being admitted to a doctoral programme.

Each higher education institution is responsible


In a report (1997/98:UbU7, p 11, Swedish only), the Parliamentary Committee on Education states that institutions of higher education are responsible for ensuring that the stipulated requirements with respect to study funding can be met. In the Budget bill for 2000 (item 16, p. 117) the Government added the following:

'If an applicant cannot be appointed to a doctoral studentship or be offered a doctoral grant, it is incumbent on the faculty board to make a thorough assessment of the applicant's funding situation in so far as this can be appraised when admission is taking place.'

What happens in the long run?


The stipulation of the Higher Education Ordinance in Chapter 9 § 3 should thus be regarded as an admission rule; the assessment applies only to the funding situation when the admission decision is made. In the longer term the question of responsibility is unregulated - if the assessment should prove to be wrong and a doctoral student's funding is inadequate, the situation must be assessed by the faculty board in each particular case and be resolved on the basis of the institution's own local rules.

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Doctoral studentships


Employment on a doctoral studentship is the most secure and today the most common form of study funding during a programme of third-cycle study. About half of the doctoral students are appointed to doctoral studentships. They then enjoy the same social benefits as other employees at the higher education institution concerned.

Most frequent in the natural sciences and technology


Appointment to doctoral studentships are most frequent in the natural sciences and technology, where about two out over three doctoral students have posts of this kind. The corresponding figure for the humanities is 50 per cent. The overall proportion of doctoral students who have appointments on doctoral studentships is about 55 per cent.
When a doctoral student who has been admitted with some other form of funding is appointed to a doctoral studentship, the period of study with another form of funding is deducted.

Eight years at the most


The maximum length of a doctoral studentship is eight years. The total period of employment may not exceed a period corresponding to four years of full-time third-cycle study. (See also Supervision, Options for extending the period of study.)

The maximum length of a doctoral studentship is eight years. The total period of employment may not exceed a period corresponding to four years of full-time third-cycle study. (See also the section Doctoral studies under the heading How long does it take?)

Part-time studies


As of 1 May 2002 it is possible to have a part-time doctoral studentship or receive a part-time study grant, but not for less than half-time. This opportunity has primarily been created to make it easier for people in employment to take part in third-cycle programmes.

Only at the applicant's request


According to Government Bill Den öppna högskolan, 2001/02:15, only in Swedish (page 85) part-time employment (studentships) may only be instituted if the applicant/doctoral student wishes it. A person who has a part-time doctoral studentship may apply for a full-time studentship and have the application examined by the faculty board.

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Departmental duties


Students with doctoral studentships are expected to devote most of their time to their own studies, but it is common practice to spend some time on administration, research or teaching at the department as well. Departmental duties are often included in a description of the position or the employment agreement when such a position is advertised. The employer has the right to decide that departmental duties should be included in the position. Departmental duties are not permitted to exceed 20 per cent of the doctoral student's time, however (Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 5 Sections 1-7).
Departmental duties are to be specified in the student's individual study plan.
Anybody who has departmental duties may have his or her appointment as a doctoral student extended to the corresponding extent. If departmental work is equal to 20 per cent per year, the doctoral studentship can then be held full-time for five years.

One day a week


20 per cent of your working hours is equal to one workday a week, but departmental work can also be organised for consecutive periods. How many hours constitute 20 per cent of a full-time position depends on the set number of hours worked per year (see below).

Payment for the work you do


It is important that doctoral students receive payment, and an extension of their appointment, which reflects the actual work they put into the department. However, it can be difficult to determine how working hours should be calculated - how much time, for instance, goes into preparing seminars and lectures?

Different ways of calculating


Different institutions of higher learning apply different principles to calculate payment for teaching. The calculation principles have to be regulated in the local agreement on working hours. Doctoral students are not mentioned at all in these agreements, but should be paid in exactly the same way as other teachers according to the local agreement. The extra preparation required when teaching a course for the first time should be included in the calculation. Before doctoral students begin to teach, or undertake other departmental work, they should be given a written statement of how their payment has been calculated

Salaries and agreements


The monthly salary for those with doctoral studentships usually varies between SEK 20,000 and 27,000. Doctoral students in the social sciences and law are paid least, the highest salaries go to technologists and natural scientists. The median salary is just over SEK 22,000 per month.

Local salary negotiations


The salary is set in local negotiations between trade union representatives and representatives of the higher education institution. At most institutions agreements have been reached concerning special salary grades for doctoral students and these may also be used by doctoral students who are not in a union

Incremental rises


Pay is normally raised once a student has earned 120 and then 180 credits. The “burden of proof " that such a new level has been reached normally lies with the doctoral student and it can sometimes take some time for a pay rise to materialize. In this connection it is possible for doctoral students to find support in the individual study plans, which should be designed to make it easy to follow their progress. A certificate from a supervisor should also prove helpful.

Don't let yourself be exploited!


It is very common for doctoral students to devote too much time to departmental duties and let their energies be exploited. The Association of Swedish Higher Education (SUHF) carried out a comprehensive survey among both doctoral students and those who had graduated that showed that spending too much time on departmental duties is the most significant cause of delay in completing a doctoral programme.

Pay negotiations


Pay can be influenced by relevant professional experience after an undergraduate degree, or by the work included in the employment position, such as teaching.

Talk to your union


Since the initial salary will influence subsequent pay developments, it is appropriate to get in touch with the local trade union branch regarding suitable pay demands.

Take steps yourself


If you are in a trade union, it will conduct the negotiations on your behalf, otherwise this is up to the doctoral student concerned. Students will not always be invited to take part in negotiations, but must often take the initiative themselves.

Hours worked per year, holidays and overtime


The working hours of PhD students are regulated in so far as there are a fixed number of working hours per year and students are entitled to holiday.

The number of working hours per year is regulated in collective agreements (it is used as a standard for sick leave, for calculating the number of days' holiday earned and for departmental work), and is set at:

  • 1,756 hours up to and including the year a person turns 29 (with 28 days' holiday).
  • 1,732 hours up to and including the year a person turns 30 (with 31 days' holiday).
  • 1,700 hours up to and including the year a person turns 40 (with 35 days' holiday).
Holiday is normally taken in the summer, but exceptions can be made. The general rule is that a person should take holiday as free time, but by applying ahead of time and having the request approved, students can take their holiday pay in cash rather than in free time for part of their holiday.

As doctoral students are expected to devote themselves to their studies and are not allowed to teach more than 20 per cent of a full time post, overtime payment is not normally made. In practice, payment is sometimes made for what are known as "extra hours" (you will find more information below under the heading Extra hours). Payment is seldom received in extra hours for work on the dissertation unless a clearly intolerable situation arises.

The possibilities of being granted a leave of absence are limited (apart from an extension of the doctoral studentship under special circumstances).

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Social security benefits


People appointed to doctoral studentships are entitled to benefits in collective agreements that supplement the basic protection stipulated by law. These include pension rights laid down in collective agreements, industrial injury insurance, health insurance and sickness benefits, as well as parental leave. In addition to the general old-age pension, government employees are entitled to employment based pensions as laid down in the PA-03 collective agreement.

Unemployment insurance


This agreement also applies to those employed at the Chalmers and Högskolan i Jönköping higher education foundations.  People appointed to doctoral studentships also qualify for unemployment insurance benefits from an unemployment fund (“A-kassa"). To be entitled to full benefit you must also be a member of an unemployment fund. Information about the regulations that apply to benefits from unemployment funds can be found for instance on SULF's web-site  and The Swedish Public Employment Service's Web-site.
 

Report illness


If you have a doctoral studentship, you should notify your employer immediately in the event of illness. After you have been off sick for seven days a medical certificate is required.

Your employer pays your sick pay


If you have a doctoral studentship you are normally entitled to sick pay from your employer during the first 14 days of illness. After 14 days of illness, the regional social insurance office (Försäkringskassan) becomes responsible for this payment. Sick pay is based on the income reported to the regional social insurance office.

Qualifying day


Sick pay amounts to 80 per cent of the your salary. However no payment is made for the first day of illness.

Study grants


Study grants may be awarded to those admitted (currently or previously) to a programme of postgraduate education.

Subject to income tax


As of 1 January 2009, study grants amount to SEK 15,500 per month and are taxable. For part-time studies the study grant should be at least 50 per cent of the amount. The Government determines the size of a study grant and the higher education institution concerned pays it out of its faculty funding resources. Study grants are the same for everyone, and do not therefore increase as students make progress through their doctoral programme.

No more than 12 months


A grant is awarded for not more than twelve months at a time, after which a new application must be submitted. Students who have previously been awarded a study grant and have successfully pursued doctoral studies will be given preferential consideration for a new grant. You will find more information in Förordningen om utbildningsbidrag för doktorander [Ordinance on study grants for third-cycle students], SFS 1995:938, 3-8 §§), only in Swedish.

Appointment to a doctoral studentship


When a doctoral student is reckoned to have no more than two years of full-time study left to complete she or he must be appointed to a doctoral studentship. It is possible to be given a part-time study grant but for no less than 50 per cent study. Study grants may not be awarded for any longer than a period corresponding to a full-time grant for two years and five months. In other words a student may not receive a study grant for doctoral studies for longer than four years and ten months.

Only higher education institutions accountable to the government


The ordinance Study Grants (SFS 1995:938, 9 §) Förordningen om utbildningsbidrag [Ordinance on study grants for third-cycle students], SFS 1995:938, 9 §, only in Swedish, only applies to state-run institutions of higher education and the Stockholm School of Economics.

Doctoral students at Chalmers University of Technology and Jönköping University are not covered by the provisions of the ordinance.

From study grant to appointment to a doctoral studentship


Doctoral student receiving study grants must, if they apply, be offered employment on doctoral studentships when no more than two years remain before completion of their studies according to their individual study plans. An application for employment as a doctoral studentship has to be submitted to the vice-chancellor or the body to which this responsibility has been delegated. You will find more information in Högskoleförordningen, Higher Education Ordinance,  Chapter 5 sections 4 and 6).

Importance of the individual study plan


The decision to offer employment is therefore based on the individual study plan. This makes it very important to draw up an individual study plan and to review it every year — or more often. The National Agency's report Fakultetsnämndernas tillsyn över utbildningen på forskarnivå ur rättssäkerhetsperspektiv, The faculty boards' supervision of third cycle (doctoral) programmes from the perspective of legal rights, Report 2008:5 (summary in English), stresses that annual review is only the minimum requirement and often more frequent review of the individual study plans is required.

When a doctoral student has been appointed to a doctoral studentship, he or she is entitled to all the social benefits that employment entails for at least the remainder of their studies.
Study grants can be extended if there are special grounds. You will find more information in the section Rights under the heading Möjlighet att förlänga studietiden.

Departmental duties


Higher education institutions are entitled to decide that study grants may in certain cases only be awarded on condition that the doctoral student is also employed as an assistant at the institution, or in other words that the student is prepared to undertake some departmental duties. (see in the section Doctoral studies, under the heading Departmental duties)

Distinguish between studying and working for the department


It is important to distinguish between working hours and your studies — doctoral students with study grants who teach or undertake some other form of departmental duty should ask for a post as an assistant.

Part-time employment most frequent


The most frequent arrangement is to create a part-time post as an assistant. This kind of post may not comprise more than 40 per cent of a full-time post. A study grant must cover at least 50 per cent of full-time study. Combinations of posts as assistants and study grants sometimes amount to more than a full-time post, which of course places great demands on the students. You will find more information in Högskoleförordningen (The Higher Education Ordninance), Chapter 5 Section 9 and Section 2 of Förordning om utbildningsbidrag (only in Swedish).

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The social security net


A study grant does not give its holder the same social benefits as a doctoral studentship.

Doctoral students with study grants keeps their grants if they become ill or take parental leave. Those who already qualified for higher sickness or parental benefits before starting their studies will generally be able to regain their entitlement when they complete their programmes.

REMEMBER

  • Do not forget to report illness to Försäkringskassan [National Social Insurance Office] if you become ill!
  • A study grant qualifies its holder for pension credits, but not for sickness or unemployment benefit. More detailed information about compensation in connection with sickness or parental leave can be obtained from the National Social Insurance Board, Försäkringskassan.

Pregnancy


Doctoral students offered employment in an advanced stage of pregnancy who do not already qualify for sickness benefit should get in touch with the Social Insurance Office for information on the amount of parental benefit.

If you have a study grant combined with a post as an assistant, you are entitled to sickness and parental benefits based on your post if your income amounts to a certain per cent of the Swedish Price Index (prisbasbeloppet).

Holidays


A study grant is not a form of employment and for this reason it does not provide any formally regulated right to holidays. Time off should instead be regulated in a doctoral student's individual study plan. A holiday break of about five weeks should be reasonable.

If it is difficult for students to agree on this with their supervisor or project leader, they should contact their head of department. The trade union or student union can also be of help if agreement is hard to reach.

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Forms of employment at higher education institutions

There are four forms of employment:

  • assistant
  • research assistant
  • clinical assistant and
  • lecturers

Assistant

  • An assistantship is a part-time appointment that can only be given to
  • doctoral  students with a study grant.
  • An assistantship can be for a maximum of 40 per cent of full-time employment.
  • There are instances where work together with studies is equal to 120 per cent of full-time employment, that is, the student has a 100 per cent study grant and 20 per cent assistantship - but such a workload can be highly demanding over a longer period.
  • The tasks of an assistant are teaching, research and/or administrative work.

Research assistant

  • For a research assistantship, the student must be admitted for first or second-cycle study but need not be admitted to the doctoral programme.
  • The research assistantship is also a part-time appointment and can be for no more than 50 per cent of full-time employment.
  • The position includes teaching, involvement in research and/or administrative work.

Clinical assistant

  • A clinical assistant must have completed a medical or dental degree or have been admitted to a doctoral programme in the medical sciences.
  • Clinical assistants may be employed on either a full-time or part-time basis.
  • These appointments may be made for no more than one year, but they may be renewed. The period of employment for a research assistant or clinical assistant may not exceed three years. Assistants may only be employed as long as they have study grants for postgraduate studies. You can find more information in Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 5 Sections 8-12.

Lecturers

  • A number of lecturers at higher education institution combine their posts with third-cycle studies.
  • About four per cent of lecturers working today already have a PhD.
REMEMBER
The rights are regulated in the collective agreement that applies to all state employees (in Swedish ALFA, [General Agreement on Salaries and Benefits], ALFA, Allmänt löne- och förmånsavtal (in Swedish).

Extra hours


The term extra hours is commonly used for the way in which teachers employed on an hourly basis are paid. Appointments on an hourly basis should be for no more than 20 per cent of full-time employment. Teachers paid on an hourly basis are hired for a maximum of one year at a time, but the appointment can be renewed.

Local agreements on working hours


The number of working hours that are to be calculated for different types of teaching is regulated by local agreements on working hours. However the figures used for calculating hours vary considerably between institutions (for instance, at Uppsala University the figure that has been adopted is one teaching hour normally corresponds to four working hours, while Linköping University only gives a guideline that it is equal to 2-7 working hours).

Salary negotiations


Hourly wages vary depending on the type of work involved and the formal education and experience of the employee. Consideration should thus be given to the progress made by students in their postgraduate studies and any relevant work experience they may have after their undergraduate degree.

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Student finance


Student finance cannot be provided for third-cycle studies if a student is or has been employed on a doctoral studentship or had a study grant for third-cycle studies (Section 25 of Chapter 3 of the Act on Student Finance).

CSN also assesses the results of doctoral students.

A doctoral student receiving full student finance is counted as a full-time student when the net period of study is calculated.

The total period of study is the entire period in which a doctoral student has been admitted to third-cycle studies, while the net period of study is the amount of time the student has devoted to study according to departmental records. For instance: A doctoral student admitted on 1 January 1998 who has an activity ratio of 25 per cent will have completed a net period of study of one year after four years of study. On 1 January 2002 therefore a 3 year net study period will remain.

REMEMBER
Funding your studies with student finance from CSN will restrict the time in which you are entitled to more advantageous forms of funding. Student finance from CSN for 2 years means that you cannot have a full-time doctoral studentship for more than 2 years.

Social security benefits


Student finance from CSN does not entitle you to any social benefits, apart from the fact that the student grant element is used to calculate your future pension. This is based on 138 per cent of the grant amount — in other words a pension entitlement based on just under SEK 25,000 per year.

Always report illness


The time for which you are allowed student finance can be extended if you are ill. If you are receiving student finance from CSN, you should therefore always report illness to your Social Insurance Office (försäkringskassan). If you are ill for more than 30 days in succession, your loan is reduced from the 31st day onwards (in other words the qualifying period is 30 days). It is also important to be able to verify your illness if you have problems in acquiring the necessary results or your studies take too many semesters. The Social Insurance Offices report all period of illness for students directly to CSN.

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Posts linked to third-cycle studies


Third-cycle study can be funded through a post that can be combined with study. This means studying part-time and as no more than eight years is allowed for completion, you must be able to devote at least half of your working hours to your studies.

Third-cycle students can be found, for instance, among lecturers in higher education, physicians, teachers, priests, journalists and nurses. Some of these students have been able to negotiate paid working hours for their studies while others may have some form of scholarship or stipend to supplement their incomes.

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Scholarships


PhD students can finance their studies in full or in part through scholarships. Scholarships or stipends are the form of funding that offers least social security, even though they often provide a total disposable income that is larger than a study grant.
REMEMBER
Scholarships are normally not payment for work. In some cases, a scholarship can be an alternative to a salary, and should then be declared as income and taxed accordingly.
In its report Survey of the use of scholarships to fund postgraduate study - report on a government assignment, 2006:44 R, summary in English, the National Agency has studied the extent to which scholarships are awarded by the higher education institutions to fund doctoral studies and what regulations and routines are in place to administer these scholarships.

Most frequent at the older universities


It is mainly the older universities and specialised higher education institutions that use scholarships to fund doctoral studies. Scholarships established by the institutions themselves are more often found in the technological sciences while those financed by donations  are most frequent in the humanities and social sciences.

Scholarships replaced by study grants


A number of higher education institution have altered their guidelines and no longer establish scholarships to fund doctoral studies. Replacing scholarships with study grants does not involve any increase in their total expenditure. The students' net incomes are considerably lower with study grants but in return they are entitled to greater social security than if they have scholarships. Replacing  all scholarships with doctoral studentships instead would more than double the costs involved for the higher education institutions. For the doctoral students, however, a change of this kind would lead to a sound financial and social situation.   

Donations


On the whole donations made to the higher education institutions have to be used to provide scholarships and cannot therefore be used to fund study grants or posts. A few institutions use scholarships for first and second-cycle studies that offer preparation for third-cycle programmes.

This form of funding still supports about eight per cent of doctoral students You will find more information in the National Agency's report

Numerous scholarships available


There are many different scholarships that students and doctoral students can apply for. Most often these scholarships are earmarked for certain subject areas and/or special purposes.

Faculties and departments


Most of the larger higher education institutions have different types of scholarship offices that can provide more detailed information and advice. Most faculties and departments also have special funds which can be applied for mainly for travel and conferences.

The Swedish Institute


The Swedish Institute, SI, encourages and provides support for cooperation and exchanges in education and research between Sweden and other countries. SI has an extensive range of scholarship programmes for both Swedish students and researchers who want to study or do research abroad and for students and researchers in other countries who want to come to Sweden for the same purpose.

Studyinsweden.se


Information about the scholarship programme for Swedish students and researchers is provided in SI's Support and Scholarship Database which can be found using the link  Stipendier/Utbildning och forskning (Scholarships/Education and research) on the web-site. Information about the scholarship programme for students and researchers outside Sweden and information about studies and research for students abroad can be found (in English only) on the Institute's web-site Study in Sweden.

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The social security net


The social safety net is very thin for doctoral students who are financed through scholarships. Scholarships do not provide any social benefits at all; they do not entitle the holder to sickness benefits, for example. (Medical costs are covered by standard medical insurance, provided the student has registered to receive a Swedish social security number (personnummer).)

Study grants offer more security


Scholarships are often set up with private funds or money from research foundations - from the perspective of the doctoral student, greater security would be provided by using the money for study grants.

No sick benefit


Scholarships provide no entitlement to sick benefits. Those who do not have an income entitling them to sick benefit before they start their studies will not be able to qualify through a scholarship.

Previous entitlement


Those who study without a study grant or a grant for doctoral study may in certain cases still retain what is called their SGI cover, which means that their entitlement to sick benefit is pending during the period of their study.
 
This applies to:
  • Those who have leave from their posts to study within the same vocational area retain their SGI cover during the entire period of study
  • Those who are not on leave from their post, for instance who have been unemployed or self-employed, but who still study within the same vocational area retain their SGI cover for a maximum of one year.
Those who are not studying within their own vocational area and who have neither a study grant nor a grant for doctoral study are not covered by the regulations on SGI cover and suspended entitlement to sick benefit.

Only scholarships that can be declared as income and are taxable can earn pension rights.
Obviously, for people employed outside their university during their studies, the social insurance benefits associated with their position apply.

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External funding


External financing is not a special form of financing studies, but it is not uncommon for study grants, doctoral studentships and scholarships to be financed by some body outside the university. The regulations that apply to doctoral students with externally funded appointments, grants or scholarships are the same as for those financed by the university's own funds.

Organizations offering external financing include research councils, research foundations, trade organisations, Riksbankens jubileumsfond (the Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation) and the commercial sector. A large proportion of these funds thus comes from the public sector.

Doctoral students with positions in the private sector


Among doctoral students, those with positions in the private sector probably enjoy the best financial situation. They are employed in the private sector but can pursue their studies through their jobs and retain their salaries. Some of these students complete their studies at their place of work, while others spend most of their time at the department that enrolled them. Doctoral students often have one supervisor at their workplace and one in the department.

Being an industrially funded doctoral student makes it possible to combine experience and resources from a number of different quarters. There is, however, a risk that the student may be torn between two demands — research and responsibilities towards the employer. It is easy to feel obliged to focus on questions that relate closely to the employers' interests.

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Unemployment benefit, accident insurance and pensions

Unemployment benefit


You cannot receive unemployment benefit while you are studying. Only doctoral students who have finished their studies can receive benefit. But you do not have to wait until you have defended your thesis, once you have submitted it for printing you are considered to have completed the programme.

If you have not got so far, you have to quit your studies permanently — i.e. deregister from your higher education institution — to get unemployment benefit. You must submit a certificate to say that you have terminated your third-cycle studies and do not intend to resume them again.

Exceptions:

  • If before becoming unemployed you have been working full-time in combination with full-time study permanently, you may continue these studies subject to certain conditions.
  • After applying to an unemployment fund (“A-kassa") you may continue part-time studies subject to certain conditions. Generally approval is only given for part-time study in short courses.

Reliable and detailed information about the requirements for unemployment benefit can be found on the Swedish Public Employment Service's web-site.

Accident insurance


All students at higher education institutions accountable to the Government are covered against personal injury caused by accidents related to their studies. If you are employed on a doctoral studentship you enjoy the same security as other government employees.

Pensions


In the new system, retirement pensions are based on your income over your entire working life. Long periods of study with low incomes may mean that your pension is lower — and this can apply to many doctoral students. But a low income during the first few years of your career can of course be compensated by a higher income later on.

One guideline according to SULF is that your pension will be just over two per cent less for each year you have student finance from CSN or a scholarship instead of paid employment.

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Last updated: 2009-12-21
Contact person: Torkel Holmström, e-mail: forename.surname@hsv.se
Swedish National Agency for Higher Education www.hsv.se, Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, SE-103 99 Stockholm
Phone: +46 8 563 085 00, Fax: +46 8 563 085 50,  Mail: doktorand@hsv.se