Home
Faculty of Medicine
Research Funding

Application Support for External Funding

Here you will find an overview of the application process, our services, and current open calls for funding.

Main content

The application process

The application process varies depending on the funding source and programme. To tailor your application to specific funding opportunities, set up a meeting with research advisers at MEDforsk@uib.no for feedback on your research idea, CV and other application materials.

If you plan to apply for funding, please notify the department you are affiliated with (latest one month before submission):

*) A notification of your plan will be sent to the Head of Department, the Head of Administration, a financial officer at your department and research advisers.

Remember: your grant proposal must be approved by the department's management and the budget must be controlled by a financial officer. 

From 2024 we introduced internal collection dates for FRIPRO in March and September. Read more here: Applying for the Research Council of Norway's FRIPRO funding scheme

Services we offer

The team of research advisers at the Faculty offers the following pre-award services:

  • Identify new funding opportunities
  • Determine if the research idea aligns with the funding programme
  • Propose a timeline for application development
  • Coordinate tasks between FIA, faculty, department, and external consultancy
  • Provide tools and templates
  • Review and advise research applications (1-3 rounds)
  • Revise supporting materials (CV, letters of support, etc.)
  • Assist with a final quality check of the electronic application and attachments
  • Review the funder's feedback to inform future submissions

Contact research advisers medforsk@uib.no to discuss the expectations in attracting external funds and the level of support research advisers will provide.

Current funding opportunities

The following list is regularly updated with a selection of upcoming application deadlines focussed on research and innovation in health, medicine and life sciences.

Small funds *new 05/05

(Funds of up to 1 Million NOK, miscellaneous disciplines, funding categories, career stages.)

Gades legat
20.000-100.000. Research in pathology, microbiology, immunology.
Deadline: 16 Mai 2025

Norwegian Association for Children with Congenital Heart Disease
300 000 NOK.
Deadline: annual, September

Raagholt Foundation - Cardiology, vision, cancer
Running costs, travel grants, course fees.
Deadline: annual, September

Norwegian Health Association - running costs in CVD or dementia
200.000 NOK. 
Deadline: annual, September

Helse Vest short-Term projects
500.000 NOK
Deadline: annual, 15 September

Lærdal Foundation
400.000 NOK. Practically oriented research to prevent needless deaths from sudden cardiac arrest, trauma, and during birth
Deadline: recurring, 1 April and 1 October

*new* Nordic LGBTI Fund
500.000 DKK. For projects that provide both benefits to the Nordic region and added value in terms of LGBTI policy.
Deadline: 1 October 2025

Research fond for Asthma and Allergy
100.000 NOK
Deadline: annual, next: 20 October 2025

ADHD network call for funding
400.000 NOK. For research towards treatment and follow-up of people with ADHD.
Deadline: annual, October 

UH nett vest
200.000 NOK. Seed funding for networking and project development.
Deadline: annual, 15 October each year

National association of kidney patients (LNT)
40.000 NOK
Deadline: annual, 1 November

Fond og legater ved UiB
5.000-100.000 NOK. Support for research projects at the University of Bergen.
Deadline: annual, December

Association for muscular disease (FFM)
Deadline: annual, January

Nansenfondet og de dermed forbundne fond
50.000 NOK. Running costs and small equipment, all disciplines.
Deadline: recurring, 15 Januar

Gahrs fond for geronto-psychiatric research
Deadline: recurring, 15 Februar

Johan Eilertsens memorial fund
50 000 kr – 100 000 kr. Psychiatric research.
Deadline: recurring, 15 Februar

Ann Kern-Godal’s memorial fund for Horse-Assisted Therapy
The Fund promotes evidence-based research into horse-assisted therapy (HAT) for different patient groups. PhD and post doc stipends.
Deadline: recurring, 15 Februar

Rakel and Otto Kristian Bruuns Legat
Norwegian basic medicine in molecular biochemistry, physiology and pathology, prioritizing medical doctors in cancer research.
Deadline: recurring, 15 February

Guldahl's legacy to fight cancer and other serious diseases
10 000 kr – 100 000 kr
Deadline: 1 March

Civitan - Alzheimer

600.000 NOK
Deadline: annual, 1 March

The foundation for the advancement of dental science
Academic scholarships at around 10 000 kr - 50 000 kr.
Deadline: annual, 30 March

Norwegian SIDS and Stillbirth Society (LUB)
200.000 NOK. For research on sudden death in the perinatal period and in infancy and early childhood, as well as research on grief after death.
Deadline: annual, March

Peder Sather Center, UC Berkeley
100.000-250.000 NOK for collaboration with UC Berkeley.
Deadline: annual, April

European Association for Cancer Research - Travel Grants
3.500 EUR for short-term stays (2 weeks -3 months). Max 8 yeast after PhD defense. Must be member of EACR.
Deadline: continous

NFR Project establishment support (PES)
20.000-100.000 NOK. For researchers who have submitted an eligible application to Horizon Europe.
How to apply: PES will be automatically transferred at the end of the year

Mobility Grants

(Grants that cover travel and subsistence for UiB employees during research and training stays abroad, 2-12 months)

The Faculty of Medicine - Research stay abroad
Travel grant for PhD candidates and post docs who have a UiB-stipend. Research granted for stays 3-12 months.
Deadlines: continuous

Helse Vest Research stay abroad 
Granted for 6 or 12 months. Postdoctoral fellowship applicants are especially encouraged to apply for an overseas fellowship over the course of their fellowship period.
Deadline: continuous

EMBO Scientific Exchange Grants
Research exchanges of up to three months between laboratories in eligible countries. The grants facilitate collaborations with research groups with expertise, techniques, or infrastructure that is unavailable in the applicant’s laboratory. They cover travel and subsistence costs of the fellow.
Deadline: continuous

University of Washington (US)/ Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada) 
Covers travel costs and visa fees for a 10 week research stay.
Deadline: continuous 

ERASMUS+ staff mobility 
subsidising mobility of up to 2 months, for UiB staff including PhD-candidates and post docs, to attend courses or individual laboratory visits.
Deadline: biannually, 15 September and 20 January

Fulbright
For Norwegian citizens. 100.000 NOK, 3-12 months research stay in US.
Deadline: annually, October

The Commonwealth Fund - Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice Innovations
One year in the US for mid-career researchers. Dedicated research funding and a monthly living stipend (approx. USD8,000), round-trip airfare, support for relocation.
Deadline: anually,  November

Doctoral Fellowships

(For candidates who want to perform their doctoral training at UiB.)

Nowegian Health Association - Doctoral fellowship in heart and stroke diseases
3 years salary and running costs, no overhead.
Deadline: annually, September 

Helse Vest - Doctoral Fellowships
The candidate, main supervisor or project manager must be employed by or have an agreement of support with one of Helse Vest's health trust.
Deadline: annual, 15 September

Norske kvinners sanitetsforening
3-year PhD fellowships in menopause and older women's health; children and young people's mental health.
Deadline: annual, September

DAM stiftelsen - Doctoral grants
1,5-3 MIO NOK, 4 years. Support for health research aimed at target groups in Norway which contributes to promoting living conditions, physical and mental health, coping, quality of life or social participation. The applications are sent through a volunteer oganisation like the Norwegian Red Cross, The Norwegian Cancer Society, the National Association for Publich Health etc.
Deadline: annually, 31 January 2025

NFR - Doctoral Project in the Public Sector
Doctoral scholarships, 3-4 years. The public sector Ph.D.-scheme (OFFPHD) is intended to expand research activities in public sector bodies, to increase researcher recruitment within the public sector and to promote greater collaboration between academia and the public sector.
The applicant must be a public sector body. 
Deadline: continous

Postdoctoral Fellowships

(For early career researchers who want to pursue their postdoctoral research at UiB.)

Human Frontier Science Programme - Postdoctoral fellowships
3-year fellowships. Topic: basic research focused on the elucidation of the sophisticated and complex mechanisms of living organisms. Mobility rule: The host institution cannot be located in the country where the applicant has obtained a doctorate or worked as a postdoctoral fellow, nor can the applicant be a citizen of the host country. The applicant cannot have worked with the supervisor at the host institution previously.
Deadline: annually, May

Norwegian Health Association - Postdoctoral fellowship in heart and stroke disease or dementia
3 year salary and running costs, no overhead.
Deadline: annually, September

Horizon Europe / MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships
European Fellowships: 24 months. Mobility rule: Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Norway for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.
Global Fellowships: 36 months. Mobility rule: for candidates from Bergen. 2 year outgoing phase outside Europe, 1 year return phase in Bergen. Mobility rule: candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country country of the host organisation for the outgoing phase for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.
Deadline: annual, 10 September 2025

Helse Vest - Postdoctoral Fellowships
3 years. The candidate, main supervisor or project manager must be employed by or have an agreement of support with one of Helse Vest's health trust.
Deadline: annual, 15 September

Norske kvinners sanitetsforening
3-year postdoctoral fellowships in menopause and older women's health; children and young people's mental health.
Deadline: annual, September

NFR Three-year Researcher Project with International Mobility (FRIPRO)
5,6 MIO NOK, 3 years. For reseachers with a doctoral degree. Must hold a masters or PhD from a Norwegian research institution. Mobility rule: two years abroad, one year in Norway.
Deadline: continous

EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships
2-year fellowships with obligatory mobility, relocation allowance and support for children.
Eligibility: 0-2 years after obtained PhD, extensions are possible due to career breaks as parental leave, military service/civil service or other extraordinary circumstances. Applicants must have at least one first (or joint first) author primary research paper accepted for publication or published in an international peer reviewed journal at the time the application is complete. 
Deadline: continous

Starting Grants *new 19/03

(For researchers who want to start their independent researcher career at UiB.)

Osteology Foundation Applied Research Grant
2,3 MNOK. For early career researchers (5 year post PhD or 5 year post clinical training). Clinical or preclinical research towards oral wound healing and tissue regeneration. 
Deadline: annual, 15 May

*new* NFR FRIPRO - Radical Research Ideas for Early Career Scientists 
0,5-2 MEUR, 4-12 months. Applicants must hold a PhD, defense date within the last 2-7 years.The ideas must be so bold that the risk of failure is too high to justify starting a large project.
Deadline: continous

NFR FRIPRO - Researcher Project for Early Career Scientists
10 MIO NOK, 3-4 years. All thematic areas. Applicants must hold a PhD, defense date within the last 2-7 years.
Deadline: continous

Horizon Europe / ERC starting Grant
1,5 MIO EUR, 5 years. For researchers to start their own research group, 2-7 years after their PhD. UiB offers a mentoring program for first-time applicants, proposal reading sessions, and writing courses. Contact medforsk@uib.no.
Deadline: annual, next 15 October 2025

Novo Nordisk - Emerging Investigator Endocrinology and Metabolism
5 years, 11,25 MDKK, for researchers at 4-8 years after their PhD.
Deadline: annual, January

Novo Nordisk - Ascending Investigator Endocrinology and Metabolism 
5 years, 11,4 MDKK, for associate professors or senior researchers 7-11 years after PhD.
Deadline: January

Individual Grants *new 10/03

(For more experienced researchers, at least 1 Million NOK, no requirement for collaboration.)

Osteology Foundation Applied Research Grant
2,3 MNOK. Clinical or preclinical research towards oral wound healing and tissue regeneration.
Deadline: annual, 15 May

Norwegian Cancer Society - Open Call
8 MNOK, 4 years
Deadline: annual, next: 25 May 2025

Norwegian Cancer Society - Cancer Prevention 2025
2 MNOK, Advancing Prevention Research: Effectiveness, Implementation and Scale-up. The overarching goal of the NCS`s program “Targeted Prevention”, is to enhance our knowledge of which specific preventive measures have the greatest impact on society
Deadline: 05 June 2025

Norwegian Cancer Society - Accelerating methods into practice 2025
2 MNOK. Projects that aim to advance a promising method from, and including, the validation or verification stage towards implementation by addressing critical bottlenecks in the process.
Deadline: 05 June 2025

ERC Advanced Grant
2,5 MIO EUR, 5 years. Bottom-up frontier research grant for established research leaders.
Deadline: 28 August 2025

Helse Vest Open project support
5 MIO NOK, 3 years. Applicants employed at Helse Vest can apply directly. Applicants from UiB can apply if they have a collaboration agreement with Helse Vest. ​​​​​​
Deadline: annual, 15 September

*new* Merck Research Grants
Multi-Purpose Microphysiological systems 
Deadline: 31 August 2025

European Innovation Council - Pathfinder Challenges: Generative-AI based Agents to Revolutionize Medical Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer
4 MEUR. For early TRL.
Deadline: 29 October 2025

Novo Nordisk - Distinguished Investigator Grant within Endocrinology and Metabolism
11 MIO DKK, 5 years. For outstanding professors who have demonstrated the ability to execute and lead research at the highest international level continuously through several years.or leading professors, who have demonstrated the ability to drive and execute research at the highest international level.
Deadline: annual, January

E.W. Thrasher Awards in Pediatric clinical care
550 000 USD. Projects that are changing pediatric clinical care.
Deadline for concept: bi-annual, January and July

DAM Foundation Research grants (Forskning)
1,5-3 MIO NOK for 3 years. Stiftelsen Dam is one of Norway's largest foundations and provides funding for health and research projects that will provide better health through participation and activity for people in Norway. The applications are sent through a volunteer oganisation like the Norwegian Red Cross, The Norwegian Cancer Society, the National Association for Publich Health etc.
Deadline: annually, 15 February

Novo Nordisk -  Pionneer Innovator Grants
1,1 MDKK 
to support innovative research within med-tech, industrial biotech, pharma as well as quantum technologies. Ideas that for example could lead to the development of new medical treatment, disease prevention, diagnostic methods as well as new health technologies, devices and technological platforms. Particular focus will be placed on projects covering cardiometabolic diseases as well as infectious diseases and preventive solutions hereto.
Deadline: annual, March

Novo Nordisk - Distinguished Innovator Grant
6,8 MDKK, 3 years.
For established researchers with a proven track record within innovation.
Deadline: annual, March

Qualification - Research Commercialisation from Publicly Funded Research
200.000-500.000 NOK, 3-12 months. The funding must be used to clarify the commercial potential of promising research results.
Deadline: continous

NFR Researcher Project for Experienced Scientists (FRIPRO)
4-12 MIO NOK, 3-8 years. Must have approved doctoral at least 6 years ago. All thematic areas.
Deadline: continuous

Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) - Innovations to Prepare for Future Epidemics and Pandemics 
Focus Area 1: advancing innovative rapid-response vaccine platforms that can transform the response to a future Disease X.
Focus Area 2: developing new vaccine candidates against CEPI priority pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential and viral families.
Deadline: continous

Collaborative Grants *new 12/05

(For researchers at any career stage, at least 1 Million NOK, require collaboration. These are the largest and most prestigious grants that will be coordinated by experienced researchers.)

M.ERA-NET - Joint Transnational Call 2025
At least 3 partners from 3 participating countries. 3 years,  450.000 EUR for Norwegian partners. Thematic areas:
- Sustainable materials for energy applications
- Innovative surfaces, coatings and interfaces
- Advanced composites and lightweight materials
- Functional materials
- Materials addressing environmental challenges
- Next generation materials for electronics
Deadline for preproposals: 13 May 2025

Nord Forsk - Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence
16 M NOK, at least four Nordic and Baltic countries. Making the most of the potentials and mitigating the risks and harmful consequences of the use of Artificial Intelligence in the Nordic-Baltic region. 
Deadline: 13 May 2025

NordForsk - Nordic Research Infrastructure Hubs
6 MIO NOK; requires 66% own funding and collaboration with other Nordic countries. A Nordic Research Infrastructure Hub is a long-term partnership between Nordic universities, universities of applied sciences, university colleges, research institutes and/or managers of research infrastructure in a consortium that provides a framework for establishing, enhancing and/or expanding RI cooperation in the Nordic region.
Deadline: 21 May 2025

Wellcome Trust - Generative AI for anxiety, depression and psychosis
2 years, 3 MGBP This programme will fund fundamental research on using generative AI to improve the measurement or treatment of anxiety, depression and psychosis.
Deadline: 28 May 2025

Interreg Baltic Sea Region - Small projects
500.000 EUR, 2 years, requires collaboration with partners in the Baltic sea region.The Programme is particularly looking for projects supporting the cohesive development of small places, rural areas, and areas experiencing challenges significant to the social and economic fabric of their local communities within the Baltic Sea region.
Deadline: 5 June 2025

Wellcome Trust - Mental Health Award: Leveraging longitudinal data to transform early intervention in mental health
5 years, 5 MGBP. Funding call for teams to draw on the potential of longitudinal data to drive innovation in early identification of anxiety, depression and/or psychosis.
Deadline: 22 July 2025

*new* Horizon Europe - Health
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-01 Testing safety and efficacy of phage therapy for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections  15 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-DISEASE-02- two-stage Advancing innovative interventions for mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders. 8 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-03. Development of antibodies and antibodyderived proteins for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases with epidemic potential . 10 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-04. Leveraging artificial intelligence for pandemic preparedness and response. 8 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-06. Implementation research addressing strategies to strengthen health systems for equitable highquality care and health outcomes in the context of non-communicable diseases (GACD) 4 MEUR.
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-07. Tackling high-burden for patients and underresearched medical conditions. 6 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-STAYHLTH-01- two-stage. Improving the quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families 8 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-ENVHLTH-01- two-stage. The impact of pollution on the development and progression of brain diseases and disorders . 7 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-ENVHLTH-02- two-stage. Advancing knowledge on the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on human health. 8 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-CARE-01. End user-driven application of Generative Artificial Intelligence models in healthcare (GenAI4EU) . 20 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-IND-01. Optimising the manufacturing of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) Innovation Action . 8 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-IND-03-twostage. Facilitating the conduct of multinational clinical studies of orphan devices and/or of highly innovative (“breakthrough”) devices . 8 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-01. Enhancing cell therapies with genomic techniques. 10 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-02. Advancing cell secretome-based therapies. 13 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-03. Leveraging multimodal data to advance Generative Artificial Intelligence applicability in biomedical research (GenAI4EU). 17 MEUR
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-05. Boosting the translation of biotech research into innovative health therapies. 8 MEUR
Deadline 16 September 2025

*new* Horizon Europe - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-09 Improving mental health outcomes for people in education, training and work. 5 MEUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-09: Good practices for increased autonomy of persons with disabilities, including physical, mental, intellectual and sensory disabilities.  3,4 MEUR
Deadline: 16 September 2025

*new* Horizon Europe - Farm2Fork
HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-12 Nutrition and Mental Health. 5 MEUR
Deadline: 16 September 2025

*new* Horizon Europe - Cancer Mission
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-02: Understanding the effects of environmental exposure on the risk of paediatric, adolescent and young adult cancers. 7 MEUR
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-03: Innovative surgery as the cornerstone of affordable multi-modal therapeutic interventions benefitting cancer patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease. 10 MEUR
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-04
Investigator-initiated multinational early-stage innovative clinical trials for paediatric cancer. 8 MEUR
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-05
Pragmatic clinical trials to enhance the quality of life of older cancer patients (65 years and older) through nutrition. 5 MEUR
Deadline: 16 September 2025

NFR - Sustainable health and care services
16 MNOK, collaboration between several municipalities/counties and a research organization.
Deadline: 24 September 2025

NFR - Center for Excellence
The Centres of Excellence are large research centers with funding for 5-6 years. Please consult the internal communication channels in teams for information:  SFF-VI MED and  SFF VI applicant information
Deadline (stage 1): 12 November 2025

*new* Novo Nordisk - Challenge Programme 2026
6 years, 75 MDKK, requires a consortium of 2-4 partners, at least one in Denmark.

Topics:
- Unravelling the pathways of human invasive fungal diseases
- Modelling human cardiometabolic disease
- Biological systems under non-equilibrium conditions
Deadline: 8 October 2025

*new* Horizon Europe - Cluster 3
HORIZON-CL3-2025-01-DRS-03 Open topic on Testing / validating tools, technologies and data used in cross-border prevention, preparedness and responses to climate extreme and geological events and chemical, biological or radiological emergency threats 4,5 MEUR
Deadline: 12 November 2025

Horizon Europe - MSCA Doctoral Networks
4 years. Funding for 15 PhD candidates in international networks of academic and non-academic institutions.
Deadline: 25 November 2025

Horizon Europe - ERC Synergy Grant
10 MEUR, 6 years. For teams of 2-4 researchers. Bottom-up ground breaking research.
Deadline: annually, November 2025

Innovative Health Initiative - Call 11
Collaboration with a large pre-defined industry consortium. The following topics are under consideration for inclusion in IHI call 11, a two-stage call which is scheduled for launch in Q2 2025.
Understanding how infections foster and induce non-communicable diseases, 60 months, 30 MEUR
- Towards precision medicine: platform for transdiagnostic stratification of brain dysfunction
- AI-powered signal detection in pharmacovigilance
- Leveraging Europe's expertise to accelerate cell therapy for type 1 diabetes
- Establishing ortho and cardiology ambulatory surgical centres in Europe
Deadline first stage: early spring 2025

Human Frontier Science Program HFSP - Research Grants
1,5 M USD, for international teams of 2-4 members. HFSP Research Grants support innovative basic research into fundamental biological problems with emphasis placed on novel and interdisciplinary approaches that involve scientific exchanges across national and disciplinary boundaries. 
Deadline: annually, March

NFR FRIPRO - Top Researchers – Researcher Projects to Develop World Leading Research Communities
15-40 MNOK, 4-8 years. Requires collaboration between at least two leading scientists in Norway. 
Deadline: continuous