Human Past Fellowship Programme 2027–2028 | Funded Research Residency at SCAS, Sweden — Two Fellowships Available

If you are a researcher with a passion for unravelling the deep mysteries of human prehistory — tracing the migrations, languages, and genes of our ancestors across millennia — then the Human Past Fellowship Programme 2027–2028 was made for you, and applications are now open. Administered by the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS), this initiative of the Center for the Human Past brings together early-career and established scholars across archaeology, population genetics, and historical linguistics to explore the shared history of the world's populations over the past 10,000 years — a period shaped by agrarian food production, population growth, linguistic change, and the emergence of early civilizations. Whether you are a young scholar building your postdoctoral research agenda or a senior academic at the international forefront of your field, this fellowship offers you a fully supported, obligation-free residence in Uppsala, Sweden, to do the work that matters most. Two fellowship positions are available — don't miss the chance to be among the select few.

📘 Fellowship at a Glance

• Location: Uppsala, Sweden (Stockholm–Uppsala region)

• Host Institution: Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS) / Center for the Human Past, Uppsala University

• Fellowship Type: Residential Research Fellowship — two tracks: Advanced Fellowship & Young Scholar Fellowship

• Study Level: Postdoctoral and above (PhD required)

• Target Group: Researchers in archaeology, population genetics, historical linguistics, and related disciplines; open to all nationalities

• Fields of Focus: Human prehistory; Indo-European, Bantu, and Austronesian expansions; archaeological evidence, genetic factors, and linguistic change

• Value & Coverage: Monthly salary + accommodation (for fellows outside the Stockholm–Uppsala region) + fully equipped private office

• Award Duration: One semester or full academic year

• Application Deadline: 1 June 2026 (23:59 CET)

• Fellowship Start Date: 1 September 2027 (Autumn) / 11 January 2028 (Spring)

• Eligible Nationalities: Open to scholars worldwide

🎓 Fellowship Overview

The Center for the Human Past was established in 2024 as a Centre of Excellence funded by the Swedish Research Council, with SCAS hosting the Human Past Fellowship Programme to enable both early-career and senior scholars to be Fellows in Residence and collaborate with the Center. It is a relatively young but powerfully resourced initiative, sitting at the intersection of three disciplines that rarely converge so deliberately.

The centre brings together the research areas of archaeology, genetics, and linguistics to provide an overall picture of human development over the past 10,000 years, with the goal of unravelling the mysteries of human prehistory using advanced computational tools to understand patterns that are far more complex than previously believed.

🧩 Structure, Fellowship Tracks & Schedule

The Human Past Fellowship Programme offers two distinct fellowship tracks tailored to scholars at different career stages:

Advanced Fellowship — For senior scholars who, at the time of application, hold a PhD awarded on or before 1 June 2019 (i.e., at least seven years of postdoctoral experience). Candidates must have a track record of significant and original research achievements and be active at the international forefront of their field.

Young Scholar Fellowship — For early-career researchers who, at the time of application, hold a PhD awarded on or after 2 June 2019 (i.e., within seven years of the PhD). Candidates must have a promising track record of independent postdoctoral achievements, including significant publications, and be active in international academic forums.

Candidates may apply for any of the following durations:

• Autumn semester: 1 September 2027 – 17 December 2027

• Spring semester: 11 January 2028 – 16 June 2028

• Full academic year: 1 September 2027 – 16 June 2028

The programme gives fellows the opportunity to concentrate on their own research interests, free from the teaching and administrative obligations of ordinary university life. Fellows are, however, expected to be active members of the scholarly community of the Collegium and to participate in seminars and other academic events beyond their own fields of specialization. Fellows within the programme are additionally expected to participate in activities at the Center for the Human Past itself, contributing to its broader interdisciplinary research community. As with all SCAS fellowships, daily communal lunches, weekly seminars, fellow dinners, and academic excursions are integral parts of the programme, and active participation is expected.

🎁 Fellowship Benefits

• Monthly salary provided throughout the fellowship period

• Accommodation provided and fully covered by SCAS for fellows residing outside the Stockholm–Uppsala region

• Fully equipped private office at the Collegium for the duration of the fellowship

• No teaching or administrative obligations — dedicated, uninterrupted research time

• Access to the Center for the Human Past — a Centre of Excellence with cutting-edge resources in archaeology, population genetics, and linguistics

• Access to Uppsala University's world-class libraries and research infrastructure

• Participation in interdisciplinary seminars and academic events across fields

• Networking and collaboration with an international community of scholars from across the globe

ℹ️Note on salary: SCAS provides a monthly salary but does not match home institution salaries. Fellows are encouraged to seek additional support through sabbatical funding or external grants.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

• Hold a PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) at the time of application

• Advanced Fellowship: PhD awarded on or before 1 June 2019 (at least 7 years post-PhD); demonstrated track record of significant, original research; active at the international forefront of the field

• Young Scholar Fellowship: PhD awarded on or after 2 June 2019 (no more than 7 years post-PhD); promising record of independent postdoctoral achievements including significant publications; active in international forums

• Research focus must relate to aspects of the human past, with particular relevance to the Indo-European, Bantu, or Austronesian expansions — explored through archaeological, genetic, or linguistic lenses

• No current institutional affiliation is required — independent researchers may apply

• Open to scholars of all nationalities

• Must be prepared for potential security vetting as a condition of employment eligibility

  
  

📝 Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted through the Varbi online application system. The following documents are required:

1. Curriculum Vitae (maximum 4 pages)

2. Research project description (maximum 1,500 words, excluding bibliography)

3. List of major publications — up to ten articles in peer-reviewed journals and/or major monographs or edited volumes

4. One representative article or book chapter of your choosing (must be in English; does not need to relate to the proposed project)

5. Statement on why you wish to be at SCAS rather than another institute for advanced study (maximum 100 words)

6. Statement on how you would benefit from a stay at SCAS (maximum 100 words)

7. Statement on how you would contribute to the academic and social environment at SCAS (maximum 100 words)

8. Copy of your PhD diploma

9. (Optional) Up to 3 letters of reference — must be uploaded by the candidate before the deadline; referees cannot submit letters directly to SCAS

Key procedural notes:

• Candidates are asked to apply to only one SCAS fellowship programme — applying to multiple programmes will not improve your chances and may result in administrative assignment to a programme unrelated to your research

• Final decisions are made by the Principal of the Collegium in consultation with a selection committee; applications may be shared with external referees outside the EU/EEA

• Results will be communicated through the Varbi system no later than 28 February 2027

• Submit well ahead of the deadline to allow time for technical assistance if needed

Useful Contacts

• Thematic / research questions: marzena.norling@ebc.uu.se

• General fellowship enquiries: fellowselection@swedishcollegium.se

• Varbi technical support: support@varbi.com

• Official SCAS website: www.swedishcollegium.se

Final Thoughts

Human history is written in genes, languages, and the soil — and the Human Past Fellowship Programme exists for researchers bold enough to read all three at once. With two fellowship tracks open to scholars at different career stages, and a deadline of 1 June 2026, this is one of the most targeted and well-resourced opportunities available for researchers in archaeology, population genetics, and historical linguistics. If your work reaches across disciplinary lines to ask big questions about where we come from, SCAS and the Center for the Human Past are ready to give you the time, the space, and the community to find answers.