Nordic Joint Committee for the Humanities and the Social Sciences (NOS-HS)

What NOS-HS funds

You can apply for funding to establish a Nordic research network in the humanities and social sciences. In the current funding round, each network will receive up to 1.5 million NOK (about 130,000 EUR) for up to 3 years. These funds will be used to finance collaboration between Nordic researchers: conferences, workshops and joint activities that forge new cross-border research links. This initiative is led by NOS-HS, the joint committee of the national research councils of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, which is headed by NordForsk in Oslo. Under the 2026 call for proposals, 22 networks are to be funded from a total budget of up to 33 million NOK (approximately 2.9 million EUR).

Who can apply

This is aimed at researchers, not students. You must apply through a university, college or research institute where you are employed, and not as a private individual.

• Career stage: You lead the network as an early-career researcher, 2 to 7 years after finishing your PhD.
• Employment: You are employed by a university, a college or a research institute, and that institution submits the application.
• Nordic team: Your network includes researchers from at least 4 of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden).
• Field: You work in any discipline within the humanities or social sciences.
• Region: Only the Nordic countries and their autonomous territories (the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland) are included. The Baltic states are not included.
• One application: You may only submit one application per call for proposals.

How to apply

Please submit your network proposal via the NordForsk application portal by 15 April 2026, 13:00 (CET). Proposals undergo a decentralised peer-review process, which means that applicants also review the proposals submitted by others. The NordForsk Board will make its decision in October 2026, and the projects will commence at the beginning of 2027.

How realistic are your chances?

The target group is narrowly defined: you must have completed a PhD between 2 and 7 years ago, have a host institution, and partners in at least 4 Nordic countries. This excludes most applicants, meaning that only well-connected early-career researchers can take part. As 22 networks are planned, the chances of success are better than for a single flagship project, but a strong cross-border team and a clear research concept are crucial. Make sure you secure committed partners from several Nordic countries at an early stage.