The Wallenberg Foundations

This applies for the following foundations:

• Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW)Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation (MAW)
  
• Berit Wallenberg Foundation (BWS) (required only for larger research projects)
• Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation (MMW)

Internal calls and prioritization of applications

Before you start writing your application to any of the foundations above you must first discuss with the head of your department. When a call has been published on the foundation’s web site, the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services makes a time frame for the internal application process at SU in consultation with the vice presidents. After that, we send out a call for “pre applications” to the heads of departments, and publish updated information and application forms on the SU staff web (for some calls the procedure with pre applications is not applied, see the table below for further info).

The internal prioritization is made within the academic areas for Natural Sciences and Human Sciences respectively, where review panels appointed by the vice presidents read and prioritize among the pre-applications based on the criteria of the specific call. Prioritized applicants are then asked to write a full application. Support letters are provided when the application and the budget form have been approved.

Wallenberg Foundations: Timeframe for internal application processes at Stockholm University

Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW)

Research projects with high scientific potential 2026, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW): Information about the call and the University’s internal application process

The University’s internal process for applications to KAW Research projects with high scientific potential has now started. The process is coordinated by the Office of Research, Engagement and Innovation Services (REIS), and you apply through a certain pre-application form that has been sent out to the heads of the departments. The filled in form should be returned by the head/equivalent to research officer Sofia Irinarchos on Monday 1 September 2025 at the latest.

Briefly about the call

The Foundation supports long-term, free basic research beneficial to Sweden, mainly in medicine, technology, and the natural sciences, but also in other disciplines with relevance for the above. Projects normally have a budget of between SEK 15 million and SEK 40 million and a duration of three to five years. An application can be made by a project group consisting of two to five researchers who collaborate in a project that focuses on a coherent academic research question. The overall competence of the group will be evaluated by the Foundation, i.e. not the PI and the co‑investigators one by one.

Stockholm University is allowed to submit a maximum of 15 project applications to the Foundation, and at least 6 of them must be led by a researcher from the underrepresented gender. Thus, the following rules will apply for pre-applications from respective department:

• If one pre-application is sent there is no restriction and the main applicant can be either male or female
• If two or three pre-applications are sent, at least one must have a female main applicant
• If four or five pre-applications are sent, at least two must have a female main applicant, and so forth

Internal application process and time frame

The internal prioritization at SU is made within the academic areas for Natural Sciences and Human Sciences respectively. Review panels appointed by the vice presidents evaluate the pre‑applications in accordance with the foundation’s evaluation criteria and other demands, whereafter the president decides which will proceed to the next step. Prioritized applicants will be asked to write a full application and are provided with the president’s support letter when the application has been approved.

Important dates

• 1 September 2025: Deadline for pre-applications
• First week of October: The heads of the departments are informed about which applicants are prioritized and thus asked to write full applications
• 27 November: Last day for prioritized applicants to send the full application to Sofia Irinarchos.
• The applicants will have feedback on their applications from reviewers within the respective academic areas before Christmas
• January 2026: The applicants will receive a support letter/certification signed by the president
• 1 Februari 2026: Last day for applicants to submit their applications to KAW (through the foundation’s digital application system)

For questions about the call contact research officer Sofia Irinarchos

For budget questions, contact project economist Anne Stenberg

Attachments (in swedish)

• Blankett föransökan KAW projekt 2026 Word, 168.9 kB.
• Wallenbergstiftelsernas budgetmall 2025 Excel, 80.6 kB.