Affiliated WASP PhD student positions

Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) is Sweden’s largest ever individual research program, a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education, and faculty recruitment. The program addresses research on artificial intelligence and autonomous systems acting in collaboration with humans, adapting to their environment through sensors, information, and knowledge, and forming intelligent systems-of-systems. The vision of WASP is Excellent research and competence in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and software for the benefit of Swedish industry.

The WASP Graduate School provides the skills needed to analyze, develop, and contribute to the interdisciplinary area of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and software. Through an ambitious program with research visits, partner universities, and visiting lecturers, the graduate school actively supports forming a strong multi-disciplinary and international professional network between PhD-students, researchers, and industry. The graduate school adds value on top of the existing PhD programs at the partner universities, providing unique opportunities for students who are dedicated to achieving international research excellence with industrial relevance. Further information about WASP Graduate School is found here.

Open positions within WASP Graduate School

The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program hereby announces a call for up to 15 affiliated WASP PhD student positions at the five partner universities Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Linköping University, Lund University and Umeå University as well as at the Affiliated Groups of Excellence at Örebro University, Uppsala University and Luleå University of Technology. The purpose of the call is to provide the opportunity for PhD students not funded by WASP to be part of the WASP Graduate School. WASP aims at increasing the gender balance and building a culture based on inclusion and diversity.

The call aims to achieve a gender balanced outcome.

Selection criteria

For a PhD student to be accepted into the affiliation program, the candidate must meet the following requirements:

• The student is currently an academic or industrial PhD student, or starts no later than 2026-01-01, with an activity level of at least 80%.
• The student must belong to one of the five partner universities Chalmers, KTH, Linköping University, Lund University and Umeå University or one of the Affiliated Groups of Excellence at Örebro University, Uppsala University and Luleå Technical University.
• The main research topic must be within one of the WASP research areas
• The student has completed at most 1 active year of PhD studies on 2025-10-01. Active studies do not include formal study breaks.
• The student has a strong academic track record.
• Relevant industrial experience is favorable.
• Priority will be given to underrepresented gender.

Commitment from the PhD student

• The student is committed to take part in the WASP courses (a mix of mandatory and elective courses corresponding to 27 hp or more) and activities.
• A commitment to participate and contribute to the WASP research arenas is seen as very
• It is mandatory to be present at the WASP Winter Conference, January 13-15, 2026.

Commitment from the university or company of the PhD student

The university or company has full responsibility for the financing of the student including salary, office space, indirect costs, regular travel costs, and travel costs to all WASP course meetings, and WASP activities. If admitted, the affiliated PhD student will gain access to apply for research stints abroad as well as postdoctoral fellowships on the same terms as WASP funded PhD students.

Commitment from the WASP Graduate School

If admitted, the affiliated PhD student will gain full access to the WASP graduate school on the same terms as WASP PhD students except that they will have to cover their own costs. If the affiliated PhD student satisfies the requirements, he or she will get a WASP PhD Certificate/Diploma. WASP will offer possibilities for participating in courses, arenas, conferences, international trips, summer schools and other activities.

Proposal structure 

The proposal must be composed in Times New Roman font, 11 pt, single-spaced text, margin 2,5 cm and include the following sections:

• A description of the student’s research project, how it relates to WASP research and foreseen/existing collaboration with WASP. (Max 1 page)
• The CV, including transcript with grades, and the individual study plan of the student.
• A letter of recommendation from the supervisor describing the student’s commitment and motivating why the student should be accepted to the program. (Max 1 page)
• If the supervisor is not already involved in WASP, a letter of recommendation from at least one WASP collaborator is required. This collaborator should be someone who is currently supervising one or more WASP PhD students or postdocs, or is actively involved in a WASP management group.

Application and evaluation

The application should be submitted by the PhD student’s main academic supervisor as a single file to WASP application portal EasyChair no later than 2025-10-31 at 14:00.

Submit your application

The applications are reviewed by the Graduate School Management Group, based on the selection criteria and a recommendation is made to the WASP board, who makes the final decision. Decisions are announced in late November/early December 2025. Accepted students are expected to start on 2026-01-01.

Information and guidance

Timetable