Terms of employment for doctoral students

On this page

• Salary
• Reporting your degree of activity and funding
• Extension of doctoral student employment
• Leave of absence
• Work environment and health
• If you get into conflict with your supervisor(s)
• Handbook for doctoral students
• Employee organisations

Salary 

For doctoral students admitted before September 2024, slightly different conditions apply to those set out below. If this applies to you, please refer instead to the Faculty’s page here:

Employment and support | Internal Faculty of Social Sciences

For those most recently admitted and for future doctoral students, the following applies instead. The Faculty Board of Social Sciences has decided that doctoral programmes covered by the salary scale set out in STYR 2023/1007 shall be divided into two stages. These two stages occur when the doctoral student has attained 120 credits and 180 credits. For each stage completed in their doctoral programme, the doctoral student shall receive the following stage-based pay increases:

• 120 higher education credits: 2,500 SEK
• 180 higher education credits: 1,000 SEK

Process description: stage-based progression for doctoral students

Roles and responsibilities

Head of Department/Prefect

• Responsible for approving doctoral students’ Individual Study Plans (ISPs) and ensuring that they are reviewed and followed up annually by the Department.
• Responsible for ensuring that annual performance and development reviews are conducted with doctoral students.
• Makes decisions on doctoral salary progression (etapplyft) following preparation by HR and the Director of Doctoral Studies, and approves the case in Primula.

Director of Doctoral Studies/equivalent

• Responsible for ensuring that Individual Study Plans (ISPs) are approved before being formally established by the Head of Department.
• Assesses, in consultation with the principal supervisor, whether the doctoral student has met the criteria for salary progression (etapplyft).

Supervisor

• Responsible for drawing up an Individual Study Plan (ISP) in consultation with the doctoral student and ensuring it is reviewed and revised annually.

HR

• Each year, the HR Partner calculates and informs the doctoral student and the Director of Doctoral Studies (or equivalent) of the remaining duration of the doctoral student's employment.
• Registers salary adjustments and updates competency records in Primula.

Process for Doctoral Salary Progression (Etapplyft)

Annual reviews

The Director of Doctoral Studies and the HR Partner conduct regular reviews twice a year to identify doctoral students who are eligible for salary progression (etapplyft).

Progress within doctoral education is calculated as follows:

• 60 credits (ECTS) correspond to one year of full-time doctoral studies, including doctoral courses and/or documented progress on the doctoral thesis.
• Time allocated to departmental duties (for example, teaching), leave of absence, or other periods of absence is not counted as study time.

Registration in the system

When a doctoral student meets the criteria for salary progression, the HR Partner registers the salary increase in Primula and updates the relevant information in the competency module.

Decision and approval

The Head of Department makes the final decision on salary progression (etapplyft) and approves the case in Primula.

Information on employment benefits on Lund University's Staff Pages

Reporting your degree of activity and funding 

Doctoral students are required to report their activity level and funding status at the end of each semester. You will receive an email from the departmental administrator responsible for this process, Helen Fogelin, requesting the relevant information and providing instructions on how to calculate your activity level. The administrator records the information in Ladok and is available to answer any questions you may have.  

Extension of doctoral student employment

A doctoral student's employment may be extended in proportion to time spent on teaching, administrative duties, sick leave and/or parental leave. There are also provisions for extending the period of employment on the basis of elected positions within student organisations and student representation. For further information, please contact the Assistant Head of Department for Doctoral Studies or the HR Partner, Marie Persson.

Information on compensation rules for doctoral students

Guidelines for prolongation of doctoral studies period following commissions of trust in student organisations and student representation at Lund University (on Lund University’s Staff Pages)

Leave of absence

A leave of absence may be granted on several formal grounds, depending on the circumstances. The links below go to Lund University's Staff Pages.

• Information on annual leave for doctoral students
• Information on sick leave
• Information on parental leave

The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences decides on applications for leave of absence from doctoral employment on grounds other than parental leave or military service. If you have questions about leave of absence for reasons other than sick leave, parental leave or annual leave, contact the Assistant Head of Department for Doctoral Studies. The Department’s HR Partner can also provide guidance on matters relating to leave of absence. 

Work environment and health 

Work environment issues include physical, psychological and social conditions that affect wellbeing in the workplace. If you have concerns or questions relating to your work environment or health, you are welcome to contact the Department’s Health and Safety Representative, the Assistant Head/Director of Doctoral Studies, or the Head of Department.

You may also contact the University's PhD Wellbeing and Career Mentor, a dedicated support function for doctoral students.

• You find the Department’s work environment policy and contact information on our external website
• Information on work environment and health matters on Lund University's Staff Pages
• PhD Wellbeing – A guide to feeling and working at your best by Laura Cox | LUND’S DOCTORAL STUDENT UNION 

Job modification and rehabilitation

If you become ill or sustain an injury, you may need workplace adjustments and rehabilitation support. The measures required will depend on your individual circumstances and needs. The information below outlines the responsibilities of the employer and employee and what you should be aware of if adjustments or rehabilitation become necessary.

Job modification and rehabilitation | Staff Pages

Occupational Health Service

Lund University’s Occupational Health Service provides work-related medical, psychological and ergonomic support. You can contact the Occupational Health Service for advice and assistance on matters relating to the work environment, work-related health issues and rehabilitation.

Information regarding the Occupational Health Service on Lund University's Staff Pages

If you get into conflict with your supervisor(s) 

Potential conflicts should be brought to the attention of the Head of Department, the Assistant Head of Department for Doctoral Studies and/or the Director of Doctoral Studies at an early stage, before they escalate. You may also contact the Department’s Health and Safety Representative for advice and support.

The Faculty of Social Sciences has developed detailed guidelines on how departments should prevent and manage conflicts between supervisors and doctoral students. Doctoral students also have the right to request a change of supervisor.

Further information is available in the Faculty’s regulations:

Regulatory documents and action plans | Internal Faculty of Social Sciences

Impartial doctoral student ombudsman

Lund University also has a Doctoral Ombudsperson (DOMB), who is part of the Lund University Doctoral Student Union. The Doctoral Ombudsperson is an independent and impartial source of support for doctoral students who encounter challenges related to their third-cycle studies. 

Whether your concern is minor or more serious, you are welcome to contact DOMB free of charge for advice, support and guidance.

Email: domb [at] ldk [dot] lu [dot] se (domb[at]ldk[dot]lu[dot]se)

The links below go to Lund's Doctoral Student Union's website, where you can find out more about the DOMB and your rights: 

Lund's Doctoral Student Union | Lunds Doktorandkår | LDK

Your Rights | Lunds doktorandkår

Handbook for doctoral students

This doctoral student handbook is compiled by Sweden’s United Student Unions:

The doctoral student handbook (on the PhD Handbook's website)

Moreover, the Lund University Social Sciences Doctoral Student Council has compiled a handbook on Doctoral and  Postdoctoral studies at Lund University:

PhD and Post-doc guide for life at Lund University (pdf, new window)

Employee organisations

Do you want to contact your employee organisation, become a member or get involved as a representative?

Employee organisations are tasked with safeguarding their members’ interests in working life. They do this, for example, by providing support and advice, negotiating on behalf of their members, and so on. You can also get support and advice in case of sick leave, workplace conflicts or other changes that may affect your work situation. 

Membership often also entails insurance and other benefits. 

At Lund University, there are three major employee organisations with which the Swedish Agency for Government Employers has signed collective agreements:

• The Saco-S Council: The Saco-S website at Lund University
• OFR/S: The OFR/ST website at Lund University (in Swedish)
• Seko: Seko’s central website (in Swedish)