The SULF Doctoral Candidate Association

The SULF Doctoral Candidate Association is the PhD candidate association of SULF, a politically and religiously independent union. We strive to make your voice heard in our mission to improve the working conditions for PhD candidates at Swedish Universities. Our goal is that PhD candidates shall enjoy good working conditions, economic security, fair and equal treatment, transparency and legal certainty, at all Swedish higher education institutions, from application and admission to thesis defence including migration-related issues.

Annual General Meeting and Contact Day

The Board of the SULF Doctoral Candidate Association (SULF-DCA) warmly invites you to participate in this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held in connection with our Contact Day.The theme is Sustainable Doctoral Life: Working Conditions, Wellbeing, and Rights.

When: 5 december
Where: Lilla Nygatan 14, Stockholm

Participation

The SULF-DCA Annual Meeting is an important democratic forum where delegates represent doctoral members, discuss motions, and contribute to decisions that guide the association’s work. If you are interested in participating as a delegate, please contact your local SULF association. They know how many people from each association are allowed to participate.

Report: How current migration policies harm international researchers and undermine higher education in Sweden (May 2025)

The report, How current migration policies harm international researchers and undermine higher education in Sweden, by the SULF Doctoral Candidates Association, SULF-DCA, highlights the ongoing challenges that international PhD candidates and early career researchers encounter in the current Swedish migration system. Read more and download the report.

Report: Aliens in Academia (March 2022)

The report from SFS-DK and SULF-DCA presents stories of PhD candidates who have been personally affected by the new legislation. While the issue has been broadly discussed from macro perspectives such as Sweden’s attractiveness for research funding, this report provides the perspective of people with actual names, hopes, dreams, anxieties and fears. You can download the full report The Aliens in Academia here

About SULF's Doctoral Candidate Association

We are working for approximately 3,450 PhD members by monitoring labor issues, employment terms, admissions, equality, the post-doctorate labor market and the quality of the PhD education. Our activities derive equally from our democratic statutes and activity plan; accessible through this site.

As a member of SULF, you are given the opportunity to engage with others in the struggle that is union work, and help with improving local conditions. You also get access to a helpline for navigating the jungle of Swedish laws and regulations, offers of membership services abroad, a salary research tool, access to fair insurance, the SULF magazine, get the latest PhD news and more.

Join us on Facebook!

Working Groups 2025-2026

The labour conditions of PhD candidates play a crucial role in shaping our academic journey and overall well-being. At SULF-DCA, we are dedicated to advocating for significant improvements in these conditions to foster a thriving academic environment. Our focus includes pushing for equitable and fair salary structures, ensuring a supportive and inclusive work environment, promoting work-life balance, and securing comprehensive benefits for all PhD candidates in Sweden. By addressing these core issues, we aim to empower PhD students to excel not only in their academic and professional endeavours but also in their personal lives. This working group is actively engaged in identifying and addressing the current challenges faced by PhD students regarding their labour conditions. We work in close collaboration with universities, governmental bodies, and other stakeholders to develop and implement solutions that will enhance the quality of life and work for PhD students across Sweden.

Contact: dca@sulf.se

International PhD candidates in Sweden are facing increasingly challenging conditions due to restrictive migration policies. These policies not only threaten our research progress and limit access to educational and professional development opportunities, but also negatively impact our overall quality of life and future career prospects. Moreover, uncertainties in residency status make early-career researchers more vulnerable to workplace discrimination and exploitation. SULF-DCA is committed to advocating for more equitable and transparent migration policies that better support non-EU/EEA PhD students. We are also pushing for Swedish universities to take a more active role in providing robust support systems to help these students navigate complex immigration-related matters. By doing so, we aim to mitigate the adverse effects of current migration policies on their academic and professional lives. Our ongoing efforts include thorough investigations into how these policies impact international PhD candidates, and we are eager to gather personal experiences related to challenges in applying for residency extensions, permanent residence, and long-term residence permits.

Contact: dca@sulf.se

Authorship and research ethics are fundamental aspects of academic integrity, especially for PhD candidates, who are often at the forefront of research projects. Navigating these issues can be complex due to the existing power dynamics within higher education institutions. PhD candidates may face pressures to include co-authors who have contributed minimally to the research, or experience the appropriation of their intellectual property by senior researchers. At SULF-DCA, we recognize the need for clearer guidelines and stronger regulations regarding research and publication ethics, particularly in relation to claims of co-authorship. Our working group is dedicated to investigating these multifaceted issues, with the goal of establishing clear criteria for co-authorship and ensuring the protection of intellectual property rights within doctoral research. We aim to provide PhD candidates with the necessary resources and support to challenge unjust practices and entrenched power structures that could undermine their contributions to academic research.

Contact: dca@sulf.se