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Funding your doctoral studies
The most common ways to fund doctoral studies are
- work contract(s) as an employed doctoral researcher in a research project, research group or department, see open positions (availability depends on the School)
- personal grant(s) or scholarship(s) from foundations or funding agencies
Some Aalto schools also offer funded doctoral researcher positions (duration varies). Sometimes doctoral students are employed in a research institute or in an other job where they can contribute the majority of their working hours towards their doctoral thesis. Students permanently living in Finland might also be entitled to student financial aid. The eligibility criteria are available on the webpage of Kela.
Types of grants
- Full-time grants: Grantees are not employees in the frame of the grant, but may have an additional employment contract if allowed by the foundation.
- Part-time grants: allow for part-time employment by the University
- Grants for mobility or research costs: To cover costs related to conference trips, research visits, research mobility or research costs (equipment, materials etc.), also salaried doctoral researchers can apply
- Encouragement grants: For additional encouragement to doctoral dtudents who are pursuing their doctoral studies, also salaried doctoral researchers can apply to supplement their salary
Different type of funding agencies and sources for funding
- List of national funding calls at Research.fi (previously called Aurora database)
- International foundations providing funding for doctoral studies
- International or national doctoral programmes funded by EU or Finnish government
- Grants given by other governments for their citizens, such as CSC in China
- Grants given by your prior home university to pursue for doctoral degree at abroad
- National and international research projects (Business Finland - previously Tekes, Academy of Finland, EU) lead by a professor at Aalto
- Finland Fellowship - funding opportunity for new doctoral students in 2022-2024. Applicants for Finland Fellowships must be citizens of nation in Africa, Central America or South America. See How to apply for doctoral studies? (aalto.fi) for more information.
- Alfred Kordelin Foundation (grants to promote science, literature, art and public education)
- Emil Aaltosen säätiö (grants for several research fields, for Finnish speaking researchers)
- Foundation for Aalto University Science and Technology (grants for MSc and doctoral theses and research visit for researchers at Aalto Schools CHEM, ELEC, ENG, SCI and Department of Architecture)
- HSE Support Foundation (Business research, Economics; for Aalto University School of Business and individuals associated with it)
- Henry Ford Foundation (in Finnish; motorized traffic and agriculture)
- Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation (high-level international research, arts and culture)
- Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation (grants for several research fields)
- KAUTE Foundation (scientific research in business and engineering)
- Kone Foundation (grants for research in humanities, social sciences, environmental research and artistic research)
- Foundation for Municipal Development (research on municipalities)
- Foundation for Economic Education (research on business and economics)
- Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation (environmental protection)
- OP-Pohjola Group Research Foundation (economic research, priority on cooperative banking operations)
- Paulo Foundation (medical and economic research as well as fine arts and music)
- Finnish Drainage Foundation (MVTT)(research and education in soil and water technology, the improvement of rural water management, the construction of field drainage and as well as addressing the environmental issues concerning agricultural fields in Finland)
- Suomen Arvopaperimarkkinoiden Edistämissäätiö (only in Finnish)
- Finnish Cultural Foundation (several research fields)
- Tekniikan edistämissäätiö (TES) (only in Finnish; Research on technology)
- Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation (fields represented by the Federation of Finnish Technology Industries)
- Finnish Work Environment Fund (development of working-life)
- Vuorineuvos Tekn. ja Kauppat. tri h.c. Marcus Wallenbergin Liiketaloudellinen Tutkimussäätiö (only in Finnish; Business research, company management perspective)
- Yrjö Uitto Foundation (Business research; see info on HSE Support Foundation webpage)
- Fortum ja Neste säätiö Fortum and Neste Foundation
- Finnish Academy of Science and Letters' grants for young scientists
- Finnish Natural Resources Research Foundation
- Vilho, Yrjö ja Kalle Väisälän rahasto
Instructions for finding funding and managing travel costs
Where to find funding?
Check out the grant bulletin boards and funding calls
Travel-related costs
Students can apply for a travel grant to cover study-related travel expenses.
School-specific funding information
In Aalto ARTS doctoral students' own activeness in pursuing funding is very important, as the departments can offer a salaried positions only to a minority of their doctoral students.
Some departments are able to offer funding for the last 3-6 months to finalize the manuscript for pre-examination, ask for possibilities from your supervising professor.
Check out a list of foundations that fund artistic research and activities.
Starting your doctoral studies?
Full time doctoral students who are progressing in their studies will receive an after tax salary of approximately 25,000 € (depending on other income and tax deductions) in years 1 and 2 from a combination of salary and grants from foundations. From year 3 onwards the doctoral students are expected to find their own funding, either as a paid researcher or from foundations. The School may also offer some fully paid doctoral researcher positions for best applicants. Normally students manage to find funding for years 3 and 4.
Looking for financing to finalize your studies & research, for congress participation or for a stay at a university abroad?
This section also provides information on ways to finance various costs incurred in postgraduate studies. In addition to support for studying towards the doctoral degree, financial support is available for eg. material costs of dissertation research, participation in scientific conferences and related travel expenses.
FAQ on School of Business doctoral program funding (page requires login to aalto.fi)
Foundations
One way to finance your doctoral studies is to apply for a grant from a trust fund. See the Association of Finnish Foundations website for more information.
Some foundations are presented here in brief.
HSE Foundation – Scholarships and Grants
The funding objectives of the HSE Foundation are:
• research projects
• research and conference trips
• international exchange of researchers and students
• master’s theses and doctoral dissertations
• teaching and development projects
The application periods for grants take place in February and September. HSE Support Foundation distributes 950 000€ worth of grants every year. Open grants are announced each year in the beginning of February and September on the Foundation’s website. Please check the deadline for applications.
Foundation for Economic Education
Foundation for Economic Education (Liikesivistysrahasto, LSR) primarily supports economic research and economic postgraduate studies.
In principle, only Finnish citizens can receive a grant from the foundation. For applicants with lengthy residency periods in Finland, citizenship is not an absolute necessity. Include in your application an up-to-date research and study plan including your research goals and methods, a one-page project description, and also describe your schedule and financing. When applying for a grant please note that the application forms are and should be completed in Finnish, but the essential project description and all other information is accepted in either English or Swedish.
Especially when applying for financing for the first postgraduate work (licentiate or doctoral thesis) the statement of the supervising professor is important. The statement must be submitted without a separate request either along with the application or within two weeks of the application deadline to the Foundation for Economic Education.
The goal of this foundation is to promote Finnish research in economics and medicine and to maintain and support Finnish educational and research facilities. It also supports Finnish research in medical economics, overlapping with both the aforementioned fields.
Economics, currency and wage theoretic research are given priority, and a secondary emphasis is given to financial and economic-political research. For the research in the field of medicine the work must be theoretically or practically important. In addition to research grants, also the postgraduate studies of those with a academic degree can be financed.
KAUTE- Kaupallisten ja teknillisten tieteiden säätiö
KAUTE economic sciences and technology foundation was founded by Finnish Association of Business School Graduates and Teekkaritoiminnan Edistämisyhdistys in 1956. The purpose of the foundation is to promote economic and technological research and education.
Vuorineuvos tekn. ja kauppat.tri H.C. Marcus Wallenbergin liiketaloudellinen tukisäätiö
The purpose of this foundation is to promote education and research in the area of top management, primarily in Finland but also internationally. This is done by distributing scholarships and paying lecture fees to visiting lecturers and by financing international scientific symposiums in Finland.
Based on the received applications, the foundation distributes grants for postgraduate studies and scientific research every year. Emphasis is also placed on research being focused on top management. The backgrounds of applicants are usually in universities of economy or technology or something similar. Travel scholarships to scientific symposiums abroad are also granted. The foundation may also participate in financing international management seminars in Finland.
The Finnish Cultural Foundation
The Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen kulttuurirahasto) is a private, non-profit foundation supporting the advancement of Finnish culture. The aim of the Finnish Cultural Foundation is to promote and develop the cultural and economic life in Finland. To further this aim, the foundation awards grants to individuals and groups for postgraduate and postdoctoral studies in the arts and sciences, for artistic work, and for any other work promoting culture in Finland. Grants can be applied in support of a licentiate thesis and the dissertation process and scientific research conducted subsequently. Research can be done in Finland or abroad. A grant for full-time scientific work requires that one isn’t working elsewhere at the same time. Meeting and lecture trips are only limitedly subsidized.
Heikki and Hilma Honkanen Foundation
The Heikki and Hilma Honkanen Foundation distributes scholarships to young, talented Finns in support of studies and research. In addition to student scholarships, the board may also decide to distribute researcher scholarships for licentiate and dissertation work in selected fields of science. This foundation and its scholarships are only for Finnish nationals.
Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation
The purpose of the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation is to promote and support cultural and economic development in Finland. Scholarships are primarily granted for dissertation work, subsequent research, and towards research groups.
International and national foundations
Many foundations provide funding possibilities for doctoral studies. On the table below you can find a list of some of the prominent Finnish foundations which could provide funding. Please note that the application periods given on the table below are only approximate times and the information is based on previous year's application rounds. Please check the correct times directly from the foundation's pages.
| Foundation |
Application period (approximately) please check the times from foundation's webpages, |
|
January January - February |
|
| TES Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion | January - February |
| Fortum and Neste Foundation | April |
| Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation | April - May |
| Alfred Kordelin Foundation | August |
| Suomen luonnonvarain tutkimussäätiö | August |
| Kone Foundation | September |
| Finnish Cultural Foundation | Central fund application period in October |
| Walter Ahlströmin säätiö | November NB! Applicants must be under the age of 35 and have a Finnish personal identity code |
| Maa- ja vesitekniikan tuki (MVTT) | Ongoing application period |
| Suomalaisen tiedeakatemian nuorten tutkijoiden apurahat | Several application periods |
|
Vilho, Yrjö ja Kalle Väisälän rahasto Magnus Ehrnrooth Foundation (several type of grants) |
Autumn https://www.magnusehrnroothinsaatio.fi/en/grants/ |
Finalizing funding (2 - 6 months) for completing a doctoral thesis manuscript for the pre-examination
- Only available for the doctoral students of Aalto CHEM
- Application calls are open for two times per year. Finalizing funding for spring 2024 must be applied between 3 October - 6 November 2023, and funding call for autumn 2024 will be open between 3-31 May 2024.
- Please see the more information about the funding from the application form
- The next funding call for spring season 2024 will be open in 3 Oct.- 6 November 2023. Presently applicable funding must start within timeline January – June 2024.
We do not know when the next call for doctoral student funded positions will be organized. We will inform you about the call by e-mail and as a news item in aalto.fi, when it is time for the next call.
The next application period will take place in 25 August 2023 - 14 September 2023 at 3 pm.
The Dean of the Aalto University School of Engineering will open the call for applications for funded four-year positions in Doctoral Programme starting in January 2024. The number of open positions is 5-8, and EUR 33.000 per year has been allocated for each position.
Funded doctoral student positions are open for students having a study right for doctoral degree in Aalto ENG and for those applying for study in right in the autumn 2023 application period. More information on applying for a study right is presented on the Application instructions web page. Positions are primarily intended for students who are in the early stages of their doctoral dissertation. Only one of each professor's applicants can be admitted for a funded position this year.
The doctoral programmepositions will be filled in parts: 24 months + optional 24 months, based on mid-term evaluation. New Aalto ENG Doctoral Programme positions will be available every year.
The following admission criteria will be emphasized:
- Study performance (B.Sc. and M.Sc.) – M.Sc. average grade clearly above the general average
- M.Sc. thesis – grade 4 (very good) or higher
- Applicant has been deemed by the supervising professor (in his or her statement) as having true potential for earning the degree within 4 years from getting study right (this statement should be e-mailed directly to [email protected])
- Research and publication proposal including timetable
- Publications
- Previous funding
- Motivation letter
The applicant is requested to present in the application documents that he/she meets the requirements listed above.
Required application documents:
- Application form / Hakulomake (open 25 August 2023 - 14 September 2023)
- Transcript of records
- Research and publication proposal and planned timetable
- CV and list of publications
- Motivation letter
- Report on previous funding (if granted)
- Statement by the supervising professor. The statement should include an account of all the projects for which additional compensation is paid. Professors who supervise several applicants must rank their applicants in order of preference. This document should be e-mailed by the professor to [email protected].
Applications for funded doctoral student positions are submitted using the electronic Studyinfo-form (Opintopolku-form). Note! If you are applying for both a doctoral study right and a funded position, you should fill out BOTH forms in Studyinfo. Application for doctoral studies
The deadline for applications is on 14 September 2023 at 3 p.m. All the application materials must be submitted in electronic format (pdf).
For additional information on the application procedure, please contact Planning officer Ritva Viero, [email protected], +358 50-597 0610.
At Aalto School of Science, the full-time doctoral students primarily work for university research projects in school's departments or in other research units. Those applying for a full-time right to pursue a doctoral degree must have funding secured for at least 6 months (e.g. from the employer, or through project funding or a grant). The financing of studies must always be discussed with the supervising professor. The supervising professor can give more information about research projects in the research field.
Taxation of personal grants
A grant or scholarship received for studies, academic research or artistic activity may be tax-exempt income. Grants paid by public authorities (such as State of Finland, Academy of Finland, a municipality, Central Arts Council etc) are entirely exempt from tax regardless of the amount. Grants paid by a private party are exempt from tax up to a specific amount.
Finnish Tax Administration's instructions for taxation of grants (vero.fi)
Research costs as deductible expenses
Certain costs related to doing doctoral studies and completing the degree can be reported as deductible expenses. The costs can be for example language check services, thesis printing, and book orders. For more information, please contact your tax office at vero.fi/en. Tax office's instructions are available on their website only in Finnish (vero.fi).
Incentive scholarships and awarding thesis work
Aalto University has in place an incentive scholarship scheme rewarding achievement. Scholarships are awareded for articles and doctoral theses that have been completed according to specific criteria. Aalto doctoral thesis awards celebrate the most meritorious theses.
Incentive scholarships for doctoral students
A set of 500e and 2000e incentive scholarships are awarded by application for doctoral students who meet the conditions given.
Aalto doctoral thesis awards
Top ten percent of doctoral theses are awarded annually at Aalto University
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