Instructions for grant applicants
The instructions on this page mainly concern grants awarded from donations for thesis work by students of Aalto University schools of technology. Instructions and forms for scholarsihps granted annually, usually in March, from the Foundations special funds can be found in "Grant application and deed of gift forms".
Grant recipients and State financial aid for students
A tax-free grant intended as a subsistence aid for students, such as the grant for thesis writers has an effect on the amount of the State financial aid for students, as also awards or expense allowances awarded for exchange studies.
Tax-free grants affect the financial aid in the calendar year which it was paid. Students are responsible for ensuring that their total annual income does not exceed the income limits set for the State financial aid because of the grant or earned or capital income.
For additional information, please see the Aalto University student services page or the Kela (the Social Insurance Institute of Finland) website.
Employment relationships of grant recipients
It should be noted, particularly in the case of thesis grants, that tax-free grants may only be awarded if the recipient is not in a contractual employment relationship with the giving company.
Pension insurance
The obligation to take pension insurance does not apply to grants for Master's thesis work. Instructons:
Pension insurance for recipients of grants or scholarships (pdf)
Payment of grant
The grants are paid in installments. Six-month grants are paid in three installments. The first installment is usually paid on the last day of the month in which the award decision was made, the second installment two months later and the third installment five months after the first. Eight-month grants are usually paid in four installments: the first installment on the last day of the month in which the award decision was made, the next installment exactly two months after the first, and the following ones after exactly 4 and 7 months (the last installment 7 months after the first).
You may check the payment dates from Annakaija Halonen. Usually, about 80% of the gift sum is allocated as grants for thesis writers, while the remainder is disbursed by the Foundation in the form of general support for the University and its departments.
Deposit
In the case of grants for master’s thesis writers, a 335-euro deposit will be deducted from the first installment and paid to the recipient after the thesis is complete.
For the deposit to be returned, the grant recipient must submit the abstract of the completed master's thesis to Annakaija Halonen. The abstracts must be certified by either the professor or the office of the School.
You may also prove the completion of your thesis by providing a copy of the School Council decision on the approval of your thesis or a copy of the degree certificate.
Grants for other research
The chapters below explain the grant award criteria and application procedure pertinent to grants for other research than that associated with theses.
Grants for other research are primarily awarded to holders of master’s degrees in a contractual employment relationship with the University. They are not intended for funding student projects. The grant must always be associated with a study - usually one leading to a scientific publication - carried out independently or in a research group, a product development project or a publication produced for teaching purposes. Hence, the grants for other research are not to be awarded for research assistants or staff members in recognition of their achievements or as a bonus for fulfilling their official duties.
The grant application must include a brief description of the scientific work to be carried out (research proposal) and of the outcomes of the study (a report, course handout, piece of laboratory equipment), and explain its relevance for the research activities of the professorship recommending the grant. The application should also clarify why the project is not considered part of the official duties of the applicant.
The grants for other research are intended primarily for carrying out small-scale studies, they cannot be used for hiring key researchers for long-term projects.
