Aili and Brynolf Honkasalo Fund - Scholarship

Aili and Brynolf Honkasalo Fund scholarship

You get a grant of 14,000 EUR to work on a law doctorate (a PhD in law) at the Faculty of Law of the University of Helsinki. Two of these grants are awarded each year, and you have up to 3 years to use the money. The fund is one of several independent funds at the University of Helsinki that support legal research and teaching. It is named after Brynolf Honkasalo, a professor of criminal law at the university from 1936 to 1958, and his wife Aili.

Who can apply

• Who it is for: You are a young lawyer who wants to write a doctoral dissertation in law. Or you already have your doctorate and aim to teach as a lecturer at a law faculty.
• Nationality: You are a Finnish citizen.
• University: Grants mainly go to students, researchers and staff of the University of Helsinki.
• Field of study: Law. Every third grant goes with priority to research in criminal law, criminology or procedural law.
• Record: Your grades, research interests or published legal writing show you are likely to become a successful researcher.
• Employment: You cannot hold a job at the University of Helsinki while you receive the grant. You can still get it for any period within the three years when you do not work there.

How to apply

You apply through the University of Helsinki Grant Portal in Finnish, Swedish or English. Upload all attachments as PDF files. The 2026 round runs from 14 January to 6 February 2026, and decisions come by the end of April.

If you are exploring further funding options beyond this law doctorate grant, our guide Scholarships in Finland covers scholarships and funding across Finland.