Foundation for Municipal Development - Scholarship

Benefit: what you get

You can receive funding for research projects relating to Finnish local authorities. The amount depends on the type of funding you apply for:

• PhD research grant: 25,000 euros per year for one, two or three years, including pension and accident insurance.
• Post-doctoral grant (for researchers who have already completed their PhD): up to 20,000 EUR for approximately one year.
• Master's thesis grant: 1,200 to 1,500 EUR.

For PhD and postdoctoral fellowships, you can apply for additional funding to cover research costs such as materials and travel expenses. The funding is provided by the Foundation for Municipal Development (Finnish: Kunnallisalan kehittämissäätiö, KAKS), an independent charitable foundation based in Helsinki which has been supporting research into Finnish municipalities and regions since 1990.

Eligibility: who can apply

• Level: You are currently writing your Master’s thesis, conducting research as part of your PhD, or working as a researcher after completing your PhD. The funding is tailored to your specific stage of your academic career.
• Research topic: Your research must be relevant to Finnish municipalities. Studies on healthcare, social welfare and rescue services (now run by well-being services counties) also count if they matter for municipalities.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.
• Grades: Please submit the marks for your previous final-year projects along with your application.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted via the eKAKS online portal. There are two application rounds per year. The first runs from 1 January to the end of February, with decisions announced in June. The second runs from 1 July to the end of August, with decisions announced in December. All documents may be submitted in English. For a scholarship for a Master’s thesis, your supervisor will add a letter of recommendation directly via the system.

If you are exploring further funding options in Finland, you can browse additional opportunities in our guide Scholarships in Finland.