The Finnish Cultural Foundation - Scholarship

Finnish Cultural Foundation grant

You will receive a grant to fund academic or artistic work, a project or a purchase, such as equipment. The amount depends on the intended use and the committee’s decision; a typical grant is around 2,167 EUR. Smaller grants amount to a few hundred euros, whilst larger grants for research groups can reach tens of thousands. Most grants are valid for one year, though a limited number are valid for 2 to 4 years. The funding comes from the Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen Kulttuurirahasto), a private foundation that supports cultural and scientific work throughout Finland. It awards around 2,500 grants each year.

Who can apply

• Who you are: You are a private individual or an organisation. Applicants of any nationality are welcome. Groups may apply together.
• Link to Finland: You live in Finland or are resident there. If you live abroad, your work must have a clear, strong connection to Finland or Finnish culture.
• Field: Any field of science or the arts.
• Your plan: You have a specific project that you would like to fund: research, an artistic project or a particular purchase.
• Background: Applicants from all backgrounds are welcome.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the Foundation’s funding service. There is one call for applications per year, from 15 to 30 October. The application deadline is at 4 pm (Finnish time) on the last day. Expert panels review each application, and the Foundation’s Board makes the final decision. You will be notified of the result by email in early February.

How realistic are your chances?

The foundation receives around 20,000 applications each year (20,600 in the year 2025) and awards around 2,500 grants. This means that fewer than 1 out of 10 applicants receive a grant.

If you are exploring additional ways to fund your work in Finland, our guide Scholarships in Finland brings together further scholarships and funding options available there.