City of Helsinki - Scholarship

City of Helsinki Research Grants

You will receive a one-off research grant, usually amounting to 2,000 to 8,000 EUR, to fund your own research project. The City of Helsinki allocates 73,000 EUR annually to individual researchers. The money is tax-free and is intended to fund your research work, not to purchase equipment. You may only receive this grant once for the same project. Your research must be related to Helsinki, for example, its urban growth, economy, services, living environment, history, everyday life, internationalisation, or how the city copes with major external shocks.

Who can apply

• Degree: You hold a Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification.
• Research stage: You are currently working on a doctoral or licentiate thesis (a postgraduate research qualification). You may also apply if you completed your doctorate within the last five years.
• Who gets the money: You are applying as an individual. Research groups are not eligible to apply.
• Research topic: Your project must be related to Helsinki or the city’s work. The topic accounts for one third of the assessment, alongside the academic quality and feasibility of your research plan.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply.
• Field of study: All fields are open, as long as your topic ties into Helsinki.

How to apply

Please send the application form, your CV and a research proposal of no more than five pages by post or email to the City of Helsinki’s Population Register Office. The form is available in Finnish, Swedish or English. The deadline for applications is 5 March at 23:59; incomplete applications will not be considered. Decisions on the allocation of funding will be made in June, and all applicants will be notified.

How realistic are your chances?

In the most recent round of funding, 73,000 EUR was allocated to 11 research projects.