The right to pursue doctoral studies does not include funding or a contract of employment or teaching tasks at the University. However, full-time doctoral students need funding to cover their costs of living and potential research costs (travel costs, research material etc.). Funding options should be discussed with the supervisor already when planning to apply for a doctoral study right and creating a research plan.
Doctoral studies can be funded for example by a scholarship, by working as a researcher in a research project, by working as a doctoral candidate at the University of Eastern Finland (doctoral student position), or by studying part-time while at work. Doctoral students apply for funding themselves.
Salaried doctoral researcher positions
UEF doctoral researcher positions
The University of Eastern Finland has salary-paying positions for doctoral researchers enabling their engagement in full-time study.
These positions may be applied for by persons already are enrolled as doctoral researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and by persons planning to complete their doctoral degree at the University of Eastern Finland. The call for applications is open during spring term and detailed instructions for applying can be then found on the Open positions webpage.
Positions of the shared doctoral researcher position system
In the shared doctoral researcher position system of the University of Eastern Finland, the doctoral researcher has two part-time employment relationships at the same time: a part-time contract of employment both at the University of Eastern Finland and with an external employer.
In the shared doctoral researcher position system, the main work of the doctoral researcher is a doctoral dissertation in both employment relationships. The work may also include, to a minor extent, teaching related to or promoting the doctoral dissertation.
When recruiting to the shared doctoral researcher position system, in addition to the selection criteria of ordinary doctoral programmes, the usability of the expertise gained in course of the doctoral dissertation by business or society at large is assessed. The working life relevance of the external employer of the doctoral researcher is assessed by the management group of the doctoral programme in question.
The university is willing to discuss shared doctoral researcher positions with all organisations interested in strategic partnership. The contact person for such partnerships is the Head of Academic Affairs Kaisa Laitinen.
Doctoral researcher positions in projects
Research projects funded by e.g. the Academy of Finland, Business Finland or European Union may offer doctoral researcher positions. Information about them can be found in Open positions.
Grants and scholarships
Several foundations and associations grant funding for doctoral studies. Learn more about possibilities:
- EDUFI Scholarships
- The Finnish Government Scholarship Pool
- Research Professional (requires login with UEF credentials),
- Tiedejatutkimus.fi
- Foundation Deadlines (in Heimo, requires login with UEF credentials)
- UEF Research Funding Yammer (in Heimo, requires login with UEF credentials)
A a part-time (10%) contract of employment of grant-based researchers
Please, note that the university offers grant-funded researchers an opportunity to conclude a part-time (10%) contract of employment for everyone who has an external funding of at least 12 months.
Grants and scholarships awarded by the university
In the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, Teollisuusneuvos Heikki Väänänen’s Fund awards grants for wood-related scientific research at the University of Eastern Finland annually. Faculty of Health Sciences awards grants from foundations and funds. Open calls are published in Yammer group of the Faculty.
Faculties also award grants for starting or finishing a dissertation:
- The Philosophical Faculty annually awards two-month grants for starting or finishing a dissertation through a separate call for applications. The call for applications is published in Yammer.
- Within the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, grants for periods of 1–3 months for finishing a dissertation are awarded by Faculty. An application submitted by electronic form, including the necessary appendices, is to be addressed throughout the calendar year. Please, see the instructions for the doctoral thesis supervisor.
- The departments/schools of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies award work grants for doctoral researchers to the start their doctoral research (start-up grant), depending on the financial situation of the department/school. The application form and instructions are available online.
A compulsory precondition for work grants is that the recipient is released from his/her actual duty for the grant period.
Doctoral studies alongside work
It is also possible to do a doctoral degree alongside other paid work.