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.
Funding options
UEF doctoral student positions
The University of Eastern Finland has altogether 150 salary-paying positions for doctoral researchers enabling their engagement in full-time study with an objective to complete the doctoral degree in four years’ time (which is the maximum duration of the positions). The persons selected to the positions will be hired as early stage researchers. 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.
Shared doctoral student position system
UEF also has a shared doctoral student position system, where the doctoral researcher will have a parallel 50% contract of employment with the University of Eastern Finland and with another employer. Note! The main duty of doctoral researchers is to work full-time to complete their doctoral research in accordance with their approved research proposal.
Project researcher positions
Research projects funded by e.g. the Academy of Finland, Business Finland or European Union may offer early stage 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)
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 Heimo News.
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. Instructions for the doctoral thesis supervisor you may find here.
- The departments of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies award grants for working on a dissertation as permitted by their financial situation (for periods of a few months at the stage of starting/finishing their work). For more information on department-specific grants, contact the department’s amanuensis.
- In addition to the faculties, departments, schools, institutes and units can award grants for their postgraduate students to support them in starting or finishing their dissertation.
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.
Travel grants
Read more about travel grants in Kamu.
Dissertation printing allowance
All faculties award dissertation printing allowance. Read the instructions of your faculty in Publishing of doctoral dissertation- section.