UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship in Helsinki

About this scholarship

A three month research stay at UNU-WIDER in Helsinki for doctoral students working on developing economies. Applicants in the March round visit between September and November of the same year.

Funding type

Covers: a travel grant to and from your university or country of residence, medical insurance during the stay, and a stipend of EUR 2,100 a month for living costs in Helsinki. Does not cover: costs for family members or other dependants. The stipend is paid only for time spent in Helsinki, not for online participation.

Tuition fees

Not specified

Living costs

Covered

Travel

Covered

Insurance

Covered

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities

All nationalities

Residence condition

No residence condition

Open to anyone enrolled in a PhD programme. Applications from women and from developing country researchers are particularly encouraged Research on developing economies. The institute focuses on economics, but other social sciences can apply Best suited to students in the later years of the PhD, who must still be working on the thesis during the visit Fluent spoken and written English, and good quantitative or qualitative analytical skills

Minimum grade

Not stated

Work experience asked for

Not stated

Return condition

Return condition not stated

How to apply

Straight to the provider

Language requirements and exemptions

Language test not mentioned

Fluent spoken and written English is required. No test or score is named.

University admission details

Not required?

There are two rounds a year, with deadlines on 31 March and 30 September at 23:59 UTC+3, which is Helsinki time at that point. The page gives these as fixed yearly dates. It does not name a year and has no separate call for 2027. By that rule the next round opens on 1 March 2027 and closes on 31 March 2027. Applying in March means a three month visit between September and November of the same year. Selected applicants hear by email about one month after the deadline and must confirm within two weeks. Others hear about two months after the deadline. About one percent of applications have succeeded in recent years. Applications by email or post are not accepted. Each fellow is given a mentor from the institute's researchers.

Required documents

CV with a list of your main publications, as a PDF of up to 1 MB Research proposal in six sections: general description (500 words), research questions (300), methods (500), data sources (300), link to your thesis (200), and how the visit helps your research (200) Reference letter from your PhD supervisor, emailed by the supervisor to [email protected]

Application steps

Choose an unfinished part of your thesis on developing economies to work on during the visit. Ask your supervisor to email the reference letter to [email protected], preferably before the deadline. From 1 March 2027, open the application link on the opportunities page and complete the form in one sitting, as it cannot be saved. Apply before 31 March 2027 at 23:59 UTC+3.

Requirement checklist

Scholarship contacts

Questions about the Visiting PhD Fellowship: [email protected]Copy

Where your supervisor sends the reference letter: [email protected]Copy

Universities and contacts