UniOGS Doctoral Progress Support 2026 (short-term grants)

UniOGS Doctoral Progress Support 2026 provides short-term support for several doctoral researchers who need dedicated full-time working time to advance their doctoral research and thesis work.

The support is granted as a personal working grant for a period of 1–3 months. The grant period may start no earlier than 19 October 2026, and must begin no later than 1 December 2026. The grant period must be taken consecutively, without breaks.

Eligibility

Applicants must

• have a doctoral degree study right at the University of Oulu and they must be registered as an attending doctoral researcher for their doctoral study right.
• demonstrate a clear, well-justified need for short-term full-time work on their doctoral research and/or thesis
• present a realistic plan showing how the grant period will contribute to measurable progress in their doctoral studies

The funding may be used to support for example an effective start to doctoral research or to enable focused work in the final stages of the thesis. The primary purpose of the funding is to support the doctoral researcher’s individual progress towards completing the doctoral degree.

How to apply

Apply funding using the online application form in Webropol. The deadline for applying is 5 October 2026.

The application should be prepared in consultation with the principal supervisor.

The application includes

1. A brief description of the need for support, including the current funding situation, and why short-term funding on doctoral research and/or thesis is needed.
2. A description of the planned work and expected progress, including the current stage of the thesis work, the objectives and timetable for the grant period, and the concrete, measurable outcomes.
3. Attachment: A motivation letter (maximum one page) from the applicant, outlining their personal motivation and commitment to completing the doctoral degree, and explaining the significance of the doctoral degree for their future career plans.
4. Attachment: A signed recommendation letter (maximum one page) from the principal supervisor. The supervisor should specifically comment on the likelihood of achieving the proposed outcomes during the funding period and the expected timeline for completion of the doctoral degree.

Please note: if you are unable to attach the recommendation letter to your application in Webropol, you may ask your principal supervisor to send the recommendation directly to uniogs@oulu.fi. The recommendation letter must be received by UniOGS no later than 7 October 2026 to be considered in the evaluation of applications.

If necessary, UniOGS may contact the principal supervisor or doctoral programme director to request additional information about the application.

The names of the grant recipients can be published on the Graduate School’s website after the funding decisions have been made. Graduate School grants are competitive funding, and unfortunately, not all strong applications can be supported. Individual funding decisions will not be accompanied by detailed justifications.

Conditions of the grant

Grant recipients must dedicate the funded period to full-time doctoral research and thesis work. Recipients must be on leave from any salaried work during the granted period.

If the doctoral researcher is employed by the University of Oulu or another employer, they must ensure that taking a personal working grant is compatible with the terms of their employment and any applicable leave arrangements before accepting the grant.

Recipients must submit a short report describing the activities completed and progress achieved during the grant period.

Additional notes

Recipients of a personal working grant should check whether they are required to take out or extend MYEL pension insurance with Mela. Grant recipients should also check the tax treatment of the grant with the Finnish Tax Administration. Applicant is responsible for consulting relevant guidance from Mela, the Finnish Tax Administration and the University of Oulu when necessary.

Application and evaluation process

The assessment will be based on

• the expected contribution to the doctoral researcher’s progress
• doctoral researcher’s motivation
• principal supervisor’s statement
• the demonstrated need for short-term funding
• the feasibility of the work plan

Priority will be given to applicants who are in a position to make significant progress towards completion of their doctoral degree during the funding period and who can clearly demonstrate the expected outcomes of the requested support.

Incomplete applications and applications received after the application deadline will not be evaluated. Selection is made by the selection panel.

All applicants will be informed of the decisions by email.

Further information

For further information, please contact the UniOGS coordinators at uniogs(at)oulu.fi.