Core Fulbright Scholar Program - All Disciplines Award

Purpose of the Grant Program

The purpose of the award is to offer U.S. scholars the possibility to teach or teach/research in any discipline. The scholar is expected to teach and participate in research work according to the agreement between the candidate and the host. Research-only grants are not available.

For teaching/research awards, applicants should discuss the teaching/research ratio with the host institution before requesting an invitation letter (e.g. lectures, modules, or entire courses).

Preferably grants begin in August/September 2025 or January 2026, unless otherwise agreed upon with the host institution and the Fulbright Finland Foundation. The academic year runs from September through mid-May (fall semester: September to mid-December; spring semester: January to mid-May).

The Finnish host institution can give details on the term structure and teaching periods.

Benefits

The award is available for visits of 4–9 months. Most grants are for four to five months. In compelling situations, a nine-month grant may be considered.

The award includes:

• Monthly grant of 2,700 EUR  (approx. 2,900 USD*), paid out in euro in monthly installments.
• One-time travel allowance of 1,800 USD.
• Residence permit allowance based on the actual permit fees (incl. grantee and accompanying family members).
• Housing for the scholar and their accompanying family arranged and paid for by the host university. This information should be confirmed in the letter of invitation.
• Orientation and support services provided by the Fulbright Finland Foundation in Helsinki. For example, the Foundation will arrange a four-day arrival orientation in Helsinki for all U.S. Fulbright grantees at the end of August each year (orientation is also arranged in January for grantees arriving for the spring semester).
• Fulbright Finland mid-year activities and networking opportunities (such as the American Voices Seminar at the University of Turku) each year.

* amounts in USD are subject to change due to currency fluctuations.

The monthly grant and travel allowance are provided by the Fulbright Finland Foundation. Housing for the scholar and their family is expected to be arranged and paid for by the host institution.

Support for Grantees with Disabilities

Extra funding support is available for grantees with disabilities. If you have a disability that would cause additional costs for the grant term, contact the Foundation to discuss reasonable accommodations. Send your self-assessment with a description of the disability and the specific accommodations requested to the Foundation ([email protected]) by the grant application deadline.

Please note that disclosing the need for disability accommodation does not affect the review and selection process.

Eligibility

A candidate must hold a Ph.D. degree (or other terminal degree). The candidate must be a U.S. citizen. Proposals for medical research involving clinical training, patient care or patient contact are not eligible. Please contact the Fulbright Finland Foundation if you have any questions about the eligibility of your project.

U.S. Scholar Program eligibility guidelines and review criteria are published on the Fulbright Scholar Program website.

In Finland, the applications are evaluated according to the evaluation criteria set by the Fulbright Finland Foundation Board.

Applicants residing in Finland are not eligible for a Fulbright grant.

Host Institution

Candidates are expected to secure an affiliation with a Finnish institution and include a letter of invitation in the application. Assistance in locating possible host institutions and making connections is available from the Fulbright Finland Foundation if needed.

• Tips for finding a host university in Finland

How to Apply?

The 2025-26 Fulbright U.S. Scholar competition ended on September 16, 2024!

The U.S. program partner in the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is the Institute of International Education IIE. Applications are submitted through IIE and forwarded to discipline-based peer review committees in the U.S. Applications that pass this initial peer review in the U.S. are forwarded to the Fulbright Finland Foundation in Helsinki to be reviewed by the Fulbright Finland Foundation’s review committees. The Fulbright Finland Foundation makes the funding decisions and final selections of grantees.

Additional information and detailed application instructions are available from the Fulbright Finland Foundation and the Fulbright Scholar Program websites.

Further Information

NOTE: July is traditionally a summer vacation month in Finland and responses to inquiries may be delayed. Applicants are advised to contact the Finnish host institution well ahead of time to solicit an invitation letter for their application.

• Resources for hosts (invitation letters and preparing for a U.S. scholar's visit)   
• Tips for scholars for finding a host university in Finland

Useful links:

• Fulbright Finland Outreach Ambassadors

What is the Fulbright Finland Foundation?

The Fulbright Finland Foundation is a private, independent, not-for-profit organization based in Helsinki, Finland. The Foundation’s aim is

• to promote a wider exchange of knowledge and professional talents through educational contacts between Finland and the United States, and
• to support the internationalization of education and research in Finland, and help U.S. and Finnish institutions create linkages.

What Makes the Fulbright Finland Foundation Programs Unique?

• In addition to the grant, the Fulbright Finland Foundation offers the grantees several additional benefits and free support services, as well as an access to a global, multi-professional network.
• We are looking for applicants who want to impact the future and to make a difference – applicants who want to facilitate positive change, develop and advance their own profession or discipline, and find solutions to national and international challenges in their field.
• The grantees also act as ambassadors for the Fulbright Finland Foundation, their home country, and their home organization and, in this way, do their part in sharing their home country and culture and contributing to the relations between Finland and the U.S.

The Core Fulbright Scholar Program is part of the global Fulbright program operating in over 160 countries worldwide.