Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Award
The Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Award provides U.S. scholars with the opportunity to conduct research and teach in any field represented at Tampere University.
Purpose of the Grant Program
The Fulbright- Tampere University scholar will conduct research and lecture at any of the seven faculties of the University:
- Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
- Faculty of Management and Business
- Faculty of Education and Culture
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
- Faculty of Built Environment
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
The award can be awarded for any field represented at Tampere University.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the host department, faculty or research program to work together in designing the activities.
The Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Award is jointly funded by the Tampere University and the Fulbright Finland Foundation.
Benefits
The award is available for visits of 3–10 months. It includes:
- Monthly grant of 4,500 EUR (approx. 4,900 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.
- Work facilities and administrative support.
- Orientation and support services provided by 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.
- The grantee will also be eligible, free of charge, to participate in a Fulbright Finland pre-approved summer school in Finland consisting of courses on Finnish language, culture and society, pending availability of suitable programs.
* amounts in USD are subject to change due to currency fluctuations.
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 for the Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Award should hold a Ph.D. degree and have some experience in teaching and research in their field. 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 to apply for this award.
Tampere University
Tampere University is one of the most multidisciplinary universities in Finland. The University is known for its excellence in teaching and research and it collaborates with hundreds of universities and organizations worldwide. The community consists of 21,000 students and over 4,000 staff members from more than 80 countries.
Tampere University brings together research expertise spanning a broad spectrum of disciplines relating to technology, health and society. The Centres of Excellence carry out body-on-chip research and study game cultures, among other things. The University is home to more than 100 active research groups and centers, and there are countless research projects underway.
Please visit the university website for more information on our research excellence, international activities and study programs in English.
City of Tampere
Tampere is the third largest city in Finland and the largest inland center in the Nordic countries.
Tampere is one of the three most rapidly developing regions in Finland. It is a center for leading-edge technology, research, education, culture, sports, and business. Year after year, the City of Tampere comes first in image surveys comparing the largest cities in Finland. It is also the most attractive city among Finns who plan on moving. Tampere is home to 250,000 people. The Greater Tampere Area, which comprises Tampere and its neighboring municipalities, has a population of almost half a million.
Find more information at Visit Tampere.
How to Apply?
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program competition for 2026-27 opens in February 2025.
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 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.
Fulbright Finland Foundation encourages potential applicants to contact the office directly with any questions.
Resources for Hosts:
TIMELINE | |
|---|---|
| Application period starts: | February 2025 |
| Application period ends: | September 15, 2025 |
| Earliest possible starting date: | September 2026 or January 2027 |
| Orientation seminar in Helsinki: | TBC (expected to take place in mid-August 2026 and mid-January 2027) |
Further Information
NOTE: Late June, July and early August are traditionally summer vacation months 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.
Tampere University encourages applicants to contact the university staff beforehand. Minna Haka-Risku is happy to help potential candidates to connect with the faculty members for discussion.
Contact Information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulbright Finland Foundation (general Fulbright program related questions) | Tampere University (host institution related questions) | ||
Emmi Jelekäinen Mihkel Vaim | Ms. Minna Haka-Risku
| ||
Alumni Experiences
Take a look at the stories and video interviews of previous Finnish Fulbright grantees.
Chemistry Professor Renews Love of Tinkering during Fulbright Scholar Experience in Finland
- Jeffrey Anker, 2022-23 Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Awardee
Science Diplomacy & ‘Together Shaping the Future’
- Anita Wagner, 2022-23 Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Awardee
Decarbonizing the Built Environment
- Ming Hu, 2020-21 Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Awardee
Discover additional stories about our grantees and alumni by visiting our blog or YouTube channel. Please feel free to reach out to 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.
Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Award program is part of the global Fulbright program operating in over 160 countries worldwide.
Questions?
Emmi Jelekäinen
Program Manager, Scholar Programs (part-time)
+358 44 5535 275
