Are you interested in studying in the United States in a master’s or doctoral program that supports the development of the Finnish technology industry, or doing a research visit during your doctoral studies?
Do you want to be part of a worldwide network that offers opportunities and opens doors for you to achieve your professional or academic goals that also develop your own field?
Do you have the will to become a positive creator of change?
The application round for the academic year 2025-26 is now closed. The next application cycle will open in February 2025 for the academic year 2026-27.
The Purpose of This Program
The purpose of the grant is to enable awardees to carry out studies or research projects at U.S. universities or research institutions and at the same time act as ambassadors for the Fulbright program, Finland, and their home institutions, and to share their culture and contribute to the relations between Finland and the U.S.
The Fulbright-Technology Industries of Finland Grants program supports master's and doctoral-level studies and research conducted in different fields of technology (electronics and electrical technology, machinery and metal technology, metallurgical industry, information technology, planning, and consulting) in the United States, in a university chosen by the applicant. Students of natural sciences, economics, and applicably the students of social sciences, humanities, and design can apply for the grant program as well. The most important thing is the significance of the topic for the renewal and future competition of technological fields. In exceptional cases, the organization hosting the grant recipient can also be a research center or another suitable organization.
You can apply for the grant program if you are aiming to complete a degree in the United States, or if you are planning fixed-term studies in the U.S., lasting for one academic year (such as exchange studies or continuing training e.g. in a graduate certificate program). The grant program also supports research visits to the U.S. during the doctoral study phase as a visiting student researcher.
The aim of the grant program is to strengthen Finnish excellence and to promote the renewal of industry and commerce with a long-term goal in mind. In particular, this program aims to develop multisectoral know-how, the ability to apply top-level, need-based technology in different areas, as well as international collaboration.
The Fulbright program was founded to promote cross-border understanding with the help of educational and scientific collaboration. In Finland, the Fulbright Finland Foundation offers grant programs for applicants who have the potential to shape the future and be the driving force of change in different sectors of society or in academia. It is for those who, with their own work, want to advance the development of their discipline or profession and find solutions to the central challenges of their field. Read more about the background of the program.
Jouni Peppanen, a 2011-2012 Fulbright-Technology Industries of Finland grantee working at the Electric Power Research Institute completed his doctoral degree in Power Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
In this program, you receive personalized help in finding suitable universities and funding for your study expenses. Learn about the university Placement Service from Fulbright Online.
Program Benefits
We provide you with a wide range of support services to prepare you for your upcoming journey:
Placement Service:You will receive help in locating suitable universities with funding opportunities out of the about 1 000 higher education institutions providing graduate-level education in the U.S. You will also be guided in the U.S. university application process and provided waivers for U.S. university application fees and TOEFL and GRE test vouchers. This free-of-charge service is provided by the Foundation’s U.S. program partner. Read more about the Placement Service on Fulbright Online.
Personal advising and guidance services: Supporting you, for example, in a variety of matters related to moving to the U.S., before and during the grant term.
Orientation training: Extensive orientation training to U.S. culture, the higher education system, and details for the upcoming Fulbright period, including online materials, virtual meetings, and an orientation day in Helsinki.
Networking opportunities:Enabling you to build connections professionally and internationally in Finland and the U.S. As a Fulbright grantee, you are provided an opportunity to participate in the Fulbright enrichment activities (seminars, events, and workshops) allowing you to connect with fellow grantees and American community members. In addition, you will be joining a global network of 400 000+ alumni as well as the Fulbright Finland alumni community.
Free visa: J-1 visa for you, and J-2 visa for family members who travel with you.
Grant: A maximum of USD 50 000 to cover one academic year.
The benefits of joining a Fulbright program go beyond the grant term. Read the full list of benefits.
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. Email the Foundation ([email protected]) by the grant application deadline your self-assessment with a description of the disability and the specific accommodations requested.
Please note that disclosing the need for disability accommodation does not affect the review and selection process.
Watch our online Applicant Event recording to learn more about opportunities to study in the U.S. You can also look through the slides from the event.
Application Requirements
Ambassadorial Requirements
Cultural ambassador of Finland: You are motivated to learn about other cultures and share your own. The grantees contribute to the enhancement of Finland-U.S. relations by acting as Ambassadors of their home country and institution and promoting cultural understanding.
Representing a Fulbright Finland Foundation grant program: You can seek additional funding but you are primarily a representative of the Fulbright Finland Foundation grant program you are selected for.
Motivated to learn and share: You are motivated to develop your field of specialization and share your knowledge and learning during and after the grant term. After the grant term, you are interested in engaging as an alum of the Foundation.
Academic Requirements
A bachelor’s or master’s degree: You have completed your degree in a university or university of applied sciences by the end of the application period.
If, for administrative reasons, you have not obtained the degree certificate but have completed all courses and the thesis required for your degree by the last day of the grant application period, you are eligible to apply for the grant program. Please include an informal certificate provided by your institution as proof of completed degree requirements. This certificate needs to state when you will obtain the official degree certificate. Once you receive your official certificate, please email a copy of it to us immediately.
Start of studies: Your full-time studies/research visit in the U.S. begins in the fall of 2025.
One-year duration: Your degree lasts for atleast one academic year/research visit for 9-12 months.
Willingness to apply to multiple universities: At the time of applying, you do not have to have a place of study in the U.S., or an invitation from the host organization. Yet, you are prepared to apply to several universities you would like to study at. Your university list needs to be balanced and include a backup plan. You will receive help from us in creating a balanced university list.
For your research visit, it is possible to have two different host organizations consecutively.
For visiting student researchers and doctoral degree applicants,it is very important to establish initial contact with potential supervisors to learn about suitable opportunities before submitting the grant application.
Accredited institution: The U.S. universities you apply to must be accredited by a recognized accrediting agency or association as recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Check the institutions' accreditations from the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
In some cases, the visiting student researcher's host organization can be a research center or other suitable organization.
Different fields of technology are welcomed: Electronics and electrical technology, machinery and metal technology, metallurgical industry, information technology, planning, and consulting.Your studies or research during the Fulbright grant term is in, or close to your own field. Only studies or research including patient care or other patient contact are excluded.
Visa Requirements
J-1 Visa: You will travel to the U.S. with an exchange visitor visa (the J-1 visa) organized by the Fulbright program.
Finnish citizenship and residence:You must be a Finnish citizen. You cannot have Finnish-American dual citizenship or a permanent residence permit in the U.S.
The grant cannot be given to an applicant who already resides in the U.S. You have to start your studies in the U.S. with the ASLA-Fulbright grant.
Previous stay in the U.S. (for both applicant and family members): Due to the 12-month bar and 24-month bar regulations, if you and your family members have visited the U.S. with a J-1 or J-2 visa within the past 24 months, please contact the Fulbright Finland Foundation when writing your application.
Two-year home country residency requirement: A grantee cannot apply for a work permit or an immigration visa to the U.S. immediately after the end of their grant term. One has to reside in their home country/country of residence for two years after the grant period is over to get a work permit or an immigration visa to the U.S. (the country of residence is considered to be the country where the grantee has resided permanently before leaving for the U.S.). However, regular tourist visits and, for example, studying in the U.S. is possible.Read more about this requirement on the U.S. Department of State webpage.
Application Instructions and Tips
Please note that it is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure all required items are submitted by the application deadline.
Application instructions: Please follow the application instructions while filling in the application.
Application checklist: This is a mandatory item to be submitted along with your application, please utilize the checklist to make sure you have attached all necessary documents to the application. Download the checklist.
The Selection Process
You can learn more about the process on the following pages:
Please note: The applications are evaluated according to the evaluation criteria set by the Fulbright Finland Foundation Board, and the interviews focus on the following attributes. The Foundation does not provide feedback on individual applications, their review process or on any single grant decision.
Instructions and Tips for Required Documents
The following tips and guidance will help you in preparing your application:
In this event, U.S. professors and alumni give you advice on selecting suitable U.S. universities and graduate programs or hosts for research visits as well as shed light on the U.S. university application process. You will also receive tips for applying to the Fulbright programs.
Application deadline
May 19, 2024
Interview invitations emailed to the selected applicants
Min. one week before the interviews
Interviews
August 13-14, 2024
Interviews are held predominantly online.
Final selection results published
Mid-September 2024
Taking the language and aptitude tests if needed (e.g. GRE, GMAT, TOEFL)
Immediately after the results are published or earlier
Depending on your status (degree student/visiting student researcher), your choices of universities, and the deadlines of those universities. Typically relevant for degree and non-degree students.
Orientation training
Late September 2024-May 2025
We provide self-study tools and online and in-person training sessions for you to prepare for your upcoming year. Please see the details below.
Fall orientation session and American Voices seminar in Turku
October 11-12, 2024
Planning for the Fulbright term and guidance on the next steps. Participation in the seminar and opportunity to network with current U.S. Fulbrighters in Finland. The Foundation will reimburse the travel and accommodation costs for grantees living outside Turku.
Pre-Departure Webinar
March/April 2025
Online training on the next steps for preparing for your stay in the U.S. and meeting with your program-specific cohort.
Pre-Departure Orientation Day and Award Ceremony in Helsinki
Mid-May, 2025
Training event for all the Foundation's grantees for the academic year 2025-26. The Foundation will reimburse grantees' travel costs.
The introductory orientation courses in the U.S.
August 2025
Opportunity to meet fellow Fulbright grantees from around the world and familiarize oneself with U.S. culture and higher education. The courses are voluntary (no accommodation costs are involved, and a travel grant will be awarded for travels within the U.S.).
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 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 Fulbright-Technology Industries of Finland Grant program is part of the global Fulbright program operating in over 160 countries worldwide.
