University-funded doctoral researcher positions

By selecting a degree programme you are able to see the general content as well as the possible degree programme-specific content. You do not have to select a degree programme to see the Open University's instructions.

Once a year, the University of Helsinki Doctoral School (UHDS) opens a call for applications for university-funded doctoral researcher positions. Here you can find the general and doctoral programme-specific application instructions.

Note: in order to see doctoral programme-specific instructions, please select a doctoral programme from the Select degree programme -dropdown menu above. The doctoral programmes can be found after Bachelor- and Masters -programmes on the list. 

The general instructions for applicants are the same for all 33 doctoral programmes.

Before applying, please check the following:

  • You have contacted a possible supervisor. It is important that you prepare the application with your supervisor.
  • You have read all the instructions, both general and programme-specific.
  • You are eligible to apply for the position.
  • The language you can submit your application

Note that this call is only for a funded positions. You must apply for a study right at University of Helsinki on a separate call. You can read more about applying for a study right on the websites of the doctoral programmes.

General information
University of Helsinki Research Foundation call

General information

The University of Helsinki Doctoral School (UHDS) annually allocates funding to the doctoral programmes for doctoral researcher positions (employment contract). 

The next application period for doctoral researcher positions funded by the University of Helsinki Doctoral School will be open 26.8.-9.9.2025. 

The application form will be published on Open positions -website in August.

The university-funded doctoral researcher positions enable doctoral researchers to work on their degrees full-time with the goal of completing the doctoral degree in four years. The employment contract determines the exact duration of employment and the start and end dates of the contract. Information on the salary and further details concerning the employment relationship are available in the call for applications (available as soon as the call is open). The positions start at the earliest on 1 January the following year.   

All employment contracts for the doctoral researchers recruited in this call will be placed within the faculties or independent institutes of the university. Any potential changes in the doctoral programme portfolio will not affect the evaluation of the applications or the placement of the positions.

The application together with the required attachments should be submitted via the electronic recruitment system of the University of Helsinki. 

Kindly note that it is possible to apply for only one university-funded doctoral researcher position in this call. Only the most recently dated application will be considered and reviewed if an applicant submits more than one application. 

The doctoral programme steering group makes a proposal on the applicants to be selected for doctoral researcher positions to the unit director responsible for recruitment to the unit where the doctoral researcher in question would be employed. The director of the unit in question makes the decision on the employment.

Check the program-specific application instructions for the language in which you can submit your application.

Applications must be prepared in accordance with the instructions below.

The the list of awarded university-funded doctoral researcher positions will be published on the Doctoral School's website.

University of Helsinki Research Foundation call

University of Helsinki Research Foundation is opening applications for 10 funded doctoral research positions in 2025. The Foundation's application is carried out in cooperation with the University of Helsinki Doctoral School. Applicants do not need to submit a separate application for the Foundation's application. Doctoral programmes select those applications from the applications they receive, which are forwarded for evaluation by the Foundation. 

Application process 

Each University of Helsinki's doctoral programme selects 1-2 applications from the applications they receive, which are forwarded for evaluation by the Foundation. A committee consisting of professors on the Foundation's Board evaluates all applications. The committee makes proposals to the Foundation's Board, which makes the final decision on the selected applicants at the end of November. 

The Foundation will separately inform applicants who have been selected for evaluation by the Foundation 

The evaluation process

 Evaluation criteria The Finnish Science Foundation's call for applications emphasizes the following: 

  • Scientific excellence
  • Multidisciplinary nature and societal impact of the applications
  • Ability to understand and describe the societal challenges and questions that the research seeks to address
  • The applicant must be in the early stages of their research career
  • The research plan must be feasible 

University of Helsinki Research Foundation generally awards four-year fundings.