Fulbright-Haaga-Helia Scholar Award

Purpose of the Grant Program

The Fulbright-Haaga-Helia Scholar Award is jointly funded by the Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and the Fulbright Finland Foundation.

Specializations

While this award is open to any of Haaga-Helia’s competence areas, there is a special interest in scholars who are focused on Haaga-Helia’s core research areas:

• Engaging vocational pedagogy
• Sales development and digitalization
• Service business development and design
• Entrepreneurship and business development

Visit the Haaga-Helia Research and Development website to learn more.

Benefits

The award is available for visits of 3–10 months. It includes:

• Monthly grant of 3,000 - 5,000 EUR (approx. 3,300 – 5,500 USD*) per month depending on the expertise of the grantee based on a three-grade scale:
  • For an instructor or an assistant professor with fewer than five years of professional experience outside of academia in a relevant field: 3,000 EUR (approx. 3,300 USD*)
  • For a candidate at the rank of at least an assistant professor and with professional experience outside of academia of at least five years in a relevant field: 4,100 EUR (approx. 4,500 USD*)
  • For a full professor with professional experience outside of academia, with at least 15 years of work experience in a relevant field: 5,000 EUR (approx. 5,500 USD*)
• 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-Haaga-Helia Scholar Award must hold a Ph.D. degree (or other terminal degree). Candidates must have sufficient experience in teaching. Preference is given to candidates with relevant professional experience and networks outside of academia. The candidate must be a U.S. citizen.

Interest and experience in Haaga-Helia’s core research (RD) areas would be appreciated.

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 this grant.

Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences

Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences has a staff of 750 professionals and 11,000 students of whom 10% are international students. Haaga-Helia offers Bachelor and Master programs in Finnish and in English.

Haaga-Helia operates in close cooperation with industry and has an extensive network of business partners. Haaga-Helia also promotes internationalization, and is a member of the Ulysseus European University Alliance.

Helsinki is a modern European capital located in Southern Finland. The Helsinki Metropolitan Area has a population of 1.2 million, and is the most developed region in Finland and the center of business life, education and culture.

Porvoo is a picturesque city located one-hour from Helsinki. It is renowned for its historic old town, gastronomy and features Haaga-Helia newest campus. Vierumäki is home to the Finnish Olympic training center and is located 1.5 hours northeast of Helsinki. The closest city to Vierumäki is Lahti. 

More information on Helsinki and the Helsinki Metropolitan area at My Helsinki

How to Apply?

The 2026-27 Fulbright U.S. Scholar competition is currently open for applications.

Apply by September 15, 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.

Please note that the letter of invitation from the host institution is required.

Resources for Hosts:

• Instructions for writing invitation letters and a checklist for a U.S. scholar's host

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 Haaga-Helia well ahead, preferably at least 4 months prior to the application deadline, of time to solicit an invitation letter for their application.

Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences encourages applicants to contact the university staff beforehand. Haaga-Helia International Services are happy to help potential candidates to connect with the faculty members for discussion.

Useful links:

• Fulbright Finland Outreach Ambassadors
• Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences
• More information on Helsinki and the Helsinki Metropolitan area

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-Haaga-Helia Scholar Award program is part of the global Fulbright program operating in over 160 countries worldwide.