Fulbright-University of Oulu Scholar Award

Purpose of the Grant Program

The Fulbright-University of Oulu Scholar will conduct research, or conduct research and teach, at any of the eight faculties, four focus institutes or regional units of the university:

• Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Humanities
• Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Technology
• Oulu Business School
• Biocentre Oulu
• Infotech
• Eudaimonia Institute
• Kvantum Institute
• Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory
• Kerttu Saalasti Institute

The award can be awarded for any field represented at the University of Oulu.

The Fulbright-University of Oulu Scholar Award is jointly funded by the University of Oulu and the Fulbright Finland Foundation.  

Benefits

The award is available for visits of 3–9 months. It includes:

• Monthly grant of 4,500 EUR (approx. 4,800 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 Foundation 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 to participate in a Fulbright Finland Foundation 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.

Eligibility

A candidate for the Fulbright–University of Oulu Scholar Award must hold a Ph.D. degree and have substantial 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.

University of Oulu

The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland and the most significant research and innovation hub in Northern Europe. The university takes on science with an Arctic attitude. It means perseverance, ingenuity, and cooperation. Their research benefits people living at all latitudes, but as one of the northernmost international science universities, they have a particular responsibility towards addressing the challenges and demanding conditions of the Arctic region.

The University of Oulu, founded in 1958, has 8 faculties, 13,800 students and 3,700 employees. The university has over 90 different nationalities in their multicultural campus community and an active network of education and research partnerships across the world. The university is delighted to welcome talented Fulbright scholars to the university to collaborate and create scientific and societal impact together. Their research strengths are built around five defined interdisciplinary focus areas that are directly linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and give the university a unique profile:

• Sustainable materials and systems
• Lifelong health
• Digitalization and smart society
• Changing climate and northern environment
• Understanding humans in change

The university is also home to the Academy of Finland funded 6G Flagship that promotes high-quality 6G research to create future know-how and sustainable solutions for society’s needs in the 2030s.

City of Oulu

The City of Oulu is the capital of northern Finland. The Oulu region is home to 250,000 people making it the largest urban center in northern Scandinavia and the fastest growing region in Finland. Oulu is internationally renowned as a high-tech city: a major center of competence and innovation in information and health technology. Oulu is a combination of beautiful, northern nature, vivid cultural life and a friendly, easy-going atmosphere. Oulu values education, research and innovation and welcomes everyone to contribute to these dynamics. The city has been awarded the title of European Capital of Culture 2026 by the European Union. Oulu has great transportation links, including an international airport, and can be reached easily and quickly from the rest of Finland and beyond.

You can find more information about the City of Oulu at https://visitoulu.fi/en/.

How to Apply?

The application period for 2024-25 is now open. Apply by September 15, 2023!

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:

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

Timeline

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.

University of Oulu encourages applicants to contact the university staff beforehand. Katja Nieminen is happy to help potential candidates to connect with the faculty members for discussion.    

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 Program 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-University of Oulu Scholar Award program is part of the global Fulbright program operating in over 160 countries worldwide.