Fulbright-University of Turku Scholar Award

Purpose of the Grant Program

The Fulbright-University of Turku Scholar Award is meant for conducting research and/or lecturing in any field represented in the eight faculties and five independent units at the University of Turku.

Faculties at the University of Turku:

• Education
• Humanities
• Law
• Medicine
• Science
• Social Sciences
• Technology
• Turku School of Economics

In addition, research activities and learning take place at independent units such as the Turku Bioscience Centre and Turku PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Centre – both acknowledged worldwide for their quality research. Moreover, the Faculty of Social Sciences hosts the national John Morton Center for North American Studies.

In addition to the award that is open for all fields represented at the University of Turku, there is an additional grant available for INVEST Research Flagship in the academic year 2022-23. INVEST Research Flagship has research groups in Sociology, Psychology and Child Psychiatry. INVEST aims at providing a new model for the welfare states that is more equal, better targeted to problem groups, more anticipatory as well as economically and socially sustainable.

Starting date of position is August or January unless otherwise agreed upon with the Fulbright Finland Foundation. The academic year begins in September and ends in August. There is generally no teaching from June to August.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the host department, faculty, or research program to work together in designing the grant activities.

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

Benefits

The Fulbright-University of Turku Scholar Award is available for visits of 3–12 months. It includes:

• Monthly grant of 2,700 EUR  (approx. 3,200 USD*), paid out in euros 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 his/her accompanying family arranged and paid for by the host university.
• Work facilities and administrative support (including help and advice for relocation and orientation, Finnish for beginners courses, staff training, and sports services).
• Orientation and support services provided by the 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.

Eligibility

A candidate for The Fulbright-University of Turku Scholar Award must hold a Ph.D. degree (or other terminal degree) and should have several years’ teaching and research experience 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 Institute of International Education/Council for International Exchange of Scholars (IIE/CIES) 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 Turku

The University of Turku (UTU) is an international research university and an active academic community of nearly 24,000 students and employees from over 100 countries. As one of the leading universities in Finland, the University of Turku offers study and research opportunities in seven faculties and five independent units on three campuses in Turku, Pori, and Rauma; expertise ranging from humanities to natural sciences. The University’s aim and ambition is to provide students with innovative problem-solving skills and a high-standard, multidisciplinary education based on the latest high-quality research.

Research at UTU is profiled through the following thematic collaborations:

• Biodiversity and sustainability
• Future technologies and digital society
• Cultural memory and social change
• Children, young people, and learning
• Health, diagnostics, and drug development
• Sea and maritime studies

The Turku Campus of the University of Turku is located close to the city center and the Aura river and it is close to other higher education institutions, Turku Science Park companies, and the Turku University Hospital. The campus area extends from Turku Cathedral all the way to the Kupittaa railway station. All the important services for students, personnel, and visitors alike are found close to the campus. Getting around everywhere is handy either by walking, cycling, or by the Föli city buses.

The joint goal of the higher education institutions of Turku and the City of Turku is to be Finland's best city for students! Active student life, easy and well-functioning public transport, and affordable housing are Turku's great assets. As many as 99% of the city's students of higher education institutions recommend Turku as a student city to their friends. The University of Turku is the most international university in Finland (THE Rankings 2016). Thanks to the outstanding services, compact campus, and active academic community, international scholars and students feel at home from the very beginning of their stay.

The University of Turku is among the TOP 1% of universities worldwide (QS University World Ranking 2018). The University’s research is diverse and international. The aim is to apply an interdisciplinary approach to research in order to increase its quality and societal effectiveness. The University is part of the international academic community and also participates actively in the development of its region.

Located only 150 kilometers west of the capital city of Helsinki, Turku is well connected, including daily ferry and air connections to Stockholm, Sweden. Therefore, it serves as an excellent base for exploring Finland and the other Nordic countries. Turku itself also offers a variety of both cultural and sport activities and events as well as opportunities to relax on nature trails or by the seaside.

How to Apply?

The application period for the academic year 2022-23 closes on September 15, 2021.

The U.S. program partner in the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is the Institute of International Education/Council for International Exchange of Scholars (IIE/CIES). Applications are submitted through IIE/CIES 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 Fulbright Finland Foundation’s review committees. The Fulbright Finland Foundation makes the funding decisions and final selections of the grantees.

Additional information and detailed application instructions are available from the Fulbright Finland Foundation and IIE/CIES websites.

The 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: July and 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.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the host department, faculty, or research program to work together in designing the grant activities. Please contact the contact persons at the university in any general questions about the university or if you need assistance in locating a potential host at the university.

Useful links:

• Fulbright Grant Programs & Destination Finland
• University of Turku
• University of Turku Research
• City of Turku
• Visit Turku
• This is Finland

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 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 while contributing to the relations between Finland and the U.S.

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