Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Award

Purpose of the Grant Program

The purpose of the Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Award is to enable scholars to carry out research projects in the U.S. and at the same time act as ambassadors for the Fulbright program, Finland, and their home institution, sharing their culture and contributing to the relations between Finland and the U.S.

The award can be applied for by doctoral students and young postdoctoral scholars in the fields of Business, Economics, and Technology.

The KAUTE Foundation's objective is to promote the sustainable renewal of Finnish business and society. Its particular goal is to strengthen scientific business and engineering research, with focus on emerging research areas such as cleantech, fintech, sustainable energy, e-health, e-learning, and AI. The Fulbright Finland Foundation is pleased to work with the KAUTE Foundation and support together the transatlantic mobility of Finnish researchers.

How to Apply?

The Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Awards are granted under the Fulbright Finland Foundation grant programs listed below. In other words, there are no separate application instructions for the Fulbright-KAUTE Award. Applications in the fields of Business, Economics, and Technology submitted to any of the four grant programs listed below are automatically considered for the Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Award.

The Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Awards are granted under the Fulbright Finland Foundation grant programs listed below. To apply for the Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Award, please read the grant details and follow the application instructions in the blue links.

For Doctoral level research/studies
Completing a full doctorate degree After first year, opportunity for a renewal grant.	Up to USD 50 000	9-12 months	Follow the application instructions on the ASLA-Fulbright Graduate Grant webpage. Now open for applications!
Research visit	Up to USD 50 000	9-12 months	Follow the application instructions on the ASLA-Fulbright Graduate Grant webpage. Now open for applications!
Research visit	Up to USD 50 000	4 -12 months	Follow the application instructions on the ASLA-Fulbright Pre-Doctoral Fellows webpage. Application round opens later in the spring 2025.

For Doctoral level research/studies

Completing a full doctorate degree

After first year, opportunity for a renewal grant.

Up to USD
50 000

9-12 months

Follow the application instructions on the ASLA-Fulbright Graduate Grant webpage.

Now open for applications!

Research visit

Up to USD
50 000

9-12 months

Follow the application instructions on the ASLA-Fulbright Graduate Grant webpage.

Now open for applications!

Research visit

Up to USD
50 000

4 -12 months

Follow the application instructions on the ASLA-Fulbright Pre-Doctoral Fellows webpage.

Application round opens later in the spring 2025.

For Postdoctoral Scholars
Research visit (completion of doctoral degree less than 4 years ago)	Up to USD 50 000	3-12 months	Follow the application instructions on the ASLA-Fulbright Research Grants for Junior Scholars webpage. Application round opens later in the spring 2025.

For Postdoctoral Scholars

Research visit
(completion of doctoral degree less than 4 years ago)

Up to USD
50 000

3-12 months

Follow the application instructions on the ASLA-Fulbright Research Grants for Junior Scholars webpage.

Application round opens later in the spring 2025.

Two photos of Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation awardees working in a lab — Jori Lemettinen (left) and Lauri Kivijärvi with a colleague (right)

Alumni Experiences

Take a look at the stories and quotes of previous Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Awardees.

Orientation Benefits to my American Identity (Fulbright Finland blog 2022)

Carita Eklund, 2022-23 grantee

"My Fulbright experience greatly exceeded my expectations! I connected with numerous people, got new research ideas, initiated new projects, and learned about the current research frontier and how things work more broadly at a top institution." Mikael Mäkimattila, Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Award 2023-24

"My Fulbright grant enabled me to perform cutting-edge research at two of the leading U.S. institutions for Fusion research, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the National Fusion Facility DIII–D. Additionally, my project established valuable collaboration with several other institutions, such as the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and the University of Washington. The academic, personal, and professional experience gained is invaluable, and cannot be attained by any other means than putting oneself outside one's comfort zone." Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Award grantee 2019-20

Grant Recipients

2025-26

Holmberg, Daniel
Machine Learning
Developing and applying graph machine learning (ML) techniques to complex scientific applications
University of Helsinki
University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
9 months, beginning September 2025

2024-25

Abdullai, Abdul-Rauf Larry
Technology and Sustainability
Collective Action Towards Responsibility and Sustainability of Digital Technologies
LUT University, Lappeenranta
University of Michigan, MI
12 months, beginning August 2024

Abu-Danso, Emmanuel
Environmental Technology
Fundamentals of Critical Metals Separation From Mine Wastewater by Geo-Inspired Materials
University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio
Ames National Laboratory, IA
6 months, beginning August 2024

2023-24

Mäkimattila, Mikael
Microeconomics
Microeconomics for Environmental Policy
Aalto University, Espoo
Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT, MA
9 months, beginning August 2023

2022-23

Ala-Luopa, Saara
Computing and Information Sciences
Algorithm in the Wild – The Impact of Machine Learning Algorithm in Real Estate
Tampere University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
6 months, beginning September 2022

Eklund, Carita
Innovation Economics and Innovation Management
Clever Young Firms – Gender and Entrepreneurship
Aarhus University, Denmark
University of Virginia, VA
6 months, beginning March 2022

Mikkonen, Tommi
Photonics
Sensitive Multi-Species Gas Detection With Photoacoustic Spectroscopy
Tampere University
Princeton University, NJ
6 months, beginning January 2022

2021-22

Harikkala-Laihinen, Riikka
International Business
Cosmopolitan Life, Identity and Work
University of Turku
Florida Atlantic University, FL
4 months, beginning January 2022

2019-20

Holm, Andreas
Fulbright Graduate Grant
Physics/Astronomy
Developing a Fluid Molecular Model and Evaluating the Impact of Fluid Molecules on Fusion Plasma Simulations Using UEDGE
Aalto University
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA
12 months, beginning July 2019

Koljonen, Tomi
Fulbright Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow
Business
Occupational Identity, Expertise, and Change: Finnish Teachers and the Digitalization of Education
Aalto University
Boston College, MA
6 months, beginning January 2020

Ojala, Lauri
Fulbright Graduate Grant
Economics
Completing a doctoral degree in Economics in the U.S.
London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Columbia University, NY
12 months, beginning August 2019

2018-19

Lemettinen, Jori
Fulbright Graduate Grant
Engineering and Technology
Expanding Knowledge in Emerging High Performance Electronics
Aalto University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA
12 months, beginning July 2018

2017-18

Kivijärvi, Lauri
Fulbright Graduate Grant
Chemistry
An Investigation of Electric and Photoluminescence Properties of Metallopolymers
University of Jyväskylä
Missouri State University, MO
11 months, beginning September 2017

Questions?