Spring Call of the Foundations’ Post Doc Pool

Funding from the Post Doc Pool is available to recently graduated doctoral researchers who are leaving Finland to work abroad. In the spring 2026 call, a total of 1.6 million euros will be awarded.

The Finnish Foundations’ Post Doc Pool is a grant programme established by member foundations of the Association of Finnish Foundations. The pool promotes the internationalisation of Finnish research by providing funding from a single source for young researchers’ work abroad. Funding can be applied for an international research period lasting 6–24 months, and researchers from all fields of science are eligible to apply.

The spring 2026 call of the Foundations’ Post Doc Pool is open from 1–31 January 2026.

The grants awarded are intended for recently graduated doctoral researchers who are leaving Finland to work abroad for at least one academic year. For justified reasons, shorter international research periods of at least 6 months may also be supported, and supplementary funding may be granted.

Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation was involved in establishing the pool and is participating in the programme’s sixth three-year period (2025–2027) together with 12 other foundations.

Who can apply and for what?

• The applicants’ doctoral degree was completed no more than four years previously (but parental leave, compulsory military service, illness, or doctors’ specializing will be excluded when calculating the four-year period).
• Doctoral candidates, who have not yet publicly defended their doctoral thesis but have received permission to do so, may also apply for a grant. In such cases pre-examiners’ statements on the thesis must be enclosed with the application. The grant will not be paid out until after the doctoral degree is completed.
• The working grant is intended to cover living costs. In case the applicant receives a full salary, they cannot apply for a working grant. In case the applicant receives a partial salary, they can apply for a partial working grant.
• In addition, the Pool’s grant may cover all expenses for conducting research abroad, including travel and moving costs and schooling expenses and insurance. The total sum of the grant awarded is based on the applicant’s own cost estimate.
• Grants will not be awarded for costs already incurred or to compensate for income loss. Grants are not awarded for hiring a research assistant.

Info session on on 15 January

On 15 January 2026 from 9:00 to 10:00 (EET), the Post Doc Pool coordinator Mikko-Olavi Seppälä will present the pool’s grants, the application process, and answer applicants’ questions in an online session. The event will be held in English.

No advance registration is required; see more info and the link to Zoom here:
https://postdocpooli.fi/en/