Call for UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship 2026 is open now!!!
The Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme was previously known as the PhD Internship Programme. Their Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme gives registered doctoral students an opportunity to utilize the resources and facilities at UNU-WIDER for their PhD dissertation or thesis research on developing economies, and to work with our researchers in areas of mutual interest. Application form will become available on the 1st of March, 2026. The deadline for applications is 31 March 23:59 UTC+3.
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Their Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme gives registered doctoral students the opportunity to utilize the resources and facilities at UNU-WIDER for their PhD dissertation or thesis research on developing economies, and to work with our researchers in areas of mutual interest.
Visiting PhD fellows typically spend three consecutive months at UNU-WIDER before returning to their home institution. During the programme, fellows prepare one or more research papers and present a seminar on their research findings. They may also have the opportunity to publish their research in the WIDER Working Paper Series.
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While the programme is open to everyone who is enrolled in a PhD, they particularly encourage applications from female and developing country researchers. Candidates working in other social sciences than economics may apply for the Visiting PhD Fellowship programme, but should keep in mind that UNU-WIDER is an economics-focused institute.
Your research proposal has to contain the following sections:
- Title of your research
- General description of your proposed research (max. 500 words)
- Description of your main research questions or hypotheses (max. 300 words)
- Description of the methods or approaches you will use to answer your research questions (max. 500 words)
- Description of your main data and information sources (max. 300 words)
- Explanation on how the proposed research relates to your PhD thesis or dissertation (max 200 words)
- Explanation on how the Visiting Fellowship at UNU-WIDER could contribute to your research (max. 200 words)
Important Notes:
- The fellowship does not cover dependents (family members or companions).
- The stipend is not a salary but support for living costs.
- No funding is provided for online or remote participation — only for the in-person stay in Helsinki.
Location:
FinlandBenefits
This fellowship provides-
- Travel Grant: Covers round-trip travel between Helsinki and your PhD institution or country of residence.
- Medical Insurance: Provided for medical and hospital services resulting from sickness or accidents during your stay.
- Monthly Stipend: EUR 2,070 per month to cover living expenses in Helsinki during the 3-month fellowship.
- Duration of Support: Funding applies only during the residency in Helsinki (September–November 2026 for the March round).
- Academic support: it strengthens your PhD research with access to UNU-WIDER’s resources and expert mentorship, gives you opportunities to present your work in seminars for feedback, and helps you build an international academic network while making your dissertation more relevant to real-world development challenges.
- Professional Benefit: It gives you international exposure in a leading research institute, helps you build networks with economists and policymakers worldwide, and strengthens your career prospects through policy-relevant research experience.
Eligibilities
An applicant must meet the following requirement for the UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship:
- Must be enrolled in a PhD programme at an accredited university.
- Research interests should be relevant to international development (topics like inequality, poverty, governance, climate change, etc.).
- Must be at a stage in your PhD where you can benefit from a 3-month residency (September–November 2026) in Helsinki, Finland.
- Ability to work in English (all applications and research outputs are in English).
- Commitment to reside in Helsinki for the full fellowship period.
- Willingness to engage with UNU-WIDER researchers and contribute to the institute’s work.
- A research proposal that connects your PhD thesis to UNU-WIDER’s focus areas.
- A reference letter from your PhD supervisor confirming your enrolment and supporting your application.
Eligible Regions: Open for All.
Application Process
- Submission Method: Applicants must apply online only via UNU-WIDER’s opportunities page. The application link becomes active one month before the deadline. Applications by email or post are not accepted.
- Required Materials:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) must be in PDF format (max 1 MB)
- Research Proposal must be in PDF format (max 1 MB)
- Title, description, methods, data sources
- Connection to the applicant’s PhD thesis
- Explanation of how the fellowship will contribute to the applicant’s research
- Supervisor’s Reference Letter must be sent directly by the supervisor to [email protected]. Confirms PhD enrolment and supports the application.
- Selection: Applications are reviewed based on quality and relevance of the research proposal, fit with UNU-WIDER’s research themes (inequality, poverty, governance, climate change, etc.) and academic potential and stage of PhD research.
- Notification: Selected applicants are informed by email about one month after the deadline.
- Confirmation: Selected fellows must confirm acceptance within two weeks of being contacted.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2026 (20 Days Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
