The application period for City of Helsinki Research Grants for the year 2026 is now open. A total of EUR 73,000 in research grants is available, intended for post-graduate students who already hold a master’s degree or the equivalent and are working on a doctoral or licentiate thesis. Junior post doc researchers (people who have received their doctorate within the last five years) are also encouraged to apply.

The criteria for awarding the grant are the scientific quality of the research plan, its feasibility and the significance of the research topic for the City of Helsinki.

The City of Helsinki awards grants for research on:

• issues related to urbanisation and its effects,
• issues related to Helsinki’s economy, vitality and/or business conditions,
• organisation and evaluation of services produced or ordered by the City of Helsinki,
• Helsinki’s living environment, wellbeing, history, everyday life, and urban culture,
• issues related to Helsinki’s internationalisation, and/or
• Helsinki’s crisis resilience and preparedness for significant exterior changes.

Applications must include a research plan, CV and, if applicable, references. The City of Helsinki will not consider incomplete applications after the submission deadline. The submission deadline is 23 March 2026 at 23:59.

The application form is available here.