On 3rd December 2025 the Säätiöiden post doc -pooli foundations awarded some 1.39 million
euro to 26 post-doctoral scholars. Altogether 165 post-doctoral scholars from around Finland
took part in the autumn application round. The number of applicants increased by 10 % from
the previous year. A grant could be awarded to 16 % of the applicants.
Each year, the foundations involved in the Pool allocate altogether 3.2 million euro to postdoctoral scholars. The research periods abroad vary from 6 months up to 24 months. The Pool’s
next application round will take place from 1 January until 31 January 2026, when some 1.6
million euro will be given in grants. The results of this round will be published by April 2026.
The Finnish Foundations’ Post Doc Pool was founded in 2009 to support researchers and
Finnish research in becoming more international. During this time, the Pool’s foundations have
granted over 40 million euros to post-doctoral researchers heading abroad from Finland. After
32 application rounds, already some 840 scholars have received funding through the Pool. Over
one third of the grants have been awarded for two-year periods.
Säätiöiden post doc -pooli has proven to be an important instrument of research funding which
has enabled young scholars with families to finance research periods at top universities abroad.
The grants awarded by the Pool are determined flexibly in accordance with the applicant’s
needs and they often include their family’s moving expenses and children’s day care or school
fees.
During the current three-year-period 2025-2027 there are thirteen foundations involved in the
pool. They are Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation, Emil Aaltonen’s Foundation, Alfred
Kordelin Foundation, the Foundation for Economic Education, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg
Foundation, Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Finnish
Medical Foundation, Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, the Society of Swedish
Literature in Finland, Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion, Jenny and Antti Wihuri
Foundation and the Ulla Tuominen’s Foundation.
