JYU Visiting Fellow Programme 2026

The University of Jyväskylä (JYU), Finland, invites applications for the JYU Visiting Fellow Programme 2026. The programme supports researchers with a doctoral degree, who are from outside Finland, to visit JYU for one (30 calendar days) to three months (90 calendar days) in 2026. The visiting period may start earliest in January 2026 and should end latest on 31 December 2026. The Visiting Fellow grant must be used during the year 2026 and it cannot be postponed to subsequent years. JYU Visiting Fellow grants will not be awarded for virtual visits.

The aim of the JYU Visiting Fellow Programme is to support high-quality research, strengthen University’s global engagement and strategic collaboration with international partners. The main emphasis of the programme is in research collaboration, but the Visiting Fellows may also participate in some educational activities at JYU.

Who can apply

The JYU Visiting Fellow Programme is intended for researchers with a doctoral degree awarded before the start of the visit, who are based outside Finland and will be hosted by one or more researchers in one or more faculties, departments or independent institutes at JYU. The applicant should have an excellent track record in conducting and publishing scientific research and establishing international networks, and be able to work fluently in English.

The applicant is expected to contact a potential host at one of the units of JYU before submitting the application for both to commit to collaboration and define joint research themes. A Visiting Fellow may be invited by a researcher with a permanent or a fixed-term contract as well as a grant researcher who works at JYU during the whole stay of the Visiting Fellow. A JYU researcher cannot invite or host more than one Visiting Fellow in 2026.

An invitation letter from the JYU host is required for the application. Without this, the application will not be considered. Both the applicant and the host must be committed to the schedule and objectives of the planned visit and shall inform the host unit of the visit and its schedule. By committing to hosting the Visiting Fellow, the JYU host also commits to preparing a brief report of the outcomes and impact of the visit together with the Visiting Fellow. The report is to be sent to the Research Council within 3 months after the end of the visit.

The collaboration may be, for example

• Research in the context of a joint project, including the preparation of research articles and papers
• Research conducted at a laboratory, in the field or utilizing research data or other infrastructure of the host at JYU
• Preparation of future research plans and funding applications

What the JYU Visiting Fellow Programme offers

The funding is paid as a grant, not as a salary. Therefore, the Visiting Fellows will not be employed by the University of Jyväskylä.

A Visiting Fellow is paid a grant for a period of one (30 calendar days) to three months (90 calendar days) in 2026. If necessary, the visit may be split into two periods. The amount of the grant depends on the career stage of the Visiting Fellow:

• 3.000 euros/month for Postdoctoral Researchers
• 4.500 euros/month for Associate Professors (or equivalent)
• 5.500 euros/month for Professors (or equivalent)

The grant is intended to cover costs related to the visit at JYU such as travel expenses to and from Jyväskylä and accommodation expenses in the University’s guest apartments or in a flat from the open housing market. Thus, travel and accommodation costs are not reimbursed separately. We kindly ask the Visiting Fellows to make travel and accommodation arrangements by themselves.

We plan to organise a seminar for Visiting Fellows to introduce their research conducted during the visit to the university community at some time during the year. As the visit may not coincidence with this seminar, we encourage the hosts and their Visiting Fellows to explore other opportunities to present their research at JYU.

Visiting Fellows will be part of our international and multidisciplinary university community focusing on high-level teaching, learning, research, and innovation. JYU has a lively academic community, consisting of over 1 600 researchers, and a versatile research infrastructure. To find more information about JYU, the City of Jyväskylä and living in Finland, please see our research website and the Handbook for International Staff and Visitors.

How to apply

Before applying, contact directly a JYU researcher, who will act as a host during your stay at JYU. Please note that we do not facilitate finding a suitable host. To apply, please fill in the online application form and submit it along with the attachments by 15 September 2025 at 23.59 (Finnish time).

Obligatory attachments

• Curriculum Vitae, including personal ORCID id and affiliation information (home organisation, country), composed according to good scientific practice and, where possible, considering the template for researcher´s curriculum vitae by the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity. Name the attachment file as follows: yoursurname_cv.pdf.
• Free-form invitation letter from your JYU host, which should include the following information: the name, title and home organisation (organisation, country) of the person invited, the JYU host’s name and unit, planned dates and objectives of the visit as well as commitment for hosting. The invitation letter may be an e-mail exchange or written on the template available on the Programme website. Name the attachment file as follows: yoursurname_LOI.pdf.
• Brief research plan (2 to 3 pages) clarifying the objectives of the visit, including a description of the potential benefits to the host unit. If an applicant has received a JYU Visiting Fellowship in a previous call, she/he should describe the added significance of the new research visit and its possible connection to the completed visit or the differences between the visits. Name the attachment file as follows: yoursurname_researchplan.pdf.
• List of publications indicating up to the 5 most relevant publications for the research plan. Name the attachment file as follows: yoursurname_publ.pdf.

Selection process and selection criteria

The Research Council of JYU evaluates the applications. The Vice-Rector responsible for research makes the funding decision taking into account the views of the Research Council and the resources available. Decision-making follows the principles of responsible assessment of research and researchers (see for more information).

Applications will be evaluated based on the following selection criteria:

• Scientific quality and feasibility of the research plan and its connection to the research interests of the host unit.
• Priority will be given to applications from applicants who have not previously been awarded a JYU visiting grant.
• If an applicant has previously been awarded a JYU visiting grant, the added significance of the new research visit and its possible connection to the completed visit or the differences between the visits must be clear.
• Applicant’s merits
• Potential benefits of the research visit and the impact of the research outputs for the host unit and in general.

Special terms

Applications from researchers already conducting research at JYU will not be considered.

JYU is obligated to comply with sanction and export control legislation.

Visiting Fellows are committed to follow the ethical principles and other principles of JYU.

JYU reserves the right to cancel the grant if the Visiting Fellow is found to have committed a violation of the JYUs Code of Conduct or other principles.

Funding decisions

The decisions of the Visiting Fellow Programme will be announced by the end of October 2025. Applicants will receive an email notification after the funding decision has been made.

Reporting

The University of Jyväskylä will request a report on the results and impact of the research conducted during the visit. The JYU host must submit the report to the Research Council within 3 months of the end of the visit.

More information

Programme website

Senior Specialist Anne Lyytinen, research-council@jyu.fi, Tel. +358 40 805 3906

Senior Specialist Timo Taskinen, research-council@jyu.fi, Tel. +358 400 648 504