University of Eastern Finland PhD Positions 2027 | Fully funded PhD in Finland

The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) Doctoral Researcher positions for 2027 offer paid, fixed-term doctoral research jobs for early-career researchers in the Doctoral Programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies.

Six positions are available, one in each department or school of the faculty. The positions are located in either Kuopio or Joensuu and will start on 1 January 2027 or, as agreed, no later than 1 April 2027.

These are salaried positions rather than a small grant. Doctoral researchers carry out their own doctoral research according to an approved research proposal, with the aim of completing the doctoral degree in three years of full-time work.

University of Eastern Finland PhD Positions 2027 Overview

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies trains experts in several fields, and its research is multidisciplinary, theoretically and methodologically diverse, and closely linked to the university’s strategy. The faculty operates on two campuses, Joensuu and Kuopio.

Duties and Contract Details

• Conduct doctoral research in accordance with your approved research proposal.
• The position may be applied for on a full-time or part-time basis.
• Part-time positions must be co-financed from another source, such as an external grant, so that total funding allows full-time work on the dissertation.
• Positions are always fixed-term, for at least one and at most three years.
• Previous employment as a doctoral researcher and any other previous funding used for doctoral research are taken into account in granting the position and its duration.
• A trial period applies to new members of staff.

University of Eastern Finland PhD Positions 2027 Eligibility Criteria

Applicants are expected to meet all of the following requirements.

General Eligibility

• Be eligible for doctoral education: hold a relevant master’s degree or suitable foreign education that qualifies for equivalent university studies in the awarding country.
• Meet the student admission criteria for the Doctoral Programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies.
• Be planning or working on your first doctoral degree.
• Have been granted the right to pursue postgraduate studies at the faculty after 1 January 2025, or be planning to apply for that right and complete your doctoral degree at this faculty.

Language Requirements

Applications must be in Finnish or English. Applicants must show Finnish or English proficiency through certificates or diplomas if this is not already indicated in their degree certificates. Check the program’s eligibility and admission criteria page for the detailed language requirements.

UEF Doctoral Researcher Salary and Benefits

The salary and benefits at University of Eastern Finland PhD Positions 2027 opportunity follows the salary system for the teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. It consists of a job-related element and a personal element.

• Job-related salary element: Based on levels 2–4 of the job requirement level chart (EUR 2,331.67–2,907.24 per month), depending on the stage of your doctoral research and postgraduate studies.
• Personal salary element: An additional 6–50% of the job-related salary element.
• Work environment: An international, creative, participatory, and inclusive university community.
• Flexibility: The opportunity for flexible multi-location work.
• Staff benefits: Comprehensive occupational health care, extensive staff training, affordable lunch in campus restaurants, and Sykettä sports services.

Required Documents for UEF Doctoral Researcher Positions

All appendices must be submitted in PDF format in Finnish or English. If your certificate, diploma, or transcript is not in Finnish, Swedish, or English, include official translations into one of these languages.

General Documents

• CV, using the researcher template from the TENK website.
• List your publications, specifying which ones are included in your doctoral dissertation (if not included in the CV). The Research Council of Finland format can be used.
• Certificates or diplomas showing Finnish or English proficiency, if not indicated in your degree certificates.

Research Proposal

• A research funding plan describing the resources required and already available for the research.
• A brief description of the relevance and impact of the research in the field.
• A brief description of the applicant’s international orientation.
• The research plan must follow the instructions of the doctoral program.

If You Do Not Yet Have a UEF Doctoral Study Right

• A copy of your degree certificate and a transcript of academic records proving your eligibility for postgraduate studies.
• Written consent from a supervisor who is a member of the faculty staff, at least at docent level, to supervise your dissertation. You must agree on supervision with the supervisor before applying.

Departments and Schools Offering Positions

One doctoral researcher post will be filled in each of the following units. On the application form you must state which position you are applying for.

How to Apply for University of Eastern Finland PhD Positions 2027

Applications are submitted through the university’s electronic application form. The application can be edited and supplemented during the application period. Follow these steps carefully.

How Applications Are Evaluated

Each department evaluates applications using uniform criteria, taking into account:

• The research plan.
• The significance and impact of the research topic and its link to the research priorities of the department or school.
• The applicant’s international orientation.
• For applicants already registered as doctoral researchers at the faculty, the progress of their doctoral research and postgraduate studies will also be considered.

UEF Doctoral Researcher Positions 2027 Deadline

The application period is short, so candidates should prepare their research proposal and supervisor agreement without delay.

Because the deadline is in Finnish time, applicants in other time zones should submit well before midnight to avoid last-minute technical problems.

Important Instructions Before Applying

• Use only the official University of Eastern Finland application form.
• Submit all appendices in PDF format, in Finnish or English.
• Include official translations if your documents are not in Finnish, Swedish, or English.
• Follow the doctoral program’s instructions for writing the research plan.
• Include a realistic research funding plan, especially if you apply for a part-time position.
• Part-time applicants must have other funding so that total funding allows full-time dissertation work.
• Agree on supervision before applying if you do not yet have a study right.
• Remember that the position is only for your first doctoral degree.
• Do not pay agents who promise guaranteed selection.

Official Websites and Contacts

Use the following official resources to verify the requirements for the UEF Doctoral Researcher positions in 2027 and review the program’s admission criteria.