The Fulbright-University of Helsinki Graduate Award is a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award offered by the Fulbright Finland Foundation with the University of Helsinki.
It sends one American graduate to Helsinki to complete a full degree in one of the university’s English-taught international master’s programmes.
Benefits & funding
- EUR 1,000 a month for 9 months, plus a US$1,600 travel award
- Full tuition scholarship from the University of Helsinki (EUR 13,000–18,000 depending on the programme); both years covered if academic progress is satisfactory
- Residence permit allowance, including for accompanying family
- Accident and sickness benefits; a subsidized Finnish language and culture summer school
Eligibility
- US citizens or nationals at the deadline; permanent residents are not eligible; dual US–Finnish citizens may apply
- At least a bachelor’s degree before the grant starts (graduating seniors may apply)
- Not eligible: PhD holders, or anyone who lived abroad five or more of the six years before the deadline
- Not eligible: residence in Finland (4 months or more) in the year before the grant
- No Finnish or Swedish needed
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“Applicants who currently hold or will hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) by the national application deadline. … Anyone who has resided abroad for five or more years in the six-year period preceding the national application deadline. … Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
USA
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Bachelor
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Application process
- 1Submit the Fulbright online application, choosing this award, with three recommendations by 6 October 2026; applicants through a US institution usually face a campus deadline 4–6 weeks earlier.
- 2Apply separately to the University of Helsinki for master’s admission (application period usually opens in December); an acceptance letter is required before the grant starts.
Program timeline
6 October 2026
Fulbright deadline (2027–28 cycle)
University of Helsinki admission period usually opens
December 2026
recommended / not recommended notice
End of January 2027
final selections, on a rolling basis
Spring 2027
Late August 2027
compulsory arrival orientation; grant term begins in early September