Our Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme gives registered doctoral students the opportunity to utilize the resources and facilities at UNU-WIDER for their PhD dissertation or thesis research on developing economies, and to work with our researchers in areas of mutual interest.
Visiting PhD fellows typically spend three consecutive months at UNU-WIDER before returning to their home institution. During their time in Helsinki, fellows prepare one or more research papers and present a seminar on their research findings. They may also have the opportunity to publish their research in the WIDER Working Paper Series.
Financial assistance
UNU-WIDER provides a travel grant to cover the costs of travel to and from the location of your PhD granting institution or country of residence, medical insurance (for medical and hospital services resulting from sickness and accident during your stay at UNU-WIDER), and a monthly stipend of EUR 2,050 to cover living expenses in Helsinki during the period of their fellowship. The programme does not provide services or cover expenses related to dependents. Note that the monthly stipend mentioned below only applies to the period of stays in Helsinki, not online.
Application procedure
UNU-WIDER only receives online applications for the Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme twice each year. Deadlines for submission of applications are 31 March and 30 September 23:59 UTC+3 each year. When the application period is active, a link to the applications will be available on our opportunities page. When applying in September, you would be visiting UNU-WIDER for three months in the period of March-June of the following year and when applying in March, you would be visiting UNU-WIDER for three months during September-November of the same year.
Please note that the link to the online application form will only become active one month prior to the submission deadline (e.g., application procedures start on 1 March and 1 September of each year).
Selected applicants will be informed by email of the final decision within four weeks of the closing deadline. The selected applicants must confirm their decision to take up UNU-WIDER's offer two weeks after being contacted.
If you are interested in participating in this programme you should complete and submit the application form. For tips on writing the proposal see the Q&A page.
As part of your application, you will be asked to upload your curriculum vitae. Your PhD supervisor will need to provide UNU-WIDER with a letter of reference, which should be emailed (by your supervisor) to the following address: phdreference@wider.unu.edu. The reference letter will also be used to certify that you are enrolled in a PhD programme at your university.
Please note we do not receive applications by email or post.
Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD programme and have shown ability to conduct research on developing economies. Candidates working in other social sciences may apply but should keep in mind that UNU-WIDER is an economics-focused institute. Candidates should be fluent in oral and written English and possess good quantitative and/or qualitative analytical skills. Applications from suitably qualified early-career, female, and developing country researchers are particularly encouraged. The programme is especially addressed at researchers at later stages of their PhD.
The Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme is highly competitive and only a limited number of fellows can be accepted. In recent years, one percent of all applications have been successful.
Eligible Countries:
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: UNU-WIDER
Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit
Address: Katajanokanlaituri 6 B, FI-00160 Helsinki, Finland Tel: +358(0)9 6159911 Fax: +358(0)9 61599333 Mail: wider@wider.unu.edu
Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.
Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.
Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.
Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.
Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.
Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.
Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.
Sep 30, 2025
$2,316
Affiliation: UNU-WIDER
Address: Katajanokanlaituri 6 B, FI-00160 Helsinki, Finland Tel: +358(0)9 6159911 Fax: +358(0)9 61599333 Mail: wider@wider.unu.edu
Disclaimer:It is mandatory that all applicants carry workplace liability insurance, e.g., https://www.protrip-world-liability.com (Erasmus students use this package and typically costs around 5 € per month - please check) in addition to health insurance when you join any of the onsite Trialect partnered fellowships.