Introduction
The Foundations’ Post Doc Pool, known in Finnish as Säätiöiden post doc -pooli, is a collaborative funding initiative that supports recently qualified postdoctoral researchers travelling from Finland to conduct research at universities and research institutions abroad.
History and Background
The Foundations’ Post Doc Pool was established in 2009 and initially operated as a three-year pilot covering 2010–2012. Eight Finnish foundations created the initiative and allocated a combined €2.5 million annually to support international postdoctoral research.
The founding members were the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Helsingin Sanomat Foundation, Kone Foundation, Alfred Kordelin Foundation, Finnish Cultural Foundation, Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion, and Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation.
Following its initial trial period, the Post Doc Pool continued through successive three-year funding periods. Its participating foundations and annual financial commitments have evolved, but its central purpose of supporting international researcher mobility has remained consistent.
Mission and Purpose
The Post Doc Pool aims to increase the internationalization of Finnish research by enabling early-career scholars to undertake substantial research periods outside Finland.
Its principal focus is providing flexible and comprehensive funding through a single application system. This approach enables researchers to concentrate on their projects without having to seek separate grants for living expenses, travel, relocation, insurance, research costs, and eligible family-related expenditure.
The program also seeks to strengthen researchers’ international experience, professional networks, institutional connections, and academic expertise. Knowledge and relationships developed abroad can subsequently contribute to research and higher education in Finland.
Governance and Structure
The Foundations’ Post Doc Pool is a cooperative funding mechanism rather than a separate traditional foundation. All participating organizations are members of the Association of Finnish Foundations.
A board comprising representatives appointed by each participating foundation manages the Pool. The central administration coordinates the application process, arranges academic expert reviews, and completes the preparatory work required for funding decisions.
The participating foundations make the final grant decisions. Recipients report on the use of their funding to the foundation that formally awarded their grant rather than to the Pool itself.
For the 2025–2027 period, the Pool consists of the Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation, Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Alfred Kordelin Foundation, Foundation for Economic Education, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, Finnish Academy for Science and Letters, Finnish Cultural Foundation, Finnish Medical Foundation, Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, and Ulla Tuominen Foundation.
Funding and Grants
The participating foundations have committed a combined €3.2 million annually to the Post Doc Pool for the 2025–2027 period. Approximately 60 to 70 postdoctoral research grants are expected to be awarded each year.
Grants primarily support research periods abroad lasting at least one academic year. Funding may be provided for a shorter period of no less than six months when the applicant presents a well-founded reason. The Pool generally supports research stays of between six and 24 months, with periods of one or two years preferred.
Funding amounts are determined flexibly according to the applicant’s cost estimate, family circumstances, destination, and duration of research. A grant may cover living costs, international travel, relocation, research expenditure, insurance, childcare, and children’s school fees.
Applicants receiving a full salary cannot request a working grant for living expenses. Those receiving a partial salary may apply for a partial working grant. Funding is not available for expenses already incurred, compensation for lost income, or hiring a research assistant.
Eligibility and Application Process
Applicants must have completed their doctoral degree no more than four years before applying. Parental leave, compulsory military service, illness, and medical specialization may be excluded when calculating this four-year period.
Doctoral candidates may apply if they have received formal permission to defend their thesis. However, an awarded grant cannot be paid until the doctoral degree has been completed.
Funding is also available to non-Finnish nationals. The essential requirement is that the applicant intends to travel from Finland to undertake postdoctoral research outside the country. The Pool does not fund researchers moving from another country to Finland.
Applications must include a research abstract, project and research plan, curriculum vitae, publication list, relevant doctoral assessment documents, references, an invitation from the receiving university or research institution, and a detailed cost estimate.
Applications undergo academic expert review. Multidisciplinary proposals may be evaluated by more than one panel, after which the participating foundations make the final funding decisions.
Major Programs and Initiatives
The Pool’s principal initiative is its international postdoctoral research grant program, which operates through two competitive application rounds each year.
The spring application round normally takes place in January, while the autumn round is generally held from mid-August to mid-September. These coordinated application rounds allow researchers to seek support from multiple Finnish foundations through a single application.
The 2026 autumn application round runs from 15 August to 15 September 2026, with approximately €1.6 million available. The results are scheduled to be published in December 2026.
Researchers receiving multi-year funding must submit an interim report describing the progress of their research, publications, manuscripts, conference participation, presentations, and other relevant academic activities.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
The Post Doc Pool has become an important source of international mobility funding for researchers connected to Finland. Its comprehensive funding model enables scholars, including those travelling with family members, to undertake extended research periods at universities and institutions abroad.
During the spring 2026 application round, the participating foundations awarded approximately €980,000 to 20 postdoctoral scholars. The round received a record 196 applications, representing a 70% increase in applicant numbers over two years. Approximately 10% of applicants received funding.
In the autumn 2025 round, the foundations awarded €1.39 million to 26 postdoctoral researchers and reserved an additional €504,200 for ten second-year grants linked to earlier funding decisions.
The spring 2025 round provided €1.22 million to 24 researchers, with a further €241,000 reserved for four scholars receiving second-year funding. These recurring investments demonstrate the Pool’s contribution to long-term international research collaboration and early-career academic development.
Conclusion
The Foundations’ Post Doc Pool strengthens Finnish research by providing flexible and comprehensive grants for recently qualified researchers undertaking postdoctoral work abroad. Through cooperation among leading Finnish foundations, the Pool supports international academic mobility, research collaboration, career development, and the exchange of knowledge between Finland and research institutions worldwide.
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