UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship

📖 About UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship

The UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme provides registered doctoral students the opportunity to utilize the resources and facilities at UNU-WIDER for their PhD dissertation or thesis research on developing economies. Fellows collaborate with UNU-WIDER researchers in areas of mutual interest.

Key Details:

• Date Published: September 2, 2025
• Application Deadline: September 30, 2025

Visiting PhD fellows typically spend three consecutive months at UNU-WIDER before returning to their home institution. During the programme, fellows prepare one or more research papers, present a seminar on their research findings, and may have the opportunity to publish their research in the WIDER Working Paper Series.

🎁 Benefits of UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship

• Travel Grant: Covers costs of travel to and from the location of your PhD-granting institution or country of residence.
• Medical Insurance: Provided for medical and hospital services resulting from sickness and accidents during your stay at UNU-WIDER.
• Monthly Stipend: EUR 2,070 to cover living expenses in Helsinki during the fellowship period.
• Note: Expenses related to dependents are not covered.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD programme and demonstrate the ability to conduct research on developing economies.
• Candidates working in other social sciences may apply but should note that UNU-WIDER is an economics-focused institute.
• Candidates must be fluent in oral and written English and possess good quantitative and/or qualitative analytical skills.
• Applications from early-career researchers, female researchers, and researchers from developing countries are particularly encouraged.
• The programme is especially suited for researchers at later stages of their PhD.
• The fellowship is highly competitive, with only 1% of applications being successful in recent years.

📅 Application Date and Process

• UNU-WIDER accepts online applications for the Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme twice each year.
• Deadlines:
  • 31 March (for visits during September–November of the same year).
  • 30 September (for visits during March–June of the following year).

Important Notes:

• The online application form becomes active one month prior to the submission deadline (e.g., application procedures start on 1 March and 1 September each year).
• Selected applicants will be informed of the final decision within four weeks of the closing deadline.
• Selected applicants must confirm their decision to accept UNU-WIDER's offer within two weeks of being contacted.

📌 Application Deadline

• 30 September, 2025

🌐 Application Portal

• View details of the UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship.
• Apply for the fellowship via the UNU-WIDER application portal.

🏢 Sponsor Organisation

• United Nations University (UNU-WIDER)

This fellowship is an excellent opportunity for PhD students to advance their research, collaborate with experts, and gain valuable international experience.

• 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.
• A monthly stipend of EUR 2,070 to cover living expenses in Helsinki during the period of their fellowship.
• The programme does not cover expenses related to dependents.