UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Program for Doctoral Students 2024

The UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme gives registered doctoral students an 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. 

The 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 the programme, 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.

• Table of Content
• About United Nations University (UNU)
• UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Program
• Aim and Benefits of UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Program
• Requirements for UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Program Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About United Nations University (UNU)

The United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organisation headquartered in Japan. The mission of the UN University is to contribute, through collaborative research and education, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member States. In carrying out this mission, the UN University works with leading universities and research institutes in UN Member States, functioning as a bridge between the international academic community and the Un... continue reading

UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Program

Aim and Benefits of UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Program

• When the fellowship is undertaken in Helsinki, 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 2,000 to cover living expenses in Helsinki during the period of their fellowship. The programme does not cover expenses related to dependents.

Requirements for UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship Program Qualification

• 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.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

• 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 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. 

For more details,visit UNU-WIDER website