JYU Mobility funding for strengthening international networking 2027

The funding is intended to cover the costs of the applicant's research visit abroad. An applicant can be a researcher at JYU who has completed the doctoral degree no more than 9 years at the end of the research visit. The applicant can either be employed by JYU or do research with a grant at JYU at the time of the visit. The grant researcher must have a valid grant researcher agreement with JYU. The employment contract or the grant researcher agreement must continue for at least one month after the end of the research visit.

Funding will not be granted to a person who receives mobility funding at the same time from a project of the Research Council of Finland, Business Finland, the European Commission or any other funder. If the applicant receives funding from a project that does not include mobility funding, she/he should mention this in her/his application.

Applicants who have previously received JYU mobility funding may apply again, provided they have submitted the required report for their completed visit.

The host organisation can be a foreign university or research organisation whose researcher is committed to hosting the research visit and where the visit is important for the implementation of the research plan described in the application.

The host organisation cannot be a university or research organisation where the applicant has completed one of their degrees or has been employed or a visiting researcher for more than 1 month.

The research visit should take place between 1.1.2027 and 31.12.2027.

Funding will be granted for a continuous research visit abroad lasting 32 to 62 calendar days, during which an applicant conducts high-quality research leading to a publication. The applicant may also prepare a collaborative funding application, which will be submitted to an international funder.

The amount of the funding is calculated in accordance with the JYU instructions for working abroad. At the application stage, the applicant must check the eligible costs and their amount with the International Staff Service team (ISS) (Sari Korkia-aho). Note: updated instructions will enter into force on 1.8.2026.

As the funding is intended for a research visit, the visiting period may not include teaching. The researcher is encouraged to give a seminar presentation on their own research in the host organisation.

The funding does not cover potential bench fees or other fees charged by the host organisation, visa fees and other similar expenses. The applicant must agree on the reimbursement of these costs with the department, independent institute or faculty. The commitment of the department, independent institute or faculty to reimburse these expenses must be indicated in the Letter of Commitment, which is signed by the Head of Department, Director of the independent institute or the Dean.

Funding will not be granted for the preparation of MSCA-Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) and ERC funding applications, for which JYU has other forms of support.

For recipients with employment relationship with the University of Jyväskylä, granted funding is paid against the travel claim. The recipients of the mobility funding make travel bookings in accordance with the university's travel instructions.

For grant researchers, the mobility funding is paid as a travel grant. Travel grant recipients take care of their insurance coverage during the research visit and their travel arrangements.

To apply for the funding, please fill in the online form. Application deadline is 14.9.2026 at 23:59 (Finnish time). Incomplete applications or applications that have not been prepared in accordance with the instructions will not be considered. One cannot supplement the application after the deadline. The page limits must not be exceeded.

The application documents that should be attached to the application in pdf format:

1. A research plan of no more than 3 pages, including amount of costs applied from the mobility funding with justifications, a description of the significance of the visit for the applicant's own research and career, as well as the expected results and their impact. If the applicant prepares a funding application during the visit, they must also describe: (i) the funding call from which they are applying for funding, (ii) the role of the applicant, the host and the other researchers involved in the project, and (iii) the planned content of the project. Name the attachment file as follows: Yoursurname_researchplan.pdf
2. Budget draft on the template, which includes an itemized estimate of the total cost by type of expense. Check the eligible costs and their amount with the International Staff Service team (ISS) (Sari Korkia-aho). Name the attachment file as follows: Yoursurname_budget.pdf. Note: updated instructions will enter into force on 1.8.2026.
3. Applicant’s CV, composed according to good scientific practice and considering the template for researcher´s curriculum vitae by the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity. The length of the CV shall not exceed 3 pages. Name the attachment file as follows: Yoursurname_cv.pdf
4. Applicant’s list of publications, in which published works and works accepted for publication are listed according to the classification of Ministry of Education and Culture (A–I). Name the attachment file as follows: Yoursurname_publ.pdf.
5. Letter of Commitment issued by the unit, including an estimate of the costs of the research visit that are not covered by the mobility funding (see the content of the funding) and to which the head of department, director of the independent institute or dean has committed. The unit writes the letter of commitment on the template. Name the attachment file as follows: Yoursurname_LOC.pdf
6. Letter of Invitation by the host organisation, which clearly describes what kind of collaboration the host (scientific contact person) is committed to, the duration and dates of the visit and the concrete objectives of the collaboration. If the scientific contact person's own organisation (host organisation) requires that the official invitation is issued by someone else than the scientific contact person, the scientific contact person's own invitation letter must also be appended, indicating the above-mentioned matters. Name the attachment file as follows: Yoursurname_LOI.pdf

The Research Council will evaluate the applications. The Vice-Rector responsible for research will make the funding decision by the end of October 2026, taking into account the views of the Research Council and the resources available. Decision-making follows the principles of responsible assessment of research and researchers. The applicants will be notified on the funding decision bu the end of October.

Priority is given to applicants whose application clearly describes the research objectives and convincingly demonstrates the commitment of the host organisation to collaboration.

The evaluation criteria are

• How does the visit contribute to the objectives of the mobility funding?
• How does the visit contribute to implementing the research plan?
• Feasibility of the research plan
• What results the visit aims to achieve and what is the impact of the results?
• Scientific level and commitment to collaboration of the scientific contact person and, if applicable, the host organisation.
• Applications that include the preparation of a collaborative funding application to an international funder will be considered an advantage.
• Priority will be given to applications from applicants who have not previously been awarded a JYU mobility funding.

If the mobility funding has been paid as a grant and the duration of the mobility period is shortened or cancelled altogether, the grant may be repaid. The repayment of the grant may be waived if there is a specific and justified reason for the change, such as a reason related to the grant recipient’s state of health.

JYU reserves the right to cancel the funding if the recipient of the funding is found to have committed a violation of the JYUs Code of Conduct or other principles.

JYU is obligated to comply with sanction and export control legislation.

Recipients will be required to submit to the Research Council a written short report on their research visit within one month of the end of the visit. The report describes how the objectives set out in the application were achieved, what research and other results have been produced, as well as the status of the prepared funding application. The report may be written in English or Finnish. A link to the online form will be posted here.

If the recipient fails to submit the report, they are not eligible to apply in the upcoming calls for applications.

Is parental leave taken into account when calculating the time elapsed since completing the doctoral degree?

Yes, parental leave and other special reasons will be taken into account for the period following the doctoral degree. Mention leaves of absence or career breaks with dates and duration in months in CV under title "Career breaks".

Where do I find information on the eligible costs and their amount?

Sari Korkia-aho at the International Staff Service team (ISS) provides more information on the eligible costs and their amount. Updated instructions for working abroad will enter into force on 1.8.2026. Use the updated instructions when you calculate the costs.

May I split the visit into two periods?

No. Funding is granted for one research visit abroad of 32 to 62 calendar days.

The mobility funding was paid to me as a grant. If I have to cancel a visit or shorten the duration of the visit, do I return the grant?

Yes. However, justified special situations, such as health reasons, are taken into account, in which case repayment may be waived.

Do I have to attach a Letter of Commitment to the application, even though the research visits do not incur any costs for the unit?

Yes, you do. In the Commitment Letter, the unit (department, faculty, independent institution) also commits that you will be freed from any administrative or teaching duties during the mobility period. Furthermore, your unit will also be informed that you are applying for mobility funding. This way, the unit can prepare for your absence. If the mobility period does not incur any costs that are not covered by the mobility funding, please write €0 in the “Estimate of the costs of the mobility period to which [unit]" has committed.

It is the policy of the hosting institute that the invitation letter is issued by the head of the department, not by the host. Is the invitation letter from the head of department enough?

No. You need to attach also the invitation letter from the host. Applications submitted without the invitation letter from the host will not be considered.

Grant researchers

If you accept the mobility funding, you do not need to inform the Research Council.

If you do not accept the grant, please notify the Research Council (research-council@jyu.fi).

If the grant is already paid to your account and you have to cancel the visit or shortern the duration of the visit, please notify HR (hr-palvelut@jyu.fi).

Please take care of your insurance coverage during the research visit and make all travel arrangements yourself. More information at "Travelling abroad as a grant researcher".

The research visit should take place between 1.1.2027 and 31.12.2027. Thus, the outward journey can be on 1 January 2027 at the earliest and the return journey on 31 December 2027 at the latest.

The mobility funding will be paid as a travel grant on the 15th or the last day of the month. The travel grant is paid using the electronic grant form in Mepco, which JYU sent to you to be completed with your personal and payment details. You will received an email, where E-mail sender is “mepco @ certia.fi”. Read more abou the payment of the travel grant.

Submit a report on your research visit by filling in the online form within one month of the end of the visit. See “Reporting” above where you find instruction for reporting and the link to the online form. Please note that if you fail to submit the report, you are not eligible to apply in the upcoming calls for applications.

Remember to declare the grant received in your tax return. See the tax administration guidelines for more information on the taxation of grants

If the trip is cancelled, the grant sum will be reimbursed.​

Further information:

• Travelling abroad as a grant researcher
• Information about the travel grants awarded by the University of Jyväskylä
• Ministry for Foreign Affairs’s travel bulletins for different countries (available only in Finnish)

Researchers with employment relationship

Read "Instructions for the working abroad process"  when you start planning your visit

Before booking the trip, make travel proposal at least 3 months before the start of the visiting period.

As you are JYU's employee, you will be covered by the University’s travel insurance. If the host organisation does not accept JYU’s commissioned travel insurance, contact the International Staff Service team (ISS). Read more about the travel insurance web site, which provides information about the content of the travel insurance and what you should do before travelling abroad.

Make travel bookings in accordance with the university's travel instructions. Please note that you should book the flights through the University’s contracted travel agency, GBT, in order to be reimbursed for the cost of the tickets. See instruction how to book tickets from GBT. Travel secretaries provide assistance and advice through the HelpJYU portal.

The research visit should take place between 1.1.2027 and 31.12.2027. Thus, the outward journey can be on 1 January 2027 at the earliest, and the return journey on 31 December 2027 at the latest.

Granted funding will be paid against a travel claim, which you must make within 2 months of completing the journey. The travel secretary of your unit will help you with the travel claim if needed.

The costs of the research visit will be reimbursed in accordance with the JYU instructions for working abroad. The funding does not cover potential bench fees or other fees charged by the host organisation, visa fees and other similar expenses. If needed, check the eligible costs and their amount with Sari Korkia-aho (the International Staff Service team (ISS)).

Submit a report on your research visit by filling in the online form within one month of the end of the visit. See “Reporting” above where you find instruction for reporting and the link to the online form.

Further information: 

• The instructions for working abroad
• Travel insurance
• Ministry for Foreign Affairs’s travel bulletins for different countries (available only in Finnish)

Senior Specialist Anne Lyytinen, research-council@jyu.fi, puh. 040 805 3906

Help with the budget and questions regarding travel arrangements: Human Resources Specialist Sari Korkia-aho, International Staff Service team, sari.m.korkia-aho@jyu.fi, Tel. 040 805 4519

Instructions

• The instructions for working abroad
• Travelling abroad as a grant researcher
• Guidelines on grants awarded by JYU
• Travel insurance
• Ministry for Foreign Affairs’s travel bulletins for different countries (available only in Finnish)
• Travel notification (register maintained by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs)