UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowships 2026

If you're a doctoral researcher focused on developing economies, the UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship 2026 is now open for applications—don't miss this opportunity to conduct part of your PhD research at a leading global policy institute in Helsinki.

🎓 Fellowship Summary

• Host Institution: United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), Helsinki, Finland

• Fellowship Type: Visiting PhD Fellowship (non-degree)

• Target Group: Registered PhD students pursuing research on developing economies, especially those in later stages of their doctoral journey—with strong preference for early-career, female, and researchers from developing countries

• Research Fields: Economics-focused; other social science disciplines welcome if aligned with development economics

• Duration: Three consecutive months at UNU-WIDER’s Helsinki campus

• Award Value & Coverage:

  • Travel grant covering round-trip travel from the PhD institution or home country

  • Medical insurance for illness and accidents during stay

  • Monthly stipend: approximately EUR 2,070 (some sources note EUR 2,050) for living expenses in Helsinki

• Application Deadlines:

  • 31 March 2026, 23:59 UTC+3 (for visits during Sept–Nov 2026)

  • 30 September 2026, 23:59 UTC+3 (for visits during Mar–Jun 2027)

📚 Fellowship Overview

UNU-WIDER’s Visiting PhD Fellowship enables doctoral candidates to spend a concentrated research period embedded within a world-class development economics research environment. Fellows gain access to UNU-WIDER's resources, collaborate with resident researchers, and integrate into its vibrant academic community. During the fellowship, participants typically produce at least one research paper, present their findings in a seminar, and may have the chance to publish in the prestigious WIDER Working Paper Series .

🎁 Benefits

• Hands-On Research Support: Access to library resources, data, seminars, and mentorship from UNU-WIDER research staff

• Financial Aid: Covers travel, health insurance, and living costs via a monthly stipend of ~EUR 2,070

• Academic Exposure: Opportunity to present and possibly publish research; ideal for refining and advancing your dissertation work

• Professional Visibility & Networking: Engage directly with a global research community focused on development economics

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

1. Be enrolled in a PhD program, actively progressing in their dissertation (not yet graduated)

2. Have demonstrated ability to conduct research related to developing economies

3. Be proficient in oral and written English and possess solid quantitative or qualitative analytical skills 

4. Preferably be in the later stages of their PhD

5. Applicants who are early-career, female, or from developing countries are strongly encouraged to apply

While the programme is economics-centric, applicants from related social sciences are welcome if their work intersects with development economics .

📝 Application Process

1. Apply online—UNU-WIDER only accepts applications via its portal, which becomes active one month before each deadline (1 March and 1 September) .

2. Submit required documents:

   • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

   • Research Proposal, focused on an unfinished component of your dissertation

   • Supervisor’s Reference Letter, confirming your PhD enrollment—sent directly by your supervisor to phdreference@wider.unu.edu 

3. Proposal structure should include (recommended length):

   • Title, general description (max 500 words)

   • Research questions/hypotheses (max 300 words)

   • Methods/approaches (max 500 words)

   • Data sources (max 300 words)

   • Relevance to PhD thesis (max 200 words)

   • How the UNU-WIDER fellowship would advance your research (max 200 words)

4. Selection process:

   • Final decisions are communicated by email within four weeks of the deadline

   • Selected applicants must confirm participation within two weeks of notification 

🔗 Details & Apply

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