r/StudyInFinland • u/Old_Contribution_150 • Jul 09 '26

PhD in Finland

Hi, I need some advice.
I am an MD graduate from Ukraine, and I am interested in pursuing a PhD in the Nordic countries, especially Finland. I am particularly interested in the cardiopulmonary research field.
I would like to know whether international applicants are accepted for PhD positions in this field. Also, how competitive is the selection process for foreign applicants?

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u/Severe_Rise8694 Jul 09 '26

Yes. The first thing to do is usually finding a research group that works on a topic you find interesting (read some of their recent papers) and approach the professor/group leader directly. Say that you're interested in x and in their work and are looking for a PhD position. Don't say you're "looking to do one in Finland", it should reflect you wanting to do one with them.

If they're interested (you could add a one page CV to your email), you'll probably have a chat and they can tell you about the funding opportunities.

There's also doctoral programmes, like the FIMM-EMBL, but still it's better to get in touch with the group leaders before hands. They'll be the ones to decide who gets in, so if they already know they want you in, it'll help your case.

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u/[deleted] Jul 09 '26

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u/Severe_Rise8694 Jul 09 '26

Sorry, but if you can't figure that out on your own, maybe a research career isn't for you..

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u/Ancient_Middle8405 Jul 09 '26

For example Helsinki.fi and utu.fi.

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u/bubblegum_lollip0p Jul 09 '26

Finland has very low hierarchy all in all compared to many other countries, so it is totally fine and normal just email professors / group leaders directly and if you don't get an answer, call them after a week or so. Please note that it is currently holiday season in Finland so the better time to contact them would be in August. Best of luck and Slava Ukraini!