Instructions for making the grant application

Before you start

  • Check the page “For which purposes you may apply a grant?” to be sure that the purpose of your application is line with our instructions.
  • Check the page “Who may apply for a grant?” to be sure that you are eligible to the type of grant you want to apply.
  • An application that does not fulfil these requirements will be declined without a review.
  • In the case of doubt, please, contact the Executive Manager of our Society (pekka.nygren [ät] metsatiede.org).

Application form

Submit your application using the online grant application system. Recipients of grants will also need to use the system for submitting the payment schedule and the final report.

First, register to the system. Then login using the email address and the password you chose during the registration. Applications can be filled in during several sessions (remember to save your changes before each logout). Submit the application by the deadline indicated in the call for applications (this year, the deadline will be Friday 16 February 2024 at 16:00 (4 pm). After the exact deadline hour, submissions will be definitely disabled.

Prepare to fill in the basic information on the project, budget, other funding received or applied for, and to submit attachments in pdf format. Obligatory attachments are CV and a list of publications. Doctoral students must also submit an extract of the study register that includes a proof on the right to post-graduate studies. Other obligatory attachments depend on the type of the grant applied (see point 4 “Attachments” below).

Select “New application”. There are four or five pages to fill in. The application form is different for research grants and all other grant types. Select first “Call for research grants” or “Call for other than research grants”.

1. Basic information (all applicants)

  • Address must always be your home address – this is required for making the compulsory tax control announcement that allows the tax exemption for your grant.
  • Personal phone number: use our own phone number, not your work phone.
  • Title of project should be concise but comprehensive. In the case of a travel grant, please, use the name of the congress, course, or other event, for which you apply the grant.
  • Time of use is the period of time, during which the grant is used. Use the calendar that opens for start and end date.
  • Purpose of the use of the grant (other than research grant) is selected from a dropdown list.
  • Research area is selected from a dropdown list.
  • Fill in Specify research area if needed.
  • Brief summary of intended use of grant gives the most essential information on the project (50-500 characters).
  • Supervisors box is only for doctoral students and post-doctoral scientists: give the names of all supervisors of your doctoral dissertation research. Post-doctoral scientists are asked to fill in also the name of the research group leader if they work in a research group.
  • Research location is the organization of the applicant or other organization, which has committed to provide research facilities to the applicant of a research grant.
  • Date of the doctoral degree is given with the exactitude of a month in the form mm/yyyy.
  • If you are a doctoral student, you must add an extract of the study register that includes the proof of your rights to post-graduate studies. Submit this document as an attachment (see point 4, below).
  • Parental leave and/or military or non-military national service after doctoral examination: give the total time in months. The possible extension to your eligibility for a grant is calculated using this information. In the case of Ukrainian scientists, the extension will be given automatically. Note, that that this information must be also in your attached CV.

2a. Research plan (only applications for a research grant)

The research plan is written on page 2 of the application form. Observe the length limits because all text exceeding the limit will disappear.

  • Background of the research (max. 2000 characters): Describe shortly the context of your research and the research problem.
  • Aims and objectives of the research (max 1000 characters): write out clearly the aim of your research, the specific objectives, and research hypotheses if applicable.
  • Research plan to be funded by the grant from the Finnish Society of Forest Science (max. 5000 characters): Describe shortly your research materials, sampling, laboratory analyses and statistical analyses of the data. Do not write the complete research plan for your doctoral dissertation or post-doc project but just the work to be done with the funding of the Finnish Society of Forest Science.
  • Novelty of the research (max. 1000 characters): Describe what new information your research will provide to the current knowledge on the topic.
  • Connection with other research projects (max 1000 characters): How does the research funded by the Finnish Society of Forest Science connect to your other research activities; e.g., what part it constitutes of your dissertation research or the work of the research group, in which you work?
  • Research project schedule (max. 1000 characters): Write here the complete research schedule i.e., also work planned to be done with funding other than the applied. Give a detailed description of the work to be covered with the funding from the Finnish Society of Forest Science and main points, or outline, of the work to be conducted with other funding. You may submit a graphical research schedule as an appendix. Even in that case, you must write the main points of your research schedule in the research plan.
  • Publication plan (1000 characters): How will you publish the results of your research funded by the Finnish Society of Forest Science and how will you use open publication channels? List also planned conference publications and popularisation of the results.
  • References (no character limit): Give the exact bibliographic information on all references you have in the other sections of the research plan. Give the electronic link – preferably DOI – if the publication has one.

2b. Justification of the grant (only other than research grant applications)

Give a concise description how the activity, for which you apply funding (e.g., travel) is related to your research work or studies. Maximum 3000 characters.

3. Grant amount (all applicants)

  • Personal research grant covers researcher’s living costs. A personal research grant is tax-free income to the limit set by the tax authorities. In 2023, the maximum accepted by the tax authorities was 2,128 €/mo. Upper limit for 2024 has not been published. The new limit will be applied only if it will be published before the closure of the grant application period.
  • A grantee must apply for pension insurance from MELA. Check the web site of MELA for more information.
  • Travel, lodging, and registration fees must be specified in the field Specification of travel and other expenses.
  • Travel expenses may not include travel insurance, daily allowances, kilometrage, meal compensation or similar costs.
  • Other expenses must always be itemised in the field Specification of travel and other expenses. If you apply a research grant for research expenses, write the total to the Other expenses field and itemise them in the field Specification of travel and other expenses.
  • Funding received during last two years must be written out. Purpose field: Write the name of the research project, name of the conference if a travel grant, or a similar exact definition.
  • Other funding applied for, that is relevant to this project must be revealed. You must inform immediately the Finnish Society of Forest Science if you receive other funding for the purpose presented in the application for the Society.

4. Attachments

The attachments must be in pdf format. The maximum size of an attachment file is 4 MB.

Obligatory attachments for all applications

Obligatory attachments for travel grants

  • Abstract of the presentation
  • Short description of the relevance of the travel for doctoral studies or applicant’s research activities.
  • Letter of acceptance or invitation (if available); if the letter is not available at the time when the application is submitted, it must be e-mailed to info (at) metsatiede.org immediately after reception. In the case of an e-mail letter, forward the original e-mail to info (at) metsatiede.org.

Obligatory attachments for other applications

  • Description of the project and its relevance for studies or research.

5. Statements

Doctoral students who apply for a research grant must attach a statement of the thesis supervisor. The statement must be invited by filling in the information requested in the field “Referees”. Recommendations are requested automatically via email, so please make sure the email address is correct. Remember to ask permission from the referee before sending in the application! The applicant cannot see the statements but the reviewers of the application and panel making the grant decision will see them.

More information: Executive Manager Pekka Nygren, firstname.lastname (at) metsatiede.org, p. 044 558 1199