Tampere University is opening a €20,000 internationalization grant for member associations of TREY. With this funding, the University aims to support and encourage student associations to organize activities that promote the employment, wellbeing, and integration of international students. This grant is a separate funding scheme from TREY’s operational grant, but its allocation is coordinated in cooperation with the Student Union.
Including degree and exchange students studying in English in association activities and facilitating interaction with Finnish-speaking students promotes the inclusion and wellbeing of international students. Successful integration of international students into the university community increases the overall internationality, openness, and wellbeing of the entire community.
The allocation of the grant is prepared by a working group consisting of representatives from Financial Services, Education and Learning Support Services, Communications, and the Student Union. The working group proposes how the funds should be allocated and reviews reports on their use. Final decisions are made by the President.
Funding may be applied for activities that support student integration, such as:
- employment-related events and company visits,
- cultural education and events,
- exchange studies information sessions, and
- networking and encounter events.
Grant criteria 2026
The grant may be awarded to an association that:
- has official association status within TREY,
- has completed the Student Union’s 2026 association notification in the JIPPO portal between 7 January and 31 January 2026,
- has submitted a complete and timely application, and
- has an existing bank account at the time of application.
When allocating funding, the impact of the supported activities and the quality of the application are taken into account.
Projects are prioritized in descending order as follows:
- Projects that promote the employment of international students in the Tampere region (e.g. recruitment events, company visits),
- Projects that promote the employment of international students outside the Tampere region (e.g. company visits),
- Projects that support international students’ orientation to studies and academic progress (e.g. tutoring, study-related events), and
- Projects that promote the wellbeing of international students and their integration into Finnish society (e.g. cultural, sports, and leisure events).
Additionally, the reach of the funding is used as an evaluation criterion, i.e. how many international and Finnish students benefit from the grant.
Funding is not granted for the organization of sitsit (academic dinner parties) or comparable student party events.
The grant cannot be applied for activities that have already received other funding from Tampere University (e.g. from a faculty).
Practical matters
The current call concerns activities taking place in 2026. Funding may be applied for one or several purposes. If funding is sought for multiple separate projects, a separate application must be submitted for each project.
All activities organized with the support of the University’s student activity funding must comply with current guidelines of the higher education community as well as applicable authorities’ regulations regarding event organization and safety.
The application period for the internationalization grant ends on Thursday, 12 February 2026. Internationalization grant applications are submitted via a separate Microsoft Forms form.
Further information
Tampere University: Kaisa Keskitalo, Head of Student Services, +358 40 754 5951, kaisa.keskitalo@tuni.fi
Student Union of Tampere University: Yeti Ahonen-Kakko, Specialist in Association Affairs, +358 40 713 0079, yeti.ahonen-kakko@trey.fi