Insurance for recipients of grants or scholarships

As a result of the amended Universities Act that entered into force on 1 January 2010, Finnish universities are no longer treated as public corporations. This applies to both public universities and foundation universities. This means that grants paid at universities (incl. grants abroad invoiced based on the Academy’s funding decision) count as taxable income for the recipient, provided their amount exceeds that of the State Grant for Artists. The Academy recommends that the site of research – before the grant decision is made – consult the tax administration concerning any tax consequences possibly arising from the payment of the grant.

In 2011, the annual State Grant for Artists is EUR 18,805.44. For more information, please visit the website of the Arts Council of Finland: www.taiteenkeskustoimikunta.fi > FAQ.

More information on, for example, the taxation of grants abroad is available from the Finnish Tax Administration: www.vero.fi/english.

As of the beginning of 2009, statutory pension and occupational accident insurance became mandatory in Finland for recipients of grants or scholarships. The institution responsible for handling this insurance cover is the Farmers' Social Insurance Institution Mela.

The responsibility of recipients of grants or scholarships to arrange for their own insurance has been taken into account in the grants awarded by the Academy of Finland (researcher training and research abroad, funding for researcher mobility, and grants to foreign researchers working in Finland).

Recipients are themselves responsible for arranging insurance cover by contacting Mela. Insurance cover is also available to foreign recipients of grants or scholarships in Finland, subject to specific conditions.

Further information is available on the Mela website, www.mela.fi, or by telephone +358 (0)20 630 0500.