Below you will find frequently asked questions about grants in general, as well as thesis grants and congress grants.
General questions about grants
Must the membership fee have been paid at the time of application?
Yes. Membership must be valid, which means that the membership fee must have been paid. Before a new application can be started in the grant system, Apollonia membership is verified through a separate login to Apollonia’s membership register. Membership is verified once a year.
Is the grant tax-free?
Apollonia reports grants to the Finnish Tax Administration. More information about the taxation of grants is available on the Finnish Tax Administration’s website.
Can the application be submitted in English, or must all attachments be in Finnish?
The application may also be submitted in English.
Can an application be supplemented after it has been submitted?
If the application has already been submitted, send a message through the grant system requesting that the application be returned for supplementation.
Thesis Grants
Who can apply for a Thesis Grant?
An Apollonia member whose doctoral thesis has been approved by the faculty and whose public examination date has been confirmed may apply for the grant.
When must the application be submitted?
The application must be submitted within one month of the public examination date. Applications are submitted through the grant system. The application may be submitted as soon as the public examination date has been confirmed.
Is it enough to be a member at the time of application, or must the membership already be valid before the thesis is approved?
The applicant must be an Apollonia member when submitting the grant application.
What attachments are required?
A Finnish-language thesis review and a photograph for the thesis review to be published in the Finnish Dental Journal (Hammaslääkärilehti). The review must be 2,500–3,000 characters including spaces and should emphasise the key methods, results and conclusions of the research, as well as its clinical significance.
Is a report on the use of the grant required?
No report is required for a Thesis Grant.
Do I need to submit a printed copy of the doctoral thesis?
Yes. The applicant is asked to send a printed copy of the doctoral thesis to the Apollonia office.
When is the grant paid?
The grant is paid after the Apollonia Board has processed the grant application. The Board processes the application once the attachments have been approved and a printed copy of the doctoral thesis has been submitted. After the decision, the applicant must add the payment details to the application in the grant system.
Congress Grants
Who can apply for a Congress Grant?
An Apollonia member attending an international scientific congress, symposium or meeting where they are giving an oral presentation, presenting a poster, giving an invited lecture or serving as a chair.
Can more than one person apply on the basis of the same poster?
No. Only one Congress Grant can be awarded per poster.
Can a grant be awarded for something other than a presentation?
In exceptional cases, yes—for example, for participation in a symposium working group as a representative of Finland.
How often can a Congress Grant be awarded?
Every other year.
What is the maximum amount of a Congress Grant?
Up to EUR 1,200.
What expenses can the grant cover?
Registration fees, travel and accommodation expenses and, under certain conditions, poster production costs.
When must the application be submitted?
Before the trip. Applications are considered at Board meetings in accordance with the announced deadlines. The grant decision may therefore be issued only after the trip.
When will the applicant receive the decision?
The decision is recorded in the grant system approximately one week after the Board meeting.
Can I apply for more than one congress with the same application?
No. Each application must relate to one congress only.
Can a grant be awarded for a hybrid or online congress?
Yes, provided that the other eligibility criteria for a Congress Grant are met.
Can I apply before my abstract has been officially accepted?
No. The official abstract acceptance notification must be attached to the application.
When is the grant paid?
The grant is paid after the applicant has submitted a report on the trip and its costs in the grant system. The grant is paid according to the actual eligible expenses incurred.
When must the report be submitted?
Within three months after the trip.
What must be attached to the report?
An itemised list of expenses and receipts for registration fees, travel and accommodation costs. Proof of payment alone is not sufficient; the receipt must itemise what the payment was for.
Are meals or daily allowances reimbursed?
No.
What happens if the congress is cancelled or I am unable to attend?
A separate explanation must be submitted through the grant system, together with a request for the application to be rejected.
What is expected of a poster presenter after receiving the grant?
The research will be requested for presentation at the Finnish Dental Congress and Exhibition in the same year or, at the latest, the following year.
Does Apollonia expect anything else from grant recipients?
Yes. Congress Grant recipients are asked to send a news tip to the Finnish Dental Journal (Hammaslääkärilehti) within one month of the congress as part of the report. The report should also include a suggestion or request for a training topic or lecturer.