Quick Facts
| Tuition Range | €9,000 – €20,000 per year |
|---|---|
| Living Cost | About €900 – €1,200 per month |
| Student Visa Fee | €600 online / €750 on paper (2026) |
| Intakes | August/September (main), January |
| Last Verified Date | November 10, 2026 |
Finland is known for the quality of its teaching, its safe cities and its honest approach to international students: fees are published clearly, work rights are generous, and the post-study permit gives graduates two full years to find work. With 13 universities and 22 universities of applied sciences offering more than 600 English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programmes, the choice is wide, and doctoral study is free for everyone regardless of nationality.
What it costs to study in Finland
Students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland usually pay €9,000–€20,000 a year for English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programmes, plus a €100 application fee. Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland generally pay no tuition, and programmes taught in Finnish or Swedish, along with all doctoral programmes, charge no tuition whatever the student’s nationality. Study in Finland recommends budgeting about €900–€1,200 a month for food, accommodation and travel, depending on the city — Helsinki is the most expensive. A room in a shared student flat costs about €200–€380 a month, and degree students pay a student healthcare fee of about €35 per term. There are no general Finnish government scholarships for bachelor’s and master’s students; scholarships and fee waivers come from the universities themselves.
Residence permit and financial proof
Students from outside the EU and EEA need a residence permit for studies from the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), applied for immediately after receiving confirmation of admission through the national portal Studyinfo.fi. A first permit costs €600 online or €750 on paper in 2026. Applicants must show at least €800 a month for living costs — €9,600 in their own bank account for studies of one year or longer, shown on a six-month bank statement — plus the tuition fee if it has not yet been paid. The permit application should be started as soon as admission is confirmed, because processing takes time.
Working while you study
Residence-permit holders may work an average of 30 hours a week, calculated over the year, and full-time during holidays. Internships and thesis work that form part of the degree and earn credits do not count towards the limit. Thirty hours is more generous than in most European destinations, but Study in Finland warns plainly that part-time work is hard to find without Finnish or Swedish and should not be counted on to pay for studies. Learning some Finnish before arrival helps both with work and with daily life.
Staying on after graduation
After completing a degree in Finland, graduates can apply for a residence permit to look for work or start a business, valid for up to two years — one of the most generous post-study routes in Europe. It can be taken in one period or in up to three parts of at least six months each, and must be applied for within five years of the study permit expiring. Funds of at least €800 a month are required, and the permit gives unrestricted work rights in any field. Graduates who already have a job can instead apply for a residence permit based on a completed degree and employment.
Applying
The main intake is August or September, with January starts for some programmes. Most programmes are applied for through the joint application on Studyinfo.fi, which usually runs in January for autumn entry. Teaching in English is widespread, with more than 600 English-taught programmes, and universities commonly ask for about IELTS 6.0–6.5, with the exact band set by each programme. Apply early and start the residence-permit application the day admission is confirmed.
Official source: Study in Finland
