Study in Finland
What and where to study in Finland
About 31,000 international students choose Finland every year, with 400+ degree programmes taught in English. If this sounds appealing to you, you’re probably wondering what you should choose from so many programmes. So you know, the most popular Bachelor’s disciplines you can study in Finland are:
Bachelors in Business
Bachelors in Computer Science
Bachelors in Engineering
Probably now you are wondering what are some great student cities. Everybody heard of Helsinki’s cosmopolitan vibe, so that would be an obvious choice. But if you don’t want to follow the flock, you might also want to consider student cities like:
Tampere
Espoo
Kuopio
Oulu
The most popular go-to institutions are the 24 universities of applied sciences (UAS) where most English-taught Bachelors are available. Highly appreciated, these former polytechnics are focused on research and development while also addressing the needs of the industry.
If there’s a programme at a UAS, you can be sure that there’s a demand for it on the job market. To help you get a picture about Finland’s UAS, check out some of the most popular ones:
Metropolia⦁ University of Applied Sciences
Laurea⦁ University of Applied Sciences
Häme⦁ University of Applied Sciences
Arcada⦁ University of Applied Sciences
Savonia⦁ University of Applied Sciences
Tampere University of Applied Sciences
Additionally, Finland has 14 typical universities. Their competitive advantage is that if you complete your Bachelor’s at a university you’re automatically admitted for a Master’s without needing to reapply. How cool is that!
How to apply to a Finnish university?
The university application process in Finland is straightforward, so you won’t get lost in a paper trail. Applications for a Bachelor’s programme typically requires:
⦁ Copy of your high school diploma or International Baccalaureate certificate
⦁ An admission exam or ⦁ SAT subject test
⦁ High school grades transcript
The coolest thing about applying for a degree in Finland is that you can have a joint application. This means that you fill in a form with up to six preferred study programmes and only submit one application. Based on the scores of your application, you will be assigned to one of the programmes. In other words, you have more chances of studying in Finland with less effort.
Plus, many Finnish universities have no application fee. Hurray!
As the Finnish academic year is generally divided into two semesters, you also benefit from two university admission sessions:
⦁ For the Fall semester: 2 weeks in January and two weeks in March
⦁ For the Spring semester: the first weeks of September
If you are accepted, you will receive an official letter of admission and follow the steps to confirm your spot.
What are the living costs and tuition fees in Finland?
If you’re from the EU or EEA, you’re in for a treat. No tuition fees for you at public Finnish universities. If you are from outside the EU/EEA, then you should save up between 4,000 and 11,000 EUR for academic tuition fees, depending on the programme.
Even so, there’s still hope. Tuition exemptions do exist for all students and there are also numerous scholarship options in Finland to get you
covered. Solving the university tuition details is just half of the financial equation, as you also have to take into account the following expenses:
⦁ Housing: ranging from 160 to 400 EUR/month depending on city and type of housing
⦁ Food expenses: at least 200 - 300 EUR/month
Overall it would be wise to budget about 700 - 1.100 EUR/month for all the living expenses, including fun and transportation.
How to apply for a Finnish student visa
If you are a non-EU/EEA student, you’ll need a residence permit which is typically issued for one year or four years. The great news? You can do it all online! You will do this through Finnish Immigration Service where you’ll have to upload:
⦁ a valid passport
⦁ an official admission letter
⦁ proof that you have enough money to cover your studies/living expenses
⦁ health insurance proof
Working in Finland during and after your studies
Like many students who are ambitious enough to pursue a degree abroad, you might consider cutting down the costs of your studies by taking a part-time job during your studies. So how does this work in Finland? Well, there are several ways you are allowed to do it:
⦁ During the academic year: you can take up part-time employment if the work is related to your degree or it does not go over 25 hours/week.
⦁ During school breaks: you can work unlimited hours!
Before you get all “Let’s go to Finland!”, you should take into account that the fastest way to get a job in Finland is if you speak Finnish or Swedish. If you’re only relying on your English-skills it might take you a bit longer to find some work placement.
Back to good news again. After your studies, you can apply for an extended residence permit for up to a year after graduation to search for work. But do it before your student residence permit expires. Once you find a job as a graduate, you can go and apply for a new residence permit, based on your new work placement.
Get the Finnish Sisu!
Something that’s truly Finnish and you’ll love is Sisu. A word that can hardly be translated into English, ‘Sisu’ means continuing to be courageous even when things get harder and the challenges bigger. So, arm yourself with this guide and go for your dream Bachelor’s in Finland, adding a bit of Sisu to your higher education goals!
