Study in Finland: 2027 Tuition Fees, Application Dates and Residence Permit Rules

To study in Finland in autumn 2027, you apply on Studyinfo.fi between 7 and 21 January 2027, choosing up to six English-taught bachelor's or master's programmes. If you are not an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, you pay a EUR 100 application fee, tuition of EUR 8,500–20,000 a year at the five universities covered here, and you must show EUR 9,600 in your bank account for the student residence permit. Since 1 August 2026, Finnish law requires those tuition fees to cover the full cost of teaching, and some universities have cut their scholarships as a result.

The figures below come from Study in Finland (the Finnish National Agency for Education's international portal) and from the universities' own fee pages, checked in October 2026. Each section answers one question students from India, Africa, the Middle East and the US ask before applying.

Photo: Msaynevirta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When do applications open for autumn 2027?

The main round for English-taught programmes starting in August or September 2027 runs from 7 to 21 January 2027 on Studyinfo.fi, according to Study in Finland (notice published 1 September 2026). It is a joint application: one form, up to six programmes, which can be at different universities and in different fields.

A smaller round for programmes starting in January 2027 ran from 31 August to 10 September 2026 and is now closed. A few universities also run separate admissions outside the joint application, so check each programme's Studyinfo entry.

A realistic timeline for an autumn 2027 start:

1. October–December 2026: shortlist programmes on Studyinfo, check the eligibility rules for your country's school or degree certificates, and book an English test if you need one.
2. 7–21 January 2027: submit the joint application and pay the EUR 100 application fee if you are a non-EU applicant.
3. After the deadline: upload or send documents by the date each university gives. Many programmes add an entrance exam, an interview or a portfolio.
4. Spring 2027: results arrive. Accept your place, and pay the first year's tuition by the university's deadline. The University of Helsinki's first-year deadline for 2026–27 was 31 August.
5. As soon as you accept: apply for the student residence permit. Universities warn that the process takes several months.

How much does it cost to study in Finland?

Tuition depends on the university and the field. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition, and neither do students on Finnish- or Swedish-taught programmes, as Aalto University's fee page notes. Everyone else on an English-taught bachelor's or master's pays. These are the published fees per academic year:

• University of Helsinki: bachelor's EUR 13,000; master's EUR 13,000, 15,000 or 18,000 depending on the programme. Your fee stays the same until you finish.
• Aalto University (study rights from 1 August 2025): bachelor's EUR 12,000 in business and technology, EUR 15,000 in arts and architecture; master's EUR 15,000 in business, EUR 17,000 in technology and multidisciplinary programmes, EUR 20,000 in arts and architecture.
• Tampere University (admission 2027): EUR 10,000 for every bachelor's programme, EUR 12,000 for every master's.
• University of Oulu (2027–28): bachelor's EUR 10,000; master's EUR 8,500 to 14,000. Most STEM programmes are EUR 10,000, business and economics EUR 12,000, architecture EUR 14,000.
• University of Turku: EUR 10,000 or 12,000 per programme (January 2026 figures).

What changed with the full-cost tuition law?

Finland's amended Universities Act took effect on 1 August 2026. It requires tuition for non-EU/EEA students on programmes taught in languages other than Finnish or Swedish to cover the full cost of their education. The University of Turku explained the effect on its scholarships: from 2017 to 2025 its best non-EU applicants received full tuition scholarships, but "starting from spring 2026 tuition fee scholarships are no longer awarded". Turku now offers a EUR 2,000 first-year discount to some admitted master's students. From the second year, it offers a 50% scholarship if your studies progress according to set criteria.

Fees can change for each new intake, so read the fee page for your intake year, not an older one.

How much money do I need for the residence permit and living costs?

You need EUR 800 a month, or EUR 9,600 a year, in a bank account in your own name when you apply for your first student residence permit. The University of Helsinki and the University of Jyväskylä both cite this amount, which applies from 1 November 2024. You also need valid health insurance that covers both illness and accidents before you apply.

Actual living costs depend on the city:

• Helsinki: EUR 1,000–1,300 a month or more, according to the University of Helsinki; student housing rent is normally EUR 450–800.
• Turku: about EUR 600–900 a month, with student housing at EUR 270–600, according to the University of Turku.
• Fixed student fees: the student union fee (EUR 85 at Helsinki for 2026–27) and the Finnish Student Health Service fee, paid to Kela, of EUR 35.35 per term in 2026.

The permit fee goes to the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). The University of Turku and the University of Jyväskylä list EUR 450 for an online first permit, which is cheaper than a paper application. Migri announced changed processing fees from 1 January 2026, so check Migri's current price list before you pay.

Can I study in Finland without IELTS?

Often, yes, if your previous degree was taught entirely in English in a country your university accepts. The University of Helsinki's master's language rules accept a degree completed entirely in English in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, EU/EEA countries and Switzerland. They also accept degrees from a list of other countries that includes India, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Philippines and Singapore. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt and the Gulf states are not on Helsinki's list, so applicants from those countries normally need a test score.

If you need a test, Helsinki's master's minimums are:

• IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 in every section (IELTS General is not accepted)
• TOEFL iBT 92 with at least 22 in writing for tests taken before 21 January 2026, or 4.5 overall with at least 4 in every section on the new scale for later tests
• PTE Academic 68, with at least 61 in writing
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency at the pass levels Helsinki lists

Scores must stay valid, two years from the test date, throughout the application process. Other universities set their own lists and scores, so check each programme's language page.

Is Finland accepting Indian students?

Yes. The joint application is open to applicants of every nationality, and the language rules above favour Indian graduates, because an English-taught Indian degree is on Helsinki's exemption list. What Indian applicants have to plan for is money: tuition paid by the university's deadline, and EUR 9,600 shown in a personal account for the permit. Indian education loans and scholarships need to be in place before the permit application, not after.

For bachelor's applicants, eligibility depends on your school-leaving certificate. Finnish universities assess this country by country, so check the eligibility section of each programme on Studyinfo before you apply.

Are there fully funded scholarships in Finland?

Full tuition waivers exist, but they are the exception, and none of the university schemes below pays living costs:

• University of Helsinki: 50% and 100% tuition fee waivers. The university says "the majority of scholarships available are 50% tuition fee waivers", and you must complete at least 55 ECTS credits a year to keep one.
• Aalto University: Excellence Scholarships cover the full tuition fee on a competitive basis. New bachelor's students also get a 25% reduction if they accept their place within 21 days.
• Tampere University: 50% of tuition for the length of the programme, awarded on an overall academic assessment. Otherwise there is a EUR 2,000 early-bird reduction if you accept within three weeks.
• University of Oulu: no 100% scholarships. It offers a first-year early-bird discount of 5–30%, then waivers of 10–40% from the second year for students who complete 60 ECTS credits.

You apply for most of these through the same Studyinfo application, so the January 2027 window is also your scholarship deadline.

How much GPA is required for Finland?

Finland has no national GPA cut-off. Each programme sets its own selection criteria and publishes them with its Studyinfo entry, usually a weighting of your previous grades, the relevance of your degree, a motivation letter and sometimes an entrance exam or interview. If your grades use a different scale, our guide to what counts as a good GPA by country explains how the main scales compare.

Can I work while studying and after graduating?

Students from outside the EU/EEA can work on average 30 hours a week during their studies, as Aalto University explains. Some weeks can be longer as long as the yearly average stays at 30. Do not budget on wages to cover tuition, though: the permit funds have to be in your account before you arrive.

After graduation you can apply for a residence permit to look for work or start a business. Study in Finland and Aalto both say it is granted for up to two years.

Which universities in Finland should I look at?

Start with the universities whose fees appear above. Helsinki and Aalto are both in the capital region, and Aalto's programmes are in technology, business, and arts and architecture. Tampere, Turku and Oulu charge less and cost less to live in. For how they compare with other European universities, see EduRank's best universities in Europe, and stuudy's Finland country page covers practical life in the country.

Next step

Shortlist two to six programmes on Studyinfo by the end of December, so that the 7–21 January window is spent submitting, not searching. Our guide on how to apply to universities abroad walks through the documents, from transcripts to motivation letters, that you will need for that application.

Explore more on Stuudy

Country

Finland

University

University of Helsinki

University

Aalto University

University

Tampere University

University

University of Oulu

University

University of Turku

Discipline

Computer Science & IT