Cost and structure of education in Finland
Program | Min. age | Duration | Min. cost | Avg. cost | Min. language level | Exams |
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Language courses | 7+ | 1–12 weeks | 804 USD/weekincluding accommodation and meals | 1,172 USD/weekincluding accommodation and meals | A1 | - |
Secondary school | 7 | 9-12 years | Free (State school) | 10,726 USD (Private) | B1 | - |
College | 15+ | 3 years | FreeState institutions in Finnish or Swedish language | 8,580 USD/yearPrivate institutions or studying in English language | B1 | IELTS/YKI |
Bachelor’s | 17+ | 3-4 years | FreeState institutions in Finnish or Swedish language | 10,726 USD/yearPrivate institutions or studying in English language | B2 | IELTS/YKI |
MBA | 22+ | 1-2 years | 25,741 USD/year | 37,540 USD/year | C1 | IELTS/YKI |
Master’s | 22+ | 2 years | FreeState institutions in Finnish or Swedish language | 10,189 USD/yearPrivate institutions or studying in English language | C1 | IELTS/YKI |
Doctoral | 24+ | 3-4 years | Free | Free | C1 | IELTS/YKI |
EU/EEA/Swiss students can study in state universities for free regardless of the language of instruction.
Higher education in Finland is carried out in two types of educational institutions — universities (yliopisto), engaged in scientific research, and universities of applied sciences or polytechnic institutes (ammattikorkeakoulu, AMK) with a more practical focus. In addition, there are colleges (ammattiopisto), which also offer vocational training.
Additional Costs
Expenses | Average cost |
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ExamsLanguage certificate: IELTS, TOEFL, YKI | 150 USD |
Registration fee | 386 USD |
Flight | 139 USD |
Rent | 644 USD/month |
Meals | 161 USD/month |
Insurance | 43 USD/month |
Learning materials | 64 USD |
The options for admission to universities in Finland
Foundation — Preparatory programs in Finland
There are no preparatory courses before entering a university in Finland. After the ninth grade, students can enroll in high school preparatory programs specifically designed for foreigners. Such courses include Finnish and English language studies, maths, science and social sciences, and student counseling. Some educational institutions allow you to combine the preparatory year with high school by transferring credits. The requirement for admission to such courses is knowledge of Finnish or Swedish at level A2, as well as the completion of nine grades of high school.
College — Vocational education in Finland
There are several ways to get professional qualifications: internships, work experience, and college education. Regardless of the path chosen, all students pass the final exam (näyttötutkinto).
Colleges (ammattiopisto) are considered to be a part of non-compulsory secondary education and are primarily designed for students who graduate from the ninth grade of a secondary school. Education here lasts three years, at least five months of which are devoted to internships and practice.
Finnish colleges offer training in seven main areas: humanities and pedagogy, sociology, business and management, art, technology and transport, natural resources and ecology, social, physical and mental health, as well as tourism, economics, and hotel business.
The curriculum consists of four main parts:
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Specialized vocational training (135 credits);
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General subjects (35 credits);
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Electives (10 credits);
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Additional subjects (depending on the program).
Graduates of such programs may seek employment or continue their studies at universities or technical schools. Some colleges also offer dual programs that allow you to simultaneously receive a bachelor's degree.
Bachelor’s in Finland
Bachelor’s (kandidaatin tutkinto) is the first stage of higher education in Finland. Such programs last for about 3 years at universities (180 credits), and from 3.5 to 4.5 years (210 — 270 credits) — at universities of applied sciences (ammattikorkeakoulututkinto). The programs of polytechnic schools are practice-oriented and are not equivalent to the programs of ordinary universities, which place greater emphasis on science. In this regard, graduates of such universities must complete special "bridge programs" for admission to the non-professional master’s.
Application documents
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Application;
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Copy of the passport;
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Notarized translation (with an apostille) into English, Finnish or Swedish of a certificate of completed secondary education, and transcripts with grades. The transcript with grades for the last 3 years will be needed if the applicant has not graduated from school at the time of submitting documents;
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EnglishIELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge Exams B2+, Finnish or SwedishYKI B2+ language certificate (depending on the language of instruction);
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Letters of recommendation;
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Motivation letter;
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Resume / CV.
The entire admission process is supervised by the official
website of the Ministry of Education of Finland, where you can find additional information on issues of interest, as well as fill out an application and upload documents.
Besides school diplomas, universities of Finland accept IB (International Baccalaureate) or EB (European Baccalaureate) diplomas and the results of A-Levels.
Finnish universities have the right to set admission requirements themselves: for example,
the University of Helsinki and
Aalto University use the American exams such as
SAT as a selection criterion.
Entrance trials can also include additional tests and exams, interviews, or a portfolio review.
The curriculum includes theoretical and practical classes, work on independent projects, visits to workshops and seminars. Writing a scientific paper (thesis) is also very important. The first two years are usually occupied by the study of compulsory subjects, and the third (and fourth) year — by electives, studies at foreign partner universities, internships or work on the thesis. Many universities allow particularly diligent and well-performing students to shorten their studies by six months or a year.
Training programs can vary greatly depending on the university: each educational institution has the right to use its own teaching methods, textbooks and the sequence of presenting material.
Master’s — Graduate / Postgraduate in Finland
Master’s (maisterin tutkinto) in Finnish universities takes two years on average. To graduate a student needs to get 120 credits. Almost all universities in Finland offer master's programs in English.
At the universities of applied sciences, a master's (programylempi ammattikorkeakoulututkinto) lasts less than 1.5 years (60-90 credits), but for admission, you must have relevant work experience: at least two years after receiving a bachelor's degree. In some areas (art, music, dance, theater, etc.), work experience can be replaced by creative works and merits. Universities of applied sciences have a rather flexible schedule and allow students to combine study with work.
A prerequisite for admission is the compliance of bachelor’s to the area of expertise of the selected master's program.
Some Finnish universities offer combined graduate and undergraduate programs, which last 5 years. In addition, specific programs (veterinary medicine, medical business) can take from 5 to 6.5 years.
Application documents
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Application;
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Copy of the passport;
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Notarized translation (with an apostille) of the bachelor’s diploma with transcripts into English, Finnish or Swedish or a statement of grades (if the student has not completed his bachelor's degree at the time of submission of documents);
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EnglishIELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge Exams B2+, Finnish or SwedishYKI B2+ language certificate (depending on the language of instruction);
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Evidence of work experience in the relevant fieldAdditional information must be requested from University's admission board.;
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Letters of recommendation;
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Motivation letter;
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Resume / CV.
Please note that some universities require
GMAT/
GRE to apply for an MBA.
Doctoral studies — Postgraduate in Finland
Doctoral programs (tohtorin tutkinto) in Finland can only be offered by universities. Their duration is usually four years (240 credits). There are two options for doctoral studies:
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National programs are related to research relevant to the country and have common directions in all state universities. Such programs are usually well funded by the government.
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Doctoral research programs allow students to choose the topic of scientific work on their own. These programs are not much different from doctoral studies in other countries — a student should contact the supervisor and propose a topic for future research.
Application documents
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Application;
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Passports
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Notarized translation of the master's degree (with an apostille) into English, Finnish or Swedish;
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Language certificateIELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge Exams, YKI С1+;
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Documents confirming relevant work experience (minimum 2 years)Additional information must be requested from University's admission board.;
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Research proposal;
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CurriculumAdditional information must be requested from University's admission board.;
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Abstracts from previous scientific papers (if any);
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Full name of the future supervisor;
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Letters of recommendation;
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Motivation letter;
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Resume / CV.
The educational process consists of dissertation work, seminars, conferences, and theoretical studies. The final exam is divided into two parts: a review of a written dissertation and an oral debate.
In addition, many universities offer job opportunities for doctoral students. In this case, the duties of the teacher are added to the study and research responsibilities. The average student salary in this position is 1,823 USD per month.
Licentiate (lisensiaatintutkinto) is an alternative doctoral program available to master's graduates. It takes two years, during which students do research work, and also attend practical and theoretical classes. In general, the degree of a licentiate is rated lower than the degree of a doctor, but it can be a good option for students planning to pursue a more practical scientific career.
Academic career
An academic career in Finland consists of five subsequent stages:
Post-doctoral studies (tutkijatohtori) is a continuation of the scientific activities of doctoral program graduates, which allows them to prepare for an academic career. Usually, this stage lasts from three to five years on the position of a junior research assistant.
Docent (dosentti). To obtain this title, an academician needs to have several scientific publications, as well as to demonstrate pedagogical skills and achievements. At the university, associate professors usually hold the posts of lecturers or senior researchers.
Assistant Professor (apulaisprofessori). This post appeared in Finland relatively recently. The contract for the position of assistant professor is usually concluded for a period of two to five years, depending on the employee’s work experience. After the set time has elapsed, the university’s scientific council evaluates the academician’s work and research activities, after which it makes a decision on the extension of his contract for another term. At the end of the second contract, the assistant professor may be promoted to the next rank.
Associate professor (yliopistonlehtori) is an intermediate position between the position of assistant professor and the position of professor. The academician in this rank acts as deputy professor and does not lead the department.
Professor (professori). In order to occupy this position, candidates need to have scientific publications in international journals and merit in research and teaching activities. The main obstacle to professorship is the limited number of these positions in universities.
It is equally difficult to get an academic position for foreigners and residents. This is due, firstly, to the small number of proposals, especially for the initial position of a junior research assistant. Secondly, it is impossible to find out about vacant places from newspapers or employment sites, this information is kept strictly inside a university. More than 70% of any university employees are its graduates.
Junior researchers on average receive 1,823 USD per month, docents — 2,681 USD per month, assistant professors — 3,218 USD per month, and professors — 5,363 USD per month.
Scholarships and grants in Finland
Foreign students in Finland who have to pay tuition fees can receive financial assistance in the form of grants and scholarships. State scholarships apply to graduate and doctoral students, but undergraduate students can rely on funding from universities and private organizations. The conditions and amounts of financial assistance may vary: scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students are awarded on the basis of academic performance and academic achievements, doctoral students receive grants based on relevance and interim research results. The scholarships of some private organizations have additional conditions (for example, a scholarship for orphans from the company CustomEssayMeister or a scholarship for women in the business field from the University of Nexford) and are issued after the evaluation of motivation letters.
Student visa to Finland
EU/EEA citizens do not require any visas to study in Finland. However, they need to get a certificate of registration from the police upon arrival.
Students from all the rest countries should obtain either a student visa (for studies which take less than 90 days) or a residence permit (for degree courses. The latter is issued for one or two years and has to be renewed annually.
To apply for a visa, you will need the following documents:
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Passport;
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Passport photos;
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Student visa application;
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Proof of financial solvency (at least 601 USD per month);
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Health insurance;
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Invitation from the university and confirmation of admission.
The electronic application fee is 375 USD (the processing time is 1-3 months), while the paper application will cost 483 USD (processing time is 4-5 months).
Working while studying in Finland
According to the laws of Finland, non-EU/EEA students have the opportunity to work for no more than 25 hours a week on average during academic terms and full-time during holidays. For EU/EEA nationals working time is not limited.
It is worth noting that students are unlikely to fund their education with part-time jobs — finding a job with a part-time schedule is quite difficult, and for employment, you need to speak Finnish.
Finland does not establish a minimum wage; each company decides this issue on its own. It is difficult to say what kind of salary a foreign student can receive since it depends on the sphere. For example, a store consultant earns about 11 USD/hour.
Immigration opportunities
Finnish university graduates from non-EU/EEA countries can apply for a special job seeker visa. Such a permit is issued only once, lasts a year and cannot be extended. After successful employment, foreigners have the opportunity to obtain a work permit and stay in Finland.
Finnish citizenship is available after residing in the country for five consecutive years.
Employment prospects
Finland. In this northern country, the unemployment rate is less than 9%. Among young professionals, 21% do not have a permanent job. Therefore, the graduate will meet with fairly high competition in the labor market. In addition, the need to learn Finnish and the bias towards foreigners don’t help matters.
Europe. Finland is a member of the Bologna process, therefore its diploma is recognized in Europe. A Finnish diploma is an indicator of high competence and creative thinking; employers value this highly.
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