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Eligibility
In most cases, you are eligible to apply for Bachelor’s level studies in Finland if you are eligible to apply for higher education in your home country.
Eligible applicants for degree studies at universities of applied sciences have completed at least one of the following:
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the studies required for graduating from the Finnish upper secondary school or a Matriculation Examination;
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an International Baccalaureate (IB) degree;
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a European Baccalaureate (EB) Diploma;
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a Reifeprüfung (RP) or Deutsche Internationale Abitur (DIA) degree;
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a Finnish vocational upper secondary qualification covering 120 credits or 180 competence points or a corresponding earlier Finnish vocational degree covering at least 80 credits;
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a Finnish post-secondary or higher vocational level diploma;
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a Finnish vocational upper secondary qualification or a further or specialist vocational qualification as a competence-based qualification, or a corresponding previous qualification;
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a foreign qualification that provides eligibility for higher education studies in that country;
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Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree
Depending on the higher education institution, you can also be eligible if you hold an Advanced International Certificate of Education degree (AICE) in Finland, have the right to study towards a university degree in Finland, or hold a degree granted by a Finnish higher education institution or at least a Bachelor level degree granted by a foreign institution.
Please check the language skill requirements of the higher education institution before you apply.
Always check specific admission criteria directly on the description of the study programme.
How to apply to study
There are 5 steps you can follow to apply for studying in Finland:
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Choose Your Programme
Use our website´s degree programmes or university of applied sciences´ section to find the right degree programme option for you. Also check out the individual universities' own admissions info pages! There are hundreds of programmes in English for you to choose from.
2. Check Admissions Information
Once you've chosen your programme, the Admissions Services of the UAS you are planning to apply to can advise you on the eligibility criteria, application process and deadlines, and any documents you will need to provide as part of your application. You may need to take an entrance exam, or some other kind of aptitude test. You must also have a sufficient level of English.
Get in touch with the Admissions Office at the university offering the degree programme if you have any questions regarding your application. Check out the universities' own admissions info pages and the Studyinfo.fi listing of Admissions Servies' contact details.
3. Apply to Programmes and for Scholarships
Start your application at Studyinfo.fi when the application period is open for the programmes you are interested in. In the Studyinfo.fi instructions on the application system you can find advice on how the application process goes.
The Studyinfo.fi joint application period to studies starting in autumn (September) is arranged annually in January (5-19 Jan in 2022). Some degree programmes may however have a different application schedule, so-called separate application. A small number of individual degree programmes may also offer a January study start option. To these, the joint application period is usually open in September (1-15 Sept in 2021).
Always check with the university of your choice how and when to apply to your chosen programme. Make sure you apply in time before the deadline.
The universities offer scholarships for those non-EU/EEA bachelor's and master's level students who are required to pay tuition fees. You usually apply for a scholarship from the university at the same time when you apply for admission. For more info on your scholarship options, check out the programme descriptions at Studyinfo.fi - and contact the university if necessary.
Note that you'll also need to be able to cover your living expenses. You should have a realistic budget in place before you apply for a programme.
4. Wait for the Results - and Confirm your Study Place
Waiting can be the hardest part! The universities you have applied to will inform all applicants of their admissions results. If you have been successful in your application, you will receive an official letter of acceptance. This letter will explain how to accept your study place.
You can only accept one study place per term, even if you receive several offers. This choice is binding, so if you are expecting results from several programmes, wait for all the results before confirming your choice. Be careful however not to miss the deadline for confirming the study place.
Read the Studyinfo.fi instructions on confirming your study place.
Read more about the one study place per term provision at Studyinfo.fi.
You can check the result dates, confirmation deadlines and all other study-related details with the Admissions Services of the Finnish university you've applied to.
5. Prepare for Arrival
If you come from a non-EU/EEA country, you will need to apply for a student residence permit. You can find student residence permit advice at www.migri.fi. Remember to arrange all the necessary insurance policies and means of support.
Start you residence permit application as soon as you have received official confirmation on your admission!
Check with your new Finnish home university when your first semester begins. You should also apply for student housing. Your Finnish university can advise you on the available student housing options.
When travelling to Finland, make sure you have all the required documentation with you. Check the latest guidelines regarding the necessary entry documents on the Finnish Border Guard website.
You are now ready to study in Finland!
How to apply for accomodation
You have two main options when searching for accommodation: established student housing foundations and the private market.
Student housing providers are listed on the SOA (Finnish Student Housing Ltd.) website. The average monthly rent for a single room in a shared student flat ranges from around €160 - €380. Single apartments or family flats are also available, but the rent is likely to be higher in these non-shared apartments and they often have long waiting lists.
You can also arrange housing independently by searching for rented flats on the open market, or on social media. Open market flats tend to be more expensive than those available via student housing foundations.
It is also a good idea to ask the university you have been admitted to for advice on the other locally available student accommodation alternatives. Check the related information on the website of your Finnish university or UAS.
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How to apply for a visa
Non-EU/EEA students need a student residence permit (student visa) for their studies in Finland. You can start your student residence permit process only after you have been officially admitted to university in Finland.
You can begin your student residence permit application online at Enterfinland.fi. Remember that you must personally visit a Finnish embassy or consulate as part of this process.
After you receive your official letter of acceptance, start your residence permit process as soon as possible. Carefully follow the immigration authorities' instructions and regulations, so that you can receive your permit in good time before your studies begin!
Note that if you are coming to Finland to conduct post-master's level (doctoral/PhD) studies or research, you need to apply for a residence permit for scientific research.
You can find detailed information and advice on the student residence permit requirements and procedures on the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) website.
When travelling to Finland, make sure you have all the required documentation with you. Check the latest guidelines regarding the necessary entry documents on the Finnish Border Guard website.