Finnish universities take applications through the national portal Studyinfo.fi. For English-taught programmes starting in autumn 2027, the window runs from 7 to 21 January 2027: one form covers up to six programmes, and applicants from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland pay a $114 (€100) fee. Results arrive by 6 July 2027 at the latest, and the place must be accepted by 13 July. You can apply straight after secondary school if your certificate gives access to higher education where it was issued. After lower secondary school (nine years) the university route is closed, and the realistic option is a Finnish upper secondary school or vocational college. Admission is followed at once by tuition payment and a residence permit application to Migri.
| At a glance | Rules for the 2027 intake |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Studyinfo.fi, for almost all bachelor's and master's programmes |
| English-taught programmes starting autumn 2027 | 7 January (8:00) to 21 January 2027 (15:00 Finnish time, UTC+2) |
| Finnish- and Swedish-taught programmes starting autumn 2027 | 9–23 March 2027 |
| Number of choices | Up to six in a joint application, ranked; one study place per term can be accepted |
| Fee | $114 (€100) per starting term, paid within 7 days |
| Results | By 6 July 2027; accept by 13 July 2027 |
| After admission | Tuition payment by the institution's deadline, permit application in Enter Finland |
Application calendar 2026–2027
Studyinfo publishes its dates well ahead, and every deadline is strict: the application has to be saved in the system by 15:00 Finnish time.
| Round | Application window | For | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn joint application 2026 | 31 August – 10 September 2026 (closed) | Programmes starting January 2027 | By 19 November 2026 |
| First joint application, spring 2027 | 7–21 January 2027 | English-taught programmes and Uniarts Helsinki, starting autumn 2027 | By 6 July 2027 |
| Second joint application, spring 2027 | 9–23 March 2027 | Finnish- and Swedish-taught programmes, starting autumn 2027 | Certificate-based by 28 May, others by 6 July 2027 |
| Joint application to upper secondary education | 16 February – 16 March 2027 | General upper secondary (lukio), vocational and preparatory programmes | From 17 June 2027 |
| Separate and rolling admissions | Set by each programme | Some master's, joint international degrees, institution-specific tracks | Set by each programme |
As of 1 October 2026, Studyinfo had not yet published the dates of the autumn 2027 round. If a programme is outside the joint application, its schedule appears on the Studyinfo programme page or the institution's website.
Your starting point: routes by education level
| Your situation | Realistic route | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Final year of secondary school | English-taught bachelor's at a university or UAS | Your certificate must give access to higher education where it was issued; selection follows programme rules |
| Vocational college diploma | Bachelor's as a secondary-school graduate | Whether the programme accepts your diploma as an entry qualification |
| Nine years of school only | Finnish upper secondary school (lukio) or vocational college | Teaching usually in Finnish or Swedish; Migri notes that these schools charge non-EU/EEA students |
| Bachelor's degree | University master's | A degree in a related field, sometimes GMAT or GRE |
| Bachelor's plus work experience | UAS master's | Two years of relevant work experience required |
The education-level rules follow Study in Finland, and the fee rule for upper secondary and vocational schools follows Migri. Migri does not grant a student permit for completing basic (nine-year) education, so younger applicants can only aim at the next stage. Other routes for that age are covered in studying abroad after 9th grade, and options for college graduates in university admission after college.
Three ways to apply
Joint application. One Studyinfo form, up to six programmes from different institutions, ranked by you. If you are admitted to a higher-ranked programme, the lower choices drop out. Most English-taught programmes starting in autumn use this route.
Separate application. The institution runs its own intake with no limit on the number of programmes, but its own deadlines, documents and sometimes its own form. Master's programmes and joint international degrees often recruit this way.
Rolling admission. Some institutions review applications as they arrive; LUT, for example, runs an international rolling admission for bachelor's studies. The application fee still applies, and one payment covers all applications for the same starting term.
How programmes select students
Finland has no single entrance test for international applicants. The selection method is stated on each programme page and shapes your whole preparation.
| Selection method | Where it is used | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Institution's entrance exam | University and UAS bachelor's programmes | Subject preparation; the exam may be online or on site |
| SAT scores | Some bachelor's programmes | Take the SAT early enough for scores to arrive in time |
| School grades | Some bachelor's programmes | Strong grades in the relevant subjects |
| Documents and motivation letter | Most master's programmes | Transcript, CV, letter, sometimes references |
| GMAT or GRE | Business and analytics master's | The test, with time to spare |
| Portfolio or audition | Design, architecture, art, music | Work samples in the required format |
Our comparison of the SAT and the ACT helps if a programme accepts admission tests.
If the exam takes place in Finland, a Russian citizen needs a Schengen visa. Travelling for an entrance exam is on the Finnish Border Guard's list of exceptions to the entry restrictions, but the consulate decides on the visa and the border check decides on entry. At the border you show an invitation from the institution or a similar document. Ask the institution early whether a remote exam is possible.
English requirements
When a programme asks for proof of English, institutions usually accept IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or Cambridge qualifications; each programme sets its minimum score and accepted formats. Some applicants are exempt, for example after studying in English, but the exemption also has to be listed in the programme rules. The result must be valid on the date the institution names, so take the test before the application window opens.
Documents for the application
Each programme publishes its own list, but the core set is similar everywhere.
| Document | Bachelor's | Master's |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Yes | Yes |
| School certificate with grades, or current grades if still at school | Yes | — |
| Bachelor's diploma and transcript | — | Yes |
| Translation into English, Finnish or Swedish | If the original is in another language | If the original is in another language |
| Language certificate | If the programme requires it | If the programme requires it |
| SAT or entrance exam results | If used for selection | — |
| CV, motivation letter, references | Sometimes | Usually |
| Proof of work experience | — | For UAS master's |
| Document exempting you from fees | If you hold one | If you hold one |
The institution decides whether you need certified translations or an apostille and when to show originals. Studyinfo asks for documents to be uploaded straight into the application form, and each attachment has its own deadline. Mistakes here cost places: a missing upload or a translation without the required certification drops out of review. If you graduate in the year of entry, the programme rules give a deadline for your final certificate or diploma. LUT, for instance, requires conditionally admitted 2027 applicants to graduate and send scans by 31 August 2027 and translations by 6 September, or lose the place with no way to reclaim it.
The application fee in practice
Since 1 January 2025, applicants who are not citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland pay €100 to take part in bachelor's and master's admissions. The payment link arrives by email after you submit, and you have seven days to pay; after that the link stops working and the application is not processed. The fee is not refunded if you withdraw or are rejected, and there is no waiver on financial grounds. The teaching language makes no difference: applications to Finnish- or Swedish-taught programmes are charged too. Doctoral and Erasmus Mundus applicants do not pay it.
Studyinfo accepts Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Finnish online banking, and another person may pay using your link. Applicants in Russia should arrange a lawful payment route in advance; our guide on how to pay for studies abroad from Russia lists the options.
After admission: from offer letter to arrival
- Accept the place by the deadline in your letter, no later than 13 July 2027 for autumn 2027 programmes. You can accept only one place in Finnish higher education per term.
- Pay tuition. Deadlines vary and often decide the discount: Metropolia expects payment within 14 days of accepting, the University of Jyväskylä by 31 July, and UEF gives 30% off for paying within 21 days of the results.
- Apply for the residence permit in Enter Finland right after accepting. Migri reported on 20 August 2026 that 82% of positive decisions on first student applications filed in spring and summer were made within 30 days.
- Prove your identity at a Finnish mission: Moscow for Russian citizens (booking via VFS Global), the embassy in Astana for Kazakh citizens.
- Look for housing as soon as you are admitted rather than waiting for the permit.
- After arrival, register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) if your personal identity code was not issued with the permit card.
The money, insurance and Migri fees are covered in our guide to the Finnish student residence permit, and the full-programme budget in the cost of studying in Finland.
Preparation plan from autumn 2026
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| October–November 2026 | Choose the institution type and 6–8 programmes on Studyinfo; note each selection method and English requirement; check that your passport is biometric |
| November–December 2026 | Take IELTS, TOEFL or SAT if needed; order translations; prepare CV and letters |
| 7–21 January 2027 | Submit the joint application and pay the fee within seven days |
| February–May 2027 | Exams, interviews and tasks set by programmes; build up the permit funds in your account |
| By 6 July 2027 | Receive results |
| By 13 July 2027 | Accept, pay tuition, apply for the permit and book the identity appointment |
| August 2027 | Receive Migri's decision and the permit card, enter through an open air or sea crossing |
Russian citizens face one more constraint: Finland's land border with Russia has been closed since 15 December 2023, and on 4 June 2026 the Ministry of the Interior confirmed it stays closed until further notice. Budget time and money for travel via third countries and check the transit country's entry rules.
Common mistakes
- Relying on old articles. There was no application fee before 2025, and many institutions changed their scholarship models after 1 August 2026.
- Missing the fee payment. An application unpaid after seven days is not processed, and the deadline cannot be extended.
- Ignoring the selection method. An on-site exam in Finland in spring requires a visa, so you need to know about it before applying.
- Ranking six programmes of the same difficulty. Add options in other cities and institutions, including UAS.
- Applying to a UAS master's without two years of work. The application will be rejected as ineligible.
- Leaving the permit until August. Without a permit you cannot travel to study, and Studyinfo allows a deferred start only for a closed list of reasons: illness, parental leave or military service in Finland.
FAQ
For English-taught programmes starting in autumn 2027, between 7 and 21 January 2027, saving the application by 15:00 Finnish time. Finnish- and Swedish-taught programmes take applications on 9–23 March 2027. Separate admissions follow their own schedules on the programme pages.
Yes. Finnish institutions accept a school certificate that gives access to higher education where it was issued, and each programme then applies its own selection, such as an exam, SAT scores, grades and English. The university decides on admission, and you then need a residence permit.
Not to a university, because a bachelor's requires completed upper secondary education. After nine years you can apply to a Finnish upper secondary school or vocational college; the joint application runs from 16 February to 16 March 2027. Teaching is usually in Finnish or Swedish, and according to Migri non-EU/EEA students pay tuition there.
Up to six in a joint application, ranked by preference. If you are admitted to a higher-ranked programme, the ones below it drop out. You can accept only one place per term, and the €100 fee covers every application for the same starting term.
It depends on the programme. Bachelor's programmes often select by the institution's exam, SAT scores or grades; master's programmes by documents, a motivation letter and sometimes GMAT or GRE. The method is on the Studyinfo programme page, and the admissions office of the institution makes the decision.
Applying costs $114 (€100). After admission you pay tuition by the institution's deadline, usually $10,220–22,710 (€9,000–20,000) a year, with early-acceptance discounts at several institutions. The permit adds Migri's $681 (€600) online fee and living funds in your account.
Yes, if you graduate in the year of entry: you upload current grades and send the final document by the deadline in the programme rules. LUT, for example, admits such applicants conditionally and expects the certificate by 31 August 2027. Missing the deadline means losing the place, and the institution makes the admission decision.
Sources
- Studyinfo: application periods, application fee, tuition fees and scholarships, FAQ on applying: documents, one place per term, deferral
- Study in Finland: bachelor's and master's admissions, fees and cost of living
- Ministry of Education and Culture: application and tuition fees
- Migri: residence permit application for studies, tuition fees and the permit, student application processing, 20 August 2026
- Payment deadlines: Metropolia, University of Jyväskylä, UEF; LUT international rolling admission
- Finnish Border Guard: entry restrictions for Russian citizens, eastern border closure
All sources checked on 1 October 2026. Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 30 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355) and are rounded.
If you want to work through your route, send a request: programme selection, document preparation and submission are provided under an agreement with StudyU, and the university makes the admission decision.
Next steps
- How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026
- Studying Abroad After 9th Grade: Routes, Visas and the Path to University
- University abroad after vocational college: entry and credit transfer
- SAT or ACT: Which Test to Take for US Admission in 2026–27
- Cost of Studying in Finland in 2027/28: University Fees, Living Costs and Permit Funds
- Finland Student Residence Permit: Requirements, Funds, Processing Times and Rules for Russian Citizens
