English-taught degrees in Finland charge tuition to citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. Study in Finland gives the usual range as $10,220–22,710 (€9,000–20,000) a year, and since 1 August 2026 the fee must by law cover the full cost of teaching. Degrees taught in Finnish or Swedish and doctoral studies are tuition-free. For living costs, Migri requires at least $908 (€800) a month, while Study in Finland recommends a realistic $1,020–1,360 (€900–1,200). A first bachelor's year at a regional university comes to about $22,850–26,960 with all compulsory charges except insurance and travel. University scholarships only reduce tuition, and in the first year they increasingly take the form of a discount for paying quickly.
| Cost item | Amount | When you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee (non-EU/EEA citizens) | $114 (€100) per starting term | Within 7 days of applying |
| Tuition | Usually $10,220–22,710 (€9,000–20,000) a year | By the institution's deadline, often 14–21 days after accepting |
| Migri fee, first student permit | $681 (€600) online, $852 (€750) on paper | When you apply |
| Living costs | Migri minimum $908 (€800) a month; realistic $1,020–1,360 (€900–1,200) | Throughout your studies |
| Student union (universities) | $57–79 (€50–70) a year | When registering for the year |
| Student health service FSHS | About $40 (€35) per term | With registration |
| Health insurance | Insurer's price | Before applying for the permit |
What changed on 1 August 2026
Finland introduced fees for non-EU/EEA students in 2017, but for years each institution decided how much of the teaching cost to recover. Amendments to the Universities Act and the Universities of Applied Sciences Act now require full-cost fees for students who start on or after 1 August 2026, according to the Ministry of Education and Culture. Students who began earlier keep their original fee until they finish that degree.
For applicants, the biggest visible change is in support. Jyväskylä, UEF, LUT and Oulu give first-year bachelor's students a fixed discount for accepting and paying quickly rather than a competitive waiver, and the University of Turku offers first-year bachelor's students no discount at all. The application fee, in force since 1 January 2025, is another new cost.
Tuition at specific institutions
| Institution and level | Annual fee | Year or intake |
|---|---|---|
| University of Helsinki, bachelor's | $14,760 (€13,000) | 2026/27 rates |
| University of Helsinki, master's | $14,760, $17,030 or $20,440 (€13,000, €15,000 or €18,000) | 2026/27 rates, by programme |
| Aalto, bachelor's | $13,630 (€12,000) business and technology; $17,030 (€15,000) art and architecture | Study rights from 1 August 2025 |
| Aalto, master's | $17,030 (€15,000) business; $19,300 (€17,000) technology and multidisciplinary; $22,710 (€20,000) art and architecture | Same |
| Tampere University | Bachelor's $11,360 (€10,000); master's $13,630 (€12,000) | 2027 intake |
| University of Oulu | Bachelor's $11,360 (€10,000); master's $9,650–15,900 (€8,500–14,000) | 2027/28 |
| University of Turku | $11,360–13,630 (€10,000–12,000) | 2026 intake (2027 terms not yet published on 1 October 2026) |
| University of Jyväskylä | $11,360–18,170 (€10,000–16,000); the highest is Immersive Software Engineering and AI | 2027 intake |
| University of Eastern Finland (UEF) | $11,360–13,630 (€10,000–12,000) | 2027 intake |
| Metropolia, bachelor's | $13,060 (€11,500), some programmes $13,630 (€12,000) | Study rights after 31 July 2027 |
| Metropolia, master's | $14,190 (€12,500) | Same |
All figures come from the institutions' own pages. Fees are charged per academic year (1 August to 31 July). Metropolia requires the whole year in a single payment, while UEF allows two equal instalments. Profiles of all institutions are in our guide to universities in Finland, and application and payment deadlines in applying to universities in Finland.
Discounts and scholarships: what lowers year one
There are no Finnish government scholarships for bachelor's or master's students; support comes from the institution, almost always as a tuition reduction that leaves living costs to you.
| Institution | First year | From year two |
|---|---|---|
| University of Helsinki | Master's: 50% or 100% waivers, mostly 50%; bachelor's: none | Master's: renewed with 55 ECTS a year; bachelor's: the programme may give a $1,140 (€1,000) Dean's award for performance |
| Aalto | Excellence Scholarship, a full waiver for top applicants, very few awarded; bachelor's students get 25% off for accepting and paying within 21 days | Scholarship runs for the standard study period with full-time study |
| Tampere University | $2,270 (€2,000) off for accepting and paying within 21 days; 50% scholarships for the whole programme are very rare (nine across all programmes in 2026) | Tampere bachelor's graduates get $2,270 (€2,000) off the first master's year if they graduate within three years |
| University of Oulu | Early-bird discount of 5–30% depending on the programme for paying within three weeks; 30% for bachelor's | Bachelor's: 20–30% waiver after 60 ECTS a year, including required Finnish studies |
| University of Turku | Bachelor's: nothing; master's: $2,270 (€2,000) off for paying within 28 days | 50% of the fee after 55 ECTS a year |
| University of Jyväskylä | No scholarship; $1,700 (€1,500) off for accepting within 14 days | Partial scholarship on application |
| UEF | 30% off ($3,410 or $4,090) for paying within 21 days | 30% with 55 ECTS a year; one-off Finnish-proficiency waiver of $1,700–2,840 (€1,500–2,500) from 2027/28 |
| LUT, bachelor's | Early-bird discount of $2,270 (€2,000) only | $3,410 (€3,000) in years two and three after 60 and 120 ECTS |
| Metropolia | $1,140 (€1,000) off the second term for accepting within 14 days; not available for every selection method | Scholarships for passing a Finnish-language test |
Competitive waivers at Helsinki, Aalto and Tampere University must be requested in the admission application; they cannot be added afterwards. Aalto also screens scholarship candidates against EU sanctions lists. Other funding sources are compared in our overview of scholarships abroad in 2026.
Living costs and Migri's threshold
Migri grants a student permit only if the applicant has at least €800 a month for housing, food and other needs. That is a legal minimum, not a budget: Study in Finland suggests €900–1,200 depending on the city, and UEF suggests €900–1,000 for Kuopio and Joensuu. Helsinki and its region cost more than regional cities, mostly because of rent.
If the institution provides free housing, Migri lowers the requirement to €400 a month, and to €270 with free housing and meals. Such arrangements are rare for ordinary degree students.
University students pay a student union fee of about €50–70 a year, which unlocks discounts on meals and transport; union membership at a UAS is optional. Bachelor's and master's students also pay a student health fee of around €35 per term to use the Finnish Student Health Service.
Money in the account for the permit
A separate budget line is the money you must show Migri when you apply for the permit. If your studies last a year or more, your account must hold €9,600 ($10,900) on the day you apply. If tuition is still unpaid, the account must also hold that amount, because the living funds cannot double as tuition money.
- The account must be in your name and for your use only; under-18s may use a joint account with a guardian.
- Attach a statement covering the last six months that shows the holder, bank and currency.
- Sponsorship agreements from relatives, friends or employers are not accepted. If the money came from parents, Migri may ask about its origin, for example through a tax certificate.
- The account can be in any country, but you must be able to withdraw the money in Finland.
- A confirmed living-cost grant reduces the required amount.
Example: a €10,000 bachelor's at Jyväskylä costs €8,500 in year one after the discount. If it is unpaid when you file for the permit, the account needs €9,600 + €8,500 = €18,100 ($20,550). For applicants in Russia this is the main practical question, because Migri requires money you can actually use in Finland, and the Studyinfo fee accepts only Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Finnish bank methods. Plan the account and a lawful transfer route early. Our guide on how to pay for studies abroad from Russia sets out the options, and the full Migri file is described in the Finnish student residence permit guide.
Cost of a whole degree: three calculations
The calculations use published fees and Study in Finland's €900–1,200 monthly living range. Insurance, travel and setting-up costs are excluded, and scholarships from year two are not counted, because the institution awards them and you cannot plan on them in advance.
| Scenario | Tuition | Living | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| €10,000 bachelor's at Jyväskylä, year one with the €1,500 discount, plus application fee, Migri fee, union and FSHS (€820–840) | €8,500 | €10,800–14,400 | €20,120–23,740 ($22,850–26,960) |
| €11,500 Metropolia bachelor's, year one with the €1,000 discount (if your selection method qualifies) | €10,500 ($11,920) | €10,800–14,400 | €21,300–24,900 ($24,190–28,270) before fees |
| €15,000 University of Helsinki master's, two years without a waiver | €30,000 | €21,600–28,800 | €51,600–58,800 ($58,590–66,770) |
| Same master's with a 50% waiver | €15,000 | €21,600–28,800 | €36,600–43,800 ($41,560–49,740) |
The pattern is clear: whatever the tuition discount, two or three years of living costs match or exceed the fee itself. For a comparison with a neighbouring country, see the cost of studying in Norway.
Where you can study without tuition
- Finnish- or Swedish-taught degrees. No tuition for anyone, although non-EU/EEA applicants still pay the €100 application fee, and you need the language at study level; applications for autumn 2027 starts run 9–23 March 2027.
- Doctoral studies. No tuition and no application fee, but you need a master's degree and an agreed research topic.
- Exchange. Exchange students pay nothing to the Finnish institution when an inter-university agreement covers the exchange.
- Exempt status. Holders of a permanent residence permit, an EU Blue Card or a type A permit granted for reasons other than study are exempt, as are family members of Finnish and EU citizens and people under temporary protection.
Countries where tuition-free study is genuinely open to international students are compared in our guide to tuition-free study abroad.
Can work cover the costs?
A student residence permit allows work in any field for 30 hours a week on average, up to 1,560 hours a year, with full-time work allowed in holidays as long as the annual average holds. Compulsory placements in the curriculum are outside the limit. Study in Finland warns that jobs are hard to find without Finnish or Swedish and that part-time pay will not cover both tuition and living costs. Future earnings do not count towards the funds needed for a first permit at all.
How tuition is paid
Institutions collect fees through their own systems; Metropolia and UEF, for example, accept payment only through Flywire, and Metropolia wants the full annual amount in one payment. Bank and service charges are not included in the fee. If you miss the deadline, the study right is cancelled, and Metropolia charges a separate €50 fee to restore it. Applicants from Russia should plan the tuition payment and the permit funds as a single task and use lawful channels only.
Common budgeting mistakes
- Using old articles. Figures from 2017–2024 miss the application fee, full-cost tuition and the new discount rules.
- Confusing a discount with a scholarship. The early-bird discount depends on how fast you pay, not on grades, and applies to year one only.
- Treating €800 as a real budget. It is Migri's threshold; Study in Finland recommends €900–1,200.
- Forgetting the tuition money at permit time. If the fee is unpaid, that sum must also sit in your account.
- Counting on a job. Earnings are ignored for a first permit, and part-time work is scarce without the local language.
- Leaving the transfer to the last month. Payment deadlines are 14–21 days after accepting the place.
FAQ
Tuition for English-taught programmes is usually $10,220–22,710 (€9,000–20,000) a year for non-EU/EEA citizens. For example, UEF charges $11,360–13,630 for the 2027 intake and the University of Helsinki $14,760 for a bachelor's. Finnish- and Swedish-taught degrees charge no tuition.
Migri requires at least $908 (€800) a month, and Study in Finland recommends $1,020–1,360 (€900–1,200) depending on the city. When you apply for the permit, your account must hold $10,900 (€9,600), plus the tuition if it is still unpaid.
Yes, in Finnish- or Swedish-taught degrees and at doctoral level. English-taught bachelor's and master's degrees charge non-EU/EEA citizens unless you hold an exempting status such as permanent residence. The institution decides on the exemption from the documents you attach to your application.
Only institutional ones: full or partial tuition waivers and early-payment discounts. Aalto's full waivers and Helsinki's 50–100% master's waivers are competitive, and the university decides on them together with admission. At Jyväskylä, UEF, LUT and Oulu the first bachelor's year offers only an early-bird discount, and Turku offers first-year bachelor's students none.
Partly, and not in year one. You may work 30 hours a week on average, but earnings do not count for a first permit, and the living and tuition money must be in your account beforehand. Study in Finland advises against building a financial plan on part-time work.
With a €10,000 annual fee, a €1,500 early-bird discount (as at Jyväskylä) and €900–1,200 a month for living, three years come to about €60,900–71,700 ($69,150–81,420) including the year-one early-bird discount, but excluding insurance, travel and any later scholarships. The exact figure depends on your programme's fee.
Sources
- Study in Finland: fees and cost of living, scholarships
- Ministry of Education and Culture: tuition and application fees; Studyinfo: application fee, fee exemptions
- Migri: income requirement for students, student permit application, fees and right to work, tuition fees and the permit
- Institutions: University of Helsinki, Aalto, University of Jyväskylä, UEF, LUT, Metropolia, Tampere University, University of Oulu, University of Turku
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: a budget for your chosen programmes, document preparation and submission are provided under an agreement with StudyU, and the university makes the admission and discount decisions.
Next steps
- Tuition-Free Study Abroad: Where International Students Pay No Tuition, What Still Costs Money and What Is Open to Russian Citizens
- Scholarships abroad 2026: where international students study for free
- How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026
- Applying to Universities in Finland for 2027: Studyinfo Dates, Documents and Steps After School
- Cost of Studying in Norway in 2026/27: Tuition, Living Costs and a Full Budget
- Finland Student Residence Permit: Requirements, Funds, Processing Times and Rules for Russian Citizens
