Scholarships in Finland

Scholarships

General situation in terms of scholarships

Finland introduced tuition fees for students from outside the EU and the EEA (as well as outside Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) in 2017. The fee applies to those who come to Finland to study. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland continue to study free of charge at public universities on all levels.

From 1 August 2026, non-EU/EEA students who begin their studies on or after that date must cover the full cost of their education. This is based on changes to the University Act and the Universities of Applied Sciences Act. Students who began their studies before 1 August 2026 keep their original fee level until they complete their degree.

Annual tuition fees for non-EU students are around €8,000 to €18,000 a year at research universities, while universities of applied sciences charge roughly €6,000 to €12,000. Many Finnish institutions, including Aalto, Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Oulu and LUT, offer tuition waivers of 50 % to 100 % of the fees. These waivers cover only the tuition fees, not living costs. The Finland Scholarship covers 100 % of the first year’s tuition fees plus a one-off relocation grant of €5,000 for top applicants from outside the EU for a master’s programme.

Living costs are roughly €800 to €1,200 a month in Helsinki and €600 to €900 in Tampere, Turku, Jyväskylä and Oulu. Because tuition is free for EU students and many scholarships are tied to fee waivers, most of the awards available in Finland are aimed at helping with living costs rather than the fees themselves.

Type of scholarships and granting institution

The universities themselves are one of the main providers of scholarships to students. The purpose, criteria and level of award varies but typically they are given to help cover part of the cost of living.

Students from Finland can apply for support from the Finnish government through its social security agency Kela. This is for grants and loans rather than scholarships. International students have other options. This includes the Erasmus scholarship scheme for students from the EU. The body responsible for international mobility scholarships today is the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI), which was formed in early 2017 through the merger of the Centre for International Mobility (CIMO) and the Finnish National Board of Education. Its central award for researchers is the EDUFI Fellowship, a mobility grant for foreign PhD researchers and early-career researchers from outside Finland. It funds a stay of 3 to 12 months at a Finnish university or research institution and is a partial grant rather than a full scholarship for a complete degree. Applications are normally made through a Finnish host institution or supervisor on behalf of the candidate.

Availability and conditions for getting a scholarship

Because there are not many scholarships available, competition to get them is high. The requirements vary depending on the award but often include academic record and personal financial circumstances.

At bachelor’s and master’s degree level, qualifying students can apply for support through Kela and Erasmus programmes. The EDUFI Fellowship is for PhD researchers and early-career researchers. Scholarships available directly from the universities are for both graduate and post-graduate study but this varies depending on the institution, the subject and the award.

Local scholarships for foreign students

Scholarships are awarded to foreign students directly by the universities. EDUFI also offers the EDUFI Fellowship to international PhD researchers for research stays. To apply for university scholarships, students must have a place on a course at a university in Finland. These awards are usually tied directly to the admission process and are applied for through Studyinfo.fi or the institution’s website.

For students from outside the EU, the tuition fee situation shapes the scholarship landscape. In many countries one of the main purposes of a scholarship is to cover the costs of tuition fees. Non-EU students in Finland can win tuition waivers of 50 % to 100 % of the fees, so much of the available support is tied to the admission process. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland do not pay tuition fees at all.

Typical scholarships in Finland

It is hard to quantify a typical scholarship in Finland as most of the awards come from the universities themselves. This means the level of the award varies. One example that can be given is the EDUFI Fellowship. It is a monthly grant awarded for a period of 3 to 12 months, depending on the length of the research stay.