Study in Finland

Finland is ranked #1 as the happiest country in the world

The latest UN report stated that Finland is now the happiest country in the world. The Nordic countries are in general always at the top, but Finland made a big climb this year from number 5 to number 1.

The Finnish Passport is one of the best

Finns can pride themselves on having the third-best passport in the world, just shortly behind Germany, Singapore, and Japan.

This means that they can visit most of the countries in the world without getting a visa.

Northern Lights, Midnight Sun & Polar Night

These spectacular events can all be experienced here. During the winter, you can see the Northern Lights, and also experience the Polar night in the Northern parts of the country. It’s the darkest months of the year and for several weeks the sun won’t rise.

The coldest temperature measured was -51.5 degrees Celsius

If you travel here during the winter months, make sure that you bring a warm jacket. While you probably won’t have to face the record low temperature, the average temperature in Helsinki during the winter months is still -5 degrees Celsius.

The coldest temperature measured in the country was back in 1999 in Kittilä where the temperature went all the way down to -51.5 degrees Celsius (−60.7 °F).

5. In June and July, the sun doesn’t drop below the horizon.
6. Finland has one of the least corrupt governments in the world. It’s been ranked among the 5 least corrupt countries in the world since 2010
7. 7. The Finns love coffee more than anyone else

You can keep your Italian espressos; forget your Australian flat whites – when it comes to java, the Finns do it best – and the most. The average Finn consumes 12 kg of the brown stuff every year.

There are two types of higher education institutions in Finland: universities and universities of applied sciences (UAS).  University of Applied Sciences are also known as polytechnics in Finland. Doctoral programs are offered by the universities only.

There are 13 Finnish universities and they are owned by the state; their focus lies in scientific research and they offer students a more theoretical education. USA’s on the other hand, are governed by local municipalities and private entities and are centered around developing practical skills and engaging in industry development projects.

As is the case with many European countries, the Finnish higher education system uses the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) to measure the amount of higher education credits.

Polytechnics(UAS): Polytechnics provide instruction for expert functioning in the following areas: national resources, technology and communication, business and administration, tourism, catering and institutional management, health care, and social services among others.

Universities: Universities offer bachelor’s, master’s, licentiate, and doctorates. Students generally complete a bachelor’s degree in three years and a master’s degree in five years. The purpose of universities is to promote independent research and scientific and artistic education, to provide instruction of the highest level based on research, and to raise the young to serve the fatherland and humankind.

Here is a list of universities in Finland:

Abo Akademi University, HSme Polytechnic, Helsinki Business Polytechnic, Helsinki School of Economics, Helsinki University of Technology, Lahti Polytechnic, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Oulu Institute of Technology, Satakunta Polytechnic, Sibelius Academy, Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration (Finland), Tampere Institute of Technology, Tampere University of Technology, University of Art and Design Helsinki, University of Helsinki, University of Joensuu, University of JyvSskylS, University of Kuopio, University of Oulu, University of Tampere, University of Turku, and University of Vaasa.

Courses, Semesters, & Diplomas: One hundred twenty credits are required for a bachelor’s degree, while 160-180 credits are required for a master’s degree. It takes an additional 6.5 years to complete a master’s degree, with 4 additional years required for a doctorate. The academic year consists of two terms: the fall term running from August 1 to December 31 and the spring term running from January 1 to July 31. Christmas vacation lasts 20 days, 10 before and 10 after Christmas.

Degrees are awarded in natural sciences, humanities, industrial arts, sports sciences, theology, social sciences, business administration, psychology education, agriculture and forestry, health care, musicology, theatre, and dance. A bachelor’s thesis is required. No lower degrees in medicine, engineering, or defense are offered. There is both a lower and upper degree in law.

Professional Education: Professional education is offered in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. The universities of Helsinki, Kuopio, Oulu, Tampere, and Turku have medical faculties. Basic medical education takes at least six years and leads to the degree of licentiate in medicine. In these fields, one first earns a practice degree or licentiate (between 200 and 250 credits) and then may continue to a doctorate that involves more course-work and the writing of a dissertation. Eighteen percent of physicians in Finland have taken the degree of doctor of medicine.

Postgraduate Training: After completing a bachelor’s degree, students may pursue a master’s degree, then a licentiate, and then a doctorate. All of the 10 multidisciplinary universities offer advanced degrees.

• Information Technology Engineering
• Business
• Finance
• Health Care
• Education

When applying for bachelor’s programmes, you usually need to hold such school-leaving certificates that make you eligible to apply for higher education in your home country. You’ll need your upper secondary school certificates, even if you have completed some higher education studies after that.

For master’s level admissions, you need to have completed a university-level bachelor’s degree, or equivalent.

The eligibility requirements may vary from one degree programme to another, so remember to check the details with the university you are interested in. For example, if you are an eligible applicant, you may additionally be required to complete an entrance exam or an interview.

If English is not your first language, you may need to demonstrate your English proficiency level. IELTS and TOEFL are the most commonly accepted options, but many institutions also offer others. Check the English proficiency test requirements and any possible exemption rules with the university you are applying to. General IELTS requirement is an overall score of 6.0.

*The full extent of the required documents also depends on the university and/or the degree you are applying for. Thus, please check each university page individually to get more specific information about the required documents. All documents submitted must be in English, Finnish or Swedish and notarized.

The following documents must be also attached to your application:

1. Scanned copy of your secondary school certificate (for bachelor’s studies) or bachelor’s diploma (master’s studies)
2. Transcript of Records, with grading scale in English if the scale is not indicated in the transcript.
3. Scanned copy of your passport or national ID

The followings documents might be also required, depending on the degree program you apply to:

• Language certificate (IELTS, TOEFL, etc)
• SAT
• English medium letter
• Motivation letter

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees at universities in Finland only apply to international students, i.e. students that come from a country outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland. The tuition fees apply to full-time students in Bachelor or Master programmes; but Doctorate programmes (PhDs) are usually tuition-free. There are also some exceptions for those that are already in Finland under certain conditions; if you already have a permanent or a fixed-term residence permit, or an EU Blue Card, you are likely exempt from fees. Also, anyone choosing to study in Finnish or Swedish, as opposed to a degree taught in English, is exempt from tuition charges.Each university in Finland offers a range of scholarships for international students. These are largely based on academic merits, and there is often a certain quota for each degree programme. Some scholarships grant a complete fee waiver, others may reward you with a percentage deduction on the tuition charges, e.g. 50%.Each university sets their own fees, which can be different from program to program, but annual tuition fees  are set somewhere between €5,000 and €18,000 , not including general living expenses.Fortunately, student housing is very accessible and staying at a university dormitory or student residence hall is an option in many institutions in Finland, so make sure to contact your university about their housing opportunities.

Cost of Living

Monthly living expenses for students (including food, accommodation, travel, insurance, etc.) are on average around €700 – €1,000, depending on where you’ll be living and your personal habits, and are typically higher in larger cities than in smaller ones.

Fortunately, your student residence permit will allow you to work for up to 25 hours per week. Most Finnish universities provide career services for international students —they’re available to lend a hand during your job search, whether you’re looking for a student job or a full-time position for after you graduate.

1. Fill in your residence permit application via Enter Finland. You can fill Residence permit application for studies either by offline or by Online
2. PREPARE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

General attachments

• Valid passport (you must present it when you submit the residence permit application)
• Passport photo complying with the photo guidelines issued by the police or a photograph retrieval code you received from a photo shop, OLEL_PK
• Colour copies of the passport page containing personal data and of all passport pages that contain notes
• Document showing that you are legally staying in the country where you submit the application

Application-specific attachments

• Certificate of acceptance/attendance from your educational institution in Finland
• Clarification of income
• Health insurance
• Documentation of paid tuition fee or documentation of scholarship
• Earlier degree certificates (not required of degree students and exchange students)
• Potential certificates of employment (not required of degree students and exchange students)

• SCHEDULE BIOMETRIC APPOINTMENT via VFS website/Call the VFS helpline: 022-67866026 / Send an email to: info.finlandin@vfshelpline.com

1. ATTEND BIOMETRICS APPOINTMENT
2. TRACK YOUR APPLICATION STATUS through your personal user account.
3.  VISA DECISION: The decision will be mailed to you in a letter together with your residence permit card. Note, it still takes 2-3 weeks to receive an RP-card to the Embassy.

Some decisions will be sent by post with advice of delivery. If you get a positive decision, you will get a residence permit card.

If you have either studied and completed a degree in Finland or completed your research in Finland, you can apply for the following permits:

• When you have found a job, you can apply for a new residence permit for work on the basis of a degree completed in Finland or on the basis of research completed in Finland.
• If you are not yet employed, you can apply for a residence permit to look for work or to start a business.

Residence permit application for extended permit to look for work or to start a business

Apply for a residence permit with this application if you need an extended permit to look for work or to start a business and you do not yet have a job. You need to have a valid residence permit for studies or for scientific research.

• If you have a residence permit for studies, you must have finished your studies and graduated.
• If you have a residence permit for scientific research, you must have finished your research work or you must have completed a doctoral degree in Finland after finishing your research work.

• Expected processing time
  4–8 months
• Paper application fee
  260 €

You can get a residence permit to look for work or to start a business only once and for a maximum of one year.

You cannot be granted a residence permit to look for work if you have received a decision on deportation from Finland.

Income requirement

You have secure means of support

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the necessary funds for living in Finland. You must have at least EUR 560 at your disposal every month to be able to pay for your accommodation, food and other needs. In other words, you must have EUR 6,720 to be able to study in Finland for a year. The income requirement for this permit is the same as it is for a residence permit for studies.