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Studying in Finland

Foreign students are welcome to study at Finnish educational institutions. When a foreign student has been accepted as a student at a Finnish educational institution, he or she must usually also apply for a residence permit. For information on residence permits, please see the section Non-EU citizens.

If the studies last for less than three months, no residence permit is needed. The student can then conduct his or her studies within the period of validity of his or her visa or while an agreement on the abolition of visas is valid. For further information on applying for a visa, the validity periods of visas and visa application fees, as well as a list of countries whose citizens do not need visas, see the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs  (section Services > Foreign nationals arriving in Finland).

EU citizens and citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland do not need a residence permit, but they must register their right to reside in Finland if their stay lasts for longer than three months. For information on EU citizens and equivalent persons' right to reside in Finland as a student, please see the section EU citizens

Member states of the European Union  

In addition to Finland, the Member States of the European Union (EU) include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Similar regulations on the right of free movement that apply to citizens of EU Member States also apply to those of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Hence, the citizens of these States are equated with EU citizens.

Webservice "Migrating to Finland?"

The service helps you evaluate whether you require a visa or a residence permit to Finland and what the requirements are.

www.migri.fi/migratingtofinland

Customer bulletins

Positive decisions on residence permit applications for studies are made quickly (30.8.2010)

Further information

Flowchart: residence permit for studies

Further information for students

Frequently asked questions: students

If you are looking for information on study opportunities and scholarships in Finland, please contact Centre for International Mobility CIMO, www.studyinfinland.fi

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