Study in Finland

Finland is located in the far North of Europe, between its neighbors Sweden and Russia. The main language is Finnish; Swedish is also an official language thanks to a Swedish minority, a result of 600 years as part of the Swedish Empire. Helsinki, the capital, is by far the largest city in Finland. Other large towns include Espoo, Tampere, and Turku.

Climate

Finland is known for its harsh winters and short summers. Thanks to its proximity to the polar circle, it never really gets dark in the summertime – while the sky does not really light up during winter, on the other hand. Like other Nordic nations, Finland typically celebrates the summer solstice, when the sun hours reach their annual maximum in mid-June.

Statistics on Higher Education in Finland

After the alignment of the European educational systems as part of the Bologna reform, many Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences have increased the number of English-language Bachelor and Master programs. Finland has about 40 institutions of higher education, which are commonly classified into either universities (classical research and teaching institutions) or polytechnics, sometimes called universities of applied sciences (with a more practice-oriented approach to teaching). There are slightly over 300,000 students at polytechnics and universities in Finland, about 20,000 of which are international students.

For students from the EU/EEA, most academic degree programs are free of charge. Tuition fees may apply for applicants from other countries, and they vary from school to school.

How to apply for a Bachelor or Master in Finland

First, you should decide which programs at which universities you want to apply. You will find the entry requirements either in the course descriptions here on Study.EU or on the university websites. The Finnish polytechnics handle all applications for Bachelor’s programs and many applications for Master’s programs through their central application system at Studyinfo.fi. For degree programs not handled via that website, you need to apply directly to the polytechnic or university according to their admissions process.

Visa requirements for students

Students from the EU/EEA can study in Finland without any further visa requirements. Students from other countries may need to obtain a specific study visa. You should check with the Finnish authorities to know how to meet the legal requirements.

The job market for graduates

Finland is a welcoming country for foreigners. However, the big challenge for international graduates is the Finnish language. It is considered to be one of the world’s most complicated languages. Even though almost everyone in Finland has a decent knowledge of English, it is vital to know at least a bit of Finnish for the workplace. However the Finnish authorities are doing their best to attract and keep talent in Finland.

Transportation

Finland is located at the Northern edge of Europe. Helsinki Vantaa, in the capital, is one of the more important airport hubs in the Nordic region with many international flights. Via Finnair, there are especially convenient connections to East Asia and China in particular. Smaller airports in the rest of the country are sometimes serviced by low-cost carriers such as Ryanair but are otherwise connected via Helsinki.