The financial challenges of international students have been in the media several times this spring. Finland has an ever increasing number of international students, and their share in higher education is also growing rapidly. From 1 August 2026, international students from outside the EU and EEA countries will be charged higher tuition fees to cover the costs of education, which, in on some fields, can go up to EUR 28,000 per year. In addition, they must have a minimum EUR 800 per month to cover the cost of living and private insurance when studying in Finland. 

Increasing costs force students to work while studying, which is not a sustainable solution – or, at times, even an option. A person residing in Finland with a student residence permit may work an average of 30 hours a week during the year. Finding a job in Finland is currently very difficult, especially without Finnish or Swedish skills. An estimated 75 per cent of vacancies in Finland are hidden jobs, which means that they are not advertised publicly. In addition, studies have shown that a foreign-sounding name leads to fewer invitations to job interviews. According to Statistics Finland, the cost of living in Finland is among the highest in Europe. At the same time, there is an urgent shortage of student housing in different various parts of the country, which adds to the livelihood challenges of international students. 

The economic dependency ratio in Finland is deteriorating and the population is ageing. The same challenge affects the whole of Europe, and competition for international students will only get more intense. In addition to competing for international students, Finland also has difficulties holding on to recently graduated international students. As employment is challenging and the cost of living is high, recent graduates are driven to seek employment opportunities and better living conditions outside Finland. At the moment, it seems that tuition fees are not working as intended: the fees were justified as an incentive for staying and finding employment in Finland.

International students face financial challenges in Finland that require coordinated measures from the Government, employers, and higher education institutions. 

Solutions proposed by SYL and SAMOK:

• The Government prepares a report on how international students could get incentives that provide financial support for higher education studies aimed at a degree in Finland.
• It should be investigated whether recently graduated international students could receive benefits and support services that could secure their livelihood for studying the national languages after graduation.
• Employers reassess the necessity of a high level of native Finnish language proficiency in order to lower the obstacles to finding work.
• In order to improve employment opportunities, the use of anonymous recruitment and affirmative action will be increased, incentives for language training offered by employers will be created, and discrimination will be actively addressed in recruitment.
• A comprehensive system of scholarships that respects the autonomy of higher education institutions must be developed quickly in order to effectively combat the negative effects of the increased tuition fees.
• Higher education institutions must also strengthen their working life services and ensure ethical student recruitment. International applicants must be offered a realistic idea of studying and living in Finland.

These measures can alleviate the financial burden and employment difficulties of international students. In the future, Finland must also be a more receptive country to international students and hold on to its international graduates.

Further information:

Mantė Žygelytė

Board Member, SYL

Ilona Hirvonen

Board Member, SAMOK