Free of charge programmes and grants for study in Finland

Finland is one of few countries in Europe where higher educational institutions offer more than 450 university studies in English and do not charge tuition fees for the Bachelor’s and Doctoral (PhD) programmes.

Several Master’s degree programmes are also offered free of charge. Non-EU/EEA students may have to pay a fee ranging from Euro 2000 to 12000 for the Master’s degree programmes. Non - Europeans who are permanent residents of Finland is exempt.

The average fee of Master programme is 8000 EURO. In case the education is free of charge foreigners should finance their costs of living in Finland during studies.

Cost of living is high, especially in metropolitan areas, and students are expected to prove they have at least 500 Euros a month in order to be eligible to study and apply for a student residence permit (a must for non-EU/EEA citizens). Students are eligible for discounts at eating establishments and can share low cost accommodation.

They can also go in for part-time work but in that case knowledge of Swedish or Finnish is a must. Scholarship amount may just cover the living expenses that are calculated to be about 700 to 900 Euros a month.

The students wishing to pursue a Master’s or a Doctor’s degree programme in Finland can apply for several types of scholarships directly from the institution they have joined for studies. Application for a scholarship can only be made after joining a relevant course.

CIMO scholarships Non-EU/EEA students can apply for CIMO (The Centre for International Mobility) scholarships at the doctoral and research level at Finnish Universities. CIMO offers CIMO Fellowships and scholarships for postgraduate studies and research.

The criteria vary according to the student’s qualification and the course he/she has opted for. It’s aim is to cover only the monthly living expenses. CIMO operates independently under the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture with an emphasis on promoting education, research and training.

CIMO grants post-Master and PhD studies for Kindred Peoples who belong to Finno-Ugrian group residing in Russian Federation. Universities’ grants:The University of Helsinki offers grants to eligible students under the International Master’s Degree Programme.The Hanken School of Economics offers limited scholarships for international Master’s degree students (non-EU/EEA student) as does the Aalto University.The University of Oulu disburses about 2.4 million Euros towards studies in business, architecture, economics, education, sciences and engineering.Erasmus Mundus is a unique scholarship programme for students pursuing an Erasmus Mundus Master’s course or an Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate Programme.

The scholarship is also available for varying periods for students and scholars from selected non-EU/EEA regions. Students have to study at at least two European universities and are eligible to receive 4000 Euros towards travel, 4000 Euros per semester towards participation costs and 1000 Euros a month towards living expenses.

The scholarship cannot be used for payment of tuition fees. EU/EEA nationals receive substantially less. Private organizations like Rotary International may fund students according to their criteria. 

As compared to other countries in Europe pursuing a Master’s or a PhD programme in Finland there is an attractive option due to scholarships programmes.The Netherlands universities also offer a wide range of grants for Bachelor and Master programmes. Doctoral studies are mostly free of charge and students get a substantial salary during their PhD studies in Holland.

See also the tuition fees and study programmes of Dutch universities.

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