A Master’s in Finland is often an excellent choice for adventurous international postgraduates trying to find a singular study abroad experience in Europe. And, with historic universities and an honest chance of paying no fees for your Masters, the country has plenty to supply.
This page offers an in-depth guide to Master’s study in Finland, including information on universities, course content, costs, and visa requirements. We’re also keeping an eye fixed on the effect of coronavirus on students in Finland.
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Table of Contents
Why you ought to consider a Masters in Finland
- No tuition fees – If you’re an EU / EEA national, education is free!
- Relatively low cost of living – compared to other Nordic countries, Finland is a smaller amount expensive to measure in. this suggests you’ll experience the famous Nordic model of living without fear of an excessive amount of about your bank balance.
- Academic freedom – Finland is rightfully pleased with its egalitarian society, and this is often reflected in an education sector that emphasizes the importance of co-operation and academic independence.
- Research and development – Universities of applied sciences in Finland maintain close links with local industry, allowing you to place your skills into practice.
Key Details about Masters Study in Finland
- Universities- 35
- Oldest University- University of Helsinki (1640)
- International Students- 23,714
- Course Length – 2 years
- Typical Fees (Domestic / EU) – None
- Academic Year- September to June
Finnish universities
Finland has two sorts of educational institutions where you’ll undertake Master’s degrees: 13 universities and 22 universities of engineering (UAS). All degrees, including Masters degrees, are awarded ECTS credits. Universities follow the Bologna three-tier system: Bachelor (three years), Master (two years), Doctorate (four years).
Universities of engineering are more focused on vocational education and applied research. As such, Masters at UAS are a touch different than in universities and last one to at least one and a half years. additionally, they will only be accessed upon completion of a bachelor’s and three years of professional experience.
Universities offering Masters study in Finland
Finland features a good number of master’s programs. Below may be a list of some top Finnish Universities for a Master’s study.
- University of Helsinki
- Aalto University
- University of Oulu
- Tampere University
- Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT
- University of Turku
- University of Eastern Finland
- University of Jyväskylä
- Ã…bo Akademi University
Top Courses offered at Masters Level in Finland
If you’re curious about taking a Masters degree in northern Europe, then Finland is completely a Nordic country to think about. Finland is an EU member country and also has close ties to its Scandinavian neighbours, Sweden and Norway. Finland has one of the very best living standards and quality of life across the world, and this dynamic country also has one of the very best graduation rates of all countries. All this makes the right environment for a Master in Finland.
There are many opportunities to pursue a Master in Finland in universities and polytechnics, including subjects like Business, Economics, Communication, Engineering, Finance, ecology and more. For a Master in Finland, students can choose a serious and minor subject of study, and can also take courses generally studies and communication, completing their Master in Finland program with a Master’s thesis.
Below are a few of the best courses offered at the masters level in Finland
- MSc in Business and Management
- Master’s Degree in International Business
- Master’s Degree Programme in Biomedical Imaging
- MSc in Economics
- MSc in Financial Analysis and Business Development
- MSc in property Law
10 Reasons why Finland has the Best Education System in the World
Course types
Masters degrees offered by Finnish universities are always two years in duration, although at universities of engineering the duration is often shorter, thanks to the very fact that students must have significant professional experience before starting the course.
As in other European countries, credits are gained through a mixture of compulsory / core courses and optional courses or activities. Teaching for Masters degrees is delivered face-to-face or virtually through lectures, seminars, tutorials, and practicals, also as language courses or a period of internship. Assessments are supported coursework, exams, and therefore the final dissertation.
Masters fees and funding in Finland
Historically, there have been no tuition fees in Finland. However, this changed within the 2017-18 school year when fees were introduced for non-EU/EEA students on English-language Masters degrees (not Finnish / Swedish language Masters). These fees vary between €4,000 and €18,000.
Other costs
All students will need to pay a little fee, either to become a member of the university or the scholar union. Other costs may include access to student facilities like sports centres, also as buying textbooks or other materials.
Funding
Finnish education institutions offer scholarships to gifted non-EU/EEA students, which you generally apply for at an equivalent time as your Master’s application.
You might be eligible to receive support through the Erasmus+ scheme, which provides funding for selected programs like Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, also as Erasmus loans for college kids who want to study abroad.
If you’re a US citizen, there are a couple of options hospitable you:
- The Council on International Educational Exchange have grants available for American students to study abroad – need-based and merit-based
- Fund for Education Abroad
- Fulbright scholarships
Applying for a Masters in Finland
The Finnish school year begins in September, but the appliance period for Master’s programs in Finland is usually from November through to February / March (though in some cases it’s going to close as early because of the end of January). the precise dates may vary from one university to a different, or maybe within one single university, counting on the Master’s program in question. you’ll also find that different universities and courses have different entry requirements for prospective postgraduates.
Entry requirements
Masters applicants should hold an undergraduate degree (three years minimum). For UAS Masters, you’ll also need three years of professional experience. If you already hold a better education qualification from a rustic aside from Finland, your eligibility is set based on:
Your academic performance.
Language skills: English or Finnish / Swedish if you’re opting to pursue a Master’s in one of the country’s official languages.
Other faculty-specific requirements, if applicable.
Application process
Both sorts of universities in Finland use Studyinfo for Masters applications (the Finnish equivalent of UCAS). Handily, you won’t be charged a fee to use for a course at a Finnish university through Studyinfo.
Visa information for UK students in Finland
UK students will not be EU citizens from the 2021-22 school year onwards. this suggests you’ll be considered as a world student when studying in Finland. you’ll be subject to different visa requirements and fee rates unless otherwise stated. Because Finland may be a member of the EU, visa and immigration requirements for international students wishing to study for a Master’s degree in Finland will vary consistent with nationality.
If you’re a citizen of an EU or EEA country, you’ll be automatically entitled to enter Finland and live there as a student for the duration of your course (you will, however, got to be registered as a student and to report your presence within the country within three months of arrival).
Students from outside the EU and therefore the EEA will usually get to apply for a visa to enter Finland and live there whilst studying for a Master’s degree.
Residence permits
In Finland, a visa (viisumi in Finnish) may be a short-term residence permit that allows you to remain within the country for a maximum of three months. As such, it’s not suitable if you’re getting to study for a Master’s degree. What you’ll need may be a long-term ‘student visa’ called a ‘student residence permit’.
You can only start your residence permit application once you’ve got received formal acceptance from your Finnish university or UAS. it’ll take a while so confirm you don’t delay. this is often particularly important because you’ll get to visit the local Finnish embassy face to face. If your home country doesn’t have a Finnish embassy, you’ll get to visit a Finnish embassy in a nearby country.
To use for a residence permit, you’ll need:
- A formal offer of admission from your university
- Proof that you simply can support yourself financially during your studies (€6,720 per year)
- Suitable insurance
For more detailed information, consult the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland or the Finnish Immigration Service. The immigration service will deliver the residence permit which is valid for one year and must be renewed at an area police headquarters. you’ll need to demonstrate proof of monetary resources per annum.
Registration
All non-Finnish students must register at the local police headquarters, albeit you’re from the EU. For those requiring a residence permit, police registration is required for its annual renewal.
Masters programs in Finland, notably those targeted at the international student community, have strong research content and are designed as preparation for doctoral studies. this is often not always as explicit within the title because it is for research Masters within the UK, so it’s worth checking the career prospect’s information on the program pages. However, both research-led and taught Masters are a valuable addition to your CV no matter whether you’re aiming for a search career or not. Universities have career services that will advise you on employment opportunities. they’re going to have local knowledge of the labour market in Finland and within the Nordic region so if you plan on staying after your studies, it’s worth lecture them. If you need a visa to study in Finland, check what the post-study employment situation is.
