There is no Finland government scholarship for international bachelor’s or master’s students in 2027. Study in Finland, the national study portal run by the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI), says plainly that no governmental scholarship programme exists for degree studies. The two state programmes most websites still advertise have both closed: the Finland Scholarship covered master’s intakes from 2022 to 2024, and the EDUFI Fellowship for doctoral researchers ended at the end of 2025.
Finnish public money still reaches foreign students, but by a different road. Doctoral study is tuition free and many PhD places are salaried jobs. Exchange students from partner universities in Africa, Asia and Latin America travel to Finland on project grants that EDUFI pays to universities. You reach those grants through your own university’s international office, not through a form on a government website. This guide lists what the Finnish state funds now, who applies, the latest dates, and the money Finland’s immigration service expects you to show.
Is there a Finland government scholarship in 2027?
No. Here is what the Finnish state ran for international students over the last few years and where each programme stands on 24 October 2026.
| Programme | Funded by | What it paid | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finland Scholarship | Ministry of Education and Culture, through universities | First-year tuition plus a €5,000 relocation grant for top non-EU master’s applicants | Ended. Universities confirmed it for the 2022 to 2024 intakes only |
| EDUFI Fellowship | Finnish National Agency for Education | €1,900 a month for 3 to 12 months to doctoral researchers | Ended 31 December 2025. Last applications closed 17 October 2025 |
| Finnish Government Scholarship Pool | Finnish National Agency for Education | Short research stays for foreign postgraduates | Merged into the EDUFI Fellowship on 1 January 2021 |
EDUFI gave cost cuts in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s branch as the reason for closing the Fellowship. It awarded 262 Fellowship grants in 15 fields to 12 universities between 2023 and 2025, and grants already decided are still being paid in 2026. No new call will open, so these programmes have no 2027 deadline.
Scam warning
Study in Finland warns that ads for a “fully funded Finland government scholarship” covering tuition, travel and living costs contain false information and may use Finnish authorities’ logos without permission. Real university scholarships are listed on studyinfo.fi and on university websites ending in .fi.
What the Finnish government still funds for international students
These programmes are paid for by Finnish ministries, the EU or the Nordic Council of Ministers and run in Finland by EDUFI. In every case a university applies for the money and then selects the students who travel. If your university is a partner in a funded project, you can come to Finland on an exchange with costs covered by the project.
| Programme | Money from | Who applies | Where students come from | Latest round and deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Finland Knowledge (TFK) | Mainly the Ministry of Education and Culture | Finnish universities with partners abroad (up to €80,000 per project) | Southern Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, India and China in the 2026 call | 2026 call closed 27 April 2026. Deadline 27 April 2027 |
| Erasmus+ international mobility (KA171) | European Union, administered in Finland by EDUFI | Finnish universities and consortia | Partner universities outside Europe, including Asia, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa | 2026 deadline 19 February 2026 (€3.63 million granted to 25 universities and 1 consortium). Deadline 19 February 2027 |
| Higher Education Partnership (HEP) | Ministry for Foreign Affairs development funds | Finnish universities with partners in developing countries | Countries eligible for development aid | Current projects run 1 January 2024 to 31 August 2026; no new round has been published |
| Nordplus | Nordic Council of Ministers | Universities in the Nordic and Baltic countries | Nordic and Baltic countries only | Student stays of 1 to 12 months |
| north2north | Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Canada fund it; run with the University of the Arctic | Students, through their home university coordinator | Member universities in 12 countries including the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia | Deadlines set by each home university; tuition is waived in Finland |
Deadlines for TFK and KA171 (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens).
EU sources also mention scholarships for foreign students who study Finnish at advanced level at universities abroad. I could not find current amounts or dates for that scheme on an EDUFI page, so ask your Finnish language department directly if it applies to you.
Finland government funding for PhD students after the EDUFI Fellowship
Doctoral study has no tuition fee in Finland, for any nationality. What you need is money to live on, and Study in Finland points to three places to look:
- University departments: start with the research group you want to join. They know which salaried doctoral researcher posts and grants are open in their field.
- Paid doctoral positions: universities advertise them on their own job pages and on Euraxess Finland. These are employment contracts, so you are paid a salary.
- Research Council of Finland: the state research funder. Its grants go to projects led by Finnish researchers, who then hire doctoral researchers. Research.fi lists funded projects you can approach.
I would send a short, specific email to two or three supervisors whose recent papers match your interest before you apply anywhere. Our guide to Finland scholarships for international students has the university doctoral funding routes in more detail.
If you want a degree: Finnish university scholarships replace the state award
Since the Finnish government does not fund degree students, all bachelor’s and master’s support now comes from the universities. Most offer an early payment discount in the first year and a partial waiver from the second year. A few, such as Helsinki and Aalto, keep full waivers for a very small number of top applicants. You usually apply for these at the same time as admission, in the joint application on studyinfo.fi.
We keep the university figures in one place so they stay current: read Finland scholarships for international students for the waiver table, study in Finland without IELTS for English test waivers, and our University of Oulu scholarships guide for one university in detail.
How much money you must show for a Finnish student residence permit
A scholarship does not remove the money requirement. The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) asks degree students to show their living funds when they apply for a residence permit.
| Situation | Amount Migri asks for |
|---|---|
| Studies of one year or longer | €9,600 in your bank account when you apply |
| Studies shorter than one year | €800 for each month of stay |
| Free accommodation from your institution | At least €400 a month |
| Free accommodation and meals | At least €270 a month |
| Grant that covers living costs | Counts toward the total (a €2,000 grant lowers €9,600 to €7,600) |
| Tuition waiver | Does not count; you still need the full living funds |
If you pay tuition after applying, Migri wants the account to hold the first year’s fee on top of the living money. Some websites still say €12,000 to €15,000; Migri’s own figure is €9,600.
Mistakes to avoid in Finland government scholarship guides
Several popular pages repeat outdated details. Checked against EDUFI and Migri:
- The EDUFI Fellowship paid a flat €1,900 a month, not €1,500 to €2,100, and you can no longer apply for it.
- The Fellowship never funded postdoctoral research; EDUFI’s own page excluded it.
- Migri’s living funds figure is €9,600 a year, not €12,000 or more.
- The Finland Scholarship’s €5,000 relocation grant belonged to the 2022 to 2024 intakes. A university page that still mentions it is describing a past year.
How to come to Finland on a government-funded exchange
- Ask your international office: find out whether your university has a Finnish partner in a TFK, Erasmus+ KA171, HEP or north2north project.
- Check the field: projects are tied to subjects, so look for a Finnish partner in your own department.
- Apply internally: your home university selects and nominates the exchange students. Watch its notice boards for the internal deadline.
- Accept the Finnish offer: the host university sends an acceptance letter that you will need for the residence permit.
- Apply for the permit: if your stay needs a residence permit, apply to Migri with the acceptance letter, the grant letter and the living funds above.
Comparing other countries? Our guides to the Poland government scholarship and Netherlands government scholarships cover European state awards that are still open.
Finland government scholarship FAQs
Is there a fully funded Finland government scholarship for international students?
No. Study in Finland states that there are no governmental scholarships for bachelor’s or master’s studies, and posts claiming otherwise are false. Funding for degrees comes from universities as tuition waivers.
Can I still apply for the EDUFI Fellowship in 2027?
No. EDUFI stopped taking applications on 17 October 2025 and ended the programme at the end of 2025. There will be no 2027 round.
Do PhD students pay tuition fees in Finland?
No. Doctoral study is tuition free for all nationalities, and many doctoral researchers are paid a salary by their university or research project.
How much money do I need to show for a Finland student visa?
Migri asks for €9,600 for studies lasting a year or more, or €800 a month for shorter stays. A tuition waiver does not reduce this amount, but a living-cost grant does.
Sources and updates
Programme status, the €1,900 Fellowship amount, the 17 October 2025 closing date and the 262 grants come from the Finnish National Agency for Education’s EDUFI Fellowship page and its 8 October 2025 news release on oph.fi. The statement that no government degree scholarships exist and the scam warning come from Study in Finland’s scholarship pages and its December 2025 news item, and the PhD funding routes from its doctoral funding page. The Finland Scholarship’s funder and terms come from a University of Eastern Finland article of December 2021 and the University of Oulu’s Finland Scholarships page. TFK, KA171 and HEP figures come from EDUFI’s call and results pages; Nordplus, north2north and the Finnish-language scheme from the EU’s Eurydice description of Finland (updated March 2026) and the University of the Arctic. Residence permit amounts come from Migri. Checked on 24 October 2026. I will update this page if Finland opens a new state scholarship.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
