Finland scholarships for international students in 2027 are almost all tuition discounts paid by the universities themselves. If you are from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you join an English-taught bachelor’s or master’s programme, you can expect an early payment discount in your first year at most universities and a partial waiver from your second year if you pass enough credits. A few universities, Helsinki and Aalto among them, still offer full tuition waivers to a very small number of top applicants.
The Finnish government no longer runs a scholarship for degree students, and its EDUFI Fellowship for doctoral researchers ended in 2025. Doctoral study has no tuition fee, though, and many PhD places come as paid jobs. Below I go university by university with the 2027 figures I could confirm on official pages, then cover PhD funding, the money Finland’s immigration service wants to see, and the dates.
What changed in Finland’s scholarships for 2026 and 2027
Most lists online still describe a Finland of three years ago. Three changes matter if you are applying now.
- Full-cost tuition from August 2026: a law that took effect on 1 August 2026 requires tuition fees to cover the full cost of teaching non-EU/EEA students. The University of Turku says this is why it stopped awarding first-year tuition scholarships from spring 2026, and other universities moved to early payment discounts for the same reason.
- The Finland Scholarship is gone: the government-backed award of first-year tuition plus a €5,000 relocation grant covered the 2022 to 2024 intakes. Study in Finland, the national portal, now says there is no government scholarship programme for degree students.
- The EDUFI Fellowship has ended: the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) closed its last call on 17 October 2025 and ended the programme at the end of 2025, citing cost cuts.
So if a 2027 post promises a “fully funded Finland government scholarship”, it is describing something that no longer exists. I would skip it and read the university pages instead.
Finland scholarships for international students by university (2027 intake)
Every university below charges tuition only to citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland in English-taught degree programmes. All figures are per academic year and come from each university’s own fee or scholarship page. Where a university has not yet posted its 2027 terms, I say which year the figure belongs to.
| University | Annual fee | First-year support | Second year onwards |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Helsinki | €13,000 (bachelor’s); €13,000, €15,000 or €18,000 (master’s) | 50% or 100% tuition waiver for a few master’s applicants | Waiver continues for 2 years with 55 ECTS a year |
| Aalto University | €12,000 to €15,000 (bachelor’s); €15,000 to €20,000 (master’s) | Excellence Scholarship (100% waiver, very few); 25% early bird for new bachelor’s students | Excellence Scholarship continues for the normal study time |
| Tampere University | €10,000 (bachelor’s); €12,000 (master’s) | €2,000 early bird; 50% scholarship for a handful of top applicants | 50% scholarship lasts the whole programme |
| University of Turku | €1,500 to €12,000 (most €10,000 or €12,000) | €2,000 early bird (master’s only) | Merit Scholarship of 50% |
| LUT University | Master’s: €15,000 before discount | €5,000 early bird (master’s) | €5,000 (master’s); €3,000 a year (bachelor’s) |
| University of Jyväskylä | €10,000, €12,000 or €14,000 (master’s) | €1,500 early bird | €3,000 to €5,000 scholarship in year 2 |
| University of Eastern Finland | €10,000 to €12,000 | 30% early bird | 30% waiver |
| Åbo Akademi University | €12,000 (master’s) | €4,000 early payment discount | €4,000 reduction for everyone in year 2 |
| University of Oulu | €8,500 to €14,000 | Early Bird discount | 10% to 40% waiver |
University of Helsinki
Helsinki gives tuition fee waivers of 50% or 100% to master’s applicants with excellent previous results. The university says most awards are 50% and the number is very limited. You apply on the same form as your master’s application, and the result comes with your admission email. To keep it for the second year you must study full time and pass at least 55 ECTS credits a year. The waiver does not pay living costs.
Some scholarship sites list a 2027/2028 Helsinki programme with different award types and a 19 January 2027 deadline. I could not find those terms on helsinki.fi, whose page still describes the waiver scheme above, so confirm on the official tuition fee and scholarship page before you plan around anything else.
Aalto University
Aalto’s Excellence Scholarship is a 100% tuition waiver for the normal length of the degree, three years for a bachelor’s and two for a master’s. It is merit-based and awarded to very few students. You tick the scholarship option on your admission form; late requests are refused and decisions cannot be appealed. New bachelor’s students who accept their place and pay within 21 days get 25% off the first-year fee.
Two smaller awards exist for specific groups: the Pekka Mattila Excellence Scholarship (a €3,000 relocation grant for the Marketing and International Management master’s programmes) and 25% reductions for up to four COLFUTURO grantees from Colombia and four FUNED grantees from Mexico.
Tampere University
For 2027 admission, Tampere charges €10,000 for bachelor’s and €12,000 for master’s programmes. Its 50% tuition fee scholarship covers the whole programme, but in 2026 admission only nine were given across every bachelor’s and master’s programme. Everyone else can take the early bird offer: €2,000 off the first year if you accept your place and pay within 21 days of your admission result. A Tampere bachelor’s graduate who finishes in three years gets €2,000 off the first master’s year.
University of Turku
Turku gives no scholarship for the first year. New master’s students get a €2,000 Early Bird discount if they accept and pay within 28 days of the admission decision. From the second year, the Merit Scholarship covers 50% of the next year’s fee if you passed 55 credits, kept an average of at least 3.0 out of 5, and completed at least 4 credits of Finnish. You apply when the university invites eligible students in spring.
LUT University
LUT’s master’s early bird is the largest fixed discount I found: €5,000 off year one if you accept your place and pay the remaining €10,000 within 21 days of your admission email. Pass 60 ECTS in the first year and you get another €5,000 off year two. For bachelor’s double degree programmes starting in 2027, there is no first-year discount, then €3,000 off in year two (60 ECTS) and €3,000 off in year three (120 ECTS in total).
University of Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä has published its 2027 master’s fees: €10,000, €12,000 or €14,000 depending on the programme. Accept your place within 14 days of the admission letter and you get €1,500 off the first year. There is no first-year scholarship. In year two, students who passed 55 ECTS can get €3,000 (on a €10,000 fee), €4,000 (€12,000 fee) or €5,000 (€14,000 fee). The university says plainly that it has no fully funded scholarships.
University of Eastern Finland (UEF)
UEF’s 2027 model gives a 30% Early Bird discount (€3,000 or €3,600) if you accept and pay within 21 days of results, then a 30% waiver in later years if you pass 55 ECTS in year one. You can also apply once for a Finnish proficiency award of €2,500 or €1,500, though UEF says those amounts will change from 2027-2028. UEF does not offer 100% waivers.
Åbo Akademi University
For students admitted in 2026 or later, Åbo Akademi’s master’s fee is €12,000. Pay by the deadline in your admission letter and the first year drops to €8,000. Every admitted student also gets €4,000 off the second year without applying. The 100% and 80% waivers older posts mention are for earlier intakes only.
University of Oulu
Oulu combines an Early Bird discount on the first-year fee with a 10% to 40% waiver from year two for students who pass 60 credits a year. I have covered its fees per programme and its 2027 dates in a separate guide to University of Oulu scholarships.
How to get the most from a Finland scholarship
Most of the money above depends on two things you control: paying fast in year one and passing your credits in year one.
- Tick the scholarship box when you apply: at Helsinki, Aalto and Tampere the merit awards are decided from your admission application, so a missing motivation letter or scholarship request cannot be fixed later.
- Have the first-year fee ready before results: early bird windows run from 14 days (Jyväskylä) to 28 days (Turku). If your bank needs two weeks for an international transfer, start the paperwork before results come out.
- Plan for 55 to 60 credits in year one: this is a full normal load. Missing it usually means paying the full fee in year two.
- Take the Finnish course early: Turku makes 4 credits of Finnish a condition of its Merit Scholarship, and Oulu counts compulsory Finnish towards its 60 credits.
- Check for country-specific awards: US citizens have Fulbright awards with Aalto, Turku, LUT and Jyväskylä; Colombian and Mexican citizens have the Aalto COLFUTURO and FUNED reductions.
PhD funding in Finland
Doctoral study in Finland has no tuition fee for anyone. What you need to fund is your living costs, and there are three routes.
| Route | What it is | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Salaried doctoral researcher post | An employment contract with salary, social security and occupational health care. At Helsinki about a quarter of doctoral researchers are employed this way. | Each doctoral programme’s yearly call, research group vacancies, Euraxess.fi |
| Grants | The most common route at Helsinki. Paid by Finnish and foreign foundations; not employment, so a workspace is not guaranteed. | Foundations’ own calls, university funding pages |
| Project funding | Positions paid from research grants won by your supervisor | Research Council of Finland, Research.fi |
Being admitted to a doctoral programme does not by itself come with money. I would apply to advertised salaried posts first, because the contract also makes your residence permit simpler, and use grants as the backup.
Money you must show for a Finnish student residence permit
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) asks for at least €800 a month for living costs. For studies of a year or longer, that means €9,600 in your bank account when you apply. If you have not yet paid your tuition, the account must also hold the first-year fee, because Migri says living funds cannot be used for tuition.
- A tuition waiver lowers what you must show for tuition. Attach the university’s scholarship certificate to your application.
- A grant for living costs counts towards the €9,600. Migri’s own example: a €2,000 grant cuts the balance you must show to €7,600.
- UEF advises budgeting €900 to €1,000 a month in practice, since €800 is the legal minimum.
Check the current figure on Migri’s income requirement page before you apply, because it is reviewed from time to time.
When to apply for 2027 Finland scholarships
For most universities, you do not apply for a scholarship separately. You apply for admission on Studyinfo.fi, and the scholarship or discount follows from that.
| Round | Dates (Finnish time) | Status on 24 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Joint application for studies starting January 2027 | 31 August to 10 September 2026 | Closed |
| Joint application for studies starting autumn 2027 | 7 January 2027, 08:00 to 21 January 2027, 15:00 (Oulu’s published dates) | Opens in January |
| Early bird payment | 14 to 28 days after your admission result, depending on the university | Results usually arrive in spring |
| Second-year waiver check | After the academic year ends on 31 July | Applies from 2028 |
Finland is on UTC+2 in January, so the 15:00 closing time is 13:00 GMT. Each university’s application page confirms its own dates and any separate rounds.
FAQs about Finland scholarships for international students
Is there a fully funded scholarship in Finland for 2027?
Not from the government. Aalto’s Excellence Scholarship and Helsinki’s 100% waiver cover full tuition for a very small number of students, but neither pays living costs.
Do I need a separate application for Finnish university scholarships?
Usually not for the first year. Merit awards at Helsinki, Aalto and Tampere are requested on the admission form, early bird discounts need only prompt payment, and second-year waivers at Turku and UEF have their own application period.
Is PhD study free in Finland for international students?
Yes, doctoral programmes charge no tuition. You still need to fund living costs through a salaried doctoral post, a grant or your own money.
How much money do I need in my account for a Finland student visa?
Migri asks for €9,600 for a year of study, plus your first-year tuition if you have not paid it. Scholarships that cover tuition or living costs reduce that figure.
If your previous degree was taught in English, check our guide to studying in Finland without IELTS before you book a test.
Sources and updates
Fees, discounts and conditions come from each university’s official tuition fee or scholarship page: the University of Helsinki, Aalto University, Tampere University, the University of Turku (including its press release on the 1 August 2026 full-cost tuition law), LUT University, the University of Jyväskylä, the University of Eastern Finland, Åbo Akademi University and the University of Oulu, all checked on 24 October 2026. The end of the EDUFI Fellowship is from the Finnish National Agency for Education’s 2025 announcement. Doctoral funding routes come from Study in Finland and the University of Helsinki. Residence permit amounts are from the Finnish Immigration Service. Helsinki and Aalto had not posted 2027-specific terms when I checked, so their figures may change; I will update this page when they do.
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.
