- Finland plans to potentially raise tuition fees for international students studying at the country’s universities.
- Currently, international students in Finland are required to pay fees starting from €4,000.
- Finland still seeks to attract international students despite the impending increase in fees, through the introduction of incentives to encourage students to remain in the country after completing their studies
Finland’s new government has revealed plans to potentially raise tuition fees for international students studying at the country’s universities.
This development was outlined in a recently published document following a month of negotiations involving four political parties.
Although no specific implementation date has been specified, the coalition has confirmed its intention to gradually eliminate government funding for the education of non-EU students, thereby shifting the burden of tuition costs onto the students themselves.
Currently, international students in Finland are required to pay fees starting from €4,000. However, with the proposed measures, non-EU students may soon face increased tuition fees to cover the full cost of their education.
It is worth noting that Finland initially introduced tuition fees for international students in 2017. Despite this policy change, the number of foreign students seeking admission to Finnish universities has continued to rise in recent years.
In fact, as of January 2023, a total of 53,000 international students had applied for admission to universities in the country.
Negative impact on non-EU students
The Finnish Ministry of Education, which initially put forward the proposal earlier this year, has projected a potential 43% decline in the enrollment of students from non-EU countries as a result of this decision.
Expectedly, the move has faced opposition from student groups and certain universities. The country’s student unions have strongly criticized the initial suggestions, describing them as a “disaster” for Finland’s ambitious goal, set by the previous government, of tripling the number of international students by 2030.
What they said
Currently, higher education is free for Finnish and EU students, but there are fears that his move could also negatively impact domestic students as it could lead to the introduction of domestic student fees.
According to Roosa Veijola, European policy advisor at the country’s other student union, she said was afraid this policy could create a pathway to the introduction of domestic/ EU student tuition fees.
Universities Finland warned that the decision will have a “negative impact” on opportunities to attract and teach international students, and also stated that the rise will have a limited impact on student recruitment, but the changes are expected to make it harder for the country’s rural universities to recruit international students.
Hanna Isoranta, chief specialist at Study in Finland, universities would have to “work even harder” to attract international students if fees are increased.
In defence of this new policy, Yuri Birjulin, international affairs and EU advocacy advisor said,
- “Our main core value is free education for all. Also, the students will integrate better in society if they don’t have a very separate financial situation from the domestic students.”
How does this policy, and others affect international students from Nigeria
Most recently, Finland successfully drew international students with initiatives such as the two-year post-study work visa introduced in 2022 and the Talent Boost program launched in 2017 by the previous government.
These measures aimed to position Finland as an appealing destination for both studying and working on an international scale.
However, the newly elected government has taken a different stance on education-based immigration. They have pledged a “controlled” approach and put forth a series of proposals that involve tightening regulations for students and international graduates seeking state benefits.
Under the new proposals, residence permits can be revoked if students apply for social assistance.
Additionally, those applying for permanent residency will need to undergo a language proficiency test and provide evidence that they have refrained from claiming unemployment benefits during their time in Finland, except for very short periods.
Nevertheless, Finland still seeks to attract international students despite the impending increase in fees. The government is planning to introduce further incentives to encourage students to remain in the country after completing their studies.
For instance, individuals who have obtained a master’s degree in Finland and possess adequate proficiency in Finnish or Swedish may be granted permanent residence permits.
The onus remains for international students from Nigeria and other countries to ensure they meet these requirements.