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Student visa for Finland
Money to show for the visa: €800 a month: €9,600 in your own account for a year of study. Work while you study: An average of 30 hours a week. Checked against the official pages on 24 September 2026.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- €800 a month: €9,600 in your own account for a year of study
- Visa fee
- €600 online, €750 on paper
- Work while you study
- An average of 30 hours a week
- Stay after you graduate
- Up to 2 years to look for work
Plus the first year's tuition if you have not paid it yet. Living funds cannot be used to cover tuition.
Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), checked 2026-09-24
First residence permit for studies, from 1 January 2026 (previously €450 and €550). €400 online for under-18s.
Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), checked 2026-09-24
Averaged over the year, so full-time work in holidays is allowed if the yearly average stays within 30.
Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), checked 2026-09-24
Residence permit to look for work. Apply within five years of your study permit expiring. Unrestricted work.
Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), checked 2026-09-24
Worth knowing: Tuition must be shown on top of the EUR 9,600, in your own account, and a 2026 proposal would cancel permits for claiming social assistance.
The visa
Finland does not issue a student visa. You apply for a first residence permit for studies from the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), normally online through Enter Finland, and then visit a Finnish mission or service point to prove your identity and give fingerprints.
The fee rose on 1 January 2026: €600 online, €750 on paper, up from €450 and €550. For under-18s it is €400 online and €430 on paper.
The money. You must have at least €800 a month at your disposal. For studies of a year or longer, that means €9,600 in your bank account when you submit the application. The rules on how:
- The money must be in your own account, for your personal use only. Joint accounts are accepted only for under-18s and some exchange students.
- Tuition is separate. If you have paid it, attach the receipt and still show the €9,600. If you have not, your account must hold the first year's tuition plus the living funds. Migri states that funds reserved for your support cannot be used to pay tuition.
- Grants and scholarships reduce the amount euro for euro. Migri's own example: a €2,000 grant means you need €7,600 rather than €9,600 for a one-year programme.
- If your institution provides free accommodation, the monthly minimum falls to €400; with free accommodation and meals, €270.
Health insurance. You need private insurance covering medical and pharmaceutical costs, valid when you arrive. Holders of a Kela card, an EHIC or a UK GHIC are exempt. Migri publishes the minimum cover required on its insurance page: check it before you buy a policy.
Higher education students receive a continuous (A) permit.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
No student visa is needed: citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland may live and study in Finland. For more than three months you normally register your residence after you arrive, and show that you are enrolled, insured and can support yourself.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Finland that covers your country, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: migri.fi · migri.fi · migri.fi · migri.fi · studyinfinland.fi · helsinki.fi. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
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From ZimbabweQuestions students ask
How much money do I need to show for a Finland student visa?
€800 a month: €9,600 in your own account for a year of study. Plus the first year's tuition if you have not paid it yet. Living funds cannot be used to cover tuition. (Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), checked 2026-09-24).
How much is the student visa fee for Finland?
€600 online, €750 on paper.
Can international students work in Finland?
An average of 30 hours a week.
Can I stay in Finland after I graduate?
Up to 2 years to look for work.
Do EU citizens need a student visa for Finland?
No. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and study in Finland without a student visa. For a stay of more than three months they normally register their residence after arriving.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.