FAQ on scholarships
I’ve heard that tuition is free in Finland. Is this true?
First of all please remember: regardless of whether you need to pay tuition fees in Finland or not, you should be prepared to fully cover your everyday living costs during your studies in Finland. Please see the section 'cost of living' for information!
Whether you need to pay tuition fees or not, this depends on the study programme and also on your nationality.
Finnish universities and polytechnics (universities of applied sciences, UAS) do not charge any tuition fees in their Bachelor’s degree programmes. Also, Doctoral level studies at Finnish universities do not charge tuition fees. The same is true of several Master’s programmes, too. All this concerns both EU and non-EU nationals.
However, some specific Master’s programmes may have tuition fees for non-EU/EEA nationals. You need to check the tuition fee policy at the institution offering the Master’s programme. Note also that in the fee-charging programmes there are always 'institutional scholarship' options. Please see section 'Tuition fees' for info on this ongoing trial period for tuition fees in some Master's programmes.
I have been accepted into a Bachelor’s / Master’s level programme in Finland. Where can I apply for a scholarship?
CIMO/Study in Finland does not have any scholarships available for Bachelor’s or Master’s level studies in Finland. If your degree programme charges a tuition fee, please contact the institution offering the Master's programme for information on how to apply for an institutional scholarship.
If you have been accepted into a Bachelor’s programme, or a Master’s programme which does not carry a tuition fee, it may be very difficult to find any funding for your study period from Finnish sources. Please check whether you are entitled to any kind of scholarship or “study abroad” grant that you could apply for in your home country.
I am a non-EU/EEA student. Are there any scholarships to cover the tuition fee charged in my Master's programme?
Yes, there are. These 'institutional scholarships' are provided by the higher education institutions themselves. If you are a non-EU/EEA student who has been accepted into a Master’s programme with a tuition fee, then please ask the university in question for more information on how to apply, what the requirements are, etc.
Can I apply for a scholarship from CIMO to cover my Master’s degree tuition fees?
No, CIMO does not have any such scholarship programmes that could be applied to Master’s level degree studies or related tuition fees. The CIMO scholarships are targeted exclusively at post-Master’s level studies and research at Finnish universities.
Can I apply for a scholarship from CIMO to attend a Finnish language course?
No, we do not have any Finnish language course scholarships available. Neither do we arrange Finnish language courses for beginners. You can find information and links to Finnish language course providers in the section 'Studying Finnish in Finland', but you should be prepared to cover the expenses (travel, language course fee, accommodation, etc.) independently.
For what purposes can I apply for a scholarship from CIMO?
CIMO has a number of scholarship programmes targeted at Doctoral level studies and research at Finnish universities. They are usually applicable either for visiting Doctoral-level researchers, as well as for those who have been accepted into a full Doctoral degree programme at a Finnish university (note however that our scholarships can not be applied to cover the whole Doctoral degree period). We also offer some scholarships for advanced-level degree students of the Finnish language. Please go to the ‘CIMO scholarships’ section of this site to learn more.
I am coming to Finland as an exchange student. Are there any scholarships available for me?
Exchange students usually receive a scholarship or a grant through the exchange programme, so you are advised to ask your home university about this. CIMO/Study in Finland does not have any scholarships for exchange students coming to Finland.
