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For educational institutions

The information on these pages is especially intended for educational institutions that receive foreign students from outside the EU and the EEA.

On these pages, you can quickly find answers to your questions about the role of the educational institution in the process of obtaining a residence permit. We have gathered illustrated instructions concerning the contents of a residence permit card to make it easier to find out whether the student is obliged to pay a tuition fee. On these pages you can also find information about working and internships during studies, postgraduate studies and asylum seekers’ right to study.

Educational institutions’ right to obtain information about residence permits from Finnish Immigration Service

As of 1 December 2024, Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences have the right to obtain a person's residence permit information from the Finnish Immigration Service to confirm that students, people who have applied for admission into the educational institution and possible family members who live in Finland hold a residence permit. Educational institutions may request residence permit information to assess a student’s duty to pay tuition fees.

Upon request, the Finnish Immigration Service may give the following information to universities and universities of applied sciences:

  • validity of residence permit
  • permit type (fixed-term or permanent), permit category (A or B) and the grounds on which the permit was issued
  • processing situation of residence permit application
  • information about a first residence permit.

For instructions on how to submit a request for information, please email tietopalvelut@migri.fi. 

  • State the name of the contact person in your educational institution. We will send the contact person instructions on how to submit a request for information.
  • Use the securemail.migri.fi service to send encrypted email to the Finnish Immigration Service. The Securemail service of the Finnish Immigration Service will encrypt your message. Messages sent via the service will reach the Finnish Immigration Service reliably.

Information package on residence permits for studies

This information package (pdf) contains information on residence permits for studies to help you give guidance to students from outside the European Union (EU). The information package is available as a PDF file that can be easily navigated by using the table of contents.

Information meeting for educational institutions on 27 November 2024 (only in Finnish)

The Finnish Immigration Service arranged an information meeting for educational institutions on 27 November 2024 with speakers from the Finnish Immigration Service and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Among other things, the meeting contained up-to-date information about

  • residence permits for studies and research
  • Finnish missions.

Information meeting for educational institutions (youtube.com)