Studies

Statistics on applications for a residence permit for studies can be found in our statistical service.

Statistics on applications for a residence permit for studies can be found in our statistical service.

1. The applicant receives a study place in Finland and accepts it. He or she should apply for a residence permit as soon as possible.

2. The applicant fills in an application, making sure that he or she has all the attachments required. If necessary, the applicant has the documents translated and legalised.

3. The applicant pays for the application either in the online service Enter Finland, at a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) or at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.

4. The applicant proves his or her identity and has his or her fingerprints taken. If the applicant is abroad, this can be done by visiting a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) or one of the service points of a commissioned service provider, VFS Global. If the applicant is in Finland, he or she visits one of the service points of the Finnish Immigration Service. Applications for a first residence permit for studies are primarily submitted abroad.

5. The application is transferred to the Finnish Immigration Service for processing.

6. If the application was submitted at a Finnish mission, the applicant waits for the decision abroad. If the application was submitted at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service, the applicant waits for the decision in Finland. The applicant can follow the processing of the application in Enter Finland.

7. After receiving the decision and a residence permit card, the applicant can move to Finland. The card is sent to the Finnish mission where the applicant submitted the application. If the application was submitted in Finland, the card is sent to the applicant’s address in Finland that was given on the application. 

A person who applies for a residence permit for studies must meet the general requirements for entry into Finland, for instance have a valid passport. In addition to this, the applicant must have a study place, a minimum of 560 euros per month at his or her disposal and a health insurance.

Students are required to have sufficient financial resources, because international students are not entitled to Kela’s financial aid for students.

The aim is always to grant students their permits as soon as possible so that they can begin their studies on time.

You can find the expected processing times on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service.

During the peak times for applying, the agency also publishes a customer bulletin where the processing queue can easily be followed.

If the processing time is longer than expected, the reason is usually the need to request additional information. The reason for this may be, for instance, that the applicant has not submitted the information requested, or that the Finnish Immigration Service needs to investigate the validity of some information or documents that the applicant has submitted.

Yes. With a residence permit for studies, a student is allowed to work without restrictions if the work is related to his or her degree. This means practical training or diploma work as part of the degree. In addition to this, a student may work in paid employment for an average of 25 hours per week during the terms when lessons are given, and without restrictions outside the terms.

A student who is applying for an extended permit may secure his or her financial resources with work. However, working must not slow down the studies. The studies need to progress at a normal pace the entire time.

Yes. A student who has completed a degree in Finland can apply for a residence permit for work as a person who has completed a degree in Finland as soon as he or she has signed an employment contract or a binding job offer. The Employment and Economic Development Office does not need to perform any labour market testing in the case of persons who have completed a degree in Finland. A person can apply for this permit even if he or she has completed a degree in Finland for several years ago and has moved abroad after that.

If the student is about to graduate but has not found a job before his or her residence permit for studies expires, the student can apply for an extended permit to look for work or to start a business. An extended permit to look for work is granted for one year, during which the student can look for work in Finland.