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Tuition fees and contents of a residence permit card

Tuition fees

The Finnish Immigration Service has to make sure that the person applying for a residence permit has sufficient funds to live in Finland. The applicant must provide evidence of sufficient funds for the first year of studies.

  • If the student pays the tuition fee before coming to Finland, the student needs to attach documentation of the paid fee (supplied by the student or the educational institution) and of sufficient funds for living expenses to the residence permit application.
  • If the student pays the tuition fee after the studies have begun, the student has to prove that he or she has sufficient funds both for the tuition fee and for living expenses when applying for a residence permit. Funds intended for living in Finland cannot be used to pay the tuition fee.
  • If the student has been exempted from paying tuition fees or has received a scholarship, he or she has to present a certificate from the educational institution of this. In addition, the student has to have sufficient funds for living in Finland.

Contents of a residence permit card

The status of a student already living in Finland can easily be checked on his or her residence permit card.

The type of the residence permit is visible on the front of the card under ‘residence permit type’. On the front of the card, the validity period of the card holder’s permit is also visible.

Residence permit types:

  • B = temporary residence permit
  • A = continuous residence permit
  • P = permanent residence permit
  • P-EU = long-term resident’s EU residence permit for third-country nationals

A and B permits are granted for a fixed term. If the student wishes to continue his or her stay in Finland but his or her residence permit is going to expire, the student must apply for an extended permit. A permanent residence permit is valid until further notice. In other words, its period of validity is not limited.

If the card holder has been granted an EU Blue Card, the following text is written under the information about the type of residence permit: EU:n sininen kortti (EU Blue Card).

If a person is residing in Finland on the grounds that he or she is a family member of an EU citizen or a comparable person, he or she has been granted a residence card as proof of this. Residence cards are only granted to the above-mentioned family members.