The system of educating professional nurses in Finland differs somewhat from that of many other European countries. Registered nurse education is offered at universities of applied sciences (UAS), and graduates of nursing programmes may apply for the official right to practise as nurses in Finland.
The standard Finnish bachelor’s degree in nursing usually takes about 3.5 years to complete and comprises 210 ECTS credits. By comparison, many Norwegian bachelor’s degrees in nursing are three-year, 180-ECTS programmes.
Before starting their studies, applicants should take time to check the admission criteria, tuition fees, language requirements, and possible residence-permit requirements for their chosen programme. The process is much easier when applicants review the official programme and admissions pages carefully. Below, we explain how international students can study nursing in Finland.
What Degrees Are There for Nursing in Finland?
People who believe that nursing is their vocation have several routes into nursing-related work in Finland. One route is to complete a vocational qualification in social and health care, which can lead to the qualification title of practical nurse. This qualification can also be completed through apprenticeship training. Another route is to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing at a university of applied sciences. This route leads to a Bachelor of Health Care degree and prepares graduates to apply for the right to practise as registered nurses.
Bachelor’s degree programmes take longer to complete than vocational routes, but they lead to a higher level of professional qualification. Registered nurses have broader clinical responsibilities and can work in a wider range of health-care settings than practical nurses.
Examples of universities of applied sciences offering nursing-related bachelor’s options in Finland include Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Lapland University of Applied Sciences, and Centria University of Applied Sciences. Arcada University of Applied Sciences currently offers a Nursing TopUp bachelor’s programme for internationally educated nurses who want to obtain a Finnish Bachelor of Health Care degree.
Students looking for a health-care-related master’s degree may also consider Arcada University of Applied Sciences, which offers a Master’s degree programme in Healthcare Leadership. However, applicants should note that this is a health-care leadership programme rather than a master’s degree specifically in nursing.
Cost of Studying Nursing
The amount of money international students need while studying in Finland consists mainly of tuition fees and living expenses.
Tuition fees are set by each university of applied sciences. In general, tuition fees apply to students from outside the EU/EEA who study in English-taught bachelor’s or master’s degree programmes, unless they have a residence status or document that exempts them from paying tuition fees.
For the nursing options discussed in this article, current tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students are generally around 9,500 to 11,000 euros per academic year for standard bachelor’s programmes. Metropolia University of Applied Sciences charges 11,000 euros per academic year for its Nursing bachelor’s programme, while Lapland University of Applied Sciences and Centria University of Applied Sciences list a bachelor’s tuition fee of 9,500 euros per academic year. Arcada’s Nursing TopUp programme uses a whole-degree fee: 11,000 euros for students who already have a bachelor’s-level nursing degree and 13,000 euros for students with a nursing diploma.
Applicants should also check scholarship and discount rules on each university’s official tuition-fee page. For example, Lapland UAS offers an early-bird reduction for eligible first-year students, Centria UAS offers early-bird and progress-based scholarship options, and Arcada states separate fee rules for the Nursing TopUp programme.
As for living costs, students should plan carefully. The Finnish Immigration Service requires students to show funds of at least 800 euros per month for a student residence permit. Study in Finland recommends budgeting about 900 to 1,200 euros per month, depending on location and lifestyle. Housing, food, transport, and personal expenses vary by city and campus location.
Requirements to Study Nursing
Admission requirements depend on the programme and degree level. For bachelor’s degree programmes, applicants generally need a qualification that makes them eligible for higher education in their home country. If the degree certificate or transcript is not in English, Finnish, or Swedish, applicants usually need to provide an official translation.
Applicants should also check programme-specific admission criteria. Depending on the university and application route, these may include an entrance exam, certificate-based selection, proof of English-language proficiency, health and functional-capacity requirements, and identity-document requirements. Finland also charges a 100-euro application fee to applicants from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland who apply to bachelor’s or master’s degree programmes.
For master’s degree programmes at universities of applied sciences, applicants usually need a relevant bachelor’s degree and at least two years of relevant work experience after completing the degree. Requirements vary by programme, so applicants should always check the official admissions page before applying.
To help you with the application process, we have compiled a guide on How to Study in Finland for International Students. If you feel lost, check out the guide.
In What Languages Do You Study Nursing in Finland?
Several nursing programmes and nursing-related routes in Finland are available fully or partly in English. For example, Centria UAS teaches its Nursing bachelor’s programme in English, Arcada’s Nursing TopUp programme is taught in English, and Metropolia’s Nursing bachelor’s programme is taught in English and Finnish.
Applicants should also be prepared to learn Finnish or Swedish. Clinical placements and professional practice in Finland often require sufficient Finnish or Swedish skills. For example, Lapland UAS includes Finnish language studies for international nursing students and notes that Finnish is used during practical training in local health-care organisations. Metropolia also states that nursing students develop Finnish-language skills during their studies and that health-care professionals must have sufficient Finnish or Swedish language skills to work with patients safely.
At the master’s level, language of instruction depends on the programme. Arcada’s Healthcare Leadership master’s programme is currently offered in English and online.
Best Nursing Schools in Finland
1. Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences offers a Bachelor of Health Care programme in Nursing. The programme comprises 210 ECTS credits, takes about 3.5 years to complete, and is organised as daytime studies. The language of instruction is English and Finnish.
Students do not need Finnish-language skills at the start of the programme, but they study Finnish alongside nursing studies. The degree is designed to meet EU requirements for nursing education, and graduates may apply for the right to practise as registered nurses in Finland. The current tuition fee for new non-EU/EEA degree students in this programme is 11,000 euros per academic year.
2. Arcada University of Applied Sciences
Arcada University of Applied Sciences currently offers a Nursing TopUp bachelor’s programme for internationally educated nurses. The programme is taught in English, uses a hybrid format, and has a scope of 210 ECTS credits. Because it is a top-up route based on previously completed nursing education, it can be completed in about one year by eligible applicants.
Arcada also offers master’s-level studies in health care. Its Healthcare Leadership programme is a Master of Healthcare degree taught in English and delivered online. The programme comprises 90 ECTS credits and can be completed in 1.5 or 3 years, depending on the study pace.
3. Lapland University of Applied Sciences
Lapland University of Applied Sciences offers a Bachelor of Health Care programme in Nursing at its Kemi campus. The programme is organised as daytime teaching and combines theoretical studies with practical training, clinical placements, simulation exercises, and work in health-care settings.
International nursing students at Lapland UAS complete Finnish language studies, and Finnish is used during practical training in local health-care organisations. The current tuition fee for bachelor’s students from outside the EU/EEA is 9,500 euros per academic year, with possible scholarship or early-bird options depending on the year and conditions.
4. Centria University of Applied Sciences
Centria University of Applied Sciences offers a Bachelor of Health Care programme in Nursing at its Kokkola campus. The programme is taught in English, lasts 3.5 years, and comprises 210 credits. Studies are organised as daytime studies.
The programme includes core studies, professional and profiling studies, practical training, and a bachelor’s thesis. Graduates receive the degree title Bachelor of Health Care, Nursing, and may apply for the right to practise as registered nurses in Finland. The current tuition fee for non-EU/EEA students is 9,500 euros per academic year.
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