Known for ranking first in the World Happiness Report, Finland is a country where international students can enjoy natural attractions, a long history, and a distinctive Nordic culture. This country, located in Northern Europe and bordering Sweden, Norway, and Russia, is a great place to visit and pursue higher education.
Finland has 13 universities and 22 universities of applied sciences (UAS), offering more than 600 English-taught bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. The country provides many programs and courses in higher education, including options at public universities and universities of applied sciences.
Additionally, many Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences welcome foreign nationals. Finland invites international students to study in the country, and institutions may support these students through academic services and scholarships. In this article, we will go over the best scholarships in Finland, as well as scholarship recipients for those scholarships.
Top Scholarships in Finland for International Students
| Scholarship Name | Scholarship Type | Eligible Degrees | Scholarship Value |
|---|
| University of Helsinki Scholarships | University of Helsinki | Master’s | 50% or 100% tuition fee waivers |
| Aalto University Scholarship Programmes | Aalto University | Bachelor’s, Master’s | 100% tuition fee waiver |
| University of Oulu International Scholarship | University of Oulu | Bachelor’s, Master’s | Early Bird discounts for first-year students; 20%–30% continuing bachelor’s tuition fee waivers and 10%–40% second-year master’s tuition fee waivers, depending on the program |
| University of Vaasa Scholarships | University of Vaasa | Bachelor’s, Master’s; doctoral travel/course-fee support may be available | €2,000–€6,000 early-bird and first-year waivers; €1,000–€6,000 progress-based waivers; doctoral travel/course-fee support through academic units |
| University of Turku Scholarships | University of Turku | Bachelor’s, Master’s | No first-year tuition scholarship; €2,000 Early Bird discount for eligible master’s applicants; merit scholarships cover 50% of the next study year’s tuition fee |
| Tampere University Scholarship Waivers | Tampere University | Bachelor’s, Master’s | 50% tuition fee scholarship at admission or €2,000 Early Bird offer for eligible first-year students |
| Erasmus Mundus Scholarships | European Union | Master’s | Full scholarships may cover participation costs and contribute to travel, visa, and living allowance costs |
| The University of Eastern Finland Tuition Fee Waiver | University of Eastern Finland | Bachelor’s, Master’s | UEF Scholarship: 100% tuition waiver for one student per program; tuition waivers of 30% or 50% may also be available |
1. University of Helsinki Scholarships
The University of Helsinki is Finland’s largest and oldest academic institution. Founded in 1640, it has grown into a major international research community, with a wide range of multidisciplinary degree programs. For international students who are liable to pay tuition fees, the university provides a limited number of tuition fee waivers for academically strong master’s applicants.
Excellent tuition fee-liable students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who want to complete a master’s program at the University of Helsinki may apply for the university’s scholarship program. When you apply to the University of Helsinki, you can apply for a tuition fee waiver using the same application form as your master’s program application.
Your previous academic performance, academic excellence, motivation, and overall application assessment will be used as the basis for the scholarship decision. If you applied for a tuition fee waiver, the result will be included in your official admission email.
2. Aalto University Scholarship Programmes
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s
- Scholarship Amount: 100% of the tuition fees
- Meet the Aalto University Scholars: Explore scholarship journeys including Khanh Nguyen from Vietnam and Alisson Yheraldin Onzueta Caballero from Peru
Aalto University in Espoo, Finland, recognizes excellent international students. The Aalto University Excellence Scholarship is a merit-based tuition fee waiver for selected non-EU/EEA students who are liable to pay tuition fees. The scholarship covers the full tuition fee, but it does not cover living costs or other study-related expenses.
You can start your scholarship application during the admission process while choosing your preferred study option. You will be asked to apply through the same application form used for admission, and you must submit your academic records and other required documents on time. Scholarship decisions are given together with admission decisions.
The duration of the scholarship depends on the normative full-time study period of your program. For bachelor’s degrees, this is three years, and for master’s degrees, it is two years. Doctoral studies at Aalto University are free of tuition fees, so doctoral students are not covered by this tuition fee waiver scholarship.
Here is what Aalto University Scholarship Scholars Say:
“I was awarded the Aalto University Scholarship, a merit-based award that grants a 100% tuition fee waiver for both the Bachelor’s and Master’s track (3+2 years).”
Khanh Nguyen
“My advice is to start early and take time to reflect on your own story – why you want to study in this program and how it is related to your career goals.”
Thinh
“Afterwards, I reached out to former scholarship recipients in these universities to get their perspective on which skills and experiences are given more weightage by the scholarship awarding committee.”
Umar Nawaz
“I applied for the Aalto University Excellence Scholarship during the admission process, as the scholarship application is integrated into the university application itself.”
Muhammad Dayyan Hussain Khan
3. University of Oulu International Scholarship
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s
- Scholarship Amount: Early Bird discounts for first-year students; 20%–30% continuing bachelor’s tuition fee waivers and 10%–40% second-year master’s tuition fee waivers, depending on the program
The University of Oulu, established in 1958, is one of the largest universities in Finland and one of the northernmost universities in the world. It has 8 faculties, about 14,800 students, and two campuses, Linnanmaa and Kontinkangas. As the university promotes research and international education, it also offers English-taught programs suited for aspiring foreign learners.
First-year international students at the University of Oulu are only entitled to Early Bird discounts, and there are no first-year tuition fee scholarships. Continuing bachelor’s students may receive 20%–30% tuition fee waivers for the second and third years, depending on the degree program. Continuing master’s students may receive a 10%–40% tuition fee waiver for the second year, depending on the program.
These continuing-student tuition fee waivers are based on progress in studies at the University of Oulu. Students must complete at least 60 ECTS credits according to their approved personal study plan, including mandatory Finnish language studies of 5 ECTS credits. Selected master’s applicants in specific technology-related programs may also apply for the €3,000 Nokia Scholarship.
4. University of Vaasa Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s; doctoral travel/course-fee support may be available
- Scholarship Amount: €2,000–€6,000 early-bird and first-year waivers; €1,000–€6,000 progress-based waivers; doctoral travel/course-fee support through academic units
Since students coming from non-EU/EEA countries are generally required to pay tuition fees for English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programs, the University of Vaasa offers scholarships in the form of waivers based on quick commitment to the offered study place, previous academic performance, and progress in studies. You can apply for these scholarships in Finland during your admission process by choosing the scholarship option in the application form.
The University of Vaasa offers a €2,000 early bird discount for bachelor’s students and a €6,000 early bird discount for master’s students who pay within 35 days of receiving the acceptance offer. Master’s applicants may also be eligible for a €4,000 International Excellence Scholarship based on strong previous academic performance. Continuing students may receive progress-based waivers, including a €5,000 waiver for bachelor’s students and a €6,000 Academic Achievement Scholarship for master’s students who complete the required credits. An additional €1,000 Finnish Language Achievement Scholarship may be available for eligible master’s students.
Tuition fees are not applicable to doctoral students at the University of Vaasa. However, academic units may grant scholarships for travel and course fees, especially for doctoral students who do not have an employee position.
5. University of Turku Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s
- Scholarship Amount: No first-year tuition scholarship; €2,000 Early Bird discount for eligible master’s applicants; merit scholarships cover 50% of the next study year’s tuition fee
- Meet the University of Turku Tuition Waiver Scholars: Explore scholarship journeys including Md Shahab Uddin from Bangladesh
The University of Turku is an active academic community of 25,000 students and staff. For students admitted in 2026, it is not possible to receive a scholarship covering the first-year tuition fee. However, newly admitted master’s degree students may receive a €2,000 Early Bird discount if they accept the study offer and pay the tuition fee within 28 days after admission decisions are published.
The University of Turku Merit Scholarship is based on studies completed at the University of Turku. Master’s students may receive a scholarship covering 50% of the second-year tuition fee if they meet the credit, grade, and Finnish study requirements. Bachelor’s students may receive a scholarship covering 50% of the second- and third-year tuition fees if they meet the relevant requirements. Eligible students are invited to apply during the scholarship application round in spring.
6. Tampere University Fee Waivers
The Civic College in Helsinki, which taught journalism, public administration, and co-operative business management, served as one of the foundations of today’s Tampere University. The Civic College was established in Helsinki in 1925 with its first 72 students. In 1930, it was renamed the School of Social Sciences, and the range of degree programs expanded.
Tampere University offers a limited number of partial scholarships and an early bird discount to support fee-paying students. For admission in 2026, Tampere University tuition fee scholarships awarded at admission cover 50% of tuition fees for the program duration. Students who are not awarded a Tampere University tuition fee scholarship may be eligible for an Early Bird offer, which gives a €2,000 reduction on the first-year tuition fee if they accept the study place and pay the reduced first-year tuition fee within two weeks after receiving admission information.
7. Erasmus Mundus Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Master’s
- Scholarship Amount: Full scholarships may cover participation costs and contribute to travel, visa, and living allowance costs
- Meet the Finland Erasmus Mundus Scholars: Explore scholarship journeys including Kaf from Bangladesh and Hiba from Morocco
The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Program is a prestigious EU-supported master’s pathway jointly designed and delivered by groups of higher education institutions. Students from around the world can apply, and full scholarships may be available for the best-ranked students. These programs typically involve study at several universities in Europe and beyond, and master’s programs usually last 1 to 2 academic years, or 60, 90, or 120 ECTS credits.
Scholarships may cover participation costs and contribute to travel, visa, and living allowance costs. Because each Erasmus Mundus Joint Master is run by its own consortium, applicants should always check the current program website for participating universities, eligibility requirements, application steps, and scholarship availability.
Here is what Erasmus Mundus (Finland) Scholars Say:
“Amount: 49,000 € (which covered tuition fees, living expenses, and relocation).”
Shihabur
“Right now, I’m studying in an Erasmus Mundus Master’s Programme called EDISS (Engineering of Data-Intensive and Intelligent Software Systems), hosted by Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland.”
Sarosh
“As part of the program, I’ve had the opportunity to study in Finland (Åbo Akademi University), Spain (University of Oviedo), and the Czech Republic (University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague).”
Muhammad Adnan
“The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship is one of the most competitive scholarships in Europe, with thousands of applicants worldwide competing for a limited number of spots.”
Syma Afsha
8. University of Eastern Finland Tuition Fee Waiver
The University of Eastern Finland is a public university in Finland with campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. This university offers various scholarship and tuition waiver options for tuition fee-liable students, helping selected students benefit from Finland’s education system and experience Finnish culture.
The UEF Scholarship provides a 100% tuition waiver for the entire duration of studies, which is 3 years for bachelor’s programs and 2 years for master’s programs. It is awarded to the highest-ranked tuition fee-liable student in each program, with one scholarship available per program. UEF also offers tuition waivers that cover 30% or 50% of the tuition fee. These are granted to master’s students for two academic years and to bachelor’s students for three academic years. Students apply through the application form when applying to UEF.
Here is what University of Eastern Finland Tuition Waiver Scholars Say:
“I received a 100% tuition fee waiver for the first year, along with a €5000 relocation grant from the University of Eastern Finland. For my second year, I received a 70% tuition fee waiver.”
Md Shahab Uddin
“In Finland, university applications and scholarship applications take place simultaneously. After admission decisions, students are ranked, and scholarships are awarded based on this ranking.”
Md Shahab Uddin
“Only one student from each program would be awarded the scholarship, and the eligibility criteria were also outlined there.”
Md Shahab Uddin
In conclusion, Finland is a great choice for international students interested in pursuing their studies in a European country. To help you with your research, you can find more details about the different universities in Finland and scholarship opportunities on the Study in Finland page! Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!
