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
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Master’s
- Scholarship Amount: 50% or 100% tuition fee waivers
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.
Faith Klijian’s path to the Tuition Scholarship: Faith Klijian tailored her personal statement to the University of Helsinki, emphasizing why she fit its academic community, and supported her application with a strong academic record, extensive research experience, and recommendations from professors familiar with her work. The American applicant, whose background included a BA in Criminology, Law, and Society, received a half-tuition award through the University of Helsinki Scholarship Program. She ultimately declined the Helsinki award after receiving the fully funded Danish Government Scholarship and chose to pursue an MSc in Security Risk Management at the University of Copenhagen. View More Tuition Scholarship (University of Helsinki) recipients →
2. Aalto University Scholarship Programmes
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s
- Scholarship Amount: 100% of the tuition fees
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.
One scholar’s journey: Sanower Rehman spent the most time on his motivation letter, using concrete examples from his industry experience, leadership and community involvement to connect his past experience with his future goals; he also addressed a gap in his formal education rather than leaving it unexplained. After receiving the Aalto University Scholarship for his master’s in Advanced Energy Solutions, he completed the degree at Aalto University and later secured a Foundation Scholarship for doctoral study. He is now pursuing a PhD in Energy Technology at Aalto University. View More Aalto University Scholarship recipients →
Recent recipient outcomes include: Faisal Muneer, who declined his partially funded Aalto offer and entered the Erasmus Mundus IMETE master’s program; Syed Nadeem Gillani, who declined his Aalto scholarship and is pursuing the Erasmus Mundus ECT+ double master’s; and Muhammad Dayyan Hussain Khan, who completed his Aalto master’s and now works in Helsinki as a Technical Sales Support Specialist.
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
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.
A recipient’s path: Md Shahab Uddin approached Finnish scholarship selection as a ranking process, focusing his application on academic performance, curriculum fit, IELTS results, his motivation letter, CV, and work experience; he also recommends researching the curriculum closely and tailoring the limited space in the motivation letter to the strongest points. With a bachelor’s background in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, he was offered a full tuition waiver for the University of Turku’s Master’s Program in Biomedical Imaging. He ultimately chose a scholarship at another Finnish university instead, pursuing a Master’s in Medical Physics at the University of Eastern Finland. View More Tuition Waiver (University of Turku) recipients →
6. Tampere University Fee Waivers
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s
- Scholarship Amount: 50% tuition fee scholarship at admission or €2,000 Early Bird offer for eligible first-year students
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.
Jawad Bashir Mustafvi’s path to the Fee Waiver: Jawad Bashir Mustafvi spent about a year applying for scholarships and facing repeated rejections before strengthening his profile through research publications, conference presentations and online courses, while refining his CV, motivation letters and recommendations. The civil engineering graduate says he shifted from applying widely to emphasizing application quality and ultimately secured 15 scholarship offers, including a full Tampere University fee waiver for an MSc in Structural Engineering. He chose a fully funded Erasmus Mundus award instead and is pursuing the International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering. View More Fee Waiver recipients →
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
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.
Shihabur’s path to the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship: Shihabur first took IELTS, then worked through the Erasmus Mundus catalogue to shortlist programs matching his interests; for EDISS, he says academics carried particular weight, with his research exposure and professional experience also strengthening his profile. He was one of 25 students accepted from 356 applicants and completed the joint master’s in data-intensive intelligent software systems across Finland and Spain through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarship. After graduating, he stayed in Finland and became a fully funded Doctoral Researcher at Ã…bo Akademi University, where he is pursuing his PhD. View More Erasmus Mundus Scholarship recipients in Finland →
Recent recipient outcomes include: Ivena Nathania Victor, who completed the EMCL++ master’s and now works as a Clinical Linguist and founded KUBICARA; Suzan Bhadhury, who completed an Erasmus Mundus master’s in Plant Breeding and went on to a Marie SkÅ‚odowska-Curie-funded PhD at University College Dublin; and Mohiuddin Mahbub, who chose a Danish Government Scholarship over his Erasmus Mundus offer, completed his master’s in Electronics and now works as a Test Engineer in Denmark.
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 Ã…bo Akademi University in Turku, Finland.”
Sarosh
“As part of the program, I’ve had the opportunity to study in Finland (Ã…bo 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
- Scholarship Page
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s
- Scholarship Amount: UEF Scholarship: 100% tuition waiver for one student per program; tuition waivers of 30% or 50% may also be available
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.
Scholarship recipient outcomes path: Md Shahab Uddin researched programs whose curricula closely matched his previous studies and prepared his CV and statement of purpose to highlight the most relevant skills and experience; he says Finnish applicants are ranked after admission decisions, with academic performance, curriculum fit, IELTS results, the motivation letter, CV and work experience among the factors considered. With a bachelor’s background in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, he secured the University of Eastern Finland tuition waiver for a Master’s in Medical Physics. He is pursuing that degree at the University of Eastern Finland, where his story describes research, conference, project and internship opportunities as part of his experience. View More Tuition Waiver (University of Eastern Finland) recipients →
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. If you are interested, explore Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for International Students!
