Finland is among the top destinations to study abroad, and there are many reasons why this is true. Besides the top-caliber education, its universities are welcoming to international students, supporting their personal, academic, and social needs. Additionally, you’ll find that the country offers stunning and unique sceneries, it’s no wonder it easily attracts tourists as well. Your stay in the country will surely feel like a holiday.

For domestic and international degree-seeking students who want to pursue a career in Computer Science, here’s a list of top universities in Finland!

How Much Does it Cost to Study Computer Science in Finland?

For EU/EEA students, public universities within Finland provide an opportunity for international students to gain a tuition-free computer science degree. However, students from non-EU/EEA countries are required to pay tuition fees of around €5,000 to €18,000 per year. For example, the University of Oulu charges international students with a rate of €10,000 for its master’s program in computer science. Aside from tuition, other factors such as books, accommodation, and transportation costs need to be considered when opting to study in Finland.

Top Schools Offering Computer Science Programs in Finland

1. Aalto University – Department of Computer Science

Aalto University was established in 2010 after the merging of three universities: the University of Art and Design Helsinki, Helsinki School of Economics, and Helsinki University of Technology. With that, the university traces its history back to 1849 and became the second-largest in the country. Its main campus is located at Otaniemi, Espoo, while other academic activities are located across several regions in the country. More than 12,000 students are enrolled at the university and over 1,700 are international students.

The university offers a Master of Science in Computer Science. Students of this excellent computer science school need to take at least five core courses and one study track. These will allow them to pursue a specialization ideal for their chosen career. The master’s program takes two years to complete and uses English as the language of instruction.

After your master’s studies, you can also pursue a doctorate education at Aalto University through its Department of Computer Science. The Ph.D. program takes four years of full-time studies, with a significant focus on research work. While English is the language of instruction, students are allowed to use Finnish or Swedish in their doctoral thesis.

2. University of Helsinki – Department of Computer Science

The University of Helsinki was founded in 1640, making it the oldest in Finland. Additionally, it is also the largest, offering the most number of programs possible through its 11 faculties and 11 research institutes. There are four main campuses of the University of Helsinki within the city, with the City Center Campus being the oldest of the four. The university is home to some 40,000 students, with nearly 2,000 international students.

As one of the top computer science institutions in Finland, the University of Helsinki offers Computer Science at the bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. levels. For the bachelor level, the program is taught in Finnish, with some courses taught in English, and takes three years to complete. After completing all coursework, students are expected to work on their thesis during their last semester.

The master’s program, on the other hand, is taught either in Finnish or English depending on your chosen study track. You can choose from three study tracks: algorithms, software, and networks. The entire duration of your master’s studies takes two years, including 30 credit hours of thesis. After that, you can apply for a Ph.D. in Computer Science, which is a research-driven and university-funded position.

3. University of Oulu – Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering

The University of Oulu is among the top public universities for Computer Science in Finland. Established in 1958, the university is also among the largest in the country. It has over 13,500 students across its eight faculties. Additionally, it has two campuses, with the main campus located in Linnanmaa and the other at the Kontinkangas.

The university offers a bachelor’s program taught in Finnish, so you’ll need some qualifications in this language. This program, however, is also unique as it already comes with a master’s level. So, the overall study duration is five years, three for the bachelor’s and another two for the master’s program.

If you’re looking to study the Master’s program only after completing your bachelor’s from another university, the University Oulu offers it through its Master of Computer Science and Engineering program. The program requires two years of full-time study and allows you to choose a study option from Artificial Intelligence, Applied Computing, and Computer Engineering. After completing your Master’s, you can apply to the university’s Ph.D. program.

4. Tampere University – Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences

Tampere University is another excellent choice to study Computer Science. Among the newest universities in the country, it was established in 2019 after the merging of the University of Tampere and Tampere University of Technology. It has over 21,000 students across seven faculties. The university also has three campuses with the main campus, the City Centre, located in Tampere. The other two campuses are the Hervanta Campus and the Kauppi Campus.

The university offers a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. The main language of instruction is Finnish but most of the courses are taught in English. You can even complete your thesis in the English language. This is a joint master’s program so students will have additional two years to complete the program. If you’re looking to study master’s only, there are several specialized English-taught programs offered.

Being one of the best computer science schools in Finland, Tampere University provides specialized graduate courses such as Data Science, Machine Learning, and Statistical and Data Analysis.

Suppose you meet the Finnish qualifications for the master’s program, you can apply for a Master of Science degree in Computer Science. This program only requires two years of study and allows you to choose a study area. As for the Ph.D. program, English is the main language of instruction and dissertation. Additionally, it requires setting up your personal study plan and research in a focus area, which typically lasts four years if taken full-time.

5. University of Turku – Department of Computing

The University of Turku is among the best computer science schools in Finland. It is also the largest in the country based on student enrollment. Founded in 1920, the university has eight faculties and five independent units. More than 20,000 students are studying at the university, with around 3,400 staff providing for their academic needs. Its campus shares a location with Abo Akademi University and the Turku Science Park. It does, however, have facilities in other locations, such as Kevo, Pori, Rauma, and Seili.

It is among the best Finnish universities that offer computer science degree programs. Some of the specializations you can study here for your master’s degree are Natural Language Processing, Bio, and Health Informatics. It also offers a five-year joint bachelor’s and master’s program, taught in Finnish. Meanwhile, the Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Turku requires at least four years of study completion.

 

We hope this article will encourage you to pursue Computer Science in Finland. Visit our Study in Finland page for more informative articles! If you are interested in knowing more, check out the Programs in Europe for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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