Finland Student Visa Guide 2025: Requirements, Fees and How to Apply

Students who want to study in Finland for more than 90 days need to have a study permit or Residence permit in Finland. The duration of this residence permit will be for the full length of your course. Also, international students can do part-time work for 30 hours per week. This will help you to cover your living expenses in this Nordic country.

Finland has been crowned as the world’s happiest country for the seventh year in a row in The World Happiness Report 2025. It has become a popular study destination for international students because of its unique education system, affordable study costs, high standard of living, and availability of great job opportunities. A Finland student visa is required to study in Finland. This visa is also known as the Residence Visa of Finland.

Ideally, if the duration of studies in Finland takes longer than 90 days, then a residence permit is required. In case, the course study is less than 90 days, then a short-term visa is required. In this article, we are going to talk about how to apply for a Finland study visa, eligibility, visa fees, and Finland student visa processing time among other essential details related to the topic.

Also, Read: Student Guide to Finland

Types of Finland Visas

Let us first understand the different types of Finland visas.

• Single Entry Visa: It allows the holder to enter Finland once and stay up to 90 days in any 180 days
• Double-Entry Visa: This visa allows entry into Finland twice and may be valid within the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Multiple-entry Visa: This visa is granted for several consecutive visits to the Schengen area. The total duration of the stay may not exceed the number of days specified on the visa sticker, which is, 90 days in a 180-day period. This visa is valid for a maximum of 5 years

Finland Student Visa: General Details

For students who want to study a course whose duration is more than 90 days then getting a Finland Student Visa is mandatory. It is also known as Resident Permit. A residence permit is generally granted for the duration of the studies. But, it can only be granted for the period in which students’ passports are valid.

Students can apply for a residence permit if they are moving to Finland to study and have been accepted as a students at an educational institute in Finland. An educational institute can be a university, a university of applied sciences, or a vocational education institution. Note that, You can not get a Finland residence permit if your course is distance learning online and does not require students to stay in Finland.

In case, students want to come to Finland for postgraduate studies after completing a master’s degree, then they need to apply for a residence permit for scientific research. On the other hand, if students wish to come to Finland to complete a higher education degree, then they will be granted a continuous residence permit.

Finland Student Visa Requirements

Students must meet the following requirements to get a residence permit to study in Finland.

• Have support throughout the studies: Students must be able to support themselves in Finland for the entire duration of their studies. In a sense, students must have at least EUR 560 at their disposal every month to be able to pay for accommodation, food, and other needs. Students are required to add to their application how they finance their stay during the first year of studies. They must have 6,720 Euros in their bank account at the time of submitting the application. Note that, if the studies take less than one year, then it is necessary to have 560 Euros per month at your disposal. However, if the educational institute of students supports their living in Finland, then it is not necessary to have 560 Euros per month at their disposal. In this case, students are required to attach to their application documentation the support their educational institute provides.
• Study Place: Students can get a residence permit if they have been accepted by an educational institute in Finland. Their studies must lead to a degree or a vocational qualification. Note that students cannot get a residence permit for studies to complete basic education.
• Insurance: As an international student in Finland, one must personally cover the costs if he/she gets ill in Finland. To get a residence permit in Finland, students must get private insurance that will cover their medical and pharmaceutical expenses.

Other general requirements for entry into Finland

Besides the above requirements, make sure to meet the below-given general requirements as well before applying for a Finland student visa:

• A valid passport
• Not been prescribed a prohibition of entry
• Not a danger to public order and security
• Not a danger to public health
• Not a danger to the international relations of Finland

Documents Required to Get a Finland Student Visa

In order to get a Finland student visa, one should have the following documents:

• A valid passport
• Passport size photograph as specified by the authorities
• Coloured copy of the passport page that has the student’s personal data
• Documents showing that students are legally staying in the country where they are going to submit their residence permit application to Finland (if applicable)
• Certificate of acceptance/attendance from the educational institute in Finland
• Documents showing enough financial resources, For example, bank statements from the past three months. You must have €6,720 in your bank account at the time of submission of the Finland student visa application. If your study course is less than 1 year, you must have €560 per month with you. If your university/ college provides you with free accommodation, then you must have €280 per month with you. If your university/ college provides you with free accommodation and meals, then you must have €195 per month with you
• Insurance certificate
• Document showing that the tuition fee has been paid or scholarship document
• Other documents like previous degree certificates or test scores etc
• If students are under 18 years of age, then they are required to attach a legalized birth certificate and their parent’s or guardian's consent for students to move to Finland

How to Apply for Finland Student Visa?

Given below are the steps to apply for a Finland study visa:

• First of all, fill out the application form online or at the Finnish Embassy to get a residence permit and attach all the documents. According to convenience, students can submit an online application or a paper application
• Then, pay the processing fee
• After this, visit an embassy, consulate, or service point to prove the identity
• Next, wait for the decision regarding the application
• Then, follow the processing of the application

Finland Student Visa Processing Time: The expected processing time for electronic applications is 1-2 months. Whereas, the expected processing time for paper application is 2-3 months.

Also, Read:

• Popular job sectors in Finland
• Scholarships to study in Finland 
• Post-Study Work Options in Finland

Finland Study Visa Cost

Given below is the application fee to obtain a residence permit in Finland. Processing times for Finland student visas vary on the basis of the mode of application.

Type	Application Fee	Processing Time
Electronic application fee	€350	1-2 months
Paper application fee	€450	2-3 months

Note: In the case, that a student wants to pursue a research or a doctoral degree, he/she needs to apply for a Residence permit application for a researcher. The electronic application fee for the first permit is €380 and the paper application fee for the first permit is €480.

Working with a Residence Permit in Finland

A student who has been issued a residence permit for studies can engage in gainful employment without restrictions if the employment consists of practical training or diploma work as a part of a degree.  Additionally, students can work in paid employment for a maximum of 30 hours per week. The number of hours can be exceeded some weeks, only if the average working hours are no more than 30 hours per week at the end of the year.

In case, students have completed a degree in Finland but not have found a job, then, in that scenario, they can apply for a residence permit to look for work. Students can apply for an extended permit to look for work right after graduation or no later than within five years of graduation. Note that a residence permit to look for work can be granted for a maximum of two years. But, if students have completed a degree in Finland and found a job, they can apply for a residence permit for work based on a degree completed in Finland.

Finland Visa Requirements for Family Members

If students have been granted a residence permit in Finland for their studies, then their children and spouses shall be granted a residence permit based on family ties. The family members of students can get a first residence permit for a maximum of 1 year and an extended permit for a maximum of 4 years.

In case a student studies for a degree at a higher education institute, then even their family members can be granted a continuous residence permit, an A permit. The duration of family members’ first A permit could be 1-year. Whereas, the duration of family members’ extended permit can be 4 years at the most.

Students need to be very careful when it comes to their study abroad applications. Make sure that you plan your applications well in advance, keep some buffer time to meet any contingencies, and keep a backup plan. For help with university applications, students seeking to study abroad can contact our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors. The comments section below allows candidates to contact us as well.