Tuition fees

• Tuition fees are always paid by academic year, which consists of two academic terms: the autumn term and spring term. In some exceptional circumstances it is possible to pay the tuition fee only for one term, e.g. if a student does not graduate in two years they might need to register as attending for one more term to finish their studies. The tuition fee for one term is half of the tuition fee for the whole academic year.
• The amount of the tuition fee is not affected by how many credits you complete. In other words, a student can complete as many credits as they wish during one term. 
• A student’s liability to pay for tuition is tied to the student’s study language and the degree programme. If a student changes their study language from English to Finnish or Swedish, they will no longer be liable to pay for tuition. However, at the same time they will also lose their potential scholarships. The same applies if a student changes to a non-paying degree programme. 
• If you wish to make any changes to your registration status (e.g. changing attendance to non-attendance), please contact the Student Services at international-studentinfo@helsinki.fi before 31 August for the autumn term and 15 January for the spring term. 

Students must pay their tuition fee for the consequent year of study before they can register as attending. The tuition fee for the upcoming academic year is to be paid in one lot and by invoice. The Student Services will send you an invoice during the month of May. The invoice is due 30 days after it has been sent. Once your tuition fee has been received, you will be registered as attending for the whole academic year and you will be notified about this. Please note that it can take a few weeks before we have received your payment. You do not need to pay separately the membership fee for the Student Union (HYY) as it is included in the tuition fee. 

Starting from the autumn term 2023, the healthcare fee is no longer included in the tuition fee or scholarships covering the tuition fee. Tuition fee liable students need to pay the healthcare fee themselves to Kela (link to Kela website).

These same rules apply if you are delayed in your studies and must study for an additional academic year to graduate. You can register as attending for the following autumn term, in which case you must pay half of the tuition fee. The fee will be charged by term until you have completed the degree.

100% tuition fee scholarships, 50% tuition fee scholarships and Finland Scholarships

• In order to receive your grant for the second study year, you must earn 55 credits during your first study year. The academic year ends on 31 July. This is the only requirement for receiving the grant. Only new credits that have been earned during the Student’s first study year at the University of Helsinki are included in the 55 credits. Transferred credits from previous studies cannot be included.
• You do not need to submit a certificate of your earned credits or apply separately for the second year’s grant. The Student Services will check from the student register whether you have earned enough credits at the beginning of June and will notify you when this has been done. If by the beginning of June some credits are not yet registered due to administrative processes, the Student Services might contact you. 
• Those who received a 100% tuition fee scholarship or Finland Scholarship and earned 55 credits will then be registered as attending for the upcoming academic year.
• Those who received a 50% tuition fee scholarship and earned 55 credits during their first year will be registered as attending for the upcoming academic year after they have paid the other half of their tuition fee.

Graduates from the Bachelor's Programme is Science who continue to a master's programme available in their study path

If you graduate from the Bachelor’s Programme in Science by the target duration of your degree with the required GPA, you will be awarded a tuition fee scholarship for the first and second study years of your master’s degree.

• With a minimum GPA 3,8/5 you qualify for a 100 % tuition fee scholarship
• With a GPA 3,4-3,7/5 you qualify for a 50 % tuition fee scholarship.

Please see the conditions above for these scholarships.

Each International Master's Programme can award one Dean's Award to a tuition fee liable student for outstanding study performance during the student's first study year. The Dean's Award is worth 1000€ and will be paid to the student's Finnish bank account during the autumn of their second study year, provided the student is registered as attending. There is no application process for this award, degree programmes choose their grantee in August after the first study year.

The Bachelor's Programme in Science can award one Dean's Award to:

• one student on their first study year (grant paid on the second study year) for outstanding study performance during the student's first study year
• one student on their second study year (paid on the third study year) for outstanding study performance during the student's first and second study years.

A student must be registered as attending when they graduate. If a tuition fee liable student completes all their studies and submits their thesis by the end of the ongoing term for which they are registered as attending (for the spring term 31 July/for the autumn term 31 December) they can be granted the right to register as attending for an additional term by paying only the Student Union’s membership fee, for the sole purpose of graduating. In other words, a tuition fee liable student could apply during their second spring that they can register as attending for the autumn term by paying only the Student Union’s membership fee in order to graduate, on the condition that they complete all their studies and submit their thesis by 31 July.

Each student will need to apply for this right separately and the Student Services will consult their degree programme for the feasibility of their graduation plans.

Students who are granted this right undertake to submit their thesis and complete all their coursework by the end of the ongoing term (31 July/31 December) and not to attend any classes during the additional term. The thesis may be assessed and graded during the additional term, and students may also take an aptitude test or present their dissertation during the additional term, if required. Students undertake to submit a graduation request at the earliest opportunity. If a student is found to have completed courses during the additional term, they will be charged the full tuition fee for that term.

If you wish to apply for the right to register as attending for an additional term by paying only the Student Union’s membership fee, for the sole purpose of graduating, please send an e-mail to international-studentinfo@helsinki.fi.

If you are granted this right and your residence permit is expiring, please apply for an extension to your residence permit for studies for half a year.

If you wish to register as non-attending for the whole academic year, for the autumn term or for the spring term, please contact international-studentinfo@helsinki.fi before paying the tuition fee. Please note that if you are registered as non-attending, you cannot attend classes or complete studies at the University of Helsinki. We will also inform your programme of your non-attendance. It is also likely that your non-attendance will affect your application for extending your residence permit. Please note that if you were awarded a grant such as the Dean’s Award you must register as attending for the whole academic year.

You can cancel your registration by contacting the Student Services at international-studentinfo@helsinki.fi. To cancel your registration for the autumn term or the entire academic year, contact the Student Services by 31 August. Registrations for the spring term must be cancelled by 15 January.

A student who has a permanent or continuous Finnish residence permit, or a long-term resident’s EU residence permit (P-EU), is exempted from paying tuition fees. However, a continuous residence permit granted on the basis of studies does not exempt from tuition fees. Please check the details from StudyInfo’s article Do I have to pay tuition fees? 

Documents stating that a student is not liable to pay tuition fees must be valid when the term starts on 1 August/1 January. If your document is valid e.g., until October, you are not liable to pay the tuition fee for the fall term. If your document is valid e.g., until March, you are not liable to pay the fee for the spring term either. Please send a picture of your residence permit to international-studentinfo@helsinki.fi.s (.s is for secure mail) well before the beginning of the academic term for which you wish to be exempted from paying tuition fees. 

NB! Please note that having a pending application for an exempting residence permit is not sufficient for not having to pay the tuition fee. Always apply for an extension to your current residence permit as early as possible as the handling of applications at Migri can take several months. 

• What if my residence or citizenship status changes during my studies?  

Tuition fees are reimbursed per academic year or academic term. If a student has begun studying at the University of Helsinki in the autumn term, only the spring term can be reimbursed. 

You can claim a refund of the tuition fee from the Student Services by 30 September/31 January. Please note that the University withholds 300€ from all reimbursements to cover administrative costs.  

The tuition fee can be reimbursed if 

• a conditionally admitted student fails to meet the conditions for admission within the allocated time, 
• a student’s application for a residence permit is rejected, 
• the residence permit status of a student who has accepted a place changes before registration so that he or she is no longer liable to pay a tuition fee, 
• the degree programme is not offered, or a force majeure event occurs, 
• a student cancels the registration as attending and claims the refund on time. 

If a student graduates before the target duration of the degree has expired, i.e. in the second autumn of the master’s degree or third autumn of bachelor’s degree, he or she will be reimbursed for the tuition fee of the spring term. In such a case the 300€ for administrative costs will not be withheld. A student in such a situation should contact the Student Services at international-studentinfo@helsinki.fi as soon as possible.

Continuing UK degree students are exempt from paying tuition fees even after January 1, 2021 as long as they change their EU registration in Finland to EU right-to-residence in accordance with the withdrawal agreement (with Migri). Apply for the change of status between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021. The University of Helsinki however strongly recommends that you apply for it before July 31, 2021 so that you will be exempt from tuition fees for the whole autumn term 2021. A proof of right of residence, or a proof that you have applied for it (from Migri) is sufficient for exemption. Please send the proof of your right of residence or proof of your application to international-studentinfo@helsinki.fi as soon as possible. 

New UK degree students who arrive in Finland after December 31, 2020 are liable to full tuition fee and residence permit requirements like other non-EU/EEA students. The full tuition fee liability also opens the possibility to apply for University of Helsinki scholarships. 

• Who is liable to pay for tuition 
• FAQ tuition tees and scholarships 
• Other grants offered by the University of Helsinki
• Extending your residence permit 
• Graduation