Tuition fees

Universities of applied sciences and universities charge tuition fees from Bachelor’s or Master’s from non-EU/EEA or Swiss citizens.

Tuition fee for Bachelor students

Tuition fee for Master students

Cost of living

International students coming from outside the EEA and EU countries are required to prove that they have sufficient funds by depositing the sum of EUR 6720 (approx. USD 8720) yearly with a Finnish bank or with an international bank, with no conditions restricting the use of this account. A new deposit is required at the beginning of each academic year.

Savonia University of Applied Sciences has a scholarship programme only towards the tuition fee. Savonia UAS cannot offer any other financial aid for either Finnish or international students. International students must be able to cover their costs themselves or have a scholarship from their home countries or other sources.

Estimated monthly costs

  • Accommodation € 290–400
  • Lunch at student canteens € 40–65
  • Self-catering € 85-130
  • Monthly bus card 40 €
  • Other expenses € 85-150

This estimate does not include social activities, travel or clothing. On average, a Finnish student spends € 600–800 a month.

Part-time work

Students are permitted to do a limited amount of paid work under a residence permit issued for studies if the work in question is internship included in the studies or linked with your final project work. Part-time employment is also possible, if the working hours do not exceed an average of 25 hours per week. However, a part-time job might be very difficult to find if you do not speak any Finnish.

Kela financial aid

If you are not a Finnish citizen, you may be entitled to governmental (Kela) financial aid with education in Finland provided that

  • you are registered as a permanent resident of Finland in the population register system and
  • your purpose for residence in Finland is other than education (for example, work, family ties or return migration).

Staying in Finland for the express purpose of attending school does not make you eligible for financial aid from the Finnish government.

KELA financial aid