Finland · Student
Finland Student permit
Savings needed: €9,600+ a year ≈ $11k
Residence permit for studies
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Student permit is a student route for Finland. Applicants need savings of €9,600+ a year ≈ $11k. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €9,600+ a year ≈ $11k
- Government fees
- €600 ≈ $670
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €600 ≈ $670; savings to show €9,600+/yr ≈ $11k. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€600 ≈ $670
- EUR 600 (≈ $670)Online first permit (paper EUR 750 (≈ $840); minor EUR 400 (≈ $450) online, EUR 430 (≈ $480) paper).
Shown, not spent€9,600+/yr ≈ $11k
- EUR 9,600 a year (≈ $10,700)In the bank at application for studies of 1 year or longer (EUR 800 (≈ $890) per month for shorter studies); EUR 400 (≈ $450) per month if the institution provides free accommodation, EUR 270 (≈ $300) with accommodation and meals; unpaid tuition fee comes in addition.
RenewalRenewal rules
Granted for the duration of the studies.
Permanent residenceAfter 6 years of residence
Degree-level study permits are continuous (A) permits and count toward the 6-year route; other study permits are temporary (B) and half of B-permit time counts toward citizenship only.
CitizenshipAfter 8 years of residence
Citizenship needs 8 years of residence in Finland (applications from 1 October 2024); half of any time on a temporary B permit before an A permit counts.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a place at a school or university in Finland
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Applicants are accepted at a university, university of applied sciences, upper secondary or vocational institution.
- Studies lead to a degree or vocational qualification, or the applicant is an exchange student.
- Studies that are mainly distance learning online do not qualify.
What you must show4
- For studies of 1 year or longer, EUR 9,600 (≈ $10,700) is in the bank at application.
- For shorter studies, EUR 800 (≈ $890) per month is required.
- The amount is EUR 400 (≈ $450) per month with free accommodation and EUR 270 (≈ $300) with accommodation and meals.
- An unpaid tuition fee must also be in the bank account.
Documents1
- A certificate of acceptance and private health insurance are submitted.
Steps1
- The first permit is applied for abroad.
When you become tax resident
How Finland decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
A person is resident with a main abode and home in Finland, or after a continuous stay of more than six months (exactly six months is not enough); temporary absences do not interrupt the stay.
- Foreign-source income
Progressive state tax plus municipal tax on worldwide income of residents; example effective rate on pay of EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) is 8.5% and on EUR 70,000 (≈ $78,200) is 25.0% (Helsinki resident, Lutheran church member).
All tax rules for Finland Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
A certificate of acceptance and private health insurance are submitted
- Accommodation
The amount is EUR 400 (≈ $450) per month with free accommodation and EUR 270 (≈ $300) with accommodation and meals
- Bank account / funds
An unpaid tuition fee must also be in the bank account
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For degree or vocational studies, or exchange studies, at a Finnish university, university of applied sciences, upper secondary or vocational institution; distance-only study does not qualify. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- Savings of at least EUR 9,600 a year (≈ $10,700) · In the bank at application for studies of 1 year or longer (EUR 800 (≈ $890) per month for shorter studies); EUR 400 (≈ $450) per month if the institution provides free accommodation, EUR 270 (≈ $300) with accommodation and meals; unpaid tuition fee comes in addition. 1 2
- A fee of EUR 600 (≈ $670) · Online first permit (paper EUR 750 (≈ $840); minor EUR 400 (≈ $450) online, EUR 430 (≈ $480) paper). 1
Requirements
- Applicants are accepted at a university, university of applied sciences, upper secondary or vocational institution. 1
- Studies lead to a degree or vocational qualification, or the applicant is an exchange student. 1
- Studies that are mainly distance learning online do not qualify. 1
- For studies of 1 year or longer, EUR 9,600 (≈ $10,700) is in the bank at application. 1 2
- For shorter studies, EUR 800 (≈ $890) per month is required. 1 2
- The amount is EUR 400 (≈ $450) per month with free accommodation and EUR 270 (≈ $300) with accommodation and meals. 2
- An unpaid tuition fee must also be in the bank account. 2
- A certificate of acceptance and private health insurance are submitted. 1
- The first permit is applied for abroad. 1
Stay
- Granted for the duration of the studies; a continuous (A) permit for higher education degrees, a temporary (B) permit for other degrees and exchange students.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Paid work in any field averaging 30 hours per week over the year; full-time in holidays within the average.
Family
Family members can receive a permit of the same type; for an A permit the first is up to 1 year and extensions up to 4 years.
Official sources
- Residence permit application for studies · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Income requirement for students · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent residence rules effective 8 January 2026 · Finnish Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11
- Period of residence for Finnish citizenship · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship for adults (residence period 8 years from 1 October 2024) · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
Student permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student permit | Needs savings of €9,600+ a year ≈ $11k | – | – |
| Student permit Portugal | Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030 | 3 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Internship permit Spain | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| D3 study visa Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| Student visa Italy | Needs savings of €10k+ a year ≈ $11k | – | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Student permit?
Savings of at least EUR 9,600 a year (≈ $10,700). In the bank at application for studies of 1 year or longer (EUR 800 (≈ $890) per month for shorter studies); EUR 400 (≈ $450) per month if the institution provides free accommodation, EUR 270 (≈ $300) with accommodation and meals; unpaid tuition fee comes in addition. A fee of EUR 600 (≈ $670). Online first permit (paper EUR 750 (≈ $840); minor EUR 400 (≈ $450) online, EUR 430 (≈ $480) paper).
How long can I stay on the Student permit?
Granted for the duration of the studies; a continuous (A) permit for higher education degrees, a temporary (B) permit for other degrees and exchange students.
Can I work on the Student permit?
Paid work in any field averaging 30 hours per week over the year; full-time in holidays within the average.
Can I bring my family on the Student permit?
Family members can receive a permit of the same type; for an A permit the first is up to 1 year and extensions up to 4 years.
Who can apply for the Student permit?
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Student permit lead to permanent residence in Finland?
Time on the Student permit counts toward permanent residence in Finland, which the rules allow after 6 years of residence. Time on the Student permit counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 8 years of residence.
How are Student permit holders taxed in Finland?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Student permit. The standard rules apply: Progressive state tax plus municipal tax on worldwide income of residents; example effective rate on pay of EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) is 8.5% and on EUR 70,000 (≈ $78,200) is 25.0% (Helsinki resident, Lutheran church member).
More in Finland
Study visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Residence permit application for studies · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Income requirement for students · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent residence rules effective 8 January 2026 · Finnish Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11
- Period of residence for Finnish citizenship · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship for adults (residence period 8 years from 1 October 2024) · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.