Students who want to go to school in Finland need to get a residence pass for their studies. If you are coming to Finland to study for longer than 90 days, you will need to fill out an application for a study pass. You probably already know that the Finland Government Scholarships have been revealed. So, knowing about the Finland Student Visa process is important.
Finland has seen a steady rise in the number of foreign students this year. Finland gave out 7,060 student visas to people from outside Europe who wanted to study there. By getting a Finland D Work Visa, you can go to Finland in just 10 days. Finnish Immigration offers this fast-track online service. Let’s talk about how to get a student visa for Finland, step by step.
Details of Finland Student Visa Process
- Host Country: Finland
- Visa Type: Finland Residence permit for studies
- Who can Apply: Students
Who can Apply for Finland? Residence permit for studies
- Students from outside the EU Union who want to go to college in Finland need the Finland Residence Pass for their studies.
- If you have been accepted as a student at a school in Finland, you will be able to get a residence pass.
- The school can be a university, a university of applied sciences, a general upper secondary school, or a vocational education center.
Types of Finland Residence Permits
Either an A permit or a B permit can be your housing permit.
- If you are coming to get a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree, you will be given an A Permit.
- If you have a degree other than a college degree, you will be given a B.
Benefits of A Permit
- When you have graduated and stayed in Finland for four years with an A permit, you can apply for a permanent residence permit.
- A pass can be given to members of your family.
- Some of your studies can be done in another EU Member State.
Benefits of B Permit
- A B pass can be given to your family members.
- Your pass doesn’t give you the right to study in any other EU Member State.
- The B permit can be changed to an A pass.
Requirements for Finland Student Visa Process
- You have to be able to live in Finland for the whole time you are in school there. Every month, you must have at least 560 euros in your bank account.
- You must be able to show proof that you have enough money in your bank account to pay for your first year of school in Finland.
- When you apply, you must have 6,720 euros in your bank account.
- If you have an aid or your school will help pay for your living expenses in Finland, you don’t have to have 560 euros on hand every month.
Benefits of Finland Student Visa Process
- Quality Education: Finland is widely recognized for its exceptional educational system, wherein several universities have received rankings among the most prestigious in the world. Possessing a Finnish student visa grants access to this prestigious educational institution.
- Prospects for Employment: Possibilities for part-time and full-time work with a student visa exist during the academic year. Such employment can assist with subsistence and provide valuable work experience.
- Permit for Residence: The student visa serves as a residence permit, granting you lawful permission to reside in Finland throughout your academic pursuits.
- Schengen Area Accessibility: As Finland is a member state of the Schengen Area, possessing a Finnish student visa grants unrestricted movement within the Schengen Zone throughout your academic pursuits.
- Healthcare Benefits: In general, holders of student visas have unrestricted access to the public healthcare system of Finland, which guarantees the provision of essential medical attention throughout their sojourn.
- Language Learning Opportunities: Pursuing an education in Finland presents a remarkable prospect for enhancing one’s English proficiency or learning the country’s official languages, Finnish or Swedish, given the abundance of courses available in English.
- Safe and Welcoming Environment: Safe environment and Inviting Finland is an ideal destination for international students due to its reputation for cleanliness, safety, and a welcoming ambiance.
- Opportunities for Networking: By studying in Finland, you will have the privilege of establishing connections with professionals and students from various countries, thereby broadening your professional network and enhancing your cultural awareness.
Get a Residence Permit
If you have been accepted to a school in Finland, you will get a pass to live there.
Get Insurance
As a student in Finland, you must be able to pay for medical care if you get sick. To get a residence pass, you must have private health insurance that pays for your medical and drug costs.
- Add a copy of your insurance card to your application.
- When you get to Finland, your insurance must still be good.
Required Documents
- A valid passport
- Passport Photo
- Acceptance letter from the Finland Educational Institute.
- A color copy of the page of your visa that has your personal information
- Statement from the bank for the last three months.
- Certificate of insurance.
- degree certificates from before.
- If you have worked before, you might have job certificates.
Read More: Malta Citizenship Process
Steps Involved in Finland Student Visa Process 2024
How to apply for a residence pass to study in Finland:
Fill out the online application and add documents
For the Study Residence Pass, you can fill out the application online at Enter Finland. The cost of applying online is less than the cost of applying on paper.
Pay the Processing Fee
- If you use Enter Finland to apply for a residence pass online, you have to pay a fee.
- When you go to a Finnish embassy to apply for a residence pass on paper, you have to pay the processing fee.
Prove Your Identity
Make an appointment at an embassy or consulate in Finland. At a VFS Global application office, you can also show proof of who you are.
Wait for the Decision
If you apply online, you will get a text about how things are going.
Wait for the Residence Permit
If your application is accepted, you will see a positive answer on Your Residence permit.
Get Your Visa in 10 Days With Finland D Visa
- You can use the fast-track service to get a Finland D visa online. Once you have been given a residence permit, you can enter Finland without a residence permit card if you have a D Visa.
- Apply for a residence pass and a D visa to enter Finland at the same time. I wrote a long post about how to get a Finland D work visa in 2024.
Processing Time
If you’ve never done it before, Two months is the expected time to process an internet application.
Application Fee
The cost of a study pass to live in Finland is 350 euros.
Work During Studies
If you have a study permit, you can work for pay in any area for an average of 30 hours per week.
Can Students get PR in Finland?
Yes. If you want to go to college in Finland, you’ll need an A Permit to study. When you have graduated and stayed in Finland for four years with an A permit, you can apply for a permanent residence permit.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What Are The Required Documents for the Finland Residence Permit for Studies?
A valid passport
Passport Photo
Acceptance letter from the Finland Educational Institute.
A color copy of the page of your visa that has your personal information
Statement from the bank for the last three months.
Certificate of insurance.
degree certificates from before.
If you have worked before, you might have job certificates.Is it easy to get a Finland student visa?
You must be enrolled at a university in Finland, which means you must apply for your study program before you apply for your visa. You must have no travel bans in the Schengen Area. You must have no criminal charges. You must not be a danger to Finland and its interests.
Does Finland need IELTS?
Do I need to have IELTS or TOEFL to study in Finland? To be admitted to an English-taught study program in Finland, you will need to demonstrate proof of your proficiency in English. You do not necessarily have to take a test like IELTS or TOEFL.
