One of the ways to immigrate to Finland for study purposes as an international student is to apply for a student visa in Finland. The Finnish study permit is a document given to foreign nationals to study according to certain intuition of profit.
Finland has one of the best universities in the top 100 global rankings. However, many international students come to study in Finland for undergraduate or even postgraduate programs like Master’s degrees.
Before applying for a Finland Student Visa, you should ensure you meet the requirements of the institution you are applying for, be accepted, and then print the acceptance letter as this is one of the documents you will use when applying for the Finnish student visa.
Types of Student Visas in Finland
There are two main categories of Finnish student permits that include;
- Temporary or short-term study permit in Finland
- Permanent or long-term student leave in Finland.
Finland’s temporary student visa is a document issued to foreign nationals wishing to study in Finland for short-term purposes and to stay for a maximum of 90 days (3 months). Examples of students include those who wish to learn short-term vocational training or attend short-term language courses or related short-term programs in Finland.
A permanent or long-term student permit in Finland is issued to foreign nationals wishing to study in Finland for a long-term purpose and to stay for more than 90 days (3 months). This includes students wanting to go for a graduate course both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. However, the long-term student permit in Finland is accompanied by a residence permit, so we advise you to fill out the application when obtaining the long-term student permit.
How to apply for a student visa in Finland
- First, go to your embassy or representative of your country and get the residence permit form, then fill out the application form. Otherwise, you can apply online.
- After that, provide the certificate or letter certifying that you have been admitted to a Finnish higher education institution.
- Provide any other required documents as shown below
- Complete your biometrics
- Collect your student residency permit in Finland.
The processing fee for your application is 330 EUR for paper application and 300 EUR for electronic application.
Document requirements and qualifications
- Letter of acceptance from the university
- A valid passport
- Passport-style photography to be used when filling out your application.
- Copy of the signed application form
- Proof of financial stability, as it is known, the cost of student living in Finland is estimated to be 560 EUR per month.
- Clarification of the tuition fee or scholarship if applicable
- International Student Health Insurance
- Evidence of a clear criminal precedent
Student visa processing time in Finland
If you have any further questions regarding Finland’s student visa, the process of applying for such a visa or any other related questions, please let me know through the comments section. Don’t forget to share this guide with your friends. Some of them may need this guide.