How does Finland attract international students?

The number of international students coming to Finland has increased, attributed to the government's simplified visa requirements and its desire to attract talented individuals to stay and work.

Since 2022, international students in Finland can apply for residency for the entire duration of their university studies, instead of having to renew annually as before. They are also allowed to increase their part-time work hours from 24 to 30 hours per week, stay in Finland for two years after graduation, and bring family members with them.

Finland also uses a common application form with universities, allowing each applicant to choose a maximum of six subjects. International students can take the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) exam online from home to apply.

"These things are really attractive to international students. Before, Finland only talked about attracting, but now we are talking about attracting and retaining," said Hanna Isoranta, head of studies at Study in Finland.

As a result, more than 7,000 new students were granted residence permits, an increase of approximately 54% compared to 2021, reaching a record high in the past six years. The five countries with the highest number of students granted permits were Russia, China, Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam.

Aalto University campus. Source: Aalto University — Aalto University campus. Source: *Aalto University*

Harri Hälvä, an official at the Finnish Education Agency, said that efforts to promote Finnish learning and life opportunities are beginning to yield results.

"Finland not only encourages more international students to come and study, but also welcomes them to stay, work, and start a family," he said.

The country has developed a research development plan for the period 2024-2030, with an estimated expenditure of 280 million euros (approximately 310 million USD) on technology research. However, with a population of only about 5.5 million, the Finnish government aims to double the number of immigrants seeking work, triple the number of international students, and retain 75% of them by 2030.

In addition, Finland is also focusing on recruiting skilled workers from four countries: India, the Philippines, Brazil, and Vietnam.

However, the biggest barrier for international students wanting to stay and work after graduation is language. While large companies use English, the majority of the population speaks Finnish, a language notoriously difficult to learn.

Finland has 35 universities, with tuition fees for international students ranging from 5,000 to 18,000 euros (135-485 million VND) per year, depending on the field of study. Popular fields of study include Social Sciences , Journalism and Information, and Information Technology and Communication.

The University of Helsinki is Finland's highest-ranked university in the world, ranking 99th in the US News university rankings.

Doan Hung (According to The Pie News, University World News)

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