From today, 1 August 2026, Finland’s long-planned reform of student immigration funding enters into force. Under amendments passed in late 2025, learners from outside the European Union and European Economic Area who enrol in general upper-secondary education (lukio) or vocational education and training (VET) programmes must now pay tuition fees that were previously waived. Universities and universities of applied sciences have charged fees to non-EU students since 2017, but this is the first time the policy has been extended to the secondary level. The Ministry of Education and Culture argues the change will ease administrative burdens on schools and help them allocate teaching resources more efficiently. In practice, institutions may use tuition income to invest in international marketing or student support services, but they must also put scholarship schemes in place for high-performing applicants and pupils in vulnerable situations such as those holding temporary protection. Exchange students arriving under established programmes remain exempt, as do learners who are permanently resident in another EEA country. For international families already living in Finland—and for multinational companies relocating staff—the implications are significant. A teenager holding a dependant residence permit will now face fees that can range from €3,000 to more than €10,000 per academic year, depending on the municipality and the course. Employers offering expatriate packages may need to adjust education allowances, while smaller firms could find that recruiting key talent with school-age children becomes more expensive. Immigration lawyers expect an uptick in questions about whether secondary-level study still qualifies the whole family for continued residence. Under existing rules, a student’s ability to support them- or herself is a condition for permit renewal; proof of funds must now cover both living costs (at least €560 per month) and the tuition invoice. The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) is preparing new guidance on acceptable evidence—such as bank statements or confirmed scholarship certificates—and warns that applications lacking documentation of tuition payment may face delays. Critics, including several student unions and the Finnish National Youth Council Allianssi, fear the measure will reduce the diversity of classroom communities and contradict Finland’s broader goal of attracting 15,000 foreign degree students per year by 2030. The government counters that secondary-level fees merely align Finland with other Nordic countries and that high-quality, English-language “pathway” programmes will continue to draw motivated applicants. The first real test will come in January 2027 when enrolment statistics reveal whether today’s policy shift has curbed demand.
