Study in Finland - Essential Information

Getting the study residence permit

Non-EU/EEA students need a student residence permit. SPG will help students with the applications. After the student receives the official letter of acceptance from us, he/she can begin the student residence permit application online at Enterfinland.fi. Applicants must personally visit a Finnish embassy or consulate as part of this process. The students will have plenty of time to apply for the student Visa, thanks to our blended learning study model! After the graduation, the students will have extra 12 months to look for work or start a business.
Besides the official letter of acceptance the student needs to prove that he/she has adequate financial needs to be able to live and study in Finland. In practice this means that the student must haveatleast € 6,720 (the money needed for one year, 560 € per month) in own bank account when sending in the application for residence permit. Also the student must take on insurance to cover health related costs; the cost for the insurance is ca 500 €/year. You can find detailed information on the residence permit requirements and procedures onthe Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) website.

Accommodation

Our degree programs are held either in cities of Helsinki or Espoo which are part of the capital region of Finland or in Pori, 250 km’s to the northwest from Helsinki.

The two main options when searching for accommodation: established student housing foundations and the private market. We will provide help and support in finding your accommodation.

Student housing providers are listed on the SOA (Finnish Student Housing Ltd.) website. The average monthly rent for a single room in a shared student flat ranges from around €160 - €380. Single apartments or family flats are also available, but the rent is likely to be higher in these non-shared apartments and they often have long waiting lists.

You can also arrange housing independently by searching for rented flats on the open market or on social media. Open market flats tend to be more expensive than those available via student housing foundations.

Working during and after the studies

A part-time job can be a good way of gaining valuable work experience and networks alongside your studies – and also earning some extra cash. Additionally, it is good to note that all of the degree programs have an obligatory 3-6 months period of internship/practical training. For directly study related working (practical training and thesis work) there are no limitations on the amount of work you can do.

If you are non-EU student, you may do any other work for an average of 25 hours per week during the academic terms. The number of working hours is not restricted on a weekly level. This means that you can adjust your weekly working hours during the academic term. On study breaks you can work as much as you wish.

We and the universities can help you in finding a job either during or after your studies. Non-EU students can apply for an extended residence permit for up to a year after graduation. This is intended to help graduates in their search for work. In practice this extension is granted automatically.