The Republic of Finland is one of the Nordic countries, known as “Land of the Midnight Sun” which consistently ranks at the top of the quality of life and high education and economic strength.
It is one of the Nordic countries located in the north of Europe and shares borders with Sweden to the west, Norway to the north, Russia to the east.
Also, it is defined by the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea across Estonia to the south and by the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. It covers an area of 338,455 square kilometers, and the total length of Finland from north to south is 1,157 km, with a population of 5.5 million.Â
The largest city and the capital of Finland is Helsinki founded in 1550 and located in the south of the country in the Uusimaa region on the Gulf of Finland’s shoars. Also, Helsinki is considered the third-largest city in the Nordic countries.
Finland’s capital is home to the best universities and important educational hotspot institutions with a population of 642,000 inhabitants. Moreover, the capital hosts nearly 75% of foreign companies investing.
Finland is an active part of the European Union (EU) and has used the EURO as its official currency since 2002. Â
Finland’s economy is a mostly free market and its score is 76.1 making it the 17th freest economy in the 2021 Index.
The economy in Finland is highly industrialized and dependent on trade, which accounts for about 33% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Finland is located in the zone where tropical and polar air masses meet which makes the weather variable and can change very quickly and compared to the Scandinavian countries, Finland is the coldest country because of the proximity to Russia.Â
In summers, Finland has a short and hot summer season and the weather is mild and warm in the south and the center of the country, the sun sets late rises early as evenings and nights are bright during the summer,
Whereas in winters, the overall climate is cold and long, it has snow on the ground for upwards of 90 days every year in the north and the temperature is often below zero degrees Celsius some time fall to -20 \ -30 degrees CelsiusÂ
In Finland, there are many notable landmarks
There are cultural differences among various regions of Finland and heavily influenced by several communities including the Swedish, Russians, numerous Finish and Baltic people.
In general, Finn’s belief in the values of honesty, equality, nature, and trust. In Finnish society, everyone is equal and must be treated fairly without any discrimination and it encourages liberalism with a popular commitment to the Finnish government.Â
In Finland, the traditions and holidays are associated with their pagan customs and Christianity. Also, People are like outdoor activities and being in contact with nature.
Furthermore, they are so kind, have good manners, practicality, open-mindedness, appreciation, and punctuality. Â
people in Finland are so educated and most people speak two or three languages, but the official languages in Finland are Finnish and SwedishÂ
Bear in mind that studying in Finland is the most important privilege in your life because education in Finland has ranked one of the best education systems for international students in the world.
Finland is one of the European countries that support and fund international students and provides many types of fully-funded scholarships
In general, tuition fees are not waived for international students who seek to continue their higher education, but the bright side is that tuition fees are not expensive at public universities and the international student can afford the studying cost.  Â
if one of these conditions applies to you that means you can study in Finland for free:
That depends on the chosen universities or institutions
Each university sets its own fees and they differ from one program to another. the list below shows the tuition fees of the best universities in Finland:Â
After the students receive the acceptance letter from the university or selected program, they will also receive the invoice for the first year’s tuition fee enclosed with it.Â
Although the payment terms are different for each university, the students are expected to pay the full annual tuition fee within two weeks or a month; until you have paid, your admission will be conditional.Â
Finnish universities provide more than 80 programs at different levels, with their higher education qualifications and research skills in a working environment making it an ideal destination to study in Finland.
The cost of studying for a Ph.D. degree for international students is free regardless of nationality whereas the student’s union fee to the university ranges from 80-100 EUR per year.
The universities in Finland offer a Master’s degree:
Depending on the degree the tuition fees in Finland in the English language start from 1,500 EUR and are set at 25,000 EUR per year for non-EU international students.Â
Even though Finland is relatively high in costs of living compared to other countries, it is a socially, safe, quality of life, stable, and progressive country with a respected judicial system.
The cost of living in Finland solely depends on lifestyle and location, students’ spending habits, level of extravagance.Â
Depending on the city that students selected to study in, the average costs expected between 700-900 EUR available per month.
As we mentioned before it depends on the student’s lifestyle, but in general, the food costs are around 200 – 250 EUR per month. don’t forget to get benefits from the students’ discounts that are offered by your university.
Finland has excellent public transport, the entire country is linked by a comprehensive bus, train, and rail network which are so comfortable, modern and on time even in the harsh weather.
A transportation pass for students is around 35 to 50 euros a month, a private car is also available but it costs higher than public transport, it costs up to 250 EUR for five days.
As for the rest of European countries, living and renting a house or apartment in the big cities such as the Helsinki region is challenging and costs much more than in small cities, especially at the beginning of the autumn term.Â
The average cost of renting a house starts from 700 to 2000 Euro per month including the cost of the utilities such as heating, electricity, water, and other services.Â
Student health insurance is one of the mandatory requirements for a student visa in Finland, it must be valid during your stay in Finland. and cover all kinds of medical emergencies.
Heads up: The students in Finland will receive the student card that grants discounts for public transport and student restaurants.
Finding a suitable accommodation option in Finland can be stressful, costly, and tricky, however, the universities offer for their students many types of accommodation most of them affordable for international students
This option is suitable for students who seek to lower their budgets. Most single students share an apartment between 4-5 students. The cost is about 400 to 800 euros higher in the city center.Â
For single students, this type is perfect although it’s expensive and not available at any time. The average cost is around 400 to 800 EUR per month.Â
Some students prefer this type of housing, it offers students to share a kitchen, a room, and a living room with other colleges.
Most types of these kinds of accommodation offer apartments with 2-3 rooms, a small kitchen, and a bathroom. The family apartment is often near to the facilities like play parks and daycare centers.Â
This option is really good for students to build strong relationships with international students and immersion with other cultures, it costs about 250 to 350 EUR monthly.Â
Finland has welcomed more than 14000 international students who study in Finnish universities. nine universities in Finland are ranked among the top universities in the world by QS world ranking.Â
In short, education in Finland is the best one in the world and compared with any top English-speaking country.Â
With its world-renowned education system, pristine academic reputation, and most innovative countries, universities in Finland have become a popular destination for international students in recent years.Â
The list below shows the top universities in FinlandÂ
One of the oldest and largest institutions of academic education in Finland, established in 1640 and situated in Helsinki, the University of Helsinki is Finland’s highest-ranked institution, at joint 102nd in the world.
UH includes an international scientific community of 40,000 students and researchers with more than 36 Master’s programs that teach in English as well as bachelor’s and Ph.D. programs.Â
The University of Helsinki has 4 campuses in Helsinki and in 10 other localities in Finland. It also accommodates several independent research-oriented institutes, 11 faculties.
As well as, multidisciplinary research networks, units attending to duties of national authority, and campus units. its includes:Â
It is a multidisciplinary community where technology and business meet science and art. It is a public research university and one of the most important universities in Finland, located in Espoo and founded in 2010 with nearly 20,000 students and over 400 of whom are professors and staff.Â
The students in this university will be equipped well for the work market and encouraged to engage in multidisciplinary projects and practice-oriented learning.
The Aalto university awarded a wide variety of Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, leading to degrees in the fields of:
The combination of fields brings a whole new dimension to studying as well as the traditional degree options. also, the university has six schools and each one has several departments and separate laboratories:Â
It is a modern university that was founded in 1920 located in the historical city center of Turku, in southwestern Finland. It is an international research university with more than 25,000 students and staff.Â
It is recognized for its teaching, quality of research, and excellent student support services. In addition, it ranks second in the national rating of Finland and it is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in Europe.Â
The university is famous for its high education quality and includes several schools and numerous disciplines: Â
4- University of Eastern Finland Â
For the seekers of higher education, advanced infrastructure, and unique environments the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is the best destination, it offers a great variety of Master’s degree programs taught in English.Â
The University of Eastern Finland is the top university in the country, ranking 6 in the national rating. It has two campuses, one in Joensuu and the other in Kuopio.Â
it offers many programs and several disciplines and more than 100 major subjects, UEF has four major faculties:Â
It is a public higher education institution in Finland that was founded in1958 in Oulu. Oulun yliopisto is one of the most popular and prestigious universities in Finland and among the top 5 universities according to the national rankings.Â
The University of Oulu promotes well-being and education in Finland as well as high-quality research that provides experts for demanding tasks on both national and international levels.
The university provides education in the fields of:
It is one of the leading universities in Finland, it is ranked among the best 700 universities worldwide. Tampere University brings together research and education in technology with health and society.
The university is the second-largest university in Finland, that was founded in 2019
It has more than fifteen thousand students including international students. the university comprises nine faculties:
7- Lappeenranta University of Technology
The Lappeenranta University of Technology is leading in scientific research and academic education and bringing together the fields of science and business. It was founded in 1969 in Lappeenranta city, situated on the shore of Lake Saimaa.
The Lappeenranta University of Technology University has been ranked among the world’s top 600 universities as well as one of the world’s 20 most promising and rapidly developing challenger universities.Â
The university consists of 16 master’s programs in technology and economics which are taught in English, and several degrees of Ph.D. levels.Â
Aside from the beauty of the country, sustainability, high living standards, and safety worldwide, Finland is one of the advanced countries of Europe leading the charge in innovation and technology.Â
Furthermore, its tertiary education system has also been ranked as the best system all over the world.Â
Popular programs among international students studying in Finland are:
Studying in Finland is a popular destination for international students and Scholarships in Finland are offered based on the eligibility of both EU and non-EU students.
The universities provide scholarships in different programs and courses in higher education, some of these International scholarships are fully funded while some are partially funded.Â
To be eligible to obtain a Finland scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
Following documents are required alongside the Application Form:
Once you receive the letter of admission from your university or educational institution, it is time to prepare yourself to get the incredible adventure in the Finnish universities.
Now it is time to move on to the next step and prepare the requirements of the Finland student visa. But before we start, you have to know what is the types of student visas in FinlandÂ
A student visa is a legal document that allows its holder to stay, work and study legally in Finland, there are two types of student visa:Â
It is a temporary short-term permit that is issued to an international student who seeks to stay and study for a maximum of three months.
It is also known as a residence permit issued for an international student whose exchange study period exceeds three months.
if the student’s program needs more than the duration of the visa, he or she can apply to extend the student permit until his or her studies are finished.
Finland has one of the strongest education systems in Europe and choosing Finland as a place to study your higher education is an ideal decision in your life.
Initially, we need to collect the required documents before we attend the Finnish embassy. These are the required documents that need to attach to the visa application:
Now you are ready to make an appointment in the Finnish embassy:Â Â
Tip pro: The application fee won’t be refunded whether your application is refused or rejected for any reason.
Finland’s “Land of a thousand lakes” with massive landmarks, high quality of education, breathtaking landscapes, quality of life, rich history makes it the home for the ambitious students who pursue to complete their education and explore the world. Â
Finland’s world-class education includes prestigious universities and educational institutions that provide an advanced education equipped with the best technique and strategies.Â
Finland has set a landmark for other countries by providing its citizens with a unique and internationally acclaimed education system, healthcare, welfare, and higher incomes.Â
 It also attracts international students worldwide. Moreover, it offers the best universities, designed courses, academic freedom, as well as modern research universities, and economical tuition costs.
what are the cons of living in Finland?