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    Student visa guide

    Finland student visa 2026: cost, requirements and how to apply

    The Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI) costs $696 in fees nobody can skip, up to $2,105 if every situational extra applies.

    By Global Admissions Editorial · Checked against 4 official sources

    How much does a Finland student visa cost in 2026?

    Applying for a student visa in Finland on the Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI) costs $696 in fees you cannot skip: First residence permit for studies, filed in Enter Finland ($696). Situational extras (D visa, to travel as soon as the permit is granted, extended permit for studies, residence permit to look for work after graduating and new residence permit card to replace a lost one) add up to $1,409 more. Tuition, living costs and proof-of-funds sit outside this total. All amounts are US dollars, last checked August 2026.

    Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI) cost breakdown

    Every line the Finland application puts on your card, in US dollars, as of August 2026.

    First residence permit for studies, filed in Enter Finland$696
    EUR 600 online; the same application on paper is EUR 750 Finnish Immigration Service: Processing fees and payment methods (fees in 2026)
    Mandatory total$696
    What the Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI) costs before any optional service.
    Situational extras, only if they apply to you
    D visa, to travel as soon as the permit is granted$110
    EUR 95 online, EUR 120 on paper; valid for 100 days before the permit starts Finnish Immigration Service: Processing fees and payment methods (fees in 2026)
    Extended permit for studies$267
    EUR 230 online, EUR 430 on paper; only if your studies outlast the first permit Finnish Immigration Service: Processing fees and payment methods (fees in 2026)
    Residence permit to look for work after graduating$870
    EUR 750 online, EUR 800 on paper; granted for up to two years Finnish Immigration Service: Processing fees and payment methods (fees in 2026)
    New residence permit card to replace a lost one$162
    EUR 140, the same price online or on paper Finnish Immigration Service: Processing fees and payment methods (fees in 2026)
    If every extra applied$2,105
    Worst case. Most applicants pay none or one of these.

    Amounts are US dollars. Finland bills in its own currency, so the exact charge moves with the exchange rate. The native figures are in the notes column where the fee schedule publishes them.

    Things to watch

    • USD figures use EUR 1 = USD 1.16 (Norges Bank reference rate, 28 August 2026). Migri's fees are set by a Ministry of the Interior decree and change on 1 January.
    • Paper costs more at every step: EUR 750 instead of EUR 600 for the first study permit, EUR 430 instead of EUR 230 for an extension.
    • Living costs are proved rather than paid to Migri: EUR 800 a month, so EUR 9,600 for a year, held separately from the tuition money.
    • Tuition is charged by the institution. Finland's Ministry of Education and Culture announced on 16 May 2024 that the provisions requiring non-EU and non-EEA tuition fees to cover the full cost of the education enter into force on 1 August 2026, with an application fee for non-EU and non-EEA applicants from 1 August 2025 (okm.fi).
    • Citizens of New Zealand pay no processing fee at all, under a 1973 agreement abolishing visas between Finland and New Zealand.
    • Insurance, translations and legalization are bought from third parties, so they are not Migri fees and are not costed here.

    How much bank balance do you need for a Finland student visa?

    For the Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI), Finland asks you to show EUR 9,600 (about $11,136). The accepted form is Your own bank account, showing a year of living costs, and it covers 12 months of living costs, separate from the tuition fee. This is money you show, not money you pay, so it never appears in the fee table above. The figure comes from Finnish Immigration Service: Income requirement for students, checked August 2026.

    Finnish Immigration Service: Income requirement for students · checked August 2026

    Finland student visa requirements and documents checklist

    8 documents every applicant provides, 1 more depending on where you apply from.

    DocumentWho needs itWhat it involves
    A study place leading to a degree or a vocational qualificationeveryoneYou must already be accepted by a Finnish university, university of applied sciences, vocational institution or general upper secondary school, or be coming on an exchange. Studies that are mainly online distance learning cannot get a residence permit, because they do not require you to be in Finland. source
    EUR 9,600 in your own bank accounteveryoneMigri requires EUR 800 a month at your disposal, which is EUR 9,600 for a year. The account must be in your own name and usable from Finland; sponsorship letters from relatives, friends or employers are not accepted, although money already transferred to you from family is. source
    Money for the first year of tuition, held on top of the living costseveryoneIf you have not paid the tuition fee before you apply, the money for it must be in your bank account when you submit the application, and it cannot be the same money you are showing for living costs. If the fee is paid or covered by a scholarship, attach the receipt or the institution's certificate instead. source
    Private health insurance valid on arrivaleveryoneStudies of less than two years need cover of EUR 120,000 for medical expenses; studies of two years or more need EUR 40,000 of pharmaceutical cover. The excess may not exceed EUR 300, and ordinary travel insurance limited to trips of 90 days is not accepted. source
    A bank statement covering the past six monthseveryoneThe statement must show the account holder's name, the bank's name and the currency. Migri may ask for a tax certificate or the sponsor's own bank statement if the money reached your account from a parent or relative. source
    A valid passport and a passport photo under six months oldeveryoneBring the passport to your identification appointment, and attach a color copy of the data page to the application. The photo must follow the Finnish police photo guidelines, or you can supply a retrieval code from a photo shop. source
    Translation of any document not in Finnish, Swedish or EnglisheveryoneTranslations must come from an authorized translator, or from a translator recognized by another EU member state. A translation by anyone else has to be legalized, and you pay for translation yourself. source
    Continuing to meet every requirement for the whole permiteveryoneMigri runs automatic post-decision monitoring and checks that permit holders still meet the conditions. The permit is granted for the length of your studies, and higher education degree students receive a continuous A permit while other students receive a temporary B permit. source
    Full consular legalization instead of an apostillefor students from 6 countries, Nigeria to VietnamMigri accepts an apostille only from countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention. Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Nepal and Sri Lanka are not contracting parties, and Vietnam's accession takes effect on 11 September 2026, so until then documents from these six need legalization by the issuing country's foreign ministry followed by a Finnish mission abroad. source

    How to apply for a Finland student visa

    1. Collect your attachments before you start the form

      You need the certificate of acceptance, the six-month bank statement, the insurance certificate, proof of a paid tuition fee or a scholarship, and a passport copy. Migri says filling in the form yourself is enough and that paid consultancy services are not needed.

      source
    2. Apply in Enter Finland and pay EUR 600

      The online application costs EUR 600 against EUR 750 on paper, and processing does not begin until the fee is paid. Paying online by card or Finnish banking credentials also means you may not need a service point visit when you later apply for an extension.

      source
    3. Prove your identity at a Finnish mission

      Book an appointment at the Finnish embassy, consulate or partner application center that serves your country, give your fingerprints and show the originals of everything you attached. Migri does not choose which mission you attend; the Ministry for Foreign Affairs does.

      source
    4. Apply for the D visa at the same time if you can travel quickly

      The D visa is a sticker that lets you fly to Finland as soon as the permit is granted, and it is valid for 100 days before the permit starts. Only apply for it if you can travel within about two weeks of the decision, because the residence permit card is collected from a pick-up point inside Finland.

      source
    5. Wait for the decision and collect the card

      Migri handles every study application as urgent and messages you at each stage through Enter Finland. Border officials may ask on arrival for proof that you still have enough money to live on.

      source
    6. Register with the population authority after you arrive

      Visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency to get a personal identity code, if one was not issued with your card, and to apply for a municipality of residence. Degree students at higher education institutions hold a continuous A permit, which makes that application simpler.

      source

    Finland student visa processing time

    Migri reported on 20 August 2026 that 82 percent of first study permit applications submitted in spring and summer were decided within 30 days when the decision was positive. If you pass 30 days without an answer, the estimate becomes 90 days, and customer service cannot give a closer date beyond that point.

    Finnish Immigration Service: Current information about the processing of students' residence permit applications (20 August 2026) · checked August 2026

    Finland student visa work rights, dependants and what comes after

    Work rights

    A study permit lets you work in any field for an average of 30 hours a week, which Migri also expresses as 120 hours a month or 1,560 hours a year. Individual weeks may go over as long as the yearly average holds, so full-time work over the holidays is allowed. Internships and thesis work agreed in advance as part of your degree fall outside the limit.

    sourcecompare all countries

    Dependants

    A spouse, registered partner and children under 18 apply on the basis of family ties, and the family of a higher education degree student can get a continuous A permit lasting up to one year at first. For a family living in the Helsinki metropolitan area the income requirement is EUR 800 a month for the student, EUR 610 for a second adult, EUR 610 for the first child and EUR 480 for the second, and the student must also show money for the next tuition installment. Elsewhere in Finland the family sums are 10 to 15 percent lower.

    source

    After graduation

    Graduates can get a residence permit to look for work or start a business for up to two years, and it may be split into three parts of at least six months each, all starting within three years of the first. You can apply up to five years after the study permit expired, the permit carries an unrestricted right to work, and you must show EUR 800 a month, so EUR 19,200 for a two-year permit.

    sourcecompare all countries

    Language requirement

    Migri sets no language test for the residence permit. Its conditions are a study place, enough money and valid insurance, so whatever language evidence you need was set by your institution's admission process.

    source

    Finland student visa requirements for Pakistani students

    The full Finland visa guide for Pakistani students, with the fee in your currency.

    Identification in Doha is blocked, so check before you pay

    Pakistani citizens are directed to the VFS Global center in Doha to prove their identity, but Qatar has not been deciding visa applications from Pakistani nationals, so that step cannot currently be completed. Migri's advice on 20 August 2026 was to contact your institution about starting your studies at a later date.

    source

    An apostille is enough for Pakistani documents

    Pakistan has been a contracting party to the Apostille Convention since 9 March 2023, so civil documents carry an apostille rather than the two-step foreign ministry and embassy legalization chain.

    source

    Finland student visa requirements for Vietnamese students

    The full Finland visa guide for Vietnamese students, with the fee in your currency.

    Vietnamese apostilles do not work until 11 September 2026

    Vietnam acceded to the Apostille Convention on 31 December 2025, but the convention only enters into force for it on 11 September 2026. Documents legalized before that date must go through the Vietnamese foreign ministry and then a Finnish mission, which takes longer than an apostille.

    source
    United States
    From $535 all-in
    United Kingdom
    From $1,760 all-in
    Canada
    From $175 all-in
    Australia
    From $2,250 all-in
    Germany
    From $190 all-in
    France
    From $183 all-in

    FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    How much is the Finland student visa fee?
    The Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI) application charge is $696 (First residence permit for studies, filed in Enter Finland). That is also the all-in mandatory total. Optional extras add up to $1,409 on top.
    How much bank balance is required for a Finland student visa?
    EUR 9,600 (about $11,136), held as Your own bank account, showing a year of living costs, covering 12 months of living costs, separate from the tuition fee. It is money you show rather than money you pay, so it is separate from the visa fees. Migri sets the rate at EUR 800 a month, so studies lasting a year or more need EUR 9,600 in the account on the day you apply. Money counted as living costs cannot also pay the tuition fee, and a grant or scholarship for living costs is subtracted from the amount you show. USD figure at EUR 1 = USD 1.16, Norges Bank reference rate of 28 August 2026. Source: Finnish Immigration Service: Income requirement for students (August 2026).
    Can you work on a Finland student visa?
    A study permit lets you work in any field for an average of 30 hours a week, which Migri also expresses as 120 hours a month or 1,560 hours a year. Individual weeks may go over as long as the yearly average holds, so full-time work over the holidays is allowed. Internships and thesis work agreed in advance as part of your degree fall outside the limit. Source: Finnish Immigration Service: Studying in Finland (August 2026).
    How long does a Finland student visa take?
    Migri reported on 20 August 2026 that 82 percent of first study permit applications submitted in spring and summer were decided within 30 days when the decision was positive. If you pass 30 days without an answer, the estimate becomes 90 days, and customer service cannot give a closer date beyond that point. Source: Finnish Immigration Service: Current information about the processing of students' residence permit applications (20 August 2026) (August 2026).
    Can you bring your family on a Finland student visa?
    A spouse, registered partner and children under 18 apply on the basis of family ties, and the family of a higher education degree student can get a continuous A permit lasting up to one year at first. For a family living in the Helsinki metropolitan area the income requirement is EUR 800 a month for the student, EUR 610 for a second adult, EUR 610 for the first child and EUR 480 for the second, and the student must also show money for the next tuition installment. Elsewhere in Finland the family sums are 10 to 15 percent lower. Source: Finnish Immigration Service: Student's family members (August 2026).
    What's not included in the Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI) fee?
    Tuition, living costs and the money you have to show in your account are separate from the fees on this page. Use our cost-of-study calculator at /tools/cost-calculator for a complete budget.
    When are these fees due?
    Application and biometric fees are paid before submission. Health surcharges (UK IHS, Australian OSHC) are paid as part of the visa application. Some fees (Anmeldung in Germany, OFII in France) are paid after arrival.

    Official sources

    Last verified August 2026.