Finland student visa cost — Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI)

Residence permit for studies (OLE_OPI) cost breakdown

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

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.

Finland student visa requirements

• A study place leading to a degree or a vocational qualification

  You 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.

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• EUR 9,600 in your own bank account

  Migri 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.

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• Money for the first year of tuition, held on top of the living costs

  If 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.

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• Private health insurance valid on arrival

  Studies 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.

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• A bank statement covering the past six months

  The 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.

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• A valid passport and a passport photo under six months old

  Bring the passport to your identification appointment, and attach a colour 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.

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• Translation of any document not in Finnish, Swedish or English

  Translations must come from an authorised translator, or from a translator recognised by another EU member state. A translation by anyone else has to be legalised, and you pay for translation yourself.

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• Full consular legalisation instead of an apostille for Nigerian, Ghanaian, Kenyan, Nepali, Sri Lankan and Vietnamese students

  Migri 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 legalisation by the issuing country's foreign ministry followed by a Finnish mission abroad.

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• Continuing to meet every requirement for the whole permit

  Migri 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.

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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.

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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.

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3. Prove your identity at a Finnish mission

   Book an appointment at the Finnish embassy, consulate or partner application centre 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Finland student visa work rights, dependants and processing time

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Finland student visa requirements for Vietnamese students

FAQ

Frequently asked questions