Finland may introduce tuition fees for international students

Finnish universities are getting budget cuts, so Finnish higher education institutions and their students could be held hostage by the austerity measures that the Finnish government plans to introduce.For three years now, the Finnish economy has been in decline, and now it has been joined by some of the most serious tax problems in the Eurozone due to a decline in foreign trade with Russia.

Austerity measures that affect higher education in Finland:

• Following the € 200 million funding cut adopted by the previous government, budgetary spending on higher education will be cut by about € 500 million (about $ 556 million).

• Freezing indexation - a mechanism that guaranteed an annual increase in funding for the inflation rate.

• Reduced research spending by the Academy of Finland andthe Finnish Agency for Technology and Innovation"Tekes ".

• Cancellation of compensation for payment of pharmaceutical services to the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland.

International students may have to pay tuition fees

Probably students from countries outside the European Economic Area.space (EAP)* , they will soon have to pay for education if they decide to study in Finland.

Earlier, the government of the country abandoned its own plans to introduce fees for students from outside the EAP and referred this issue to an interdepartmental working group.However, on May 27, the government, without disclosing an exact plan of action, vaguely announced that there are intentions to introduce fees for foreign students.

The Study in Finland official portal reports: “The government program mentions the possible emergence of education fees for students from countries outside the EAP / EU, but onat the moment it contains only general wording.The fee is proposed to be introduced approximately in 2016or 2017.The program does not define the parameters of this measure, but it is briefly said that in case of introduction of fees for education, a new system of scholarships will be created. "

Due to the hesitation of the authorities regarding the fees for education, higher education institutions in Finland today are not sure about the future.In recent years, more and more students come from non-Eurozone countries, especially from Asia and Africa.

Approximately 20,000 foreign students are currently studying in Finland, including exchange students from other European and non-EEA countries.According to UNESCO statistics for 2012, Russia ranks second in the list of 15 states, accounting for 70% of foreign students:

• China (2129 people);

• Russia (2107);

• Nepal (976);

• Niger (939);

• Vietnam (904);

• Estonia (772);

• Pakistan (603);

• Bangladesh (591);

• India (557);

• Sweden (556);

• Germany (525);

• Ethiopia (454);

• Iran (401);

• Kenya (388);

• Ghana (382).

About 60% (or 10,431 students) are from non-SES countries.

While education in Finland, as well as in Norway and Iceland, for foreigners not from the EAP remains free, unlike the other two Scandinavian countries - Denmark and Sweden.After Sweden introduced tuition fees, the number of foreign students fell by 80%.However, it began to rise again in 2012.

The uncertainty prevailing in Finnish universities is well reflected in this picture from the Study in Finland website:

Picture from the siteStudyinFinland from 25 September 2015

Education fees

Do I have to pay for education in Finland?

There is currently no tuition fee for degree programs, regardless of your nationality.However, since you will need to cover your living expenses yourself, consider funding your education in Finland.Information on admission can be found in the "How to Apply" section.

Are there plans to introduce fees for non-EAP / EU students?

There are currently no education fees in Finland.Update from September 24: Following the April 2015 parliamentary elections, the new government included the introduction of education fees into its curriculum.What this means in practice is still unknown.We will post the latest information when / if it appears.

Students against

Student and faculty organizations are protesting against the introduction of fees for education from the very beginning of its discussion - that is, for several years...They believe that this will negatively affect not only universities, but also the economy as a whole - foreign students bring money to Finland, which benefits many sectors of the economy.

According to opponents of this measure, it would be wiser to encourage foreign students to stay in Finland and work after graduation.Currently, about half of foreign graduates leave the country.

Students 'Union of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK ) and National Students' Union of Finland (SYL )tuition fees for non-SES students were included in the migration policy section of the government program at the timehow the rest of the cost-cutting measures relate to the education system.Joonas Peltonen, Chairman of SAMOK, commented on this situation: “It is cowardice to discuss tuition fees separately from other educational measures.Despite the fact that the work on the government's program seemed to go smoothly, the problems of education, especially such an important issue, should not have been ignored so demonstratively. "

Government position

Before winning the elections in April, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä promised in his program that he would not allowreducing education costs.In an interview with Finnish news service Yle Uutiset, he explained his 180-degree turn as follows: “I said that the education system will undergo reform.We will need funds to make lasting structural change. ”

The new Minister of Education, Sunny Gran-Laasonen, lamented that “cutting education spending is painful and no one expected them ... Now it is important how exactly they will be reduced, freeing up as much funds as possible for structuralreform and provide quality teaching and research ”.

But now it is difficult to see how cost sequestration can be such a guarantee.On the website of the University of Helsinki, the only Finnish university in the world Top 10 according to the Shanghai ranking, the news about austerity measures is accompanied by the following comment:arena ".University rector Jukka Kola notes: “The steps that the new government is proposing are contrary to its goals.The government wants to make Finland a leader in education, improve quality and expand the impact of scientific research.The proposed drastic cost cuts will lead to the exact opposite result. ”

According to University World News, the university has already had to lay off 500 employees.Pension-level specialists fell under the layoffs, the hiring of new employees was closed - these are the results of the previous funding cut.More serious changes lie ahead: “By 2020, the university will face cost cuts of up to100 million euros, including 13 million due to the decisions of the previous government, which will come into force in 2016.This means a decrease in the basic funding of the university by one-sixth. "

In an alarming atmosphere

All these austerity measures are proposed by the government at a time when the Finns are already quite rightly concerned about the state of the economya country that has recently been ranked on a par with Greece and Spain due to poor economic performance.A recent study by Yle Uutiset showed that the majority of the population (54%) is worried about the "prolonged economic recession", and this fear is much stronger than worries about "problems in domestic politics" (28%), "foreign policy problems" (22%), the threat of terrorism(20%), an influx of refugees (16%) and natural disasters (15%).

Earlier this year, Yle Uutiset reported on the results of a study that showed that "international students may be more expensive than Finnish students". The economic recession and difficulties in finding work for Finnish university graduates may increase public support for the government's plans to introduce tuition fees for foreign students.

But regardless of whether it is introduced or not, Finnish universities are definitely facing some difficult years.Jucca Kola notes: “The proposed cost cuts are so great that universities cannot survive by cutting their spending a little.We have difficult decisions ahead of us.At the same time, structural changes take time and do not meet the deadline set by cost-cutting measures.A qualitative assessment of universities is required for structural changes.At the same time, cost reduction should not call into question our future. "

Translated by Alena Makhneva

*The European Economic Area wascreated in 1992. The agreement, which was signed by 18 countries, provides, in particular, free trade, cooperation in the field of science, education, environmental and social policy.