Finland guide · Money
How much it costs to study in Finland from Nepal
Studying in Finland from Nepal costs about Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh for the first year, depending on your tuition and scholarship. Tuition is €6,000 to €18,000 a year before scholarships, and most universities take 50% or more off year 1 for strong applicants. For the residence permit you must have €9,600 in your account (about Rs 16.5 lakh) for living costs, separate from tuition.
Written bySushma Karki, Senior counsellorHandles Australia and Finland files, from offer letter to visa.
Checked byRabindra Joshi, Head of complianceChecks every money and visa page against the official source.
Published · 5 min read
The Finland cost at a glance
- Tuition
- €6,000 to €18,000 a year before scholarship
- Scholarship
- 50% to 100% off year 1 at most universities, for strong applicants
- Living funds for the permit
- €9,600 in your account, about Rs 16.5 lakh
- Permit fee
- €600 online
- First year
- About Rs 25 to 40 lakh
At Rs 171.38 per EUR (Nepal Rastra Bank sell rate, 18 October 2026).
First-year cost of studying in Finland, item by item
| Item | EUR | In rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition after scholarship | 3,000 to 12,000 | Rs 5.1 to 20.6 lakh |
| Living funds for 12 months (€800 a month) | 9,600 | Rs 16.5 lakh |
| Residence permit, online | 600 | Rs 1 lakh |
| Health insurance | 300 to 600 | Rs 51,000 to 1 lakh |
| University application fee, where charged | About 100 | Rs 17,000 |
| Flight, one way | Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh | |
| First-year total | About Rs 25 to 40 lakh |
Year 2 depends on your scholarship. Many universities keep it only if you pass a set number of credits in year 1, often 55. Read the condition in your scholarship letter, because losing it can double your year 2 tuition.
Tuition fees and scholarships in Finland
Finnish universities charge non-EU students tuition for English-taught degrees, and nearly all of them offer a first-year scholarship to cut it.
| Type of university | Tuition a year | After a 50% scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| University of applied sciences | €6,000 to €12,000 | €3,000 to €6,000 |
| Research university | €10,000 to €18,000 | €5,000 to €9,000 |
Scholarships are usually decided with your admission, from your application and entrance exam results, so you don't need a separate application at most universities. Rojina, one of our students in Helsinki, came to us planning Australia and went to Finland on a 50% scholarship instead.
The €9,600 funds rule for the residence permit
Finland's immigration service, Migri, asks for proof that you can support yourself: €800 a month, which is €9,600 for a programme of a year or more.
- The money must be in your own account when you apply, or shown through a sponsor's commitment Migri accepts.
- Tuition money doesn't count. If your first-year tuition isn't paid yet, you need the tuition on top of the €9,600.
- A scholarship that covers living costs can count towards the €9,600. A tuition scholarship doesn't.
- The money is sent from Nepal after your NOC, so plan the NOC early.
Read the rule on Migri's income requirement page before you transfer, and keep the statement that shows the balance on the day you apply.
Cost of living in Finland by city
| City | Rent (student housing) | Total a month | In rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helsinki and Espoo | €400 to 600 | €850 to 1,050 | Rs 1.46 to 1.8 lakh |
| Vantaa | €380 to 560 | €800 to 1,000 | Rs 1.37 to 1.71 lakh |
| Tampere and Turku | €350 to 500 | €750 to 950 | Rs 1.29 to 1.63 lakh |
| Oulu | €320 to 460 | €700 to 900 | Rs 1.2 to 1.54 lakh |
Apply for student housing the day you get your offer. It's much cheaper than the private market, and the queue in Helsinki is long. Budget about €150 to €250 for a proper winter jacket and boots, less second-hand.
What part-time work covers in Finland
You can work an average of 30 hours a week over the year, and full-time in holidays. Finland has no single minimum wage; the jobs students usually do pay about €11 to €13 an hour.
At 20 hours a week and €12 an hour, that's about €1,040 a month before tax, about Rs 1.8 lakh, which covers living costs outside Helsinki once you find a job. Finding the first one can take 1 to 4 months, because English-only jobs are fewer than in the UK or Australia. Students who start Finnish in the first semester find work faster.
Is Finland cheaper than Australia or the UK?
Yes, by a long way. Finland's first year costs about Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh, against Rs 66 lakh to Rs 84 lakh in Australia and Rs 55 lakh to Rs 85 lakh for a one-year UK master's. It also lets you work more hours than most of Europe and gives you up to 2 years to look for work after you graduate.
The trade-offs are the language, the winter and a smaller job market in English. Our cheapest countries guide compares all 10 countries we cover, and the Finland page has the full process, from the January joint application to the residence permit.
