Finland guide · Applying
How to apply to Finnish universities from Nepal
You apply through Finland's joint application on Studyinfo.fi, which runs from 7 to 21 January 2027 for studies starting in August or September 2027. You can choose up to 6 programmes, in order of preference. Most bachelor's then set an entrance exam, results come out by early summer, and you apply for the residence permit once you accept a place.
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 · 4 min read
The Finland application at a glance
- Where
- Studyinfo.fi, one form for every university
- Main round
- 7 to 21 January 2027, for August or September 2027 starts
- Choices
- Up to 6 programmes, ranked
- Selection
- Entrance exam, SAT or previous studies, depending on the programme
- After you accept
- NOC, tuition, then the residence permit with Migri
Dates from Study in Finland, checked October 2026. A smaller round (31 August to 10 September 2026) covered January 2027 starts.
How the joint application works
Finland doesn't make you apply to each university separately. One form on Studyinfo.fi covers up to 6 programmes at different universities, ranked in the order you want them. If you're offered more than one, you get the highest one on your list that admits you.
The order matters. Put first the programme you'd really take, not the one you think is easiest. We agree the order with you in November, because it can't be changed after the deadline.
Most English-taught bachelor's and many master's use the January round. Some master's run their own application on Studyinfo with different dates, so check each programme's page.
How to apply to Finland universities, step by step
- September to November: choose your programmes. Check entry rules, English scores, tuition and the scholarship each university offers.
- By December: have your IELTS (usually 6.0 to 6.5) or the PTE or TOEFL equal, and scan your +2 or bachelor's documents.
- 7 to 21 January 2027: fill in the joint application on Studyinfo.fi, rank your 6 choices and pay any application fee the form asks for. Upload documents by each university's deadline.
- February to April: sit the entrance exam or interview your programmes ask for. Many first rounds are online.
- By early summer: results arrive. Accept one place by the deadline in the letter.
- Then: apply for your NOC, pay the first-year tuition after scholarship, put €9,600 in your account and apply for the residence permit online.
- June to July: prove your identity at the Finnish mission or the service point it names, and wait for Migri's decision.
From the first call to the flight usually takes 7 to 9 months. If you miss January, the next realistic start is a year later, so we plan every Finland file backwards from that date.
Entrance exams and how you're selected
Finnish universities of applied sciences select most bachelor's students by entrance exam, not by +2 marks. That's good news if your marks are average but your maths and reasoning are strong.
- Entrance exam: common at universities of applied sciences. Often an online first stage, then a second stage or interview.
- SAT: some programmes accept SAT scores instead of, or as well as, the exam.
- Previous studies: most master's select on your bachelor's, grades and a motivation letter, sometimes with work experience.
Suman, one of our students in Tampere, had average +2 marks and got into software engineering on the entrance exam. We prepared him with past formats and timed practice.
Scholarships come with the admission
At most Finnish universities you don't apply for the tuition scholarship separately. It's decided with your admission, from your application and exam results, and it usually takes 50% or more off year 1 for strong applicants.
Read the condition for keeping it in year 2, often passing a set number of credits. Our cost of studying in Finland guide has tuition before and after scholarship, in rupees.
Documents for the Finland application
- Passport
- +2 transcript and certificate, or your bachelor's transcript and degree
- English test result: IELTS, PTE or TOEFL
- Certified English translations of anything in Nepali
- Motivation letter or CV, if the programme asks
- SAT score, if the programme uses it
Some universities ask for paper copies or verified documents by their own deadline after the January round. Missing that deadline cancels the application for that programme.
Mistakes that cost Nepali applicants a year
- Ranking an easy programme first and getting a place you didn't want
- Waiting until January to book IELTS
- Missing a university's document deadline after the application closes
- Accepting a place, then not having €9,600 ready for the residence permit
- Not reading the scholarship's year 2 condition
