Student case study · Finland
Rojina, from Dharan to Helsinki
Bachelor of Business Administration, August 2025 intake
She'd never considered Finland. A 50% scholarship made it cheaper than the Australian college she'd planned on.
- After +2
- Scholarship
- First choice changed
- Starting point
- +2 management, GPA 3.48
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5
- Study gap
- None
- Paid for by
- Parents' savings (her father works in Malaysia)
- First call to visa
- 261 days
Where Rojina started
Rojina came to us in October 2024 to ask about a business diploma in Australia, because that's where her cousins were. Her family's budget was about Rs 35 lakh for the first year.
That budget didn't cover an Australian first year without a large loan.
What we found
We put Australia and Finland side by side on one sheet. With her marks, a 50% first-year scholarship in Finland was likely, which brought tuition well under Australia's, and Finland's living funds rule is €9,600, not AUD 29,710.
We were equally clear about the downsides: one application window in January, an entrance exam, long winters, and a job market where Finnish matters.
She chose Finland, and we built everything around the January deadline.
Step by step, with dates
21 Oct 2024
First counselling. Australia and Finland compared on one sheet.
2 Dec 2024
IELTS: 6.5 overall.
8 Jan 2025
Joint application submitted with 4 business programmes, ranked.
Mar 2025
Online entrance exam and interview.
19 May 2025
Study place offered with a 50% first-year scholarship.
2 Jun 2025
NOC; tuition paid after scholarship; €9,600 in her account.
5 Jun 2025
Residence permit applied online; identity appointment booked.
9 Jul 2025
Residence permit granted, 261 days after the first call (most of it waiting for the January round).
8 Aug 2025
Flies to Helsinki.
The result
Rojina started in Helsinki in August 2025. She kept her 50% scholarship for year 2 by earning enough credits, works 20 hours a week in a café, and is at A2 in Finnish.
In Rojina's words
I didn't know Finland was an option until my first counselling call. The tuition was lower than I expected and I got a scholarship I'd never heard of. My counsellor warned me about the winter, so I bought the right jacket before I flew.
If your profile looks like this
- 1
Compare the full cost of two countries on one sheet before you decide. Scholarships can change the answer.
- 2
Finland's main application is in January. Start your IELTS by November. See the Finland process.
- 3
Keeping the scholarship in year 2 usually depends on credits. Check the condition before you accept.
Everything about studying in Finland: cost, process and fees