The Finland Scholarship was introduced in 2022. I was admitted to a Finnish university in 2021 and I learned about the Finland Scholarship in 2022. The first thing that came to my mind was, “Hey, that is not fair, it should’ve been available during our time as well.” Let me share everything I know about the Finland Scholarship.
In this blog, I will tell you:
- What is the Finland Scholarship?
- What are the benefits of this scholarship?
- How to apply for this scholarship?
- Who will get this scholarship?
- Things to remember if you are selected for the Finland Scholarship.
What is the Finland Scholarship?
The Finland Scholarship is a scholarship awarded by the Finnish government to talented international students willing to come to Finland. This targets only prospective students who are liable to pay tuition fees, meaning students from EU/EEA countries are not eligible to apply. Only non-EU/EEA students can apply for this scholarship. If you are on budget, this scholarship can be highly valuable to you.
What are the benefits of this scholarship?
Students selected for the Finland Scholarship will be offered a 100% waiver on tuition fees during the first year of their bachelor’s or master’s degree program. The scholarship amount ranges from €8000 to €15000. Additionally, those students will receive a one-time €5000 allowance as a relocation grant. This ensures that the students will not have to worry about the initial costs of moving to Finland. It also includes the student union fees that regular students pay every semester. For the following years, universities might offer regular university scholarships upon fulfilling certain conditions.
Finland scholarship can help you to achieve your dream of higher studies
How to apply for this scholarship?
You do not need to apply for this scholarship separately. You will get this option when applying to the degree program through Studyinfo or the corresponding university admission portal. The application form will have an option as “Would you like to apply for the Finland Scholarship?”. Select “Yes” and that is it. The admission authority will check your eligibility for the Finland Scholarship and will inform you with the offer letter.
Who will get this scholarship?
This is very tricky and competitive. Each university offers the Finland Scholarship to a maximum of 1-5 applicants. When the application period is over, the admission committee shortlists the most high-profile applicants to be eligible for the Finland Scholarship. Finally, they select the number of students they are going to offer the Finland Scholarship from that shortlist.
Things to remember if you are selected for the Finland Scholarship:
Please remember that you will get the relocation grant once you come to Finland and open a Finnish bank account. After opening a Finnish bank account, authorities will send this grant to your bank account through the university. It might take 3-5 months. This means you need to bring sufficient funding to survive in the first few months. Some universities disburse this grant after completing certain credits. For example, Hanken School of Economics disburses the grant after the student completes at least 10 ECTS in the first period. This grant will not be sent to your home country bank account.
My recommendation: When applying to the degree programs, always select “Yes” in the field where they ask if you would like to apply for the Finland Scholarship. If you say no, you will not even be considered for this scholarship. Who would not want an additional €5000 grant?
Best of luck to all of you.