The demand for social assistance among foreign students in Finland has surged sharply compared to last year. By the end of August nearly the same amount of social assistance had been distributed as during the entire previous year. In response both the government and universities are exploring new strategies to address the situation.
Published: 14/09/25 | 22:04
Efforts to amend legislation so that foreign students could manage without state support have not been successful and the amount of aid provided to them has continued to rise.
According to data from the Social Insurance Institution (Kela) foreign-language students received over 12 million euros in social assistance during the first eight months of this year which almost matched the total of 12.9 million euros paid throughout all of last year. Nearly 40 percent of students receiving financial support speak a foreign language.
The need for food aid is also growing among foreign students across the country. In Vaasa, a university town on the west coast for example around one-third of breadline users are Asian students.
This trend coincides with record numbers of students from outside Europe arriving in Finland, many of whom are accompanied by family members.
A 2022 legislative reform under the government of PM Sanna Marin (SDP) made it easier for students from non-European countries to come to Finland. The new rules removed the requirement for students to prove they had sufficient means of subsistence after their first year of study.
Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns) suggested that the reform should be reconsidered due to the increasing financial difficulties faced by these students. Rantanen joined the right-wing government of PM Petteri Orpo (NCP) in 2023 which established a ministerial working group to examine the issue. The group consulted with educational institutions and other stakeholders in early September.
Their report will evaluate the cost-of-living challenges faced by students from non-EU countries and their families, as well as potential misuse of residence permits.
“There are some indications that certain students may be using residence permits for purposes other than studying, such as seeking work,” Kaisu Piiroinen, who is a senior advisor at the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The Orpo government has also revised tuition fee regulations. Under the new rules any foreign student studying in Finland must pay tuition fees even if they later switch their residence permit to one based on employment.
According to Piiroinen the aim is to ensure that only students genuinely motivated to study in Finland are admitted. Previously, students who received an employment-based residence permit were exempt from tuition fees which in some cases allowed them to avoid paying. Currently, if a student becomes a full-time employee and discontinues their studies they are not liable for any unpaid tuition fees. The new tuition fee law will take effect next August.
Higher-education institutions are also considering measures to address the issue. One challenge is that unofficial agents in some countries may provide inaccurate information about studying in Finland.
The Vaasa University of Applied Sciences is exploring ways to play a more active role in selecting students such as conducting interviews in advance. Other strategies could include evaluating certificates or assigning preliminary tasks.
“This is particularly important for students from countries where Finland has limited visibility. Currently, we have little control as students are selected through a joint application system which requires equal treatment for all applicants,” said Vice-Rector Sanna Valliaro.
