Upper Secondary Education Tuition Fees

Tuition fees were introduced in Finland on 1 August 2026 for upper secondary students coming from outside the EU and EEA.

A third country national is a person who is not a citizen of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.

The tuition fee is not charged, for example, from: 

• compulsory education students: Upper secondary education in Finland is free of charge for young people subject to compulsory education. Those subject to compulsory education are under 18 years of age and have been granted a municipality of residence in Finland when arriving with their guardian or family. The grounds on which the family sponsor’s residence permit was granted do not affect this entitlement.
• holders of a permanent residence permit (the P permit).
• In vocational education and training, fees are not charged to students who have been granted a continuous residence permit if their first residence permit was issued on the basis other than studies. 
• In general upper secondary education, fees are not charged to students who have been granted a continuous residence permit if the residence permit was issued on the basis other than studies. 
• exchange students (studies in Finland up to 1 year).
• persons staying in the country under temporary protection for the entire duration of the studies, provided that the studies were started while the temporary protection was in force.
• persons who have been granted international protection.

How is liability for tuition fees determined, and how does the payment process proceed?

• Gradia submits an information request to the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) regarding the grounds for a residence permit only for applicants who have been admitted to study and, in the case of apprenticeship training, for applicants who meet the apprenticeship eligibility requirements. 
• A tuition fee is charged to a student who has been admitted to a programme and does not cancel their study place by the notified deadline. 
• A payment link and instructions for making the payment will be sent to the student’s email address from Gradia’s online store.
• The tuition fee must be paid before applying for a residence permit. 
• The admission of a student liable to pay a tuition fee is conditional until the tuition fee has been paid and a residence permit for upper secondary studies has been granted. The student may participate in instruction only once both conditions have been met. 
• In apprenticeship training, a tuition fee is charged to a student who meets the apprenticeship criteria and whose employer has agreed to the commencement of the apprenticeship. 

Amount of the annual tuition fee

The student's tuition fee is determined based on the Gradia tuition fee decision in force at the start of their studies, and it remains valid for the entire duration of the studies.

The annual tuition fee includes:

• teaching and guidance in accordance with the curriculum or qualification requirements
• study materials
• the right to student welfare services and special support
• a student lunch provided by the institution on days when instruction is delivered on campus according to the student’s personal study plan or competence development plan.

The annual tuition fee does not include student housing. Students must arrange their own accommodation either through student housing foundations (such as koas.fi/en) or the private market, and pay for it themselves.

Tuition fees for degree-seeking applicants who are citizens of third countries and begin their studies after 1 August 2026: 

• Vocational upper secondary qualifications, further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications: according to Gradia’s price list. 
• The fee for qualifications completed through apprenticeship training is 50% of the annual tuition fee specified in Gradia’s price list. This applies to the annual tuition fees for vocational qualifications, further vocational qualifications, and specialist vocational qualifications. 
• The annual tuition fee for individual qualification units is determined according to the planned duration of the studies and is calculated from the annual tuition fee of the qualification. For example, the fee for studies lasting one semester is 50% of the qualification’s annual tuition fee.

Tuition Fee Terms and Conditions 

• The tuition fee for the first school year must be paid in full before the start of studies. The fee covers a period of one year from the student’s first day of study. 
• The fee will be refunded only if the student is not granted a residence permit and is therefore unable to begin their studies. 
• Paid tuition fees will not be refunded if the student voluntarily discontinues their studies during the school year. 
• Fees for subsequent study periods must be paid before the start of studies. Tuition fees for subsequent school years are determined according to the planned duration of studies at the beginning of the programme, calculated to the nearest semester. An school year consists of two semesters and five study periods of approximately two months each. The fee for one semester is 50% of the first school year’s fee. 
• If studies are temporarily interrupted for a reason specified in Section 23 of the General Upper Secondary Schools Act (30.12.2020/1217) or Section 96 of the Vocational Education and Training Act (30.12.2020/1218), the paid fee will be credited against the following school year’s tuition fee for the duration of the interruption. No credit is granted for interruptions shorter than one study period. 
• If the grounds for the student’s residence permit change and their obligation to pay tuition fees ends, the student may apply for a refund of the fee already paid within three months. The refund will be calculated for the remaining period after the student becomes exempt from the tuition fee obligation. 

Understanding different vocational qualifications

Vocational qualifications in Finland are offered at different levels depending on your previous experience. Choosing the right level is important, as each qualification has different expectations for your background.

• Vocational Qualification is intended for those starting in a new field. No previous experience in the sector is required. You will build the basic professional skills needed for entry-level jobs.
• Further Vocational Qualification requires prior experience or basic training in the field. These programmes focus on developing and deepening existing skills and are not intended for beginners.
• Specialist Vocational Qualification is designed for experienced professionals. Applicants are expected to already have strong skills and work experience in the field, as the focus is on advanced expertise.

Make sure the level matches your background, as choosing a programme without the required experience may affect your ability to complete the studies successfully.

Additional information

The content of this page is updated regularly. For further information, please contact Gradia Admissions Services at hakupalvelut@gradia.fi.