Tuition fees and other financial matters
Also, learn about the cost of living in Finland and other financial matters.
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In accordance with Finnish legislation, the University of Jyväskylä collects tuition fees from students enrolled in English-taught bachelor's and master's programmes who are citizens of countries outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland.
There is no university-level scholarship available for the first year of studies. However, an early bird discount is offered to those who accept their study place within a specified timeframe. Read more about in the “Early bird discount” section below.
For the second year (and the third year in the case of bachelor’s programmes), students who are liable to pay tuition fees have the right to apply for a scholarship that covers part of the fee. Read more about it in the “JYU Scholarship” section below.
Who needs to pay tuition fees?
- non-European Union / EEA citizens must pay tuition fees for a bachelor’s or master’s degree programme taught in English.
Who does not pay tuition fees?
- citizens of a European Union / EEA countries or Switzerland,
- British citizens who entered Finland before 1 January 2021 and registered the right to residence in Finland under the withdrawal agreement,
- those granted temporary protection status in Finland,
- holders of certain residence permits issued by the Finnish Immigration Service. See the residence permit types in the "Do I need to pay tuition fees?" section.
Please note that tuition fees only apply to English-taught bachelor's and master's degree programmes. No tuition is charged for
- student exchange programmes (regardless of nationality),
- alumni studies,
- bachelor's and master's programmes taught in Finnish or Swedish,
- doctoral programmes (regardless of nationality).
Early bird discount at admission, 2026 intake
During the admission round 2026, an Early Bird discount of 1500 euros is available for applicants liable to pay tuition fees. This is a reward for students' commitment to JYU: students can take advantage of the offer by accepting their study place within 14 days after receiving their letter of admission by following the instructions provided by JYU.
The tuition fee payment deadline is 31 July.
If a student accepts their study place later than the 14-day limit, they can no longer take advantage of the Early bird discount.
Scholarships offered by JYU, 2026 intake
There are no university level-scholarships available for the first year of studies. However, we encourage students who stay on track with their study plan with a JYU Scholarship for continuing students for the following year(s) of studies.
After their first year of studies, students can apply for the JYU Scholarship for continuing students. The JYU Scholarship is a university-level scholarship that covers part of the tuition fee. The amount of the JYU Scholarship is dependent on the amount of the tuition fee, as specified in the table below.
To be eligible for the JYU Scholarship, a student should make sufficient academic progress during their first year of studies. The application round for the scholarship will take place in the Spring semester. The scholarship will be granted to all students who satisfy the scholarship criteria.
The university does not offer any fully funded scholarships.
Other Scholarship possibilities
Below are other means to finance your studies, and are available for a very limited number of students.
Please note that non-EU/EEA nationals need a residence permit in order to pursue a degree in Finland. You are required to apply for a residence permit immediately after admission, and have it granted before moving to Finland. The process of obtaining a residence permit can be quite lengthy, potentially taking up to five-six months in total.
Therefore, it's important to begin preparations well in advance, before you receive your admission decision!
This includes taking financial matters into consideration: starting from 1 November 2024, a student must have at least 9,600 EUR in their bank account when applying for a residence permit. You can find further information about income requirements on the Finnish Immigration Service website:
Monthly living expenses for students (including food, accommodation, clothes, travel, etc.) are estimated to be around €800 – €900, depending on where you live and your personal living habits. You can find more information using the links below.
Please note that you should not count on getting a job to finance your studies.
Finding a job in Finland is difficult, especially if you do not have Finnish language skills. Therefore, you should not count on getting a job to finance your studies. Please secure your funding before you arrive.
International degree students are allowed to work in Finland with certain restrictions. The limitations depend on your nationality and the nature of your employment.
- If you are a Nordic or EU/EEA national, you have the right to work in Finland without any work permit or restrictions on hours. However, your employment must not interfere with your studies. All international master’s programmes at JYU require full‑time commitment and regular on‑campus attendance.
- If you come from outside the EU/EEA, you are allowed to work part‑time while holding a student residence permit. On average, your working hours must not exceed 30 hours per week. For detailed and up‑to‑date information on the rules concerning work and studies, please visit the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) website.
