Tuition fees for master’s degree programmes

Exempted from tuition fees are:

• Exchange students
• PhD students
• Citizens of EU/EEA states or Switzerland
• Students studying under the Erasmus Mundus programme funded by the European Union

Master’s degree students are not liable to pay tuition fees in case they have:

• a  permanent residence card in Finland (type P)
• a long-term resident’s EU residence permit for third-country citizens in Finland (type P-EU permit)
• a residence permit based on temporary protection
• an EU blue card in Finland
• Right of residence under the withdrawal agreement (Brexit residence permit)
• a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen in Finland.

Continuous residence permit (type A) may exempt a student from paying tuition fees if it is not granted on the basis of studying. However, students are required to pay tuition fees if:

• their first residence permit in Finland was granted for studying, they have to pay tuition fees, even in case they have later obtained a continuous residence permit (type A) on other grounds.
• they have a continuous residence permit (type A) based on family ties in Finland, and their family member originally came to Finland on a residence permit granted for studying.
• they have a continuous residence permit (type A) granted for studying.

Åbo Akademi University will waive the tuition fees from asylum seekers living in Finland who have been admitted to a programme where the language of instruction is English.

Read more about tuition fees on Studyinfo.fi.

The Finnish Government has introduced amendments to the Universities Act from 1 December 2024 onwards, which impacts international students in Finland.

The changes impact students who are liable to pay tuition fees, i.e. students from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland who are studying in English-medium master’s programmes. There will be no tuition fees for EU/EEA/Swiss students.

Effects on the tuition fees (prices)

With the amendments on the Universities Act, the tuition fees have to cover the costs of completing a degree. This has unfortunately resulted in higher tuition fees for students. These changes affect those whose study right begins on 1 August 2026 or after.

If you started your studied before that, there will be no changes in the tuition fee amount. The tuition fee remains the same as it was at the start of your studies at Åbo Akademi University.

Effects on tuition fee scholarships (waivers) 

There are no changes to your tuition fee-scholarship if you are a current student whose study right has started on or before 1 August 2024.

In the intake of 2027, there are two categories of tuition fee scholarships that an applicant can apply for.

Effects on tuition fee exemption and residence permits 

These changes concern all tuition fee paying students, i.e. also those who are currently studying at Åbo Akademi University.

The new law has entered into force on 1 December 2024 and has an effect on which permit types exempt students from the tuition fee.

Your current residence permit type and exemption status will determine whether you will be exempted starting from the next academic year or term (deadline for sending the documents by the end of the enrolment period), for example:

• If you are currently on a study-based residence permit (i.e. not exempted), and you obtain a new continuous residence permit (type A) on a non-study basis after 1 December 2024, you will continue to be liable to pay tuition fee. The first residence permit in Finland determines your tuition fee liability.
• If you are currently on a study-based residence permit, and you obtain a new permanent residence permit (type P) after the new law enters into force, you will be exempted from tuition fees.

If you are a student at ÅAU and were granted an exemption from tuition fees by Åbo Akademi University before the new law came into effect on 1 December 2024:

• You will retain your previously granted exemption as long as your residence permit and study right remain unchanged and uninterrupted.
  
  Any changes to the grounds of your permit or interruptions to your study right will automatically trigger a review of your exemption status under the new law.
• When renewing your permit, if your residence permit type or the grounds of your permit remain the same without a change of the RP status in between, you will continue to be exempted. If the type or the grounds of your permit change, contact admission@abo.fi to check the situation.

If you get a Finnish/EU/EEA/Swiss nationality, you will be exempted from tuition fees starting from the next academic term.

During the transition period British students were not liable to the tuition fees. The transition period ended 31 December 2020.

Tuition fees will not be charged

• from British citizens or their family members who currently reside in Finland and have applied for the right of residence by 30 September 2021.
  
  Proof of right to residence, or proof that the student has applied for it (from Migri) is sufficient for exemption.
• from British citizens or their family members who have arrived to Finland between 1 October 2020 and 31 December 2020 and have applied for the right of residence by 31 December 2020. Proof of registration or application (from Migri) is required.

Tuition fees will be charged

• From British citizens and their family members who arrive to Finland after 1 January 2021. Tuition fees will be charged in the same way as from all non-EU/EEA citizens. British citizens may also apply for scholarships.

For instructions on how to apply for the right to residence in accordance with the withdrawal agreement please see the immigration services website.

For questions please email admission@abo.fi.

In Finland, tuition fees apply to students who are not citizens of EU or EEA countries or Switzerland, and these fees concern degree programmes taught in English. International joint degree programmes set their own tuition fees and scholarship options, which can be found on each programme’s website.

Students enrolled in international joint master’s programmes that require a programme fee pay the annual fee directly to the programme consortium, regardless of the partner university at which they complete their studies.

Details on possible scholarships are provided on each double/joint degree programme page: https://www.abo.fi/en/study/apply/double-degrees/