Finland

Information for all students

Students should ensure that their passports are signed and stamped when entering and exiting Border Control. These stamps will prove the duration of your visit and, more importantly, prove to the visa official that you have not overstayed your 90-day visit.

It is important to understand the Schengen 90/180 rule. You are allocated 90 visa-free days to use within the Schengen Zone, however you must remember these are rolling days and are added onto a cumulative total of days in the Schengen region. Leaving and entering does not reset your calculator – only leaving for a period of 90 days in a non-Schengen country will reset your visa-free 90-day allowance.

Read more about the Schengen rules

Studying for less than 3 months

Depending upon nationality, students who wish to study in Finland for 90 days or less within a 180 day period can do so without a visa, as Finland is in the Schengen region. To determine if you can travel to Finland without a visa please see the list of non-visa required countries on the Finland website.

If you do not require a visa, you can enter Finland for up to 90 days to complete the following activities:

• Tourism
• Visiting family or friends
• Attending business meetings
• Cultural or sports events
• Short-term studies or training

Students who do require a visa should apply for a short-stay Schengen visa.

Gather your documents

In order to apply for a short-stay Schengen visa, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Visa application form
• 1 photograph
• Valid passport
• Travel insurance
• Supporting documents*

*Your invitation to Finland should be a free-form letter, indicating the contact details of your host organisation/private host. It should also include your name, date of birth, address and passport number, as well as the purpose and length of your visit.

In addition to the above, you may also be asked to provide information concerning your itinerary, such as:

• Means of transport
• Evidence of return trip booking
• Financial means of support for the duration/purpose of your stay (minimum EUR 50 a day)
• Sufficient means of subsistence for the duration of your stay (minimum EUR 560 per month)
• Relevant assets
• Employment status

The required appendices vary by country. Contact the Mission or visa centre to discover which documents you need. The Mission may request that you append certain documents to the application to show the purpose, conditions and duration of the visit. Examples of such documents are:

• Tickets
• Hotel reservation confirmation
• Private invitation letter
• Official invitation

Discover the full list of required documents.

How to apply

You must apply for your Schengen visa in person at the Finland Visa Application Centres in London, Manchester or Edinburgh.

Visa applications can be submitted by prior appointment only.

Studying for more than 3 months

EU students do not need to a Residence Permit or a visa to study in Finland. Upon arrival, you will need to submit a copy of your mobility notification to the Finish Immigration Service – once approved, you will be able to study in Finland for up to 1 year.

A Residence Permit can be used for the following activities:

• Studies leading to a degree or vocational qualification
• Exchange student studies

Non-EU/EEA/UK students must obtain a Residence Permit to study in Finland for more than 90 days.

If you are a citizen of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or an EU Member State, you do not need a Residence Permit to study in Finland. If you stay for longer than 3 months, you must to register your right of residence.

If your citizenship is not listed above, you will likely need to apply for a Residence Permit when studying in Finland for more than 90 days.

Gather your documents

In order to apply, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Valid passport.
• Colour copies of passport pages containing personal data/any notes.
• Document confirming your legal residence in the country where you're submitting the application.
• Certificate of acceptance/attendance from relevant educational institution in Finland.
• Evidence of sufficient financial resources.
• Certificate of insurance.
• Evidence of paid tuition fee/documentation of scholarship.

Discover the full list of required documents.

Any additional documents written in languages other than Finnish, Swedish or English must be translated by an authorised translator and legalised.

How to apply

You can complete and submit your application online or submit a paper version.

You should apply at the nearest Finnish Mission (Embassy or Consulate).

Working for less than 3 months

UK students working in Finland for less than 90 days require a Residence Permit. The Residence Permit should include your 'Right to Work'. Please check your employment has been approved by the Finnish Government.

As well as a residence permit, you will also need to apply for a Schengen D visa. 

Gather your documents

In order to apply, you will need to gather the following documents:

• A completed visa application form with photograph.
• A valid passport.
• Travel medical insurance.
• Documents confirming the purpose of your journey (e.g., itinerary, transport reservations, proof of accommodation, invitation letter).
• Proof of employment. 
• Proof of financial means.
• Documents for third country citizens.

Find a full list of required documents here.

If you are a citizen of a Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or an EU Member State, you do not need a Residence Permit to work in Finland for less than 3 months. However, you are still required to register your residence.

Find out more about working in Finland for up to 3 months here.

Internships and unpaid traineeships

Internships and unpaid traineeships

UK and non-UK students must apply for a Residence Permit in order to complete an internship or unpaid traineeship in Finland. This internship/traineeship may have come about through a training programme, such as Turing or the Erasmus+ programme.

A Residence Permit for an internship covers a maximum period of 18 months.

You require a Residence Permit regardless of your home country or the length of your internship/traineeship. You must be paid for your internship, as you cannot get a Residence Permit for an unpaid internship.

The requirements for a Residence Permit depend on whether you arrive for an internship via a non-governmental organisation.

Gather your documents

In order to apply for your Residence Permit, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Valid passport.
• Passport photo.
• Colour copies of your passport.
• Document confirming your legal residence in the country where you're submitting the application.
• You may need to complete this form if you're already in Finland and applying for your first residence permit. 

Internships

Internship agreements should contain the following information:

• Employer’s assurance of/documentation confirming that the internship does not replace a job.
• Assurance or documentation showing that the employer has not, during the preceding four months, terminated the employment relationship of an employee with the same or similar work due to financial or production-related reasons or reasons arising from the reorganisation of the employer’s operations. 
• A certificate from your educational institution stating that the internship matches your studies or degree (if applicable).
• A description of the internship programme, including the educational objective or learning components.
• The duration of the internship.
• The placement and supervision conditions of the internship. 
• The internship hours.
• The legal relationship between you and your employer (the organisation where your internship takes place).
• The principal terms and conditions of the internship, including the applicable collective agreement.
• The salary paid for the internship; the salary must at least correspond to the salary specified in the collective agreement that applies to the internship.  

Depending on the nature of your internship, you may need the following: 

• A certificate from your educational institution stating that the internship matches your studies or degree
• A certificate from your educational institution regarding your incomplete studies 
• A degree certificate 
• A certificate from the organisation arranging the internship (if the internship is related to an exchange programme of a non-governmental organisation).  

Unpaid traineeship

You should have a training agreement between you and the organisation responsible for the training programme.

Requirements for a traineeship in Finland are as follows:

• The programme must have maintained and established activity. The training programme must have educational and learning objectives that supports the trainee’s development.

• You must prove documentation of how you intend to finance your stay in Finland.

• You must have signed a training agreement. 

Read more about this here.

How to apply

Students can apply online for the relevant Residence Permit:

• Internship.
• Unpaid training programme.

Working for more than 3 months

UK students working in Finland for more than 90 days require a Residence Permit.

The Residence Permit is dependent on the type of work you do. Students may also apply for a Residence Permit post studies or when seeking work in Finland.

To find out which Residence Permit you are eligible for, please use the Application Finder.

As well as a residence permit, you will need to apply for a Schengen D visa.