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Finland has good educational opportunities for foreign students. Many courses take place in Swedish, English, German or French, and there are several different support schemes.

The Finnish education system is made up of about nine years of basic education (comprehensive school), upper secondary education, which includes general secondary and vocational education, and higher education.

On the website Topschoolsintheusa, you can find general information about studying in Finland.

The Finns live in a highly developed industrial society and are, among other things, leaders in the development of computers and modern communication technology. Finnish society has invested heavily in research, technology development and education, and the level of education of the population is generally high compared to other European countries.

There live about 5.4 million. people in Finland, spread over an area almost eight times the size of Denmark. 590,000 live in the capital Helsinki.

As one of countries starting with letter F listed on Countryaah, Finland has two official languages. Most speak Finnish, but approx. 6% have Swedish as their mother tongue, e.g. on Åland and the areas along the west coast. A small group of approx. 2,000 speak Sami. During the 1990s, a number of Russian- and Estonian-speaking immigrants also came to the country.

Worth knowing

Vocational training in Finland

Vocational education is at least 3-year with both theoretical and practical teaching as well as a six-month internship in a company. You complete your education with a journeyman’s test, and afterwards you have the opportunity to apply for the higher education at the universities.

You can also take a vocational education through an apprenticeship, which is reminiscent of the previous Danish master apprenticeship scheme. This includes practical work in parallel with the theoretical subjects taken at a vocational school. Practical work in a company makes up 70-80% of an apprenticeship.

If you come from high school, you can complete a basic vocational education in less time than if you come from primary school.

Denmark has entered into a co-operation agreement with the other Nordic countries on youth education. The agreement means that with a Danish primary and lower secondary school diploma, you are free to apply for admission to a youth education in another Nordic country, including Finland.

If you are already in upper secondary education, and you want to continue your education in Finland, you can apply to have your exams and internships transferred to the Finnish school.

Internship
If you are thinking of taking all or part of your own internship abroad, read the section on internships abroad for vocational education under the section Primary school and upper secondary education.

Economics and education

Teaching in higher education is free. However, you must pay expenses for books and in some cases membership fees to the student association (DKK 350-450 per year).

Nordplus

Nordplus is a co-operation and exchange program that provides support for study stays in the Nordic countries. You can receive a grant for a study stay of between 1 and 12 months. In 2012, the subsidy was 180 euros per month.

Due to a skewed distribution of travel activity to and from Finland, special priority is given to students wishing to travel to Finland.

Application for Nordplus takes place once a year, typically in January, and you must apply via the Ministry of Education and Research’s websitee. Here you can also get information about the application procedure and application deadline.

Nordplus Junior

Nordplus Junior is a program that, among other things, is aimed at students in upper secondary schools and vocational schools. Through Nordplus Junior, you can apply for support for individual internships and training stays in a Nordic country.

Work in Finland

As a Dane, you have the right to work in another Nordic country, including Finland. However, it is relatively difficult for foreigners to find work in Finland.

Unemployment in Finland in December 2013 was 8.3% of the total workforce (Eurostat).

Job search
You can receive unemployment benefits for 3 months while you apply for a job in Finland. See more about this in the article Job search abroad.

You can find information about working in Finland with the EURES Advisers at the Job Centers and the Ministry of Labor. You can also search for jobs at careerjet, which mediates jobs in many different areas.

Nordjobb
If you are between 18 and 26 years old, you have the opportunity to get a summer job in Finland through Nordjobb. Nordjobb is a Nordic youth exchange program that offers summer jobs, housing and leisure programs in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Åland as well as in the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland.

When you apply for a job through Nordjobb, you cannot apply for a specific job. In your application for Nordjobb, you must write a little about yourself, e.g. education and work experience, as well as which industries you want to work in. Based on your application, you will then be offered a job. Typical jobs can be a nurse, agricultural assistant or gardener.

The exchanges take place in the period approx. May 15 to September 15, and the job lasts from 1 to 4 months. The salary is by agreement, and you have to pay for housing, travel and food yourself. You can apply per. letter or via the Internet. The application deadline is around May 31 each year, but it is a good idea to apply as early in the year as possible. You can apply from 1 December the year before.

Here you can get more information about Nordjobb

Work and residence permit
As a Danish citizen, you are free to study and work in Finland, and you therefore do not need to apply for a work and residence permit.