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Arriving in Finland as an international degree student

If you are coming from outside the EU you must apply for a residence permit. EU-citizens must register their residency by 3 months of arrival. All international students must also register their personal information at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency after arriving in Finland.

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Before you arrive in Finland, please check whether you need to apply for a residence permit for your studies. If you do, start the process immediately after you have received your acceptance letter.

In general, students arriving from non-EU/EEA countries must apply for a residence permit. EU/EEA citizens, citizens of Nordic countries, Switzerland and Liechtenstein do not need a residence permit. However, they, too, are to register with the authorities upon arrival. Please read carefully the instructions below!

Non-EU or non-EEA nationals

Residence permit

You must apply for a residence permit if you plan to stay in Finland for longer than three months. We recommend that you start the residence permit process immediately after you have received your acceptance letter, as the process takes time. The residence permits are issued by the Finnish Immigration Service MIGRI. Please read carefully through their instructions and always check for the latest information on Migri’s website.

  • Book an appointment at a Finnish embassy, consulate or VFS application centre.
    • Check the location of the Finnish mission you should visit on Finland abroad -website.
    • NB! Many of them are very busy during the high season of applications (June-September), so book the appointment as soon as you receive the acceptance letter!
    • Please note that you might need to visit another country and perhaps arrange a visa for it if there is no Finnish embassy or consulate in the country of your legal residence.
  • Prepare the attachments needed for the residence permit application.
    • Please check the list of required attachments on Migri’s website.
    • You must have a valid passport and proof of sufficient financial resources and insurance cover attached to your application.
  • Fill in the application online in Enter Finland and pay for it.
    • You should apply for a study-based continuous residence permit (type A) for the entire duration of your studies.
  • Visit the Finnish embassy or consulate or VFS Global application centre to prove your identity and give fingerprints.
  • Follow the processing of your application online in Enter Finland.

After applying for the residence permit, book an appointment at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) to register your information upon your arrival to Finland. The registration is required before you can proceed with many other things and there are usually long queues, so it is very much recommended to book the appointment already before your arrival. Uniarts Helsinki usually books some group appointments for new students as well, so please follow your email for any further information! For more information concerning DVV registration, please see the Checklist for new international degree students.

Once you have received your residence permit, continue with the next steps listed on the “New student” -website.

EU or EEA nationals

Citizens of EU member states, Liechtenstein or Switzerland

You do not need a residence permit or a visa. However, you must

  • apply for EU registration at the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) if you plan to stay in Finland for a longer period than three months without interruption. To apply, fill in the application in the online service Enter Finland and include the required attachments listed on Migri’s website. Book an appointment to visit Migri. It is recommended to send the application and book the appointment already before arriving to Finland to make sure you will have the appointment at the very beginning of your stay in Finland. Please read more about EU citizens’ registrations on Migri’s website. Remember to save the registration document as you might need to show it e.g. to your Finnish employer.
  • register your address in Finland at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Note that this should be done before you can receive a student discount on public transportation tickets in Helsinki region. Therefore, it is a good idea to book the appointment at DVV already before arriving in Finland. Uniarts Helsinki usually books some group appointments for new students as well, so please follow your email for any further information! Please see more information in the Checklist for new international degree students.
  • Notice that you need to have completed the EU registration and applied for the home municipality before you can receive student discount on public transport in Helsinki region.

Check the “New student” -website for more information on other important things to take care of before starting your studies and life in Finland!

Nordic citizens (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Icelandic)

You don’t need a residence permit, but upon arrival in Finland, you must register your personal data in the Finnish Population Information system at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Note that this should be done before you can receive a student discount on public transportation tickets in Helsinki region. Therefore, it is a good idea to book the appointment at DVV already before arriving in Finland. Uniarts Helsinki usually books some group appointments for new students as well, so please follow your email for any further information! Please see more information in the Checklist for new international degree students and check the “New student” -website for more information on other important things to take care of before starting your studies and life in Finland.