Compulsory Education in Finland
Studying in Finland is free of charge for young people subject to compulsory education.
A child under the age of 18 who has moved to Finland with their family or guardian becomes subject to compulsory education after being granted a municipality of residence in Finland. The grounds on which the family sponsor’s residence permit was issued are not relevant.
Tuition fees for applicants from outside the EU and EEA
If you start your studies on or after 1 August 2026 and you are a citizen of a country outside the EU and EEA, you may be required to pay a tuition fee. Omnia verifies the applicant’s tuition-fee liability with the Finnish Immigration Service. Omnia is not able to grant exemptions from tuition fees.
You may need to pay a tuition fee if you have a residence permit in Finland based on studying. The fee also applies if your residence permit is based on your family member’s studies. The tuition fee must be paid before your studies begin.
The tuition fee does not include free meals, or study materials. However, you have the right to use student welfare services, such as health care and school social worker services, and also the right to learning support and special support.
You do not need to pay the fee if you are a citizen of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland. Citizens of Ukraine are also exempt from paying the tuition fee until 4 March 2027, because temporary protection is valid until that date.
Additionally, you do not need to pay the tuition fee if you belong to a fee‑exempt group. For example, you do not pay the fee if you are compulsory secondary student, if you have a permanent residence permit, or if you receive international protection or temporary protection
Qualification-Specific Fees
Detailed qualification-specific information on tuition fee amounts will be published in this section during spring 2026.
Education provided through apprenticeship training is free of charge, with the exception of certain qualifications starting on 1 August 2026.
For self-motivated studies in further vocational qualifications, information about possible qualification-specific fees can be found on the programme’s presentation page.
Other Study-Related Costs
Students must have the personal tools and equipment required for their studies, such as work clothing and footwear.
Students subject to compulsory education and those in labour market training receive the necessary tools free of charge. Other students are responsible for acquiring the required equipment themselves. Equipment required for occupational safety is provided by Omnia and remains the property of the institution.
More information about free education for students subject to compulsory education is available on the page Completing Compulsory Education at Omnia.
The content of this page will be updated, and detailed information on tuition fee amounts will be published here during spring 2026.
For further information, please visit the websites of the Ministry of Education and Culture (in Finnish) and the Finnish Immigration Service.