Exemption from tuition fees
Please note that the information on this page is for students studying at Aalto University. Information on scholarships and tuition fees for applicants can be found here.
Exempting documents
Certain residence permit types issued for residence in Finland exempt from tuition fee liability.
Please note that there will be changes to tuition fee exemptions due to amendments to the Universities Act, which enters into force on 1 December 2024. More information on the effect of the amendments on Aalto's current students can be on the proposed changes in tuition fees and scholarships page.
If you send copies of residence permit cards on or after 1 December 2024, the amended Universities Act defines the possible exemption. The tuition fee exemption depends on your residence permit type and your residence permit history in Finland.
More information about determining your liability to pay tuition fees can be found on Studyinfo (NB! to be updated regarding the changes). Information about the residence permits is available on the Finnish Immigration Service website.
Starting from 1 December 2024, tuition fees do not concern those non-EU/non-EEA/Switzerland students who have:
- a permanent residence permit card in Finland, type P permit
- an EU residence permit for third-country citizens with long-term residence permit card in Finland (type P-EU permit)
- an EU family member's residence card in Finland. You must hold the residence permit yourself, i.e. being a family member of a person who has a residence permit in an EU country does not grant you a tuition fee exemption.
- an EU blue card in Finland
- a Brexit residence permit card, type SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of residence under the withdrawal agreement, or P SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of permanent residence under the withdrawal agreement
- a residence permit based on temporary protection in Finland, as referred to in the Aliens Act. The permit has to be valid at the beginning of the study right, and the permit cannot have later been revoked.
- an Erasmus Mundus scholarship and who are studying in the Erasmus Mundus programme funded by the European Union.
In addition, a continuous residence permit (type A) may exempt you from paying tuition fees if it is granted on grounds other than studying. However, you are required to pay tuition fees in the following cases:
- If your first residence permit in Finland was granted for the purpose of studying, you must pay tuition fees, even if you later obtained a continuous residence permit (type A) on other grounds.
- If you have a continuous residence permit (type A) based on family ties in Finland, and your family member originally came to Finland on a residence permit granted for studying, you are also required to pay tuition fees.
- If your continuous residence permit (type A) is granted for studying, you are required to pay tuition fees.
Until 30 November 2024, tuition fees do not concern those non-EU/non-EEA/Switzerland students who have:
- a permanent residence permit card in Finland, type P permit
- a continuous residence permit card in Finland, type A permit, issued on other grounds than studying.
- an EU residence permit for third-country citizens with long-term residence permit card in Finland (type P-EU permit)
- an EU family member's residence card in Finland. You must hold the residence permit yourself, i.e. being a family member of a person who has a residence permit in an EU country does not grant you a tuition fee exemption.
- an EU blue card in Finland
- a Brexit residence permit card, type SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of residence under the withdrawal agreement, or P SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of permanent residence under the withdrawal agreement
Please note that if you have a continuous residence permit card in Finland (type A) issued for studies, you are liable to pay tuition fees.
Informing the student services of tuition fee exemptions
You must present the new residence permit card or other exempting document to the student services before the end of the enrolment period, in order for the exemption to be valid from the beginning of the academic year / term. Enrolment periods can be found here. Changes in tuition fee liability made in the middle of term will be effective, as a rule, from the beginning of the following term.
- To prove your residency status, you are required to provide a copy of valid residence permit or proof of right of residence in Finland.
- To prove your citizenship, you are required to provide a valid passport or national ID card where your citizenship is indicated.
Please send the copies of your exempting residence permit or other document by encrypted mail from your Aalto email to [email protected] (.s in the end encrypts your message).
If your residence permit type changes or you are granted a new residence permit card that extends the current exemption period, please send a message to [email protected].
Validity of tuition fee exemptions
The status of the exemption will be checked annually before the enrolment period begins.
You must present the new residence permit card or other exempting document to the student services as proof before the end of the enrolment period in order for the exemption to be valid from the beginning of the academic year / term.
- In order to be exempted for the whole academic year, your residence permit or right of residence has to be valid at the start of that academic year (i.e. 1 August).
- In order to be exempted for the spring term, in case the exemption starts in the middle of the academic year, your residence permit or right of residence has to be valid at the start of the spring term (i.e. 1 January).
The tuition fee exemption is tied to the time that the exempting residence permit is valid. If the permit runs out and is not renewed, full tuition fee liability will normally start from the beginning of the following academic year, i.e. from 1 August. In some cases, as in the enrolment in January after non-attendance in autumn term, the liability will start from the term following the end of the exempting permit, i.e. from 1 January.
If you become liable to tuition fees in the middle of your studies due to a change in your residence permit type, you may be entitled to apply for a scholarship – please see more information on Aalto Reserve Scholarships.
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