Finnish universities reject tuition fees for international students

Proposal could be a “disaster” for internationalisation, student bodies and academics warn

Finland’s academics and students have spoken out against a government proposal to start charging tuition fees to international students coming into the country.

The fees proposal was put forward by the Finnish ministry of education and culture, and would apply to students from outside of the European Economic Area. In response, students and staff said that charging fees could, in the longer term, reduce the amount of international talent in Finland’s workforce and in academia, which the country is desperate to attract.