Foreign Student Applications to Finnish University of Applied Sciences Drop by 48,000

Interest among international students in Finland's universities of applied sciences has fallen dramatically, with applications from abroad dropping by roughly 48,000 compared with two years ago.

Finnish UAS institutions received just over 12,000 applications from abroad this year, compared with around 60,000 two years earlier, according to figures reported by Yle. The decline represents a drop of approximately 80 percent.

The sharp fall comes as Finland has introduced stricter conditions for international students while the country's employment market remains challenging.

For many students arriving from outside the EU and EEA, the ability to find work alongside or after their studies is an important part of the decision to study in Finland. Education officials have pointed to weak employment prospects as one of the factors behind the reduced interest.

The change has been particularly visible at some Finnish UAS institutions. Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences received about 1,200 applications from abroad this year, compared with 25,000 in 2023. Centria University of Applied Sciences saw applications fall from about 13,000 to around 1,000 over the same period.

Finland has also tightened several rules affecting students from outside the EU and EEA. These include higher financial requirements, stricter family-reunification rules and measures affecting residence permits. In addition, an application fee of €100 for applications submitted from outside the EU and EEA was introduced in 2025.

The decline could also have financial consequences for Finnish UAS institutions, many of which have increased their international education offerings and rely partly on tuition fees paid by students from outside the EU/EEA.

At the same time, Finnish education leaders say a smaller number of international students who have realistic expectations about studying and working in Finland could ultimately lead to better outcomes for those who do come.

The dramatic change marks a major shift in Finland's international student landscape after years of growing interest from applicants abroad.