Study vouchers are drawing students mainly to universities

A Finnish study voucher scheme is being used far more at universities than at universities of applied sciences, raising concerns that public funding will be unevenly distributed, Yle reports.

About 3,000 young people under 29 had activated a voucher by the end of September, and registrations using the scheme totalled 27,000 study credits. The vouchers, introduced in August, pay for courses offered through open higher education.

Some universities have seen the vouchers used hundreds of times. At Tampere University, they have covered about 600 courses. Several universities of applied sciences have had only dozens of courses paid for, and some fewer than 20.

The three-year pilot has been allocated more than 50 million euros. If the current pattern continues, some higher education institutions may receive little benefit, with much of the funding going to a small number of providers.

Course format may affect take-up

Some institutions say the difference in popularity between university and applied sciences courses was expected, although the scale of the gap came as a surprise. Anne Himanka, head of student services at LUT University, said some institutions already had a broad range of online courses, while others started the pilot at a disadvantage.

LUT’s bachelor’s-level studies are mainly offered in person, Himanka said. The university believes that may have discouraged voucher users who live outside the cities where its campuses are located.

Tamika Martiskainen, from Lahti, plans to take a one-credit online course in neuropsychology offered by the University of Helsinki. The voucher covers the course, which would otherwise have cost 75 euros.

“I would not have taken the course without the voucher. I’m glad it is free now,” Martiskainen said.

She said the wide choice of courses was appealing and hopes the course will give her an idea of what studying psychology at university is like. Martiskainen is taking a gap year and plans to start with one course before deciding whether to take more.

Impact on participation goals remains unclear

The government aims for half of young adults to have a higher education qualification by 2030. The current share is nearly 40 per cent. Several institutions said reaching the target would require more people, particularly those with vocational qualifications, to continue into higher education.

The voucher is intended for young people under 29 who have recently completed their first upper-secondary qualification in Finland, applied to higher education through the joint application process and did not get a place. Eligible graduates must have completed their qualification between December 1, 2025, and July 31, 2028. The voucher can cover up to 30 study credits.