Finnish high schools see surge in foreign students ahead of tuition fee deadline

A wave of international students is rushing to start at Finnish upper secondary schools before new tuition fees take effect in August, with some schools accepting late arrivals while others refuse, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

Fifteen-year-old Ian Ostryi from Moscow arrived in Savukoski, northern Finland, in early March after securing a place at the local high school in November. His family would struggle to pay the upcoming annual fee of at least €9,000, he told Yle. “Many students come from poor Asian countries—I don’t understand how they could afford these fees,” Ostryi said.

The Savukoski school has admitted four new foreign students this year, with three more expected. Neighboring Salla accepted ten new students from Myanmar, Vietnam, and China in January—unusually high for mid-year admissions. Schools in Posio and Rantasalmi have also taken in late arrivals, provided residency permits arrive in time.

Not all institutions are accommodating. Mänttä’s high school has rejected mid-term applicants, with principal Aki Koivisto stating it would “circumvent” the upcoming fee law. However, the Ministry of Education confirms schools may admit students until May, as fees only apply to those starting in August.

For many small schools, foreign students have been vital. Savukoski’s acting principal Riikka Vaarala notes over half its students come from abroad, though integrating late arrivals poses challenges. Ostryi, who studied Finnish privately in Moscow, called his acceptance “my only chance to study for free.”

The long-term impact remains unclear. With state funding for non-EU students ending, schools like Savukoski—where a Chinese student, Muxi Niu, was among the last to enroll tuition-free—face an uncertain future.