Tuition fees to be introduced for upper secondary students from non-EU countries – commissioned education to be extended to EU and EEA nationals

Students from non-EU countries will in future be required to pay tuition fees in both general upper secondary education and vocational education and training. These students will therefore no longer be included in the system of central government transfers to local government. At the same time, providers of vocational education and training will be permitted to sell commissioned education leading to a qualification also to citizens of EU Member States and EEA countries. The Government issued a legislative proposal on the matter on Thursday.

The proposal concerning tuition fees will not apply to non-EU nationals who are permanently resident in the EEA, nor to exchange students arriving under established programmes who will not be completing a full qualification or the full general upper secondary syllabus. Persons granted temporary protection will also be exempted from the fees, in the same way as in higher education. 

Students do not need to pay tuition fees if they attend apprenticeship training in vocational education and training and have a residence permit based on work.

The legislative proposal will also clarify the Act on Compulsory Education so that it will not apply to persons from non-EU countries residing in Finland for the purpose of study.

Amendments to the Act on Vocational Education and Training and to the Act on General Upper Secondary Education will introduce provisions granting education providers the right to access information on the residence-permit status of applicants and students, as well as the right of education providers to provide such information proactively to the Finnish Immigration Service.

In future, the granting of a residence permit for the purpose of study will be conditional on payment of the fees determined by the education provider.

The proposal is linked to the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government. Under the Programme, providers of vocational education and training will be permitted to sell commissioned education leading to a qualification to citizens of EU Member States and EEA countries, in the same way as higher education institutions. The introduction of tuition fees is based on the Government’s decisions to reduce municipal regulation and increase revenue from fees, as well as on the decision taken in the spending limits discussion of spring 2025.

The proposal is connected to the Government’s budget proposal for 2026 and is intended to be considered in connection with it. It is intended that the legislative amendments will enter into force on 1 August 2026.

Inquiries:

• Petri Lempinen, Director General, tel. +358 2953 30180
• Anna Kankaanpää, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 2953 30013