How to Secure a Fully Funded PhD or MS in Finland: No Tuition Fees, Paid Positions and Guidelines

Описание: This video provides an expert, step-by-step overview for international students pursuing graduate studies (MS or PhD) in the Finnish higher education system, drawing directly from university guidelines and official sources.
🇫🇮 Key Facts about Studying in Finland:
• PhD Tuition: Doctoral programmes in Finland typically do not charge tuition fees.
• Funding: Unlike many countries, PhD students are often paid as doctoral researchers through salaried positions/employment contracts, or receive grants. Salaries for Junior Researchers can be around €2,500–€2,700.
• Central Hub: The primary portal for finding programme details, eligibility criteria, and application guidelines is Studyinfo.fi.
🎓 Step-by-Step Application Requirements:
1. Eligibility & Language:
• MS: Requires a relevant Bachelor's degree or equivalent from a recognised university.
• PhD: Requires a relevant Master's degree or equivalent qualification.
• Language: International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency, typically using tests like IELTS (minimum 6.5) or TOEFL (minimum 92 or 580 paper-based).
2. Finding Your Place (PhD Specific):
• PhD applicants must often find a supervisor who endorses the research plan and doctoral study plan before the application is submitted. They usually need at least two supervisors.
• Funded doctoral researcher positions are often advertised as job vacancies via university recruitment systems (e.g., Talentti), or through portals like Academic Positions and TE-palvelut.fi.
3. Required Documents:
• Research Plan: This is a crucial attachment. Depending on the faculty, the length is typically limited (e.g., maximum 5 pages or 2500 words, including references). The plan must cover the topic's relevance, research methods, timetable, and ethical considerations.
• CV: Must adhere to specific instructions (e.g., the template from the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity). For some applications (like HAIF), the CV should exclude age, gender, or photo.
• Motivation Letter/Statement: Explains the reasons for pursuing the degree and career goals.
• Important Note on Ethics: Applicants grant permission for their research plan to be checked by plagiarism detection software (Turnitin). Any use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist in preparation must be clearly stated in the application.
4. Funding Mechanisms (Beyond Salary):
• EDUFI Fellowship: Awards scholarships for foreign PhD students and Young Researchers, usually for a duration of 3–12 months. These are grants applied for by a researcher/teacher at the Finnish university department (the host).
• Salaried Positions: Provide the same rights as University employees, including salary, social security, occupational health care, and work facilities.
5. Post-Acceptance:
• Once admitted, non-EU/EEA students must apply for a Residence Permit for studies, typically issued as a temporary (B) permit valid for up to two years. Processing times average about 25 days for initial applications.
• New students must accept the study place by the deadline and typically collaborate with supervisors to draw up a Supervision Agreement and Personal Study Plan (PSP) within the first semester.
🔗 Useful Links & Resources Mentioned in the Video:
• Studyinfo.fi (Central Application Portal)
• Talentti / University Recruitment Systems (For funded positions)
• Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) (For Residence Permits)
• Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) (For Fellowships)
• Academy of Finland (For research project funding)

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