Lately, negative news about Finland has been surfacing more frequently: unemployment, rising tuition fees, reduced scholarships…
These concerns are valid, but every story has two sides.
So to kick off the week, I’d like to share a few positives. If anyone finishes reading this and thinks I’m simply “marketing Finland,” feel free to share it with your own commentary—whether you agree or want to voice some strong counter-opinions, I’m all ears.
1. Finnish education maintains high quality with reasonable tuition fees.
With programs costing around 230–350 million VND per year, where tuition is billed annually rather than per credit, it’s worth comparing this to other study-abroad destinations.
For instance, a 2+2 Nursing pathway in the US—two years at community college at roughly 400 million VND/year followed by two years at university at around 500 million VND/year—totals about 1.8 billion VND in tuition alone.
Meanwhile, a 3.5-year Nursing program in Finland, such as at SAMK, currently has a total tuition of roughly 1 billion VND before scholarships (assuming normal progress and current fee structures). Actual costs in both countries will vary by institution, specific program, and exchange rates.
Crucially, because tuition is charged per academic year rather than per credit, students with the capability and discipline to overload credits can graduate early—saving significantly on both tuition and living expenses. Several students have completed their degrees in just 2 to 2.5 years.
2. Student health insurance and healthcare costs remain quite reasonable.
Private insurance plans like Swisscare start at around 6 million VND/year, depending on coverage terms. In addition, the student healthcare fee for FSHS (Finnish Student Health Service) in 2026 is roughly 2.1 million VND/year. Note that these are two separate fees to account for in your budget.
Compared to the mandatory health coverage required in the US or the UK, this remains a noticeable upside. For context, typical university health insurance in the US can easily run around 100 million VND per year.
Students who have used these services and received dedicated care know the value of this safety net, especially when living far from home.
3. When it comes to job search challenges, judging Finland in isolation isn’t entirely fair.
Looking at Canada, the US, or the UK, international graduates face substantial hurdles of their own. Post-study work visa policies vary across destinations, so checking each country’s specific criteria is essential.
In Finland, graduates of eligible degree programs can apply for a post-study residence permit for job seeking or entrepreneurship valid for up to 2 years—even without a job offer in hand—provided financial and documentation requirements are met. This is a substantial advantage.
Having that extra time window to learn the language, look for employment, and establish a post-graduation career path is, in my view, far better than being forced to wrap everything up in a tight turnaround.
4. Travel between Vietnam and Finland now offers more options.
More connecting flight routes to Finland are opening up, such as Emirates’ Dubai–Helsinki service launched this October.
In the past, studying so far away meant seeing family once a year was already a luxury. Now, schedules and finances permitting, visiting home more frequently is much more realistic.
Having more chances to come home and share a family meal during your study-abroad journey is undeniably a positive development.
5. Student perks and discounts remain genuinely practical.
Eligible students receive discounts on public transit like VR trains and OnniBus. Small savings like these add up significantly over several years of study.
Most notably, a standard subsidized meal at a student cafeteria is capped at 3.10 euros (around 90,000–95,000 VND).
Within the context of Finland’s cost of living, this is exceptionally affordable compared to eating out at regular restaurants, which can easily cost hundreds of thousands of VND per meal.
6. For students with families, dependent support remains substantial.
While waitlists for municipal Finnish language courses for spouses can be slow in some areas, eligible dependents are still guided into official integration programs. Wait times depend on the municipality and class capacity; some children have already started school while their parents await their language course placement.
For school-age children in basic education, schooling is tuition-free, with required learning materials and school lunches provided at no cost. Some municipalities also offer English-medium tracks, though availability and seat quotas vary by school.
For families moving with young kids, this provision alone removes a substantial financial burden.
There is still more to discuss, which I will cover in Part 2.
Finland has its own demographic and labor market challenges. But from our standpoint, the key is to look at both the current realities and the enduring value this destination offers.
Perhaps expectations were set too high in the past, leading to disappointment when reality set in. But for families who plan their finances thoroughly, pick the right field of study, and commit to investing in the local language, Finland remains a destination genuinely worth considering.
What I hope is that before boarding the plane, you can clearly answer three questions:
- What am I going there to study?
- What financial resources will sustain me?
- What preparation do I need for employment after graduation?
The clearer your answers, the more grounded your study-abroad decision will be.
