Tuition fees and waivers

The first payment

To make your first payment, use the link and information provided together with your letter of acceptance. Be sure to enter the Studyinfo Learner Number / ID and student name exactly as they appear in your Student Agreement and letter of acceptance. For future payments, the coordinator will send payment information to your email throughout the academic year.

Online payment forms and methods

FLYWIRE (opens in a new tab) is UEF’s partner for tuition fee payments, providing a secure payment option for international students. You can easily and safely make payments in your own currency using local payment methods from the convenience of your home. Flywire offers real-time tracking and 24/7 multilingual support, making it a trusted payment solution for millions of students and families worldwide. Detailed payment instructions will be sent to students via email.

Early Bird deduction in 2025 intake:

At the University of Eastern Finland, a one-time € 500 Early Bird discount on the first year’s tuition fee is available for applicants (bachelor’s or master’s) who accept their study place and pay the tuition fee within two weeks (14 days) of the admission results being published.

For students starting in fall 2025, the Early Bird deadline is June 11, 2025. To receive the discount, the payment must be completed by the Early Bird deadline. The Early Bird payment must be made according to the payment options available in UEF’s payment system Flywire. The Early Bird discount is offered to accepted tuition fee-liable students. Exceptions may apply to special agreement programmes.

Deferring the start of studies, enrolment, and tuition waiver / scholarships for the first academic year

• Each academic year, students must register as either present or absent for their degree programmes during the university’s registration period. For more information and instructions, visit KAMU for the registration instructions.

Deferring a (partial) Tuition Waiver, first academic year

The (partial) tuition waiver can be deferred for the following reasons:

• Statutory reason
• Force Majeure (affecting the student personally)
• Residence permit

If the student does not have any of the above-mentioned reasons for deferring the scholarship (statutory reasons, force majeure, or residence permit), they will lose the tuition waiver /scholarship. The student can continue their studies by paying the full tuition fee.

For more details and important deadlines, please refer to your personal student agreement.

Refund policy

The student may be eligible for a refund of the first instalment of the tuition fee with the following conditions:

• Statutory reasons
• Residence permit
• The student has been conditionally admitted and the condition is not met; the study place is cancelled
• The student’s residence permit status changes
• The university is unable to offer the degree programme that the student has been accepted to.

IMPORTANT! The refund is not possible if the student has already registered as being present.

For more details and important deadlines, please refer to your personal student agreement. Your primary contact for matters related to tuition fees and scholarships is the programme coordinator, who will be happy to assist you with any additional questions.

Please note that exceptions may apply to special agreement programmes (e.g., Erasmus Mundus and Joint Degree Programmes).

Tuition waiver, delays and exceptions

Students selected 2023 or later:

For the second and third (or subsequent) academic years, the registration rules for presence and absence follow the guidelines provided in the KAMU registration instructions.

Impact of registering as absent during studies on tuition waiver

A student who has already started their studies can only defer a (partial) tuition waiver for the second and third academic years (or subsequent years) in the following cases:

• Due to statutory reasons
• Due to force majeure affecting the student personally

If the reason for absence is not statutory or force majeure, the tuition waiver will not continue, but the right to study will be maintained. The student can continue their studies by paying the full tuition fee.

Students selected 2022 or earlier: For more details, please refer to your personal student agreement. Please note that exceptions may apply to special agreement programmes (e.g., Erasmus Mundus and Joint Degree Programmes).

Tuition waiver and absence for a statutory reason

If a student is absent for a legal (statutory) reason (e.g., parental leave, illness, or disability), the tuition waiver will be extended by the corresponding amount of time. However, the total number of semesters (4 for Master’s, 6 for Bachelor’s) remains the same.

Please note that you must provide documents to prove the validity of the absence, such as a medical certificate or birth certificate. Important: If you fall ill and cannot study, you must take sick leave, especially for long-term illnesses. Contact FSHS immediately. Sick leave cannot be granted or documented retroactively. Also, remember to inform your programme coordinator about your situation.

Please, find more instructions for applying for an extension to the tuition waiver in KAMU. The decision of the extension of the tuition waiver is made case by case by the University.

Tuition waiver and graduation

The student will not graduate on time

If a Master’s degree student does not complete their studies within two academic years’ tuition waiver periods or a Bachelor’s degree student within three academic years’ tuition waiver periods, the tuition waiver runs out. In these cases, the student can continue their studies with the following options:

• the student studies for the full academic year and pays the annual tuition fee in full (100 %)
• the student studies for a semester and pays half of the annual tuition fee (50 %)

For a very cogent reason only, a student whose studies are very close to being completed can be allowed to study for only a part of the semester (1–3 months), in which case they can be allowed to pay only a quarter (25 %) of the annual tuition fee. These situations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis in cooperation with the degree programme and the Student and Learning Services.

Please, contact your programme coordinator and discuss your options well in advance.

Delay in graduation due to Force Majeure or reasons beyond the student’s control

Applying for an extension of an existing scholarship (for those who have previously received a tuition waiver/scholarship) or applying for a new scholarship (for those without a tuition waiver/scholarship) is possible in the following cases:

• A Master’s degree programme student has not been able to complete all mandatory courses during the first or second year of study or a Bachelor’s degree programme student has not been able to complete all mandatory courses during the first, second or third year of study due to the university not offering the required courses. The programme must provide an account of the situation.
• The student has completed all required courses and assignments, including the Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis, by 31 July but not all study attainments have been evaluated resulting in the degree not being completed by the intended date. In this case the teachers of the courses in question must give accounts of the missing study attainments.
• The student has submitted their Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis for evaluation by 31 July and is awaiting evaluation. In this case proof that the thesis has been submitted or a manuscript of the thesis is required along with a confirmation by the thesis instructor or the Head of the Department.
• The student has not been able to study due to a statutory reason. In case of illness a medical certificate is required for clarifying the situation. The tuition waiver is extended for a corresponding period, but the full amount of the tuition waiver does not change.
• Another reason beyond the student’s control. Evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

In all these cases, the first contact point is the programme coordinator.

Students liable to pay tuition fees can apply for an extension to the tuition waiver when the duration of studies with the tuition waiver is about to expire, and the student has not been able to study during the semester due to reasons beyond the student’s control.

Please, find more instructions for applying for an extension to the tuition waiver in KAMU. The decision of the extension of the tuition waiver is made case by case by the University.

Finnish Proficiency tuition waivers

The Finnish Proficiency Tuition Waivers at UEF are aimed at incentivizing students to immerse themselves in Finnish language and culture studies. It rewards those who excel beyond the required courses outlined in their degree programme. The aim is to support international UEF students as they integrate into Finnish society and the local working environment.

1. ELIGIBILITY

The student has demonstrated proficiency in one of the following:

A) Certification-based tuition waiver (A)
Students who obtain a national certificate of language proficiency in Finnish (YKI-test) at intermediate level 3 or 4 while being present student at UEF are eligible.

• 100 % tuition waiver for the next semester’s tuition fee (one semester). The value of the one semester 100 % tuition waiver varies by programme, depending on the tuition fee, and ranges from €4000 to €5000.

B) Study-based tuition waiver (B)
To be eligible, students must demonstrate A2.2 level proficiency in Finnish by passing the “SUOMI 3” course while being present student at UEF.

• 50%  tuition waiver for the next semester’s tuition fee (one semester). The value of the one semester 100 % tuition waiver varies by programme, depending on the tuition fee, and ranges from €2000 to €2500.

NB! Kindly note, that Tuition Waivers cannot exceed 100%, which is the maximum allowable amount. This means that no more than the full tuition for one semester can be waived. For example, if a student already has a 50% tuition waiver and they receive a 100% Finnish language scholarship, the total waiver will still be capped at 100% of the semester’s tuition (not 150%). Any extra waiver beyond 100% will not be compensated or paid, nor can it be applied to future semesters. The Finnish Language Scholarships are one-time tuition waivers for the tuition fee. The student is eligible to apply for a tuition waiver only from one of the categories (A or B). The Finland Proficiency tuition waiver can be awarded only once (A or B), and for one semester.

• The Student is currently enrolled in either an international Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme at the University of Eastern Finland.
• The Student is liable for tuition fees: Citizens of non-EU/EEA countries who do not have permanent residence status in the Finland are liable for tuition fees.
• The student must not have already been awarded a 100% tuition waiver (e.g., UEF Scholarship).
• The student’s language of secondary education is not Finnish or Swedish, and at the start of their studies they have limited or no command of Finnish.
• The Student has actively pursued their studies at UEF during either their first or second academic year, as evidenced by their study register.
• The student has not previously been awarded a Finnish proficiency tuition waiver from UEF.
• The student must have shown improvement or undergone testing of their Finnish language skills while enrolled as student at UEF. Any language-related achievements or activities before their enrolment at UEF will not be considered.

2. HOW TO APPLY?

Tuition waivers are applied:

• November 15-December 15 for the spring semester
• June 15-August 15 for the autumn semester

Students must apply for the tuition waiver through their programme by these specified deadlines. The decision will be made by 15 September for the autumn semester, and 15 January for spring semester, at the latest. If the student is eligible for the Finnish Proficiency Tuition Waivers A or B, the tuition waiver will be granted. Please note: Clear documentation and evidence are required for the application.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE APPLICATION:
Please, submit your application via email. Send the application to your programme coordinator AND international mobility services (international@uef.fi). There should be two email addresses when submitting the application.

You can submit your application only: November 15 to December 15 (for spring semester), OR June 15 to August 15 (for Autumn semester). Please note that all applications will be processed after the application window closes, and we will review them together. Kindly note that we will not process applications received after the final deadline.

What should be included in the email application?
1) Name of the Student
2) Study right number
3) Name of the degree programme
4) Email
5) Type of the scholarship you are applying for? a) Certification-based tuition waiver (A), OR b) Study-based tuition waiver (B)
6. Documentation: A certificate (YKI-test), OR Transcript of records (Suomi 3)

Study-based tuition waiver (B), Suomi 3:
You can download your official digitally signed transcript of records and / or study certificate from Atomi, which you can find in Peppi. Kindly note that it’s possible to apply for the Finnish Language Scholarship even though the grading of the Suomi 3 course is still in a process, or the results are not yet available in Peppi. In this case please, write to the application: “Suomi 3 is waiting for evaluation”. For the spring 2025: UEF will confirm the results from Peppi on 8th of January 2025.

3. LIMITATIONS

The Finnish Proficiency Tuition Waiver is always applied for the following semester. For example, if a student has paid for the autumn semester and applies for a tuition waiver by December 15, the waiver will be granted for the spring semester, not the autumn semester. However, if the student has paid for both the autumn and spring semesters and applies for a tuition waiver for the spring by December 15, they may request a refund for the spring semester after the tuition waiver is granted, for the amount covered by the waiver. It is not possible to apply for this tuition waiver retroactively.