Finland grants record number residence permit for studies last year

Finland granted a total of 12,795 first residence permits on study ground in 2023 and the number is 4412 higher compared to the number of previous year, said the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) on Wednesday.

In 2022, a total of 8,383 students were granted residence permits in Finland.

The total number of applications for a first residence permit for studies submitted in 2023 was 12,867, which was 9,855 in 2022.

The reasons behind the growth include, among other factors, the amendments made in the legislation covering students’ and researchers’ residence permits and the increased number of study programmes designed for international students.

Especially the number of applications from students from Asian countries has been increasing. For example, the number of applications from citizens of Sri Lanka more than doubled in comparison to 2022.

The number of applications from students is estimated to keep increasing in 2024 since international students have shown a keen interest in Finland.

The Finnish Immigration Service estimates that the number of applications for a first residence permit for studies submitted in 2024 will be 14,000.

The primary factor affecting the total number of international students in Finland is how many new students the Finnish educational institutions can admit each year.

Additional factors will be Finland’s attractiveness as a place to live and study, competition between countries to attract students, and the increase of education export and of the alternative forms of studying, said Migri.