Financing your studies
The University of Turku does not charge tuition fees. The university itself, however, cannot offer financial assistance or student-specific job opportunities. For the most part, all students, Finnish and international, are expected to finance their living costs by themselves. Useful general advice and links related to working during studies is found on Finnish CIMO's (Centre for International Mobility) pages: Study in Finland / Working.
Scholarships and grants
University of Turku administrated scholarships and grants
Scholarships and grants for university registered students and researchers are distributed each year from the funds administrated by the University of Turku. Many scholarship funds have special preconditions required of the recipients. Scholarship possibilities are announced in the spring semester in March and the application deadline is in April. Information, instructions and application forms for international students can be found on this webpage. Other information is posted on the university notice boards in the Main Building. Awarded scholarships are announced in the summer.
Erasmus Mundus Action 2 scholarships to the University of Turku
Other scholarships and grants
The Fulbright Center awards grants to American graduate students, teachers, lecturers, and scholars to study, teach, or pursue research in Finland. There is also a Fulbright - University of Turku Graduate Award available.
Information about research funding can be found here.
Many foundations offering scholarships advertise on their own websites. You can find the addresses of such foundations from the list of useful links at the bottom of this page. Other foundation sources can be found on the university's Finnish webpages on grants. Please note that some of these grants are available only to postgraduate students and researchers.
State financial aid for students
The right of non-Finnish citizens to receive student financial aid from the Finnish State is decided on a case-by-case basis. The basic criterion is that to receive financial support, the student must have permanent status residency, which is based on a reason other than studying (e.g. a family connection such as marriage or co-habiting status). A full description of the right to receive student financial aid is available on the website of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA).
Questions on how and when to apply for State financial aid is handled by Student Services and can be contacted via e-mail at opintotuki[at]utu.fi.
For students from the United States: University of Turku is an accredited university (OPE ID 03085000). Therefore US students are granted an in-school deferment of repayment of Federal Family Education Program Loans and Federal Direct Student Loans.
Internships
Continuously throughout the year, the faculties and different university units offer internships to registered and attending university students for a maximum of three months. In domestic internships the minimum salary paid to a student is €900 per month. Check with your department about the criteria for doing an internship and if you can receive credit; usually a report must be written in order to get credit for an internship. Information about what internships are available (and if they are in English) and how to apply can be found at the faculties, departments and Academic Career Services. The Academic Career Services' contact person is Hannele Kaitaranta, tel. (02) 333 6283, e-mail: hannele.kaitaranta(at)utu.fi. Internships, which are essentially part of degree studies, do not conflict with the 25 hr/week work limit set for non-EU/EEU citizens with a status B residence permit.