International Students Satisfied With Finnish Higher Education Institutions

​The ISB survey asked international students studying in different countries about their satisfaction with their studies, housing and living, as well as with the support services offered by their educational institutions.

Of those students answering in Finland, 90 per cent were satisfied or very satisfied with their whole experience, which is slightly higher than the average for all countries. Students were more satisfied than average with Finnish study conditions and study environments, such as lecture halls, laboratories, technologies and libraries. In addition, they praised the size and multiculturalism of teaching groups as well as the support services offered by higher education institutions. Student meals and international offices did especially well in the survey.

Compared to other countries, Finland had better than average results when evaluating the safety, environmental knowledge, student exercise possibilities, and housing costs of a country. However, the cost of living was considered expensive, with respondents being 13 per cent less satisfied than average with their living costs.

Finnish higher education institutions received a clearly weaker evaluation than other countries in all categories related to linking studies with working life. For example, when asked whether studies can help with getting a good job, respondents in Finland were 11 per cent less sure than respondents in other countries. Career advice, guidance and career services also received a noticeably lower score than average.

Almost 165 000 international students from 209 higher education institutions in 18 different countries answered the survey. In Finland, over 6000 students from 22 higher education institutions responded to the survey. Of those, almost two thirds were degree students and almost a third were exchange students.

EH/SP