If you are not an EU/EEA citizen you must obtain a residence permit from the nearest Finnish embassy or consulate in your home country.
Please check https://migri.fi/en/instructions-for-exchange-students
- You can apply electronically online but a visit to the embassy/consulate is needed for the biometrical identification.
- You must obtain the residence permit before you arrive in Finland.
- According to MIGRI's instruction you should start the process applying the residence permit during 7 days after receiving your admission certificate or as soon as you have all the needed documents for the residence permit application.
- You also need to be able to prove that you have necessary funding for your exchange period. (800 €/month).
- Remember also to check if you need a visa to enter the Schengen area.
- See Finnish Immigration Service's website for detailed instructions.
If your citizenship is non-EU and you are studying at an European university, you must do the Mobility notification to Finland well in advance.
Please check too, that your residence permit to your university's country is valid through the whole exchange time in Finland, too.
If your residence permit to your study country doesn't cover the whole exchange period, you have to apply the residence permit to Finland.
EU/EEA citizens do not need a residence permit to Finland.
EU registration
Don't do anything before ariving to Finland. During the Orientation you'll get more information, what to do next.
All international students staying longer than three months in Finland must register to Finland as a foreigner and obtain a Finnish personal Identity Code.
It is needed for e.g. activating your electronic student card and for university database and statistical purposes. The code consists of your date of birth and five other characters, so it looks something like this: 010195-1234.
- If you need a residence permit you can apply for the code when you apply also for the permit. Even so you need to visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) in order to register as a foreigner in Finland.
- If you don't have the code when you arrive to Turku you need to visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) to get it.
- DVV usually hosts dedicated pop-in service days for students in the beginning of each semester (September and January) where you can register as a foreigner and apply for the code without reserving an appointment.
When you have the code, remember to scan the residence permit card or decision paper you received from DVV to disco(at)utu.fi. Otherwise your Identity Number won't be in the university database and e.g. electronic student card app will not work.
More detailed instructions are sent to students upon their arrival to Turku.