Helsinki studies
Many further education courses are taught in English.
In Helsinki there are 7 universities and 7 universities of applied sciences, with more than 60,000 students, a growing proportion from abroad. Many further education courses are taught in English, and there are international schools for primary and secondary education.
Facilities for student work and play match any European capital and challenging local careers await for the creative and the innovative, due to the close cooperation between academia and business. Helsinki has expanding employment in a wide range of advanced and interconnected disciplines.
Some of the most advanced doctoral research work is being conducted in the key cluster areas of technology, business development and creativity, and the synergy between them. But the breadth of advanced education covers the full spectrum. There are over 6000 researchers in the specialized Helsinki universities and universities of applied sciences.
Free education
Affordable student life for international students in Helsinki
In Finland higher education is free also for international students whereas, for example, an international student of the University of London will pay approximately €15,600 per year. However, a proposal to charge fees from foreign students has been publicly discussed for some time now in Finland as well, but according to a recent study, a majority of foreign students studying in Finland have rebuffed the idea of tuition fees.
In Finnish universities an average bachelor's degree will take three years to complete and a master's degree five years.
The most recent change in the field of higher education in Helsinki is the merge of The Helsinki School of Economics (HSE), the University of Art and Design Helsinki (TaiK) and the Helsinki University of Technology (TKK). The new top university, Aalto University, will formally start operating from the beginning of 2010. It is hoped that by 2020 the merger will have resulted in a world-class technological, commercial and design university.
There is plenty of student accommodation in Helsinki and the surrounding municipalities. For a shared apartment, a student in Helsinki can expect to pay c. €200 - €300 ($300 - $450) in rent per month, whereas in London the average monthly rent is around €600 (over $900). The standard of accommodation in Helsinki is also much higher than in London.
Active student status also entitles the student to a 50 per cent discount on travel in the capital area. Student discount in London is only 30 per cent. A student who lives permanently in Helsinki will pay approximately 21 euros (32 USD) per month for travel; other students have to pay approximately 40 euros (60 USD).