The Ministry of Education and Culture has unveiled draft guidelines that would significantly tighten residence-permit conditions for degree students from outside the EU. The bill, slated for parliamentary submission by February 2026, proposes three major changes.
1) The monthly living-cost requirement would be written into law and indexed to inflation, starting at €850—up from Migri’s current €560 guideline. Students would need to show bank statements or scholarship letters covering 12 months upfront.
2) Immediate family members could join the student only after the first academic year, a ‘cool-off’ period intended to ensure the principal applicant truly understands Finland’s cost of living before sponsoring dependants.
![Government Floats Higher Financial Thresholds and Language Tests for Non-EU Students]()
VisaHQ’s Finland specialists track migration policy in real time and can help applicants gather the right financial proofs, navigate family-reunification rules, and meet language-test deadlines. Their step-by-step online platform and document-precheck service—available at https://www.visahq.com/finland/—streamline the study-permit process for both students and sponsoring employers.
3) Applicants would need to pass a basic Finnish or Swedish test (A1.2) within the first year to renew their study permit. The ministry argues this will boost part-time employability and integration, but universities warn it could dent enrolment, particularly from Asia.
For institutions, the proposals mean earlier financial-proof checks and potentially higher dropout risk if students fail the language test. Corporate-sponsored MBA or PhD candidates should factor the higher cash-flow requirement into relocation budgets; some employers are already considering front-loading allowances or tuition advances.
Stakeholders have six weeks to comment. If enacted, the rules would apply to permits filed on or after 1 August 2026. Mobility advisors should monitor the legislative timeline and prepare updated pre-arrival guidance sheets.
1) The monthly living-cost requirement would be written into law and indexed to inflation, starting at €850—up from Migri’s current €560 guideline. Students would need to show bank statements or scholarship letters covering 12 months upfront.
2) Immediate family members could join the student only after the first academic year, a ‘cool-off’ period intended to ensure the principal applicant truly understands Finland’s cost of living before sponsoring dependants.
VisaHQ’s Finland specialists track migration policy in real time and can help applicants gather the right financial proofs, navigate family-reunification rules, and meet language-test deadlines. Their step-by-step online platform and document-precheck service—available at https://www.visahq.com/finland/—streamline the study-permit process for both students and sponsoring employers.
3) Applicants would need to pass a basic Finnish or Swedish test (A1.2) within the first year to renew their study permit. The ministry argues this will boost part-time employability and integration, but universities warn it could dent enrolment, particularly from Asia.
For institutions, the proposals mean earlier financial-proof checks and potentially higher dropout risk if students fail the language test. Corporate-sponsored MBA or PhD candidates should factor the higher cash-flow requirement into relocation budgets; some employers are already considering front-loading allowances or tuition advances.
Stakeholders have six weeks to comment. If enacted, the rules would apply to permits filed on or after 1 August 2026. Mobility advisors should monitor the legislative timeline and prepare updated pre-arrival guidance sheets.
