
University of Helsinki Scholarships 2027 can help eligible international students reduce the tuition cost of a master's degree in Finland. Applications for autumn 2027 study open from 5 to 19 January 2027. Applicants may prove English proficiency through IELTS, another approved test or qualifying previous education.
This guide explains the available tuition support, admission requirements, English-language options and documents to prepare. You will also find the application steps and official links to help you plan your next move.
For a related option, compare University of Oulu Scholarships before choosing your Finnish university shortlist.
University of Helsinki Scholarships: Funding and Costs
The published scholarship scheme provides the following tuition support:
- 50% tuition fee waiver: covers half of the tuition fee.
- 100% tuition fee waiver: covers the full tuition fee.
- Two-year duration: continuation depends on full-time study and at least 55 ECTS per year.
Most available awards cover 50% of tuition, and places are limited. Living expenses are not included.
2027 funding note: The university has confirmed the application dates, but its detailed scholarship terms still refer to 2025–26. Confirm the 2027 award conditions on the official scholarship page before applying.
A tuition award therefore needs a separate living-cost plan. List accommodation, food, travel, insurance and personal spending before deciding whether the offer is affordable. Student discounts should be treated as potential savings, not cash payments from a scholarship.
Read the official tuition fees and scholarship programme for the applicable fees, award conditions and exclusions. Check your chosen programme's 2027 fee rather than carrying forward a figure from an older admission round.
Our Finland student visa guide can help you organise the next stage of planning after admission.
Who Can Apply and What Can You Study?
Helsinki offers nearly 40 international master's programmes. The usual structure is 120 ECTS over two years of full-time study, with English as the teaching language. Programme pages explain any Finnish or Swedish study options.
For academic eligibility, check these three requirements:
- A recognised bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification that permits master's study in the awarding country.
- Sufficient previous studies relevant to your chosen programme.
- Accepted proof of proficiency in the degree language.
A programme may set subject-specific criteria, so a degree title alone does not establish eligibility.
Consult the official eligibility requirements to compare your education with the course you want to join. Scholarship consideration additionally requires tuition-fee liability and a strong academic record under the published scheme.
When shortlisting, write down the required background beside the courses on your transcript. This makes gaps easier to identify and helps you choose a programme for academic fit. Avoid submitting the same generic motivation statement to unrelated fields.
Programme Options to Explore
Examples from the current programme directory include:
- Computer Science and Data Science
- Economics
- Agricultural Sciences, Forest Sciences and Food Sciences
- Chemistry and One Health
- English Studies and Changing Education
- Geography and Urban Studies and Planning
These are selected examples; consult the full directory for all available programmes.
Several subject names have changed, so use the current official programme directory when searching. For example, Chemistry replaces the older Chemistry and Molecular Sciences name. Read the actual curriculum before deciding that a familiar title matches your interests.
Compare these points when building your shortlist:
- Entry requirements: identify the previous courses that demonstrate your preparation.
- Learning goals: choose study tracks that connect with your intended work or research.
- Costs: work out what you would need to cover after any confirmed funding.
Keep admission evidence specific. A relevant project can show what you learned, the methods you used and why the next programme fits. Broad claims about passion or prestige give an assessor less information than a clear example from your studies.
Before making your final choice, compare compulsory modules with optional courses and the thesis opportunities described by each programme. This helps you explain why that particular course is a sensible next step.
Can You Apply Without IELTS?
IELTS is not compulsory for every applicant, but English proficiency is compulsory. Accepted routes for autumn 2027 include:
- IELTS Academic: at least 6.5 overall and 6.0 in each section.
- Other approved tests: TOEFL, PTE Academic or specified Cambridge qualifications, subject to the university’s requirements.
- Qualifying previous education: an accepted English-medium qualification that meets the country and documentation rules.
A qualifying degree taught and assessed entirely in English can also meet the requirement when it satisfies Helsinki's approved-country and documentation rules. Pakistan is not on that country list; an MOI letter from a Pakistani university alone does not establish an exemption. Assess the awarding institution and the exact education route rather than assuming nationality determines the result.
Helsinki’s official English-language requirements explain every accepted route and the separate rules for the Dual Master's Programme in Green Business. Our guide to universities accepting MOI instead of IELTS offers broader comparison points.
Choose your evidence route early. If you cannot clearly match a listed option, allow time to arrange an accepted test and submit valid results.
Documents to Prepare
Start a document folder before applications open. The application attachments guide is the authority for file requirements; check the 2027 instructions again when they are updated.
- Bachelor's degree certificate, or the prescribed evidence for an incomplete degree.
- Official transcript showing your courses and results.
- Accepted evidence of language proficiency.
- Official translations when documents are not in English, Finnish or Swedish.
- Programme-specific attachments and identity or exemption evidence where requested.
Recommendation letters, a CV and a research proposal are not automatically required for every programme. Upload only what your chosen course requests. Extra attachments do not replace missing compulsory evidence.
Before submitting, open every file and check that names, dates and all pages are readable. If documents use different names, follow the university's instructions for explaining the difference. Keep a copy of the exact files submitted and record any later request for corrections.
How to Apply for the 2027 Intake
- Choose a programme and read its admission criteria through the official master's admissions page.
- Prepare your academic and language evidence against the programme's checklist.
- During 5–19 January 2027, follow the official application link and complete the admission form.
- Request scholarship consideration in the master's application, following the available funding instructions.
- Upload the required attachments, submit on time and retain your confirmation.
- Check messages for missing information, decisions and acceptance instructions.
Application Fees and Final Checks
A national application fee of EUR 100 applies to applicants covered by Finland's fee rules; exemptions exist. Fee liability and exemptions are explained on the admissions page. Payment does not guarantee admission.
Some linked instructions still describe the autumn 2026 intake. Before submitting for 2027, confirm:
- The exact application closing time and timezone.
- Deadlines for uploading or supplementing documents.
- Scholarship conditions for the 2027 intake.
Avoid carrying forward an older deadline simply because it appears on a linked instructions page.
Follow the official how-to-apply guide as your final checklist. A sensible personal schedule leaves time for missing documents, technical problems and a final read-through instead of relying on the last hour.
Frequently asked questions
When do applications for autumn 2027 open?+
The announced master's application window is 5–19 January 2027. Check the university's final instructions for the precise closing time and attachment deadlines.
Is this a fully funded scholarship?+
No. The published awards reduce tuition; applicants must arrange their own living-cost funding.
Are the detailed 2027 scholarship terms final?+
The current scholarship page still labels its detailed categories 2025–26. Recheck it before relying on those terms for the next intake.
Can I apply without taking IELTS?+
Yes, if you satisfy another officially accepted language-evidence route. An unsupported waiver request is not enough.
Is a Pakistani university MOI letter sufficient?+
Not by itself under the listed degree-based route. Review the approved-country rules or use an accepted test.
Do I need a separate scholarship application?+
Funding consideration is requested through the master's application under the currently published procedure.
Should I upload extra recommendation letters?+
Only when the programme requests them. Follow the attachment checklist instead of adding unrelated documents.
Does admission guarantee a tuition waiver?+
Admission and funding decisions are separate. Prepare a budget that does not depend on winning a competitive award.
Prepare your application
This workspace organises the verified facts from the guide above. Check items as you prepare; progress is stored only on this device.
Required documents
Steps to complete
Listed benefits
- Current published 2025–26 scheme: competitive 50% or 100% tuition waiver
- Living expenses excluded
- Two years, subject to full-time study and 55 ECTS annual progress
- Final 2027 terms require recheck
Coverage can change. Confirm every benefit in the official award terms.
January 19, 2027
Opening: January 5, 2027. Confirm the final date and timezone on the official source before submitting.
You still have time, but verify the provider timezone and requirements before applying.
Verify the latest requirements before applying
Scholarships365 explains the opportunity; the provider’s website remains the final authority.
