Tuition fees

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA area degree students

Bachelor’s degree programmes taught in English have tuition fees. Degree students who are not citizens of countries of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and who have started their studies 1 August 2017 and onwards are required to pay the tuition fee. Please see from the Studyinfo website whether or not you are required to pay the tuition fee.

If you are a Finnish citizen, you are not required to pay tuition fees.

As of 1.1.2023 at Karelia UAS the tuition fee for non-EU/EEA students are:
– International Business 9 000 € / study year
– Industrial Management 9 000 € / study year
– Information and Communication Technology 10 000 € / study year.

With the tuition fee you are entitled to participate in studies, take the exams, receive student counselling and use our versatile support services such as library services, IT services and student services. You will have access to our campuses and digital learning environment. As a student you will be able to join a Student Union Poka and participate in various student activities. With Poka student card you are entitled to student discounts provided by companies, stores and public transportation.

Tuition fee does not cover your living expenses or personal study related expenses. These can be for example a rent, food, book or computer related expense. All the students studying in a degree leading education in Finnish higher educational institution are required to pay the health care fee. You will have access to health care and medical services provided by the Finnish Student Healthcare Services, the fee is 36,80 € per semester in 2023.

You are exempted from paying tuition fees if you have one of the documents mentioned below. Please note that you have to upload a copy of the document which you use as a basis for exemption to the application form by 25 January 2023 by 3:00 pm Finnish time or once you receive it.

Passport or identity card to indicate the citizenship of EU/EEA/Switzerland
EU Blue Card in Finland
Continuous residence permit card in Finland, Type A permit. NB: Type A permit granted for studying in Finland (from 15 April 2022 onwards) doesn’t exempt student from paying tuition fee.
EU Family Member’s Residence Card in Finland
Permanent residence permit card in Finland, Type P permit
EU residence permit for third-country citizens with long-term residence permit card in Finland (Type P-EU)
Brexit residence permit card, Type SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of residence under the withdrawal agreement, or P SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of permanent residence under the withdrawal agreement

The tuition fee will be collected from the student upon receipt of the study place, before enrolling as present. The student will receive payment instructions for the tuition fee in the letter of acceptance.

When the student accepts the offered study place at Karelia UAS and pays the tuition fee within 14 days from the offer, s/he is entitled for an Early bird -price for the first academic year. Early bird -price means that student pays only 50 % of the whole academic year’s tuition fee if the payment is done by given EB deadline.

Continuing students will find the schedule for payment’s at the Student Intra Pakki.

Refund policy

Scholarship criteria as of 1.1.2023

Karelia UAS provides fee-paying students scholarships based on Finnish language skills and study performance.
Second-and third-year students can be awarded with a scholarship two times during their studies based on the following criteria.

Second year students:

the number of credits earned, minimum of 55 credits. If the number of student’s credits exceeds the minimum 55 credits, the exceeding number of credits will be taken into account in following academic year.
level A2.1 level of Finnish proficiency gained during the previous academic year: minimum grade of 3/5 of Finnish language studies

The amount of the scholarship for second-year students is 50% of the tuition fee.

Third year students:

the number of credits earned, minimum of 55 credits.
level A2.2 of Finnish proficiency gained during the previous academic year: minimum grade of 3/5 of Finnish language studies

The amount of the scholarship for third year students is 3000 €.

An incentive scholarship of EUR 500 will also be awarded if the student achieves the Finnish proficiency level of B1 in the National Language Proficiency certificate test (YKI). Student can take the test once during the studies funded by Karelia UAS. The procedures for conducting the test are described in separate instructions.

When student graduates within the time limit of the degree, she/ he will be awarded by scholarship:

International Business, 3,5 years, 2 250 €
Industrial Management, 4 years, 2 250 €
Information and Communication Technology, 4 years, 2 500 €

If student:

does not graduate during 3,5 years (International Business), 4 years (Industrial Management and ICT), s/he has a right to study one year immediately following this set of duration without a separate permit. Student is required to pay the tuition fee for exceeding semester. Scholarship will not be paid if study time exceeds 3,5 / 4 years.
graduates during the semester, the tuition fee paid will not be refunded,
is found guilty of plagiarism, the scholarship committee has the right to reclaim the scholarship.

Achieving the A2 level in Finnish language is possible by actively participating in the Finnish language studies according to curriculum.

Achieving the B1 level requires a student commitment and independent study of the Finnish language. Karelia requires students to be active in developing their Finnish language skills and encourages students to aim to level B1 by supporting and offering voluntary Finnish language studies in addition to compulsory studies.

Only one scholarship/academic year is available for completing the Finnish language proficiency, during the second and third study year. If student completes both skill levels in the same year, the second skill level complementation will be take into account to the following year.

Language level assessment is based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (CEFR).

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA area degree students

What does the tuition fee cover?

Exemption from the tuition fee

Collection of tuition fees

Refund policy

Schol­arship criteria as of 1.1.2023

Completion of the Finnish language proficiency levels A2 and B1

Scholarship criteria as of 1.1.2023