Can I study Masters for free?

ailuj · Post by **ailuj** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 10:38 pm

I am a Canadian living in Helsinki with a 4 year working permit. I just got laid off of my job.

So now I am interested in continuing my studies, and am looking at the Masters of Arts program at the Univeristy of Art and Deisgn Helsinki. I already have a degree from Canada. Does anyone know if I am eligable to study my masters for free?? Is it so that if an international studies their masters in Finland it is free? Also, is it possible to change my work permit into a study permit or do I even need to?

Any advice would be great!

**Sponsor:**

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 10:58 pm

yes its free, but the problem is really to get in...

raamv · Post by **raamv** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:17 pm

and if you are not a permanent resident, then you will also need to provide proof of living expenses here per year.

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:12 am

Some charge and some don't I think. But in the end then you just gotta be able to get in. Also what about your residence permit? Is it valid for the full time that you are wanting to study or are you going to have to renew it? A working permit and study permit are different. On the other hand, I don't think anyone is going to come looking for you if you are studying instead of working while you have a working residence permit

If you have the means to live here and get into the school, why not go for it ! Good luck.

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:30 pm

jas_rho wrote:... On the other hand, I don't think anyone is going to come looking for you if you are studying instead of working while you have a working residence permit ...

Don't under estimate the power of bureaucracy in Finland.

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:42 pm

rinso wrote:
jas_rho wrote:... On the other hand, I don't think anyone is going to come looking for you if you are studying instead of working while you have a working residence permit ...
Don't under estimate the power of bureaucracy in Finland.

Hehe yeah I have to agree with you on that. It's true that anything could happen. I have had so much fun with the bureaucracy here. But seriously when I graduated from school here back in the day, I wanted to stay but didn't have a job and obviously needed a job to stay so I got my buddy to sign the papers saying they needed specifically me to work for them even though in reality they didn't have so much work for me. I then did odd jobs here and there for cash and a few months after I got the work permit I ended up getting a totally different type of job then what the permit was for but didn't bother to go change it. I got lucky and they never contacted me or called me up to say it was time to fly back home

But yeah, you never know what might happen to you here with all the bureaucracy. It always depends on who you deal with and what kind of mood they are in that day!

Rabs · Post by **Rabs** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 3:32 pm

jas_rho wrote:But yeah, you never know what might happen to you here with all the bureaucracy. It always depends on who you deal with and what kind of mood they are in that day!

and one should see it coming.... as soon as one hears bureaucrat goes... 'but the rule says.....

Mashha · Post by **Mashha** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:20 pm

yeah but i heard this is the last year u can get it for free, from autumn 2010 schools will not be free of charge any more.
Thats what I heard,

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:54 pm

Mashha wrote:yeah but i heard this is the last year u can get it for free, from autumn 2010 schools will not be free of charge any more.
Thats what I heard,

In that case you heard wrong.
"Tutkinto-opetus säilyy maksuttomana. Lakiuudistus antaa kuitenkin kokeiluna mahdollisuuden periä lukukausimaksua erillisiin maisteriohjelmiin osallistuvilta EU/ETA-maiden ulkopuolelta tulevilta opiskelijoilta edellyttäen, että järjestelyyn sisältyy apurahaohjelma."
http://translate.google.com

And that new university law is still a proposition, not yet a law. (Although it is probably going to pass and then there are going to be some programs that you have to pay for).

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