Distance learning / tax relief?

jwoods · Post by **jwoods** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:53 pm

Hi!

I have been working full time here in Finland for 8 years now - and am considering distance studying for a degree with the Open University (UK) part time.

Does anyone know if I'd be entitled to any grants or tax relief?

Appreciate any tips or pointers! I'm pretty new to all this studying business

Cheers,

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Beep_Boop · Post by **Beep_Boop** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:36 pm

I'm probably not an expert, but as far as I know:

A- You don't get student assistance because it's not full-time study in Finland.
B- You don't get tax relief anyway even if you're a student in Finland. As far as I remember, I was paying under the exact tax rate formula before and after graduating.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:19 pm

jwoods wrote: I have been working full time here in Finland for 8 years now - and am considering distance studying for a degree with the Open University (UK) part time.

Does anyone know if I'd be entitled to any grants or tax relief?

"Sen sijaan peruskoulutuksesta ja tutkinnon suorittamiseen tai pätevöitymiseen tähtäävästä jatkokoulutuksesta aiheutuneita menoja on oikeuskäytännössä yleensä pidetty elantomenoina, jotka eivät ole verotuksessa vähennyskelpoisia."

https://www.vero.fi/fi-FI/Syventavat_ve ... sta(36667)

Because it results in a degree, tax deductions are not available.

Beep_Boop · Post by **Beep_Boop** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:39 pm

betelgeuse wrote:Because it results in a degree, tax deductions are not available.

It only applies to work-related professional certification that doesn't result in a degree, right?

jwoods · Post by **jwoods** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 1:33 pm

adnan wrote:I'm probably not an expert, but as far as I know:

A- You don't get student assistance because it's not full-time study in Finland.

Aha, but then this says "Studying for a degree in higher education constitutes full-time study." http://www.kela.fi/web/en/financial-aid ... -supported

And this says "You can also get financial help with studies that take place outside Finland" http://www.kela.fi/web/en/financial-aid ... ies-abroad

... but it's certainly not clear. I'd love to do the degree, but £2,700 per module is a bit out of my league at the moment if I have to fund it 100%.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 8:14 pm

I don't think Open University distance learning qualifies as "learning abroad". With the plethora of Universities offering degree courses and MOOCs (Coursera, Udacity etc etc) it would be very difficult to control that the "student" is actually engaged in study.

Why don't you apply to study in a Finnish university? There are degree programmes that are quite flexible (evenings, weekends, online modules etc).

I know a couple of people who have recently obtained degrees from the UK (one was with the Open Uni, the other was a Masters degree via blended remote learning + contact days) and, as far as I know, neither got tax relief or student grants.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 11:49 pm

adnan wrote:
betelgeuse wrote:Because it results in a degree, tax deductions are not available.
It only applies to work-related professional certification that doesn't result in a degree, right?

Check 2.1 here:

https://www.vero.fi/fi-FI/Syventavat_ve ... ssa(38602)

Main gist: "Oikeus- ja verotuskäytännössä vähennyskelpoisina on pidetty koulutusmenoja, jotka ovat aiheutuneet verovelvollisen työtehtävässä tarvittavan ammattitaidon ylläpitämisestä tai täydentämisestä."

Basically for tax deductions the training needs to be necessary for your work.

Certification is problematic because it gives you extra qualifications (2.2): "Muodollisen pätevyyden lisääntyminen johtaa yleensä koulutusmenojen vähennyskelvottomuuteen, vaikka koulutuksesta olisikin hyötyä henkilön nykyisessä tehtävässä. "

Querfeldein · Post by **Querfeldein** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 10:24 pm

The Open University is quite different from Coursera, even if there is some overlap: they award regular UK university degrees, at least on some courses. I suppose the tax relief would only reimburse a fraction of the tuition fees - and if you spent €4000 on fees and get tax relief to the tune of, say, €1800, that's hardy a license to print money.

It looks to me like the situation in Finland is very complicated, and depends on your particular circumstances and whether or not the programme is considered essential for your career development. This website lists plenty of cases with court rulings on this matter: http://www.vero.fi/fi-FI/Syventavat_ver ... ssa(19022)

If tax-deductibility is essential for you, I guess you should ask vero beforehand.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 11:55 pm

Querfeldein wrote: It looks to me like the situation in Finland is very complicated, and depends on your particular circumstances and whether or not the programme is considered essential for your career development. This website lists plenty of cases with court rulings on this matter: http://www.vero.fi/fi-FI/Syventavat_ver ... ssa(19022)

The link points to a deprecated guide. I already posted above the current version.

Querfeldein · Post by **Querfeldein** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:14 pm

Sorry - I had missed the notice at the top and the fact that the newer version you gave also contains a list of examples (in section 6).

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