Education is free at all levels

In Finland, education is free for pupils and students at all levels. There are no tuition fees from pre-primary education through higher education. However, adult education may include fees in certain situations. In addition, students coming from outside the EU and EEA are required to pay tuition fees for degree programmes taught in English in higher education institutions. 

In pre-primary, primary, lower and upper secondary education, pupils receive textbooks, school meals, health and welfare services, and school transport free of charge when needed.

In higher education, students are responsible for purchasing their own learning materials or using public library services. Student meals and health and welfare services are subsidised by the state.

Share of private funding

In Finland, education is publicly funded at all levels. On the official education system, private funding only accounts for 2.6% of all expenditure in general.

In the case of pre-primary, basic and general upper secondary education the share of private funding is only 1%.

In upper secondary vocational education and training as well as higher education the proportion of private funding is 4%.

Expenditures in 2023

The expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was 5.4 in 2023 and the total amount was 14.6 billion euro. The share of total public expenditure devoted to education was 11,3 %

Expenditures of primary and lower secondary education made up the biggest share of current expenditure on education. 41% of the expenditures, nearly 6 billion euros was spent on the level. This is because the biggest age group - from 7- to 15-year-olds - take part in this level of education.

The second biggest share included university education and research, 19% were spent on this level. The next biggest share was devoted to vocational education, 15% were spent. 

Source: Statistics Finland