Finland’s study voucher will allow young people who did not secure a higher education place this year to complete up to 30 credits through the country’s open universities and universities of applied sciences free of charge. The new system became available in August as part of a government pilot intended to ease the transition between secondary and higher education.
Unlike regular degree programmes, Finland’s open higher education courses normally charge participation fees. The credits obtained can nevertheless be recognised as part of a later university degree, depending on the institution and programme.
Under the new scheme, the state will cover the cost of eligible courses offered through the open higher education system.
Who can receive Finland’s study voucher
The first 30-credit study vouchers are available to people who completed their first upper secondary or vocational qualification after 1 December 2025 and were under the age of 29 when they graduated.
Applicants must also have participated in Finland’s spring 2026 joint higher education application round without receiving a study place or without accepting an offer.
Eligible students do not need to submit a separate application. They can verify their entitlement and activate the voucher through the national Opin.fi platform, using Finland’s Suomi.fi electronic identification system.
The voucher can be used gradually or for several different courses. It remains valid for two years, and students may register for courses for as long as the voucher is active.
Free access to 30 credits of open higher education
The voucher covers up to 30 ECTS credits at Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences. Students can choose from thousands of courses collected on Opin.fi, which brings together the open education programmes of more than 30 higher education institutions.
The payment instrument applies to courses taught in Finnish or Swedish, although individual courses may include teaching in other languages. It cannot be used for courses that are only available through universities’ own online stores or for studies registered through separate admissions systems.
The programme is intended to give young people an opportunity to explore different academic subjects during a gap year or begin studies that may later count towards a degree.
According to the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, the objective is to reduce the pressure associated with choosing a field of study and help more young people begin higher education even when they do not immediately obtain a degree place.
A three-year higher education pilot
The study voucher forms part of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government programme to raise Finland’s overall education level. The pilot will cover young people completing their first secondary qualification between December 2025 and July 2028.
The government allocated €18.6 million for 2026 and approximately €56 million for the 2026–2028 period, according to Finland’s supplementary budget plans.
The temporary legislation governing the scheme entered into force on 1 August 2026. Eligible students were able to activate their vouchers on 4 August and begin registering for courses through Opin.fi from 5 August.
The first years of the programme will show whether free access to open higher education helps reduce repeated applications and provides a more effective bridge into degree studies. Its results may also contribute to the wider European debate on how education systems can support young people who remain outside university after completing secondary school.
