International mobility of higher education students continued to increase in 2025

Of the total number of outbound mobility periods, 4,970 were short-term mobility periods, which is 24% more than in 2024. The total number of long-term mobility periods, meaning periods of three months or longer, was thus 6,780. The number remained at approximately the 2024 level.   

In 2025, Finnish higher education institutions recorded a total of 12,180 inbound exchange students or trainees. The number of inbound mobility periods has also increased somewhat from the previous year, which is explained by the increase in the number of short-term mobility periods.  

In 2025, international student mobility in Finland also increased in relative terms. In relation to the number of new students, 12% of university of applied sciences students and 21% of university students go on mobility periods during their studies.  

The number of short-term mobility periods has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels, while the number of long-term mobility periods is still far from the pre-pandemic peak years.   

University students go on long mobility periods, while university of applied sciences students favour short mobility periods  

Of the outbound mobility periods of Finnish university students, 79% are longer than three months. Long-term mobility periods continue to grow in popularity. In Finnish universities of applied sciences, 66% of all outbound mobility periods are short-term, and the number is increasing every year.  

In universities of applied sciences, international student mobility is concentrated in three major fields. The number of mobility periods for studies and traineeships is highest in the field of business and administration; followed by health and welfare; and engineering, manufacturing and construction. These fields account for 68% of outbound mobility periods and 76% of inbound mobility periods. Students in the field of health and welfare almost exclusively go on short-term mobility periods.  

In universities, student mobility is spread across a wider range of fields, being highest in the fields of business and administration; social sciences; and engineering, manufacturing and construction. Relative to the number of students, students in the field of arts and culture are the most active in accruing study experience abroad, both in universities and universities of applied sciences.  

Student mobility for studies concentrated to European countries 

European countries account for 73% of the long-term mobility periods and 89% of the short-term mobility periods of Finnish higher education students. The second most common destination is Asia, which accounts for 17% of long-term mobility periods. The third most popular destination is North America for long-term mobility (5%) and Africa for short-term mobility (3%). 

Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and France are the most common countries for both outbound and inbound mobility. Germany and the Netherlands have become increasingly popular especially for short-term mobility, both inbound and outbound.   

Popularity of short-term mobility explained by Erasmus+ funding 

Approximately two thirds of outbound mobility periods are funded by the EU's Erasmus+ programme: 70% of the mobility periods of university of applied sciences students and 63% of the mobility periods of university students are funded by the programme. University students are more likely than university of applied sciences students to go on mobility periods through the Nordic Nordplus programme, their institutions' own agreements and arrangements made by the students themselves. 

The popularity of short-term mobility periods is to a large extent explained by Erasmus+ funding. The programme allows for short, blended mobility periods, which often involve spending just a week abroad. 

In the 2021–2027 Erasmus+ programme period, all short-term and long-term mobility periods for studies and traineeships can be implemented as blended mobilities, meaning a combination of physical mobility with a virtual component. Blended mobilities account for 17% of outbound mobility periods and 14% of inbound mobility periods in Finland, in addition to which 41% of short-term mobility periods also include virtual mobility. Blended mobility periods are more common in universities of applied sciences than in universities.  

International competence is a necessity in today's world of work 

Every higher education graduate should be provided with the opportunity to acquire international competence during their studies. The Finnish National Agency for Education supports the promotion of international mobility, especially through mobility funding programmes and information and advice services.  

The Finnish National Agency for Education has commissioned a study from the University of Turku that will comprehensively examine the extent of blended short-term student mobility for studies, its perceived benefits and the competence and impact that it produces. The results of the study will be published in May 2026.  

In 2025, Finnish higher education institutions, together with higher education stakeholders, prepared a set of recommendations to increase international mobility. The recommendations apply in particular to mobility periods abroad that are part of higher education degrees and qualifications.  

More information:

Anni Kallio
Lead Adviser (International higher education cooperation)
+358 295 338 696
anni.kallio [at] oph.fi (anni[dot]kallio[at]oph[dot]fi)

Irma Garam
Senior Specialist (statistics)
+358 295 338 549
irma.garam [at] oph.fi (irma[dot]garam[at]oph[dot]fi)

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