Search

The e-mail address info(a)oph.fi, which at the Finnish National Agency for Education was used for inquiries related to the exceptional times in recent years, has been deactivated. The centralized advisory address has been used for issues related to education, training and teaching during the corona pandemic and after the start of Russia's attack on Ukraine. We continue to serve at our regular advisory mail addresses, which are monitored by experts in our subject areas.

Student mobility in higher education has recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic, but the differences between universities and universities of applied sciences have increased. During the autumn term, university students have been going on international mobility periods as often as pre-COVID, but the mobility figures of universities of applied sciences are still lagging far behind pre-COVID figures. Overall student mobility figures remain well below peak years, having already started to decline before COVID.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to restrict student mobility in higher education as the number of outgoing and incoming students in Finland remained clearly lower than normal in autumn 2021. The spring term is anticipated to be slightly better.

Compared to the year before, the volume of international mobility at higher education institutions is set to increase in autumn semester 2021. This is one of the findings of a survey addressed by the...

The instructions of the Finnish Border Guard to passengers regarding entry to Finland during COVID-19 pandemic have been updated. The instructions are valid as of 7 June 2021 and will continue until 27 June 2021.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, higher education institutions have also had to cancel the majority of the student exchanges planned for the spring term. Especially the number of outgoing students from Finland remains lower than anticipated. On the other hand, virtual mobility has started to increase when a growing number of students complete their exchange studies remotely from their home country.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a considerable impact on international student mobility in higher education institutions (HEIs). In the course of this year, the Finnish National Agency for Education has investigated the situation by means of several surveys on the number of mobilities and the arrangements made by HEIs. The most recent survey revealed that coronavirus has in many ways complicated not only the situation of exchange students but also the situation of foreign degree students in HEIs.

The coronavirus situation has complicated the organisation of National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) tests. The YKI system is doing its best to ensure that a maximum number of candidates in need of the YKI certificate can sit the test as soon as possible. This certificate may be needed when applying for Finnish citizenship, a study place or a job, for example. In addition to YKI tests, language proficiency in Finnish and Swedish can be demonstrated in the Civil service language proficiency certificate system.

Student exchanges in Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs) continue during the autumn semester 2020. However, as a result of the COVID-19 situation, the number of both incoming and outgoing exchange students in Finland are much lower than in a normal situation. According to the HEIs’ estimates, the number of outgoing students from Finland will be only one quarter of what it was last autumn. The total number of incoming exchange students is also clearly lower than before, but some HEIs have even seen an increase in the number of incoming students.