University of Oulu Scholarships 2026 Finland | How to Apply

Most listings for this scholarship describe it simply as a “partial scholarship,” which technically isn’t wrong but leaves out the one detail that actually determines how much you’ll pay to study in Finland: the University of Oulu’s international scholarship isn’t a single fixed amount — it’s a tiered tuition fee waiver, covering 50, 75, or 100 percent of your fees depending specifically on which programme you’re admitted into.

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The 2026/2027 application window closed on January 21, 2026, and admitted students are now working through Finland’s academic calendar for the year ahead. If you’re planning ahead for 2027/2028, the University of Oulu has already confirmed its next deadline with unusual precision, which makes this one of the easier scholarships on this list to plan a serious application around.

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Understanding Oulu’s Scholarship Structure

The University of Oulu is one of Finland’s larger research universities, based in the city of Oulu in the country’s north, with roughly 16,000 students and a research profile built around applying science and technology to real-world problems. Its international scholarship scheme exists specifically to offset tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students, since students from within the EU, EEA, or Switzerland don’t pay tuition fees at Finnish universities in the first place and therefore aren’t eligible for this particular scholarship — there’s simply no fee for it to offset.

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For everyone else, the scholarship works as a graduated tuition fee waiver rather than a flat award. Two-year International Master’s programmes under the Oulu Business School generally receive a 50 per cent tuition fee waiver, with one specific exception — the Master’s Programme in Business Analytics, where a full 100 per cent waiver is available.

Two-year International Master’s programmes outside the Business School, along with the university’s five-year International Bachelor’s programmes, generally receive a 75 per cent waiver instead. None of this applies to your first year of study regardless of programme — as the original programme materials note correctly, first-year students receive no scholarship at all, only an Early Bird tuition discount for paying promptly after admission. The actual scholarship becomes available starting in your second year of study, and only if you’ve met a minimum academic progress requirement in your first year.

University of Oulu Scholarships Summary

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for admission and scholarship consideration at the University of Oulu, applicants generally need to meet the following:

• You must hold, or be completing, a qualification that makes you eligible for the level of study you’re applying to — a qualification giving eligibility for higher education for Bachelor’s applicants, or a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent worth a minimum of 180 ECTS credits for Master’s applicants
• You must meet the specific language requirements attached to your chosen degree level, since Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes carry separate language proficiency standards
• Final-year students, still completing their previous degree, may apply, provided their previous or current qualification gives eligibility for the level they’re applying to in their country of education
• You must be able to prove a high level of English language proficiency through one of the university’s approved testing or documentation methods
• You must satisfy every eligibility condition during the actual application period itself, not simply by the time your programme begins
• For the scholarship specifically, rather than admission alone, you must be liable to pay the international tuition fee — meaning citizens of EU/EEA countries or Switzerland, who don’t pay tuition fees at Finnish universities, are not eligible for this particular scholarship, regardless of academic strength

Because the scholarship application isn’t a separate process from your degree application, meeting these criteria and applying through the correct channel by the deadline effectively covers both steps at once.

What the Scholarship Actually Covers

Rather than a single benefit, the scholarship’s value depends entirely on which programme you’re admitted into:

• A 50 per cent tuition fee waiver for the university’s two-year International Master’s programmes under the Oulu Business School
• A full 100 per cent tuition fee waiver specifically for the Master’s Programme in Business Analytics, the one named exception within the Business School’s programmes
• A 75 per cent tuition fee waiver for two-year International Master’s programmes outside the Business School, and for the university’s five-year International Bachelor’s programmes
• Access to the University of Oulu’s research services, experts, and facilities, alongside your academic programme, given the university’s strong emphasis on applied and industry-connected research
• No scholarship in your first year of study, only an Early Bird discount available if you pay your tuition fee within three weeks of your admission results being published
• Continuation into subsequent years, conditional on completing a minimum number of ECTS credits, generally in the range of 55 to 60 credits, by the end of the previous academic year — the exact figure has varied slightly by source and programme, so confirm your specific requirement directly once admitted

Because the scholarship is a fee waiver rather than a cash award, it reduces what you owe rather than paying out to you directly, and it can only be received once during your studies at Oulu.

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Required Documents

Applications and scholarship consideration are submitted together through Finland’s national application portal, Studyinfo.fi, rather than through a separate scholarship-specific system:

• Proof of language skills, matched to your degree level’s specific requirements
• A copy of your transcript of records
• A copy of your degree certificate, if you’ve already graduated
• Official translations of any documents not already in English, Finnish, or Swedish
• Programme-specific attachments, where your chosen programme requires them
• A copy of your passport or national identity card

Because the application and scholarship review happen through the same submission, there’s no separate scholarship form to track down — completing your Studyinfo.fi application thoroughly and accurately is what puts you in consideration for the tuition waiver alongside your degree admission itself.

How to Apply for the Next Cycle

The University of Oulu runs this process through Finland’s centralised national admissions system, and the steps have stayed consistent across recent cycles:

1. Confirm which specific programme you’re targeting, since your scholarship tier — 50 per cent, 75 per cent, or 100 per cent — depends directly on that choice.
2. Complete your online application through Studyinfo.fi during the official application period, which for the 2027/2028 cycle is expected to run up to the confirmed January 19, 2027 deadline.
3. Upload scanned copies of your educational documents and any programme-specific attachments required for your chosen degree.
4. Submit proof of your English language proficiency through one of the university’s approved testing or documentation methods.
5. Ensure every document is fully verified and complete before the deadline, since Finnish university applications are generally reviewed strictly against submitted materials rather than allowing late additions.
6. Attend an entrance examination if you’re invited to one, since some programmes at Oulu use additional assessment beyond the initial document review.
7. If admitted, pay close attention to the separate tuition fee payment deadline that follows admission — generally in early July — since missing it can affect both your enrolment and any Early Bird discount you’d otherwise qualify for.

Application Deadline

The 2026/2027 application window closed on January 21, 2026, at 15:00 (GMT+2). The University of Oulu has already confirmed its next cycle’s deadline with unusual precision: applications for the 2027/2028 academic year close on January 19, 2027, at 15:00 (GMT+2). This is one of the more reliably announced deadlines among European university scholarships, giving applicants a genuinely confirmed date to plan against rather than an estimate based on past patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the University of Oulu Scholarship still open for 2026/2027?

No. The application window closed on January 21, 2026. The confirmed deadline for the next cycle, 2027/2028, is January 19, 2027, at 15:00 (GMT+2).

Does this scholarship cover the full cost of tuition?

It depends on your programme. Two-year Master’s programmes under the Oulu Business School generally receive a 50 per cent waiver, with the Business Analytics Master’s specifically eligible for a full 100 per cent waiver. Other Master’s programmes and the five-year Bachelor’s programmes generally receive a 75 per cent waiver.

Can EU or EEA citizens apply for this scholarship?

Not meaningfully. Citizens of EU/EEA countries or Switzerland don’t pay tuition fees at Finnish universities in the first place, so this particular scholarship, which offsets tuition fees, doesn’t apply to them regardless of academic merit.

Do first-year students receive any scholarship support?

No. First-year students are only eligible for an Early Bird tuition discount, available if the tuition fee is paid within three weeks of admission results being published. The tuition fee waiver itself begins from the second year of study, conditional on meeting a minimum credit requirement in the first year.

Is there a separate application for the scholarship, or is it part of my degree application?

It’s part of the same application. Scholarship consideration is submitted alongside your Bachelor’s or Master’s application through Studyinfo.fi, with no separate scholarship-specific form required.

What happens if I don’t complete enough credits in my first year?

Retaining the scholarship into subsequent years requires completing a minimum number of ECTS credits, generally around 55 to 60, by the end of the previous academic year. Falling short of that threshold can affect your continued eligibility, so confirm the exact figure for your specific programme once admitted.

Disclaimer: All programme details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the University of Oulu’s official website before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the University of Oulu.

Official Application Portal