Changes in the liability status

Instructions on the steps to take if your liability to pay tuition fees at JYU changes.

Table of contents

Liability to pay tuition fees

The Finnish law requires that starting from 2017, universities charge tuition fees from degree-seeking non-EU/EEA students in Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes taught in a language other than Finnish or Swedish. However, certain kinds of residence permits exempt their holders from the liability to pay tuition fees, please see additional information below. More information on . 

At the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, no tuition is charged from students who:

  • are doing an exchange period or summer/winter school at JYU
  • study in a programme taught in Finnish or Swedish
  • have started their studies before 1 August 2017
  • study in a doctoral programme
  • are citizens of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland
  • are in possession of a valid residence permit in Finland of the type A (granted for a purpose other than studies), P, P-EU, EU Blue Card,  Brexit residence permit card (SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of residence under the withdrawal agreement or P SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of permanent residence under the withdrawal agreement ), or a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen.

During the admission process to our Bachelor's and Master’s programmes taught in English, the applicant’s liability to pay tuition fees is checked. Admitted students are informed of their liability status as of the beginning of their studies in the Letter of Admission. After that, the student's liability status is determined on a semester basis.

Please note, that if you were exempt from tuition fee liability based on the validity of your residence permit and your residence permit card expires before the end of your studies or your residence permit type changes, you must present a copy of your new residence permit by sending a  to degree-students@jyu.fi. In case you fail to do so or if your new residence permit no longer exempts you from paying the tuition fee, we will charge the tuition fee starting from the next semester after the expiration of your previous document.

Changes in the liability status

Students who are completing their Bachelor's or Master’s degree in English and have started their studies on 1 August 2017 or thereafter must inform the university immediately if their status changes so that they become liable to pay tuition fees, or become freed from the liability.

1. The student was liable for the tuition fee at the beginning of the studies and the liability is removed during the studies

When a student’s citizenship or the type of residence permit changes so that the student is freed from the tuition liability, the student shall immediately present an official document (a passport, a decision on citizenship, or a residence permit card) indicating the new status by sending a  to degree-students@jyu.fi. The University will not return study fees for the semester during which the liability status is changed. If the student has already paid the annual tuition fee that covers also the next semester, the fee for that semester will be returned.

2. The student was not liable to pay the tuition fee at the beginning of the studies, but becomes liable during the studies

When a student’s citizenship*) or the type of the residence permit changes so that the student becomes liable to pay tuition, the student shall immediately present an official document (a passport, a decision on granted citizenship, or a residence permit card) indicating the new status by sending a to degree-students@jyu.fi. The University will charge the tuition fee starting from the next semester after the status change.

*) For citizenship, this applies to situations where a new citizenship in a certain country requires abandoning the citizenship of another country. If a student has to give up the citizenship of Switzerland or an EU/EEA country and becomes a citizen of a country other than these, he/she needs to obtain a residence permit in order to stay in Finland. Once obtained, the residence permit must be presented as soon as possible. On the basis of the type of the permit, JYU will determine if the student has become liable to pay tuition fees.

Further information

Elizaveta Arzamastseva
International Coordinator
JYU International Office

/ degree-students@jyu.fi
T-building, 2nd floor (meetings by appointment only)

Information for students liable to pay tuition fees

Information on tuition fees, scholarship programme, registration, graduation, and other matters relevant for students liable to pay tuition fees.

Tuition fee payment and fee return policy

Information on tuition fees, the payment methods, and the fee return policy at JYU.