New study voucher opens doors to higher education for young people without a study place for free 

The new study voucher will be introduced on 5 August 2026. The voucher offers 30 study credits in higher education free of charge to young people who graduated from upper secondary education but who were not able to get a study place. The objective of this three-year trial, implemented by the Ministry of Education and Culture, is to offer easier access to higher education studies and to help young people find studies that suit them. 

Each year, when the results of the joint application process come out, thousands of young people are left without the study place they worked hard to get. A fixed-term study voucher trial will begin in Finland in August 2026 to bring relief to the situation and to offer youth more opportunities to make use of gap years. 

The study voucher is an electronic payment method valued at 30 study credits that a young person can use to pay for open Finnish- or Swedish-language studies at Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences. The voucher is available to under 29-year-olds who have completed their first upper secondary studies (matriculation examination or vocational qualification) after 1 December 2025 and applied for studies in the joint application process in spring 2026 but who did not get or did not accept a study place. 

Risk-free way to try higher education studies 

The study voucher offers the chance to explore different fields of study and, in general, try studying at a higher education institute without taking financial risks or worrying about running out of months of student financial aid. 

“The Study Voucher gives young people the opportunity to take the next step toward their goals. Even if a study place was not secured this time, there is no need to put plans on hold. With the Study Voucher, students can confidently explore different fields of study, discover their own path, and build their future based on their interests. At the same time, they can complete up to 30 ECTS credits of higher education studies before starting a degree programme,” encourages Katariina Husman, Service Manager for Continuous Learning at Laurea University of Applied Sciences.

The voucher is valid for two years after it has been activated and can be spent flexibly at the student’s own pace.  

All services in one place: Opin.fi 

Activate and use the study voucher through the Opin.fi service. Opin.fi is a joint service for Finnish higher education institutions that brings together the open study offerings from 37 universities and universities of applied sciences in one place. Thousands of courses are available through the service, allowing voucher recipients broad opportunities to try studies from different fields and higher education institutions. 

You can check if you are entitled to a study voucher in the Opin.fi service starting from 5 August 2026. Logging in to the service is secure with Suomi.fi e-Identification, and young people entitled to the study voucher can start using it immediately by activating it. Students select and enrol in the courses covered by the study voucher directly in the service. 

What is the study voucher? 

• Value: 30 study credits for open higher education studies (free of charge for the recipient). 

• For whom: For under 29-year-olds who have completed their first upper secondary studies (matriculation examination or vocational qualification) after 1 December 2025 and applied for studies in the joint application process in spring 2026 but who did not get or did not accept a study place.  

• Validity: Two years from the date of issue. 

• Available for which studies: Open Finnish- or Swedish-language studies (from over 30 universities and universities of applied sciences) that are listed in the Opin.fi service. 

• How it works: Check your right to a voucher and activate it at Opin.fi from 5 August 2026 onwards. 

• Background details: A fixed-term trial by the Ministry of Education and Culture which will run until 2028.