The policy for children under 18 distinguishes between those arriving through “Family Ties” and those arriving specifically for “Study”. Minors under 18 who come to Finland on a Student Visa for upper secondary school must pay tuition fees.

Children accompanying adults under “Family Ties” residence permit are considered part of the “Compulsory Education”  group, are treated under Compulsory Study Law, and are exempt from tuition fees if they have not yet graduated from upper secondary school and are registered for long-term residence.

The concept of “long-term residency” is quite tricky. If children are accompanying you to Finland, you (adult students) must carefully research both the specific study programs and the actual timing of residency registration. This is crucial because it will directly impact your child’s legal stay and their eligibility for school enrollment.

Even for minors between the ages of 15 and nearly 18 who accompany their parents to Finland under the “Family Ties” category, families must be very cautious. Apart from the challenges of integrating into a new environment, parents need to prepare for the possibility of paying tuition fees for their children once they turn 18. This applies if the children do not meet residency requirements or other related conditions — in other words, if they are no longer covered under the current Compulsory Education Law.