Last Sunday, Yle’s investigative journalism program MOT published a short documentary and article on the situation of international students in Finland who pay tuition fees. Some students arrive in Finland without a realistic understanding of studying, living, and employment opportunities. Recruitment companies and agents used by universities often provide students with misleading information, particularly regarding the job market. Students make significant financial decisions based on this false information, with some even taking out loans or using their own and their families’ savings to study in Finland.
There are major issues in how agents operate: some work without contracts, oversight is weak, and financial gain drives their actions. According to MOT, universities typically pay agents around €1,000 per recruited student, while agents may also charge students additional fees amounting to several thousand euros. Although some universities have expressed zero tolerance for unethical agent practices, practical monitoring and enforcement remain insufficient.
While unmonitored recruitment companies and agents are a major problem, it is also important to consider how decisions made by the Finnish government have exacerbated the issue. Tuition fee increases have coincided with cuts in government funding for universities, making them increasingly dependent on paying students. This intensifies competition and creates a market that particularly benefits recruitment companies and agents. The Finnish government should understand how past decisions have accelerated the problem and consider how far this development can go.
Universities and Finnish society as a whole have a responsibility toward international students. Over a year ago, Finnish universities jointly established an ethical guideline for international education agents, providing clear principles for honest and responsible practices. The guideline obliges universities to ensure that students receive a realistic picture of living costs, financing, and employment opportunities.
“Finland cannot build its educational brand internationally on the suffering of students. If international students and skilled talent continue to be treated dismissively in Finland, can we realistically expect to remain competitive in the international higher education market or to maintain Finland and Finnish higher education as attractive for long?” declares Helga’s chairperson, Kangasmaa.
Haaga-Helia Student Union Helga calls for immediate action to alleviate the difficulties faced by current students and ensure that the recruitment of future students is ethical and responsible.
Helga’s solutions:
- Universities must take greater responsibility for recruiting international students. They must ensure that the education agents they use follow the ethical guidelines and terminate contracts if the guidelines are violated.
- Employment opportunities for international students must be strengthened, and sufficient financial and mental support must be guaranteed for those in difficult situations.
- Higher education funding should not rely on competition and tuition fees but must be sustainable, extending beyond government terms and securing long-term development.
