Plan your Finnish language studies
STEP 1: Where do you need Finnish?
Start learning Finnish as soon as you arrive in Finland, so that you already have a basic command of Finnish by the time you graduate. This will enhance your chances on the labour market and your integration into Finnish society. Think about the situations in which you will need Finnish in the future. Look at the examples below and select all that apply.
1. In what situations do you need Finnish in everyday life?
- In service situations (e.g., at a store, in a restaurant)
- During leisure time and hobbies
- With family and friends
2. In what situations do you need Finnish on campus?
- During courses and group work
- In your guild’s club rooms and at events
- In UniSport group exercise classes
- In language clubs and language buddy activities
- In chat groups with fellow students
- At lunch with course mates
3. In what situations do you need Finnish at work?
- During lunch breaks and in the break room
- In meetings
- In customer interactions
- While networking
- In communication
- In job interviews
STEP 2: Plan your Finnish studies
- Familiarise yourself with Aalto’s Finnish course offerings and example study paths below.
For more detailed course descriptions, see: Finnish courses. - Choose a suitable starting course for yourself and plan your own schedule on the table.
- Please note that the courses are popular, so a place in the course cannot be guaranteed.
- Students from outside the EU: You can apply for a permanent residence permit once you have completed 15 ECTS of Finnish during your higher education studies. Read more here: 15 credits Finnish studies open a path to permanent residence. - Explore Finnish-language activities in your own guild and on campus (e.g., student events, conversation clubs, Finnish-speaking course mates, UniSport classes taught in Finnish). How can you make use of these activities in learning Finnish? Write your ideas on your personal study plan table.
Finnish language course offering
Example study paths for Finnish
Model path during the Bachelor’s degree |
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| Course | Credits | ||
| 1. academic year | Autumn | Finnish 1 | 3 |
| Spring | Finnish 2 | 3 | |
| Finnish Conversation 1 | 1 | ||
| 2. academic year | Autumn | Finnish 3 | 3 |
| Spring | Finnish 4 | 3 | |
| Finnish Conversation 2 | 1 | ||
| 3. academic year | Autumn | Finnish 5 | 3 |
| Spring | Finnish 6 | 3 | |
| Total 20 cr | |||
Model path during Master’s studies |
|||
| Course | Credits | ||
| 1. academic year | Autumn | Finnish i 1 intensive | 3 |
| Finnish 2 intensive | 3 | ||
| Spring | Finnish Conversation 1 | 1 | |
| Finnish 3 | 3 | ||
| 2. academic year | Autumn | Finnish 4 | 3 |
| Finnish Conversation 2 | 1 | ||
| Spring | Finnish 5 | 3 | |
| Total 17 cr | |||
My personal study plan for Finnish
My personal study plan for Finnish |
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| Semester | Course | Credits | Outside the course |
Download the personal study plan template and fill it in: Study plan template (word).
STEP 3: Add the courses in Sisu
- Add the courses to your study plan in Sisu.
A guide on how to make a personal study plan here. - Where do these studies fit in your degree?
Can you make them a minor: Finnish as a second language minor (15-25 ECTS)?
Will the courses, for example, go under elective studies?
See Student Guide and if necessary, contact your coordinator. - Register for the next course.
See the courses below: Finnish courses.
More information
The links take you to Sisu.
The list will be updated in August.
There were amendments to the Aliens Act in Finland in January 2026. According to the amended Aliens Act, you can apply for a permanent residence permit in Finland, if
- you have completed a bachelor’s, a master’s or a doctoral degree at a Finnish university, and
- you can prove the level of your Finnish or Swedish language skills is ‘developing’. You can prove the language skills by completing at least 15 credits of Finnish or Swedish language studies at a higher education institution in Finland. The language studies do not have to be included in your degree.
- You meet the other requirements for a .
Please note that to prove your developing language skills, you need to have completed Finnish or Swedish language courses; it is not enough if you have completed other courses in these languages. In addition, the credits need to be completed in either Finnish or in Swedish, meaning that you cannot combine both languages to reach the 15 credits. More information on the .