Record number of foreign students apply to Finnish universities this autumn

One in five of applications come from Nigeria

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This year a record number of foreign students have applied to study at Finnish universities. Applications for the universities' upcoming autumn course-programmes were received from 7,170 students, an increase of some 2,000 applicants over last year.
     
However, only some 20 per cent of them - 1,484 foreign students - were admitted to universities, compared with around 27 per cent in previous autumns. Furthermore, only around 1,100 of the applicants eventually enrolled as students. In addition, the universities accommodate almost 5,000 exchange students every year.
      One-fifth of the foreign applications - more than 1,500 - came from Nigeria. The next largest groups of applicants were from Cameroon, China, Ghana, and India. Also last year the largest groups of applications came from these same five countries, with the Nigerians being the largest contingent of all.
      This year, even at the University of Helsinki, comfortably the largest group of foreign applicants were from Nigeria, representing around one-third of all applications.
     
"We have always received a large number of applications from Nigeria and also from other African countries, but this year the number of Nigerians is really striking", comments Robert Ramberg of the University's International Student Services.
      Ramberg says that the Nigeria boom started already last year, and based on the number of enquiries, the Nigerians are still very interested in Finland. Regrettably, the Nigerian applications are usually unsatisfactory, as they lack the necessary certificates. "This year we could forward only a few of the Nigerian applications to the faculties who make the final choices", Rambert explains .
     
This is not the first year when a large number of applications are received from one particular country.
      "While having a constant China boom, with excellent applications including all the necessary enclosures, we have also had Bangladesh and Morocco booms", Robert Ramberg adds.
      According to Head of International AffairsMarkus Laitinen, foreign students are attracted particularly by the fact that there are no tuition fees for foreign students who come to study in Finnish universities. However, a large number of applicants just wish to enter the Schengen area.
     
"We have noticed in previous years that in some countries there are offices who write and send applications on behalf of people. This has become self-evident as several applicants have sent certain documents, for example motivational letters, with identical contents", Laitinen reports, suggesting that applications have become almost an industrial activity.
      "Once the applicants notice that this kind of organised activity is not successful, the number of such applications decreases", Laitinen notes.
     
A total of 2,500 foreign applicants filled in the electronic application form of the University of Helsinki, while only some 1,500 of them were delivered with a signature. The faculties sent invitation letters to those slightly over 300 students who had been selected to take part in the entrance examinations, and around 100 of them were admitted as students.
      "While there is no shortage of foreign applications, we may have a shortage of good foreign applicants in the future", Laitinen concludes.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Study: Foreign students isolated from Finnish society (28.11.2005)
  More and more higher education courses in Finland are taught in English (4.8.2005)
  Committee to study tuition fees for foreign students in Finland (24.2.2005)

Links:
  The University of Helsinki

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