Lessons Learned from Finland's Tuition Fee Trial from 2010–2014

Finland introduced a minimum annual tuition fee of €1,500 for non-EU/EEA students starting their studies in and after autumn 2017. The tuition fees apply to bachelor’s or master’s degree programmes offered in English, and there are no fees for doctoral studies or degree programmes offered in Finnish or Swedish. The Parliament decision was preceded by more than ten years of discussion and reflection on the matter, as well as a trial of tuition fees between 2010 and 2014. In this paper we discuss the implementation of the trial period, experiences gained and the possible impact on the internationalisation of degree education.