Statistics Finland reveals that 6.7 per cent of students in higher education dropped out of school during the 2020/2021 academic year.
According to the same source, the discontinuance percentage of young people in the upper secondary level was four per cent, 12.6 per cent among students in vocational education, 7.4 per cent in the university of applied sciences and Bachelor’s and Master’s degree standing at 5.7, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Research of 2,500 respondents by E2 Tutkimus institute found that 47 per cent of international students in Finland intend to discontinue their studies despite the good experiences.
“Regardless of their background, many international talents living in Finland come across the fact that employers do not value skills acquired abroad, it is difficult to access networks, and family members’ adjustment difficulties hinder adjustment to life in Finland,” the report explains.
Similarly, 39 per cent of foreign professionals in the country said they don’t plan to remain there after graduation, compared to 43 per cent of the students that aim to pursue their careers in Finland after finishing their studies.
About 86 per cent of international students that participated in the research claimed they had settled quickly in the country. Students also pointed out three main reasons for picking Finland as their study destination – high-quality, the standard of living and the closeness to nature.
The survey also revealed that 87 per cent of respondents said they are satisfied with their education in the country but remain sceptical about their chances to pursue their careers in the country.
About a third of students, representing 32 per cent, consider their career opportunities in Finland to be weak, while another 32 per cent need support with job search training to connect with companies in Finland and learn the language.
One of the main issues because students in Finland don’t plan to stay in the country has to do with social matters. Almost half of the international experts and 43 per cent of students who plan to remain and work in Finland say it is hard to make friends in the country. Another 31 per cent of Finns who have gone abroad have issues finding friends and settling back home.
On the other hand, the number of foreign students in Finland will increase by 54 per cent in the upcoming years. In addition, the Finnish Immigration Service revealed that 7,060 applicants from outside the EU obtained first-time residence permits, up from 4,595 applicants in 2021.
Source : Schengenvisainfo
