Finland

Persons permanently living in Finland, having a full-time employment relationship with the same employer for at least one year, or whose pension-insured entrepreneurship has lasted for at least one year may receive state-funded contributions to their costs for education and training. The maximum allowance period is 19 months if the applicant has a working history of at least 8 years. The amount of the allowance consists of a base amount and a wage-based amount. The monthly base contribution is approx. EUR 705 and the wage-based contribution amounts to 45% of the difference between the monthly wage and the base contribution. The eligible education and training activities include studies leading to a degree, but also vocational further or continued training organised by a Finnish educational institution under public supervision. The education and training take place during an unpaid study leave of at least two months.

Companies employing former unemployed to prepare for a vocational examination while working as an apprentice can apply for a subsidy to municipal employment authorities. The employer pays wages and receives reimbursement. The amount of subsidy from municipal employment authorities to companies is based on the length of unemployment and covers 30% (less than 1-year unemployment), 40% (at least 1 year of unemployment), or 50% (at least 2 years of unemployment) of the payroll costs for a period not exceeding 12 months. No preferential treatment is applied. There is no limitation to re-use the grant.

Employer funds training, the employee provides (partial) repayment eligible training costs in case of premature departure from the company. All employers are eligible for this scheme. No preferential treatment is applied.

Persons with at least five years of working history in Finland, independent of their current employment status can apply for this grant. The eligible education and training activities include all kinds of vocational examinations. If the tests of competence are passed after 1 August 2013, the amount of the scholarship will be EUR 390. If the qualification the person has got is his or her first qualification, the amount of the scholarship will be EUR 450. Scholarship for qualified employees is provided by the Education Fund, which is administered by the social partners of the Finnish Labour market.

If an individual taxpayer completes a higher education degree within the targeted time, a portion of the student loan will be compensated, either as a student loan compensation or as a student loan tax deduction, depending on when the education was started. The goal of the scheme is to encourage students to graduate within the target time. The student loan compensation is 40% of the qualifying debt exceeding EUR 2 500. The student loan tax deduction is 30% of the qualifying debt exceeding EUR 2 500.

Finnish students can apply for a study grant from Kela to cover their living costs. Finnish students can also take up a study loan in order to cover their living costs. The cost-sharing element is a government guarantee for these student loans, which also allows banks to use lower interest rates. Student financial aid is available for full-time post-comprehensive school studies lasting at least 8 weeks at an upper secondary school, folk high school, vocational school or institution of higher education. Student aid is also available for studies abroad. No preferential treatment is applied. The amount of study grant depends on age, housing circumstances, marital status and education/school. The interest and other terms connected to the study loan are agreed upon between the bank and the student. The recommended period for payback of the loan is twice the duration of studies. The maximum repayment period is 30 years.

The employer may deduct the training costs arising from training based on a specific training plan developed. It is a prerequisite for tax reduction that the employer has developed a training plan for employees. The amount of the training deduction is calculated by multiplying the average daily wage of the company's employees by the number of training days entitled to the training deduction, and dividing the income thus obtained by 2. The scheme can be re-used once in each calendar year.

Expenses related to educational activities for the maintenance of professional or vocational skills, such as course fees and study materials, are deductible in the personal income tax. Training provided by the employer is usually regarded as tax-free for the employee. Eligible costs reduce taxable income and thereby the tax due according to the applicable marginal tax rates (between 6 % and 31.25 %) for incomes above EUR 17 200. The tax incentive can be re-used once in each calendar year.

All employees, private and public, are entitled to up to 2 years of study leave over a period of 5 years. Study leave is unpaid unless agreed otherwise with the employer. Study leave may be interrupted under certain conditions. Employees on leave receive a grant (adult education allowance). In combination, paid leave is available. The study must either take the form of government-sponsored training in Finland or abroad or be a course of training organised by a trade union.

Persons belonging to the specific target groups of migrants, unemployed persons, pensioners and senior citizens, persons with special educational needs and persons with no post-compulsory education can apply for this scheme. In summer universities, the voucher subsidy is used to support persons who have dropped out of university. The eligible activities include nearly all kinds of education and training measures. The subsidies are given to the educational institutions in order to enable them to significantly lower or totally compensate tuition fees for students belonging to the specified target groups.