Free open higher education for young people

Key points of the debate

The debate addressed a pilot in which young people who have completed upper secondary education without securing a place for further study receive a study voucher for 30 credits of free open higher education studies. The aim of the proposal and the study voucher received broad cross-party support, but the discussion raised questions about the adequacy of funding, students' subsistence, and the exclusion of liberal adult education and foreign-language education from the pilot.

• –Does the study voucher compensation cover the actual costs of higher education institutions?
• –How will the subsistence and unemployment security of young people completing open studies be safeguarded?
• –Should liberal adult education institutions and foreign-language education have been included in the pilot?

• National Coalition PartyIn favour

  The study voucher provides young people who did not secure a study place with an important pathway to engage in higher education studies and accelerates the transition into further studies and working life.

  ”Opintoseteli on uusi keino avata toiselta asteelta valmistuneille nuorille ovia korkeakouluun.”

• Finns PartyIn favour

  The reform prevents youth marginalisation and falling through the cracks by offering a low-threshold, free pathway to study and try out different fields without losing first-time applicant status.

  ”Syksyllä saadaan voimaan uusi apukeino nuorille, jotka ovat jääneet ilman korkeakoulupaikkaa — ilmainen opintoseteli avoimiin opintoihin.”

• Swedish People's PartyIn favour

  The study voucher is an excellent way to keep young people engaged in studies and raise Finland's level of education, provided the pilot is communicated to young people effectively enough.

  ”Tässä on useassa puheenvuorossa tullut esiin se, että tämä on loistava keino nuorelle päästä kiinni opiskeluihin, mikäli paikka korkeakoulussa ei ole avautunut tai sitten ei ole saanut sitä mieluisaa paikkaa.”

• Social DemocratsIn favour

  The proposal is a good tool to keep young people engaged in studying and help them find their study path, even though challenges remain in the education system as a whole and in the adequacy of student intake numbers.

  ”Tämä opintoseteliasia on positiivinen asia ja tulee siihen tarpeeseen, kun nuoret ovat hakeneet toisen asteen opiskelujen jälkeen jatkokoulutuspaikkaa eivätkä ole sitä saaneet.”

• GreensIn favour with reservations

  The goal of the pilot is very commendable, but the allocated funding is insufficient, compensation per credit may burden the finances of higher education institutions, and liberal adult education and foreign-language studies were excluded without justification.

  ”On hyvä, että ilman opintopaikkaa jääneet nuoret saavat avoimen korkeakoulun kautta tuntumaa korkeakouluopintoihin.”

• Left AllianceIn favour with reservations

  Free studies are a good opportunity for young people, but there are concerns about subsistence during studies and unemployment security conditions, as well as the Government's general cuts to education.

  ”Hallituksen esittämän opintosetelikokeilun lähtökohdat ovat kannatettavia.”

This digest was generated by AI from 38 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record.