What is a study voucher?

A study voucher is a benefit that you can use to pay for studies offered in the Opin.fi service. These studies are part of the Open UAS. With the voucher, you can study up to 30 ECTS credits for free in subjects that interest you. The voucher is valid for two years from the time when all results of the joint application have been published.

Please note that the law concerning the study voucher is currently under review until April 10, so some details may still change.

Can I get a study voucher?

You can get a study voucher to use in August 2026 if:

  • You completed your first upper secondary qualification after 1 December 2025,
  • You were under 29 years old on the day you graduated, and
  • You applied in the joint application in spring 2026, but did not receive a study place at a higher education institution or did not accept the place offered to you.

You can check if you are eligible for the study voucher and activate it after 4 August in the Opin.fi service.

Why should I use a study voucher?

A study voucher gives you a free chance to:

  • explore different fields of study
  • try what studying at a university of applied sciences is like
  • clarify your future study plans
  • strengthen your readiness to apply for a degree programme
  • build useful skills for the future

Studies completed at the Open UAS can later be credited as part of your degree studies.

Studying at Open UAS does not affect your first-time applicant status in the joint application to higher education.

Study Voucher for Metropolia Open UAS

With a study voucher, you can take courses at Metropolia Open UAS.

At Metropolia, we will design ready-made study packages for you in the following fields:

  • Culture
  • Business
  • Social and Health Care
  • Technology

You can also choose from a wide range of individual Open UAS courses. You can use these studies to try out higher education, explore a field that interests you, or move step by step towards degree studies.

The autumn 2026 course selection will be published in May 2026.

Not sure yet what you would like to study?

At Metropolia, you can get guidance to help you choose the right studies. Talk about your study options with our career counsellor.

Book a free discussion time through our booking calendar

You can explore different fields or gain confidence in your study choice with our free peek courses. These courses are flexible and usually worth 1–2 ECTS credits.

Take a look at the Peek course selection

The Open UAS also offers other free courses that do not require a study voucher. This means you can save your voucher for later studies. You can start studying right away!

Explore the free courses in the Open UAS online store

More information

About the Opin.fi service

Opin.fi is a shared online service by Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences. It brings together open higher education studies from different institutions in one place.

In the service, you can easily browse and compare study options from different universities. If a course is listed in Opin.fi, you can use your study voucher to pay for it.

The service also offers free learning materials and content that do not require a study voucher. You can find options for self-study, such as podcasts, blogs, and events. There are also many free open higher education courses available, so it’s worth exploring what is offered.

Metropolia UAS participates in developing the Opin.fi service and in creating study offerings for it. New courses from Metropolia UAS are added to the service regularly.

About the study voucher

The Ministry of Education and Culture will provide more detailed information about the study voucher during the spring. The law related to the study voucher is currently under review.

The study voucher is a temporary government-funded pilot that supports young people in starting higher education.

The study voucher does not affect other benefits or financial support. If you are under 25, you must apply to at least two study programmes in the national joint application to receive labour market support. Activating or using the study voucher does not affect your right to receive labour market support.

Read more about the study voucher on Opin.fi

Open UAS Customer Service

Do you have questions about studying at Open UAS?

Contact the Open UAS customer service through the contact form.

Fill in the required information on the form and send it to us. Our customer service team will reply to your message by email as soon as possible.

Subscribe to the Open UAS newsletter

A few times a year, you will receive information about study modules, registration periods, and studying at Metropolia.