According to a decision by the Orpo government, tuition fees for students from countries outside the EU and EEA were changed to full-cost tuition starting in the fall of 2026. This means that tuition fees were raised to cover the full cost of providing education. The shift to full-cost tuition thus raised tuition fees for students at the University of Jyväskylä by as much as 2,000 euros, which, from the University’s perspective, is an insignificant sum, but a considerable sum from the perspective of an international student.  

“If we want to increase international expertise in Finland, it is not reasonable to make studying and living in Finland even more challenging for international students. International expertise plays a vital role in Finland’s development,” says Jenna Simonen, JYY Board member responsible for higher education policy and international affairs.  

According to former Minister of Science and Culture Sari Multala, the goal of making tuition fees fully self-financed is to improve the financial situation of higher education institutions and to encourage international students studying here to stay in Finland. The changes that have been implemented are completely contradictory with the goals set by the government. By implementing full-cost tuitions, a situation even more unsustainable than before has been created for international students, in which they are often forced to drop out of their studies purely due to financial constraints.  

According to a study conducted by the Research Foundation for Studies and Education (Otus), about half of international students cite financial difficulties as a reason for delays or interruptions in their studies. This is just one of many factors that have weakened the position of international students. Other factors contributing to this vulnerable position include the application fees that took effect in 2025, the reduced opportunities to apply for entry permits from their home countries, and, from the University of Jyväskylä’s perspective, changes to the scholarship system. 

SYL, together with Akava Students and SAMOK, emphasizes the importance of concrete actions to ensure that international students can continue their lives in Finland. Although this statement emphasizes the importance of concrete actions during the transition to the labour market, it is also crucial that international students receive the support they need right from the start of their studies. A secure future cannot be built on empty promises alone for anyone.  

The upkeep of dire straits for international students is unsustainable, and their opportunities to study in Finland must be improved. JYY demands that the government reverses its decision to implement full-cost tuition fees and examines the impact of tightening immigration and education policies on Finland’s future expertise.  

Additional info: 

Chair of the Board 
Aukusti Heilakka 
hpj@jyy.fi 
+358 45 137 1964 

The Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY) announces the following positions: 

The student representative will be elected for a two-year term starting on 1.1.2027. 

The selection is prepared by JYY’s General Admission Committee, which will interview the applicants briefly on 21st-23rd of September in the afternoons. The interviews will be held on the university campus. The selection will be decided by the Student Union’s Representative Council in October on the proposal of the General Selection Committee.

In addition, a supplementary application is announced for the following positions: 

The term for these positions has started at the beginning of this year and student representatives will be elected for the term ending on 31 December 2027. 

The selection is decided by the Student Union Board based on the proposal of the Executive Director. 

The members of the boards of independent institutions are appointed by the rector of the university. The proposal is decided by the student union board based on the proposal of the executive director.   

The application deadline for positions is Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. 

The position is applied for using an electronic form that shows the position to be applied for, the applicant’s full name, student number, email address, phone number, faculty and degree programme, as well as previous skills, experience and motivation, which the applicant hopes will be taken into account when making the selection. The application will be submitted within the application period. If it is not possible to use the form, the application can be submitted in writing to the Specialist in Academic Affairs. 

Link to the online application form: 

The following general criteria primarily affect the selection of student representatives: 

The search for and selection of student representatives of the university administration are specifically regulated in JYY’s regulations on student representatives (pdf, in Finnish). The duties of the administrative bodies of the University of Jyväskylä are defined in the University’s Regulations. 

Eligibility requirements 

The eligibility requirement for a student representative is the right to complete a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, a licentiate degree or a doctoral degree at the University of Jyväskylä. In addition, exchange students who have paid the Student Union’s membership fee are eligible. 

A prerequisite for eligibility is that the student’s enrolment as attending at the University of Jyväskylä has been entered in the register before the end of the application period. 

Full-time employees of the Student Union are also eligible for the position of student representative, even if they do not have the above-mentioned right to complete a degree. On the basis of an employment relationship, you cannot be eligible to serve on the faculty council or the business management board.  

Persons who are in a full-time employment relationship with the University of Jyväskylä in accordance with the Election Regulations of the University of Jyväskylä are not eligible to be student representatives in the University of Jyväskylä. 

When electing student representatives to the Faculty Council, only persons who have the right to complete a degree at the faculty in question are eligible. 

The Student Union’s regulations on student representatives (pdf, in Finnish) (5-7 §) provide more detailed information on the eligibility requirements. 

Interested? 

Read more about serving as a student representative here: Student Representatives – Jyväskylän yliopiston ylioppilaskunta

For more information about the application and duties, please contact Minea Nirhamo, the JYYs Specialist in Academic Affairs.

minea.nirhamo@jyy.fi 
+358 50 330 1025

Are you interested in the possibilities of cross-institutional study? Are you wondering about the future of student culture? What and why is a higher education group? You can now have an impact on this with other students! 

JYY and JAMKO are jointly organizing a university group seminar aimed specifically at students on Wednesday, September 16th from 13:00 to 16:00. The seminar will be held at Ruusupuisto, RUUD104 (Alvar Aallonkatu 9). 

The seminar is aimed specifically at student activists, such as board members of subject associations and educational organizations, student representatives, and editors of JYY and JAMKO. If you are interested, you can register! 

The seminar will feature the vice-rectors responsible for education at JYU and Jamk, as well as key preparatory personnel from the higher education group in a panel discussion. The seminar will also give you the opportunity to get to know other student activists and discuss issues related to the university group together, specifically from the students’ perspective. 

Language of the seminar 

Registration 

Register by Monday, September 7th at 23:59 using this form: https://link.webropol.com/s/opiskelijoidenseminaari so that we can reserve a suitable number of items to serve for coffee. 

What is the higher education group? 

Program 

Accessibility information for Ruusupuisto: Accessibility of premises and environments at JYU 

More information: 

Minea Nirhamo 
Specialist in Academic Affairs 
minea.nirhamo@jyy.fi 

Severi Boesen has started this week as JYY’s new Communications Intern. The duration of the internship is four months.

Boesen has studied information technology at Jamk and graduated in the spring 2026. During the studies, Boesen worked as a student active and an employee of the student union JAMKO.

“A student community is everyone’s right, and the Foundation of that community at the university is the student union. I’m motivated by presenting that community to students, whether it’s with new students or the higher education consortium”, Boesen says.

“For the average student, at worst associations can appear as grey, byrocracy-filled secret councils, which often is nowhere near the reality. As a former student and later as an active, I know this well. This fall I will be thinking about how to break these beliefs.”

During the internship, Boesen will be working especially on the visibility of JYY and its different areas of operations.

The Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY) is calling on the city to reject plans to clear an old forest area to make way for a ski slope. The Committee of urban planning of Jyväskylä is considering two alternative drafts for the Laajavuori zoning plan, which will be decided upon at a meeting to be held on August 11, 2026. In one draft, a spruce forest in the recreation and nature area (part of which is over 120 years old) would be cleared to make room for a ski slope, which would split the old forest, which is of significant natural value, in two, 

Located near Kortepohja, Laajavuori offers students in Jyväskylä an unpararrelled opportunity to recharge in the natural environment of the surrounding area. According to research, spending time outdoors, especially in older forests, has a positive effect on mental health and well-being, and facilitating this is particularly important given that the mental health crisis among young people and students is at its peak. According to Hiihtokeskus Laajis Oy, opening the new slope would only create about ten new jobs in Jyväskylä directly, meaning its direct impact on employment in Central Finland would be negligible. The other publicly stated arguments in favor of the plan are equally unconvincing. 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s efforts to change the definition of boreal natural forest as well as the government’s procrastination on concrete climate actions have led to an unambitious climate policy at the national level. According to a 2026 report by the Ministry of the Environment, the goal of a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035 under the current action plan is impossible, but increasing forest conservation is considered one of the most important measures for achieving this 

According to the City of Jyväskylä’s 2025 evaluation report, it remains committed to sustainable development, increasing biodiversity, and the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. A forest over 100 years old binds significantly more carbon than a commercial forest, and clearing it to make way for a ski slope is at odds with these goals, which, according to the city’s assessment report, will not be achieved without additional measures. Old-growth forests are unique, dwindling ecosystems that harbor exceptional biodiversity, which must be protected. Furthermore, the environmental impacts of snowmaking on the northern slope on the already diminishing water levels of Vuorilampi and, for example, on the protected bog located on its shore have largely gone unexamined. 

“As climate anxiety among young people grows, it is important that our city listens to students’ concerns and prioritizes the protection of the old-growth forest. Vaguely justified economic goals must not be allowed to affect ordinary city residents’ ability to enjoy a natural forest,” declares JYY Board Member Veronika Heikkinen. 

The City of Jyväskylä must keep its promise of an ambitious climate policy, and decision-makers must vote against this zoning change! 

Additional information:  
Chair of the Board of JYY 
Aukusti Heilakka 
hpj@jyy.fi 
+358 45 137 1964 

Each year, national student organizations appoint trusted representatives to advocate for students’ interests. JYY (the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä) is a member of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) and participates in shaping the organization’s policies and electing its representatives at the annual General Assembly. The student union may also nominate its own candidates. 

This autumn, the JYY Representative Council will decide on the nomination of candidates at its meeting on 15 September, based on a proposal by the JYY Board. The Board can propose candidates for both the SYL Board and the President. The actual election of the seven-member SYL Board will take place at the SYL General Assembly in November. 

The JYY Board will make its proposal in its meeting on 9 September. Those interested in becoming candidates are asked to send a motivation letter (free-form) and a CV to the Chair of the Board by email at hpj@jyy.fi. The deadline for applications is 25 August 2026. The application documents will be attachments in the Board and Representative Council meetings and will therefore be public.

The application must clearly state the applicant’s suitability and motivation for the role, as well as any key campaign themes the applicant intends to highlight if nominated. The application must also specify whether the applicant is seeking nomination for the Board, the Presidency, or both.

You may also express your interest in candidacy during the Representative Council’s September meeting. However, those who express interest during the meeting will not be considered in the Board’s proposal, as it will already have been submitted. In such cases, a voting member of the Representative Council must officially propose the candidate during the meeting for them to be eligible for nomination. 

Candidates approved by the Representative Council will receive financial support: €300 for President applicants and €150 for Board applicants. This support is intended to reimburse actual campaign material expenses. 

Please note: Serving on the SYL Board requires a full-time commitment and the ability to work in Helsinki.

More information about SYL and its work can be found at syl.fi. 

SYL (The National Union of University Students in Finland) is a student organization representing approximately 140,000 students across Finland. Its members include all Finnish university student unions. SYL is a key advocate for student life and education policy, promoting the interests of students and giving a voice to younger generations in Finnish society. 

More information: 

Aukusti Heilakka
Chair of the Board
+358 (0) 44 137 1964
hpj@jyy.fi 

Each year, national student organizations appoint trusted representatives to advocate for students’ interests. JYY (the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä) is a member of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) and participates in shaping the organization’s policies and electing its representatives at the annual General Assembly. The student union may also nominate its own candidates. 

This autumn, the JYY Representative Council will decide on the nomination of candidates at its meeting on September 17, based on a proposal by the JYY Executive Board. The Board can propose candidates for both the SYL Board and the President position. The actual elections will take place at the SYL General Assembly in November. 

The JYY Executive Board will make its proposal in its meeting on September 11. Those interested in becoming candidates are asked to send a motivation letter (free-form) and a CV to the President of the JYY Executive Board by email at venla.suosalo@jyy.fi. Applications will be accepted from August 5 to August 31. 

The application must clearly state the applicant’s suitability and motivation for the role, as well as any key campaign themes the applicant intends to highlight if nominated. The application must also specify whether the applicant is seeking nomination for the Board, the Presidency, or both. 

You may also express your interest in candidacy during the Representative Council’s September meeting. However, those who express interest during the meeting will not be considered in the Board’s proposal, as it will already have been submitted. In such cases, a voting member of the Representative Council must officially propose the candidate during the meeting for them to be eligible for nomination. 

Candidates approved by the Representative Council will receive financial support: €300 for President applicants and €150 for Board applicants. This support is intended to reimburse actual campaign material expenses. 

Please note: Serving on the SYL Board requires a full-time commitment and the ability to work in Helsinki. 

More information about SYL and its work can be found at syl.fi. 

SYL (The National Union of University Students in Finland) is a student organization representing approximately 140,000 students across Finland. Its members include all Finnish university student unions. SYL is a key advocate for student life and education policy, promoting the interests of students and giving a voice to younger generations in Finnish society. 

More information: 

Venla Suosalo
President of the Executive Board
+358 (0) 44 137 1964
venla.suosalo@jyy.fi