International medical and dental students

Medical and dental students pursuing their studies abroad are entitled to work in a temporary locum role following registration. As a medical or dental student, you can apply to be included in the national healthcare professionals’ register, known as Terhikki. Registration is made for a fixed period of time, after which it can be extended, in case the studies continue.

As a medical student, you can apply for registration following the full completion of your fourth or fifth year of study. Students of dentistry can only apply to register following the completion of their fourth year. Further requirements will apply depending on the country in which you are undertaking your studies.

All applications will be processed on average within one month. The one-month period will begin to run when all the required documents have been received by Valvira.

In order to ensure equal treatment of applicants, applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Contacts significantly slow down the processing of applications. The applicant's need to get a job quickly does not affect the order in which applications are processed. If patient safety is endangered, Maarit Mikkonen, Head of Unit (firstname.lastname@valvira.fi), must be contacted from the healthcare unit in question.

When the registration is complete, your registration certificate and identifier along with your registration number will be sent to you by post. The certificate can be issued in Finnish or Swedish.

An invoice will be sent to you separately. Professional practice rights decisions are subject to a fee, and the fee will be charged also from the rejected decisions. Half of the application processing fee will be charged for the cancelled application. The fee charged for this service is determined by the applicable governmental decree. Our fees

Language proficiency requirements

All dental and medical students working in Finland must have the necessary verbal and written language skills to work in their professional role. The official languages in Finland are Swedish and Finnish.

Employers are responsible for ensuring that their staff have the necessary language skills.

How to apply

Please complete the application form in Finnish or Swedish.

Medical Student Registration Form (pdf)

Please include the following in your application:

1. An officially certified copy of a valid passport or equivalent official document that confirms your identity and nationality
2. A transcript of your studies to date as original or officially certified copy.
3. If you have not completed the Valvira application form, please include an official document from your university confirming that the studies you have completed to date are equivalent to the 4th/5th year of study. The document must include detailed information on when you first commenced your studies and the date by which you had satisfactorily completed the required studies. The document must be stamped by your university and include contact details.

If relevant, you must include Finnish, Swedish or English translations of all your supporting documents. The translations must be completed by an official or authorised translator. The translation must be submitted in original and include the translator’s official stamp and signature. Alternatively, if you would prefer to submit copies of the translated documents, the copies must be authenticated by a notary public or signed and stamped at a Finnish embassy or other representative office.

Authenticated copies may be obtained from notaries public in Finland and other EU/EEA Member States and from Finnish missions abroad. The copies submitted to Valvira must bear the original stamp and signature of the notary public or Finnish mission. Copies issued by a foreign authority are acceptable if endorsed with an Apostille.

We will not be able to return your documents to you or make copies of any documents submitted.

Further information about the notary public
Further information about authorised translators

Continuing a previous student registration

If you wish to apply extension to a previous student registration (4th or 5th year medical student / dental student), please send us e-mail (kirjaamo(at)Valvira.fi).
1.    Title it as follows: “Ilmoitus opiskelijaoikeuden jatkamisesta last name first name”
2.    Write your complete name and date of birth to the e-mail
3.    Attach an official document from your university confirming the continuance of studies and the estimated graduation date. The document must be stamped by your university and include contact details, or the university can send the confirmation directly to Valvira via e-mail. The university’s confirmation must include your full name and date of birth.
Extending a previous registration is free of charge and you will be sent certificate once the registration has been extended. Registration can be extended until 30 days after graduation. Should the university give a temporary diploma, the graduation date is the one marked on the temporary diploma.
If your registration will not be extended, you will be given appealable decision.

Qualification requirements for students from outside EU/EEA

You will be eligible to apply for student registration after you have completed your 5th year of study in full and you have passed the first part of your clinical skills assessment. The first assessment is a written examination covering clinical aspects and the Finnish healthcare system. You can sit the examination during your 5th year of study.

Restrictions

Temporary licensing is only available if you are pursuing your studies at a HE institution.

You will no longer be considered a student if you have discontinued your studies, you are no longer enrolled at a HE institution or you are registered as absent.

The registration is granted for a fixed period of time. After this a new application needs to be submitted to continue working.

Students will no longer be eligible to practice on a temporary basis when ten years have passed since the commencement of their studies.