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« on: October 05, 2012, 07:03:37 AM »
I'm almost done with my 2nd degree education and it has been a lot more expensive than I initially though. Sure I've been buying new books almost always but it stacks up pretty quickly. It's not really something you think about when you hear that Finland has free education. Sure. The teaching doesn't cost anything to the student but you need to buy all the accessories likes pens, books, and notebooks.
Finland's education system in 10 seconds
Pre-school
Primary/Basic education grades 1-9 at ages 6/7-16 (+optional 10th grade at 17 if you suck)
Secondary/2nd degree education grades 10-13 at ages 16-18/19 (or whenever you feel like doing it)
Tertiary/3rd degree education grades 14-18 at ages 19-24 (or whenever you feel like doing it)
Super doctor master of the universe thing I don't know
Pre-school and primary education is 100% free as it is the only compulsory education according to the law. Anything after that is optional but it's a social norm to get higher education.
2nd degree education is free but as I already mentioned you need to buy your own stuff. I'm almost done with this and so far it has cost about 500€-600€ a year. ($650-$780 USD) But I bought new books almost every period. (5 periods a year) If you got some old books or bought them cheaper from somewhere else I think you could manage with 300€-400€ a year. ($390-$520 USD)
That's a rough total of 900€-1800€ ($1100-$2300 USD) for the 3 years of education in vocational school or upper secondary school. I guess it depends slightly on which school type you go to.
I don't know how much the higher education costs but I imagine it's pretty much the same. And if you happen to live in a city that doesn't have a university the rent for a student apartment is about 300€-800€ ($400-$1000 USD) a month. So if you're not working you need a loan or rich parents.
TL;DR
Here in Finland.
Ages 7-16: free
16-19: ~900€-1800€ ($1100-$2300 USD)
Edit: Food is free and always includes something warm for the main course, salad, milk/water, and bread. Test are also free except for the final matriculation examinations (4 or more in upper secondary school) that cost about 50€ or $65 USD.
Edit2: All schools are run by the government. I guess there are private schools but I don't know a single one.