Finland is the happiest country in the world, according to the United Nations.

Finland tops global charts as one of the most gender equal, least corrupt nations with the best education system in the world, and has been named as one of the best places to live.

The Nordic country whose Prime Minister is a 34-year old woman, a country that is the official home for Santa Claus and sauna, is also home for the only indigenous people of Europe, the Sàmi.

If the innovative nation and its culture interest you, this is a great place to start. We study Finnish language, current affairs, culture, film and music. Students learn through talking and reading as well as virtual reality platforms which have been developed for cultural learning purposes, by Finnish startups.

Columbia University offers Finnish on Elementary and Intermediate levels.

Taking courses in Finnish allows you to complete the language requirement at Columbia.

Students from Yale and Cornell can study Finnish through the Shared Course Initiative.

Please note that Elementary and Intermediate Finnish are offered on an alternating basis; students unable to enroll in Elementary Finnish this year can next do so in Fall 2022. Please check the Columbia Directory of Classes for the latest information. Search for “Finnish.”