Seeing a psychologist without a referral in Finland: what it costs

Public care: free, and no referral needed

You can seek primary care by contacting the service yourself; a doctor’s referral is needed for specialised care and for internet therapy¹.

Health centres may offer direct appointments with a psychologist. Where they do, the same time limits apply: within 14 days for people under 23, and within three months for older patients². Not every health centre has them: the guidance says they “may” exist.

Mental-health work in public outpatient care is free of charge, and no fee may be charged for nurse visits³.

Private psychologists: you pay, and Kela does not reimburse treatment

You can book private care yourself, and as a private client you pay the fees yourself¹.

Kela does not pay medical-care reimbursement for treatment given by a psychologist, for psychotherapy or for neuropsychological rehabilitation; it reimburses psychotherapy only as rehabilitative psychotherapy⁴. That statement is on a Kela page for healthcare providers dated April 2021⁴; Kela’s current page for clients does not contradict it⁵. Kela’s route is explained in our Kela psychotherapy guide.

Examinations are different. Kela can reimburse examinations done by a psychologist, regardless of who prescribed them⁵.

No official price exists for a private psychologist session. Kela, STM and InfoFinland publish none, so we give none. Ask the provider before you book.

Free without a referral

• Mielenterveystalo’s self-help programmes: free, anonymous, no login, several in English⁶.
• In Helsinki, the Mieppi unit serves residents over 13 free of charge⁷.
• Students at universities and universities of applied sciences have the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS); the student healthcare fee is 35.35 euros per term in 2026⁸.

For under-23s there is also the therapy guarantee: short therapy in public primary care must start within 28 days of the need being established, since 1 May 2025⁹.