Admission system
NB: there will be changes in the application routes to Finnish universities and polytechnics from 2014 onwards. We will notify prospective students of these changes on this page later on this year, as soon as further details will become available.
Where to submit your application
Most Finnish higher education institutions use an on-line electronic admissions system for their Bachelor’s and Master’s level student intake. You will also need to send in copies of your earlier educational certificates and other required documents. Additionally, depending on the programme, applicants may need to successfully pass an entrance examination.
How you should apply depends on whether you're applying to a university or a polytechnic (UAS), and also on your entry level. (For an explanation on the difference between 'university' and 'polytechnic (UAS)', see our FAQ section.)
Note also that it's very important that you check all the detailed application information (entry requirements, etc.) on the web pages of the Finnish university or polytechnic (UAS) you're applying to.
Once you've done that, you can refer to the guidelines below for info on where and how to submit your application.
Bachelor’s level UAS programmes:
- for Bachelor’s level programmes at polytechnics (UAS), you should use the joint application system at www.admissions.fi
- there are usually two application periods per year - see the section "Application times"
- VERY IMPORTANT: please note that UAS Bachelor's degree applicants need to succesfully pass entrance examinations. Contact the institution for detailed info - and please also read the sections 'Entrance examinations' and 'FAQ on admissions' very carefully!
Master’s level UAS programmes:
- applications are made directly to the polytechnic (UAS) in question. You can find the UAS's web pages listed under the section 'Institutions'.
- NB: to be an eligible applicant for a polytechnic (UAS) Master's programme, you need a Bachelor's followed by at least three years of relevant work experience.
- application times to UAS Master's may vary. Please see the section "Application times"
- in some UAS Master's programmes, applicants need to succesfully pass an interview, or an entrance examination.
- for detailed info, please contact the polytechnic (UAS) of your choice - also read the sections concerning entrance examinations and visas very carefully!
Bachelor’s level programmes:
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note that at universities, there are only a small number of Bachelor's level programmes available in English. Please refer to the study programmes database on this site to locate them (select institution type "university", level of studies "Bachelor" and programme type "degree" and click on "Search")
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applications to Bachelor's programmes provided by the universities are usually made using the institutions' own admission routes.
- universities generally only have one application period per year - see the section "Application times"
Master’s level programmes:
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to start your application, please go the Admissions pages of the university you are interested in. You can find detailed application advice there. You can find the links to the universities' Admissions pages at the section 'Institutions > Universities'.
- application times for Master's programmes generally fall between the period from November to February/March.
- the exact dates of this application period may vary from one university to another, or even withing one single university, depending on the programme.
Please check all the application-related details with the Admissions Office of the university you're applying to. - several Finnish universities use the University Admissions Finland (UAF) service in their Master's applications. However, you do not necessarily need to visit the actual UAF pages to apply - you can create your applicant account & submit your application on the universities' own admissions pages.
Doctoral studies and research:
- applications are made directly to the university in question
- some universities may have fixed application periods for Doctoral studies, some may accept applications on a continuous basis
- for further info and advice please see the section 'Doctoral admissions' of this site
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applications are made to the coordinating higher education institution of the Erasmus Mundus Master's/Doctorate consortium in question
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please refer to the information in the sections "Erasmus Mundus" and "Erasmus Mundus scholarships"
If you have any doubt about the application procedure, you are best advised to check the correct application procedure from the web pages of the degree programme in question. You can also turn to the admissions offices of the Finnish higher education institutions for assistance.