Study programmes

Finnish higher education institutions currently offer over 550 bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes taught in English. Doctoral study and research options are available, too.

Find the right programme for you!

You can get more information on all programmes taught in English from the Studyinfo.fi portal and on the universities' own websites.

If you need detailed information on the eligibility requirements and the admissions process, get in touch with the admission services of the university/UAS offering the programme you are interested in.

If you are interested in studying in Finnish or Swedish, you need to be fluent in these languages already when applying for admission. If you already know Finnish or Swedish, this might be an option for you. Contact the university/UAS of your choice for further advice.

Pathway studies

Some universities of applied sciences (UAS) and universities offer pathway studies options for their bachelor's programmes. This means that you start your degree studies at home, and after your first year you'll have a chance to complete your degree in Finland. See information at Pathway Studies!

Bachelor's degrees

To apply for a bachelor’s degree programme, you need an upper secondary school certificate or equivalent. 

UAS bachelor's degrees amount to 210–270 ECTS credits and the duration is between 3.5–4.5 years, depending on the degree programme. 

University bachelor's degrees amount to 180 ECTS credits, and the duration is 3 years. University bachelor’s degrees usually offer continuation to a master’s degree.

Master’s degrees

You need to have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent to apply for a master’s degree programme.

University master’s degrees take 2 years of full-time study, amounting to 120 ECTS credits. 

UAS master's degrees take 1-1.5 years to complete, and amount to 60–90 ECTS credits.

To be eligible to apply to a UAS master’s programme, you also need to have gained at least 2 years of work experience in the field after completing your bachelor’s degree. (University Master's do not usually include this work experience requirement.)

Doctoral (PhD) degrees

Doctoral level education is provided by universities. You need a master’s degree to be eligible to apply for a doctoral degree programme.

A doctoral degree usually takes around 4 years to complete and consists of 240 ECTS credits.

Finnish universities offer both graduate schools and doctoral programmes. For more information on doctoral studies, contact the universities directly.

What are ECTS credits?

ECTS credits express the volume of learning based on the defined learning outcomes and their associated workload. One full-time academic year is equivalent to 60 higher education credits and one credit corresponds to 25 to 30 hours of work.