Frequently Asked Questions
How to Apply
Start by browsing the national Studyinfo portal (www.studyinfo.fi) and the websites of the universities you are interested in. Studyinfo lists the degree programmes offered in Finland, and it is also where you fill in and send your application. Read the admission requirements of each programme before you start collecting documents.
It depends on the programme. Many English-taught Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes take part in a joint application, which in recent years has been held in January, while other programmes have separate application periods at different times of the year. Check the exact dates on Studyinfo and on the university’s website, as they change from year to year.
This depends on the application. There may be a limit on how many study options you can include in one application, and some universities limit how many of their own programmes you can apply to. Check the rules on Studyinfo and on the website of the university you are interested in.
Programmes can ask for different documents, so be prepared to collect different application documents for different programmes.
You do not need one. You can apply directly through Studyinfo, and universities select their students according to their own admission requirements, so no agent can guarantee you a study place. Some universities work with selected agents, so if you are unsure about a company that offers help, ask the university.
Fill in the application yourself and use your own contact details, so that you receive all important messages from the university directly. If you need help with the application, contact the admission services of the university, which is the most reliable source of information about its programmes.
Eligibility
As a rule, you can apply for Master’s-level studies if you have a nationally recognized first cycle degree – normally a Bachelor’s degree – from an accredited institution of higher education. Master’s studies are usually pursued in the same field as the Bachelor’s studies or one closely related to it. However, it is the university who evaluates your eligibility for a specific programme.
In some cases it is possible to apply even if you have not yet graduated. This varies between programmes and you should see the website of the relevant university for more information.
You can apply to some programmes even if you have not yet graduated. This depends on the programme, so always check the website of the relevant university.
In that case you usually submit your latest transcript of records and give your expected graduation date in the application. Some programmes also ask for a statement from your institution confirming when you are expected to graduate. If you are admitted, you will normally need to show your final degree certificate by a deadline set by the university. Please also see Country-Specific Requirements.
Available Study Programmes
Yes. Bachelor’s programmes, including those taught in English, are listed on the national Studyinfo portal (www.studyinfo.fi), and you apply there. For more information, see the individual universities’ websites or Study in Finland (www.studyinfinland.fi).
Doctoral admissions are handled by each university, and application periods and requirements differ between doctoral programmes. Check the websites of the universities you are interested in or contact them directly.
Language Skills
There are different ways of showing your language skills, depending on the programme you select. Always check the language requirements and application deadlines on the website of the university you are applying to.
Many programmes do not require a separate language test if you have completed a degree fully in English in certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. The accepted countries and conditions differ between universities, so please consult the university you are interested in.
For more information on the commonly accepted language tests, please see Language Skills.
This depends on the universities. If you apply to programmes at different universities, each of them usually needs to receive or verify your result. Check that every programme you apply to accepts the test you have taken, and what its minimum scores are.
You can usually use the same test result again if it is still valid, but you will normally need to submit it again with your new application. Test results are often valid for two years, and the result usually has to stay valid until the university has finished processing the applications. Language requirements may also have changed since you last applied, so check them on the university’s website.
If you do not meet the language requirements of the programme by the deadline, your application will usually not be considered further. The requirements are set by the universities, so check them carefully before you apply.
Required Documentation
The admissions requirements are set by the degree programmes and the universities. This means that the number and type of required documents vary depending on the degree programme.
In most cases the following application documents are normally required:
1. Proof of language skills
– depending on which option you have chosen, for example a language test
2. Documents related to educational background (please remember to check Country-Specific Requirements)
– documents which indicate your eligibility to apply
3. Other documents
– as requested by the university offering your desired degree programme
You can find detailed information about the documents on the individual universities’ websites.
Usually yes, at least at some stage. Many universities accept scanned copies during the application period and then ask admitted students to verify their documents officially, for example through an electronic transcript service or with copies certified by the awarding institution. Translations should be official translations, made either by the awarding institution or by an official translator. For more information, please see Educational Documents.
Applicants whose degrees were awarded in certain countries need to pay special attention to the documents. Check whether the university you are applying to has Country-Specific Requirements for your degree-awarding country and follow them.
If you upload documents to an online application, you usually attach them to each application separately. If paper documents are needed later, check whether the university wants a separate set for each programme.
Programmes can also have their own document requirements, so be prepared to collect different documents for different programmes.
Often, yes. Many Finnish universities accept official electronic transcripts shared directly by your institution through a recognised service, and some prefer them to paper copies. For more on these services, please see Electronic Transcripts. Ask your institution whether it can send transcripts electronically, and check which services the university you are applying to accepts.
If your programme asks for a copy of your submitted application, log in to Studyinfo with the details you used when you applied and look for your application there. If you cannot find what you need, ask the admission services of the university how they would like to receive it.
Usually you need to submit your documents again, as each application round is handled separately. Fill in a new application and collect the required documents. Requirements may have changed since the previous round, so check the admission requirements on the university’s website before you order new documents. Remember to check the Country-Specific Requirements as well.
Submitting Documents
Follow the instructions of the university you are applying to. In many cases you upload copies of your documents to the online application on Studyinfo during the application period, and admitted students then verify them officially, electronically or by post, by a set deadline. The university will tell you which method to use and, if paper documents are needed, where to send them.
University Admissions Finland no longer processes applications, so do not send documents to its old address. This site cannot receive documents either. For general tips, see How to submit documents.
Check the instructions of the university. Documents are normally attached to the online application, which is only open during the application period. You can still prepare your documents early, and it is a good idea to do so, as certified copies, translations and transcripts can take weeks to arrange.
If you need to post paper documents, follow the university’s instructions on how to label and group them. Make it clear which application each document belongs to, and include your name and any application number the university asks for. Remember that different programmes may have different deadlines and document requirements.
If a university asks you to mark posted documents with an application number, its instructions will say which number to use and where to find it, for example in the confirmation you receive after sending your application. If you are unsure, include your full name and date of birth and ask the university.
Universities usually set one deadline by which all required documents must have arrived. Sending everything together makes your application easier to process, but check the university’s instructions on whether documents can be sent separately.
This depends on the university. Some confirm that documents have arrived, while others only contact you if something is missing, and the university’s instructions will tell you what to expect. If you post documents, a tracked service lets you follow the delivery yourself. This site has no access to applications and cannot check your documents.
Getting help
If you have questions about admission requirements, study-related issues or programme-specific enclosures, such as CVs and reference letters, please contact the university you are applying to.
University Admissions Finland no longer processes applications, so there is no UAF office to visit. Each university has its own admission services. Check the university’s website for how to contact them before you plan a visit.
Fees and Financing
Since 1 January 2025, applicants from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland usually have to pay an application fee of 100 euros when they apply to Bachelor’s or Master’s programmes in Finland. The fee is paid through the application form on Studyinfo, and paying it does not guarantee admission.
Citizens of EU and EEA countries and Switzerland do not pay the fee, and other exemptions may apply. For the current rules, please see the instructions on the national Studyinfo portal.
Many programmes taught in English charge tuition fees to students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, and most applicants to English-taught programmes are in this group. The amount differs between universities and programmes. You will always find the most up-to-date information on tuition fees on the universities’ websites.
Scholarship options depend on the university and the programme. Check the website of the university you are interested in, or contact it directly, for information on scholarships and how to apply for them.
After you apply
Universities may give you a chance to supplement an incomplete application by a set deadline, so read all messages from the university carefully. If required documents or language test results are still missing after the deadline, the application may not be considered further. The university evaluates the applications and makes the student selections.
Admissions are carried out by the universities. Please visit the website of the university you have applied to, or contact the programme directly, for information on the admissions timetable and how results are announced.