Finland

National Higher Education System


Reflecting the structure of the education systems in much of Northern Europe, the Finnish third-level system is divided between universities and the universities of applied sciences.

Whereas the universities are strongly academic and have significant research interests, the Universities of Applied Sciences focus on preparing you for the professions and employment.

Almost all of the degree programmes taught through English, in Finland, are offered by the Universities of Applied Sciences.

Finland , out of all mainland European countries, offers the second highest total of programmes taught through English

Fees


There are no fees for EU students

Grants & Loans


There is very little, or no, funding available for international undergraduate students in Finland

Application Process


The Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences have different application processes.

The Universities of Applied Sciences operate a joint application system.  Applicants can use the same on-line application form to apply for a maximum of four different degree programmes conducted in English at up to four different universities of applied sciences. The entry deadline is mid-February.

Most programmes will also require you sit an entrance examination, which is usually sat in April. Some, but not all, Universities of Applied Sciences, co-ordinate their entrance exams which enable the examinations for some programmes to be held in London.

Programmes in Finland are made less accessible to UK and Irish students, who are first sitting their A levels of Leaving Cert in the current academic year, because of the requirements of the Universities of Applied Sciences to receive copy A Level or Leaving Certificate results/certificates before their July deadline.

Though a few (very few) programmes may make provisional offers pending receipt of documents in the summer, their absolute deadline for receiving copies of A Level or Leaving Cert results/certificates is usually in July, before UK or Irish students receive their results. This usually means that students cannot apply for Finnish programmes until the year after they sat their A-Levels or Leaving Certificate. However, some institutions do have a second [January/February] start to some of their programmes and these are worth applying for.