Online Entrance Exam for MDP in Human Neuroscience, spring 2025

NB. Information on this site is subject to change.

Table of contents

The online entrance exam is a digital entrance exam, used for selecting students to study in Master's Degree Programme in Human Neuroscience. The exam is completed remotely online by the applicant using their own computer. Please note that only eligible applicants will receive an email invitation to take the exam!

The online entrance exam is organised on 3 March 2025 from 12:00 o’clock onwards (Finnish time, UTC/GMT+2). The exam does not include any advance reading materials or pre-assignments.
 

Identification documents

The applicant needs a valid, acceptable passport to be able to participate in the online entrance exam. The passport can be either biometric or non-biometric to be accepted as proof of identity. No other forms of identification documents are accepted. For example, residence permit cards or EU/EEA identity cards will not be accepted. The applicant must be identifiable from the photo on their passport (especially if it has been a long time since the passport was issued).

The passport has to be valid until 3 March 2025.

For the identification process, you have to submit the following information on the Studyinfo application form:

  • A scan of an acceptable passport during the application period by 29 January 2025 at 15:00 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) at the latest.
  • The number of the passport
    • Ensure that the passport number is written correctly. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the correct passport number.
    • If the passport contains letters, write them in uppercase.
    • See below for detailed instructions on how to find the passport number on the document.

If the information you submit is incorrect or you do not submit this information to the application by the given time limit, you cannot participate in the exam and thus will not proceed in the selection process.

The passport number may be located in different fields on different national passports. The passport number is typically located in the field labeled "Passport number" or "Document number", but it can also be located in other fields. You can verify the correct passport number from the machine-readable zone (MRZ) on the passport data page. The passport number is located at the beginning of the second line of the MRZ, starting from the 1st character, see the picture below.

 

Identification

Once you have been invited to take the exam you have to identify yourself to be able to participate in the online exam and proceed in the selection process.

The identification process consists of two phases:

  1. Pre-identification (before the exam)
    Before the exam, you will be invited to perform the pre-identification in the Candour ID mobile application within an indicated time limit. You will receive an invitation to the pre-identification to the email address provided on your application form on 20.-21.2.2025. The link in the invitation directs you to a page, where you can proceed with the pre-identification. When logging in, please submit the same passport number and the PIN code as provided in your Studyinfo application.
  2. Identification on the exam day
    On the exam day, you have to identify yourself again while logging in to the exam. This means that you will first proceed to the Candour’s service to take a selfie with your computer’s camera.

Pre-identification has to be performed on 23.2.2025 at 15:00 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) at the latest. The email will be sent only once so please make sure that you have space in your inbox. If necessary, also check your spam and other folders.

If you don’t remember your PIN code, please check it from your own application. After you submitted your joint application form in the Studyinfo service, you received a confirmation email to the email address you gave in your application. The confirmation email has a link to your own application.

You need the following for the pre-identification:

  • Passport. The passport has to be valid until 3.3.2025. You must use the same identification document that you have attached to your application form and whose number you have provided on the application form.
  • A mobile phone on which you can download the Candour ID mobile application.
  • Candour ID mobile application (available in App Store or Google Play). Make sure you have the latest version of the application installed.
     

Performing the pre-identification on 20.-23.2.2025

The pre-identification has to be performed on 23.2.2025 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) at the latest. If you do not perform the pre-identification within the given timetable you cannot proceed in the exam selection process.

Before starting the pre-identification, download the Candour ID application to your mobile phone. If you already have the application installed, make sure it is updated to the latest version 2.3.6. During the pre-identification process, follow the instructions provided by the Candour ID application. Please note that the pre-identification process varies slightly depending on your phone type and the identification document you are using. 

If you already have the Candour ID application installed, when starting the pre-identification process, open the Play Store or App Store link from the pre-identification web page (or visit https://portal.candour.fi/mobileRedirect) on your mobile device. Check if any updates are available for the app.

If you are using an Android phone, you can also check the app version by following these steps: open the Candour ID application, tap the three dots in the top-right corner of the app, select "About," and you will find the version number at the bottom of the page.

You have to perform the following steps in the Candour ID application during the pre-identification:

  1. Use the same passport in the Candour ID whose number was already provided in your Studyinfo application form
  2. Take a picture of your passport  
  3. Read the information of your passport
    • If you are using a biometric passport: Read the information from the chip of your passport according to the instructions provided by the application
    • If you don’t have a biometric passport: You can proceed with optical verification (without chip reading) according to the instructions provided by the application
    • If reading the chip of your biometric passport is not successful: You can proceed with optical verification (without chip reading) according to the instructions provided by the application
  4. Take a selfie
  5. The application verifies that the number of your passport matches with the number provided in Studyinfo,
    • the passport is valid  
    • the person in the selfie matches the facial image read from the passport.
  6. The Candour ID informs you that the identification has been successful. Make sure to return to the browser and wait patiently until you are redirected to the exam info page
  7. If necessary, explore the Candour guide where you can find detailed instructions.

You have three attempts for the pre-identification verification. If you encounter issues during the pre-identification, the Candour ID application will provide additional instructions as you proceed. Use all three attempts. If you do not succeed within these three attempts, your pre-identification will be forwarded for manual review. Read more about manual review below.


Manual review

If you have used all three attempts and have not succeeded with the pre-identification in the Candour ID application, your pre-identification will be forwarded for manual review. Your pre-identification can still be approved manually if the identification requirements are met and you can be identified based on the data stored during the pre-identification attempt in the Candour ID application. Otherwise, your pre-identification will be rejected.

You will be informed via email by 25.2.2025 at the latest, whether your pre-identification has been approved or rejected based on the manual review. The cases will be reviewed manually during a designated time period, so please wait patiently for the information via email.

If the manual review is approved, you will receive an invitation to the exam to the email address you provided in your Studyinfo application. If the manual review is rejected, you will be notified by email, and you cannot continue the pre-identification anymore nor proceed in the selection process.
 

Exam sections, duration and scoring

The entrance exam is conducted in the English language. The total score of the exam is the sum score of the exam sections. In order to be selected, you must pass both exam sections (i.e. reach the minimum pass score per section). A specific response time has been allocated for each exam section. When the section-specific time is up, the section will close. If you don’t finish the section, its latest version will be saved as your answer. You can complete the sections in any order. However, please note that once a section is opened, it needs to be completed, and you cannot return to the section later. In addition to the section-specific times, there is 10 minutes for transitions between sections in the exam.

  • Reasoning skills (25 minutes): The section assesses your logical reasoning and problem-solving skills. The maximum score in this section is 20 and the minimum pass score is 1. Penalty scores are used in this section. Penalty scores mean that any wrong answers produce minus points. You can also leave a question unanswered.
  • English language skills (20 minutes): The section assesses your skills in reading and interpreting texts, such as understanding the relation between different parts of the text, mastering vocabulary and linguistic reasoning. The maximum score in this section is 20 and the minimum pass score is 3. Penalty scores are used in this section. Penalty scores mean that any wrong answers produce minus points.

    After the exam, MDP in Human Neuroscience reserves the right to adjust the online entrance exam scoring for justified reasons.
     

Monitoring

Your activities during the exam are monitored in the exam system by SMOWL CM proctoring software. SMOWL CM proctoring software stores webcam images, screenshots of your computer screen, audio recordings, and all computer activities during the exam, including visited websites and opened applications. Monitoring ensures that the applicant completes the exam independently, without the help of anybody or anything else. During the exam, you are not allowed to visit other websites, use other programmes, applications or tools (such as mobile phone or headset) instead of the exam system.

You need to download and install SMOWL CM on your computer in order to take the exam. Make sure to download and install SMOWL CM well before the exam. You will receive the download link for the SMOWL CM by email once your pre-identification is completed successfully. Alternatively, the download link is available on the login page login.valluexam.fi once your pre-identification is completed successfully. Please note that the download link is personal and should not be shared. The SMOWL CM is only compatible with desktop computers or laptops, so it cannot be downloaded onto a tablet or mobile phone (please see Hardware and network requirements). If you are having trouble installing SMOWL CM on your computer, see the instructions on SMOWL’s website under the section 2: Download and install SMOWL CM. For Mac users, more detailed instructions can be found in section 2.3: Installation on MacOS, and section 2.3.1: Frequent Errors in MacOS.

The monitoring begins the moment the exam starts. Monitoring finishes when you have completed the exam. After the exam, the proctoring data of the applicants is reviewed. Based on this review, applicants’ exam results may be dismissed if they have acted contrary to the instructions given.

After logging in to the exam, before your personal exam starting time, you must enable your computer’s microphone and camera, and ensure that SMOWL CM is activated. You can see from the SMOWL monitoring block that monitoring is active, please see the image below. Do not leave the SMOWL monitoring block even for a moment after the exam has started. Your face must remain visible in the monitoring block throughout the entire exam. You are not allowed to visit other websites, use other programmes, applications or tools (such as mobile phone or headset) instead of the exam system. You are not allowed to leave your seat, such as going to the toilet. You must complete the exam independently, and no other individuals should appear in the SMOWL monitoring block at any point during the exam.

After logging in to the exam, before your personal exam starting time, you must enable your computer’s microphone and camera, and ensure that SMOWL CM is activated. You can see from the SMOWL monitoring block that monitoring is active, please see the image below. Do not leave the SMOWL monitoring block even for a moment after the exam has started. Your face must remain visible in the monitoring block throughout the entire exam. You are not allowed to visit other websites, use other programmes, applications or tools (such as mobile phone or headset) instead of the exam system. You are not allowed to leave your seat, such as going to the toilet. You must complete the exam independently, and no other individuals should appear in the SMOWL monitoring block at any point during the exam.
 

An image of the SMOWL monitoring block

Make sure that your face is clearly visible in the SMOWL monitoring block and the three items (webcam, microphone and SMOWL CM) are activated troughout the entire exam.  If necessary, you can move the SMOWL monitoring block to the other side of the exam page with the arrow button and resize the block with the magnifying glass button

Guidelines for exam completion with SMOWL monitoring

  • Make sure that you complete the exam in a quiet environment, without other people present.
  • Close all the other programmes and applications, browsers, browser tabs and browser windows on your computer.
  • Do not use any additional devices, including mobile phones or headsets, during the exam.
  • Make sure that the SMOWL monitoring block is correctly activated in the beginning of the exam and stays activated throughout the entire exam:
    • Make sure your camera is enabled and it works so that you can see your face in real time in the image (SMOWL monitoring block).
      • Make sure you have adequate light conditions and that your face is clearly visible.
    • Make sure your microphone is enabled and it works.
    • Make sure that SMOWL CM is activated.
  • Make sure your face remains visible in the SMOWL monitoring block throughout the entire exam. You are not allowed to leave your seat, such as going to the toilet.
  • During the exam, you are allowed to take notes on paper, but make sure that your face remains visible in the SMOWL monitoring block at all times.
     

Dismissal criteria

You must complete the exam independently, without any help from other people or tools. Your exam result may be dismissed if you act contrary to the instructions given. After the exam, the monitoring data of the applicants is reviewed. The applicant’s exam result may be rejected if any of the following dismissal criteria are met based on the monitoring data:

  1. The applicant does not use the SMOWL CM software throughout the entire exam.
  2. The webcam is not enabled throughout the entire exam.
  3. The applicant’s face is not visible and recognizable throughout the entire exam.
  4. One or more other individuals than the applicant is visible.
  5. The applicant visits other websites or uses other programmes or applications instead of the exam system.
  6. There is anything in the monitoring data indicating that the applicant did not complete the exam independently without any help from other people or tools.
     

Privacy policy

The applicant performs the pre-identification in the Candour ID application. If the applicant does not succeed with the pre-identification in the Candour ID application, their pre-identification will be forwarded for manual review. In the manual process, the applicant’s pre-identification data is reviewed by Vallu entrance examination service operators and, based on this review, the applicant’s pre-identification is either approved or rejected. During the pre-identification, Candour forwards the facial image of the applicant read from the applicant’s passport or identity card to Vallu entrance examination service. In the identification on the exam day, the selfie taken by the applicant is compared to the facial image stored during the pre-identification. The purpose of identification is to verify the applicant’s identity. The data collected during the exam will be stored only for the necessary time period after the exam. Collecting and storing data is compatible with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The servers are located in the European Union.

Vallu entrance examination service forwards the applicant’s name and email address, and the facial image of the applicant captured during the pre-identification to SMOWLtech via a technical interface. The facial image is used in SMOWL proctoring software as a registration image and during the exam as a reference image for SMOWL monitoring, against which images taken by the webcam during monitoring are compared.

SMOWL CM proctoring software stores webcam images, screenshots of your computer screen, audio recordings, and all computer activities during the exam, including visited websites and opened applications. The purpose of monitoring is to ensure that the applicant completes the exam independently, without the help of anybody or anything. Monitoring is conducted automatically during the exam to secure legal protection and parity of applicants. The applicant may refuse monitoring or interrupt it. Refusing or interrupting monitoring means that the applicant may not be selected by the online entrance exam selection method. After the exam, the applicants’ monitoring data is reviewed by Vallu entrance examination service operators and, based on this review, applicants may be dismissed if they have acted contrary to the given instructions. The data stored during the entrance exam will be stored only for the necessary time period after the entrance exam. Collecting and storing data is compatible with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The servers are located in the European Union.

Hardware and network requirements

Online entrance exam is a digital exam, completed using the applicant’s own desktop computer or laptop. SMOWL CM proctoring software is only compatible with computers, so you cannot complete the exam using a mobile phone or tablet. Additionally, SMOWL CM is not compatible with Chrome OS, so you cannot complete the exam on a Chromebook. It is important that SMOWL CM is installed on a personal computer, as corporate computers may have access restrictions that could prevent the proctoring software from functioning properly.

Use the up-to-date version of the Chrome browser. In case of problems in the exam system, you can try using an updated version of the Firefox browser. SMOWL CM does not work with other browsers, so please do not use them.

Please ensure that, on the day of the exam, you have access to a computer that meets the requirements and has a reliable internet connection. We recommend the use of a fixed broadband connection. The applicant is responsible for the functionality of the internet connection and the computer, including its power supply. The University of Turku cannot be held responsible for problem situations related to taking the exam, due to applicant’s hardware or software, or the stability of the internet connection. We recommend that you use a mouse to navigate in the exam system instead of the keyboard.
 

Hardware requirements

Use the up-to-date version of the Chrome browser. In case of problems in the exam system, you can try using an updated version of the Firefox browser. SMOWL CM does not work with other browsers, so please do not use them. 

Browser extensions may prevent logging in, so we recommend that you disable or turn them off before logging in to the exam. Please see further instructions as to how to disable extensions in Chrome browser. Using VPN connection may obstruct the completion of the exam.  An antivirus may prevent SMOWL CM from accessing your microphone and/or camera. If you're having trouble with SMOWL CM accessing one of those, please disable your antivirus for the duration of the exam. 

Please enable JavaScript and cookies in your browser. At https://browserinfo.valluexam.fi you can check your browser version, screen resolution and whether JavaScript and cookies are enabled. Check your browser settings to make sure your browser version is up to date and update if necessary.

Use the following operating systems or their more recent versions:

  • Windows 10
  • macOS 12 (Monterey)
  • Ubuntu Linux 20.04 LTS

Please note that SMOWL CM is not compatible with Chrome OS, so you cannot complete the exam on a Chromebook. 

Check your computer's settings to make sure your operating system is up to date and update if necessary. 

To take the exam, your computer must have:

  • A camera with a minimum resolution of 640x480 pixels (both internal and external are allowed)
  • A microphone (any type of microphone, internal or external)

The recommended minimum screen resolution is 1024 x 768. 

Make sure that you are using only one screen. Using multiple screens can disrupt the operation of the SMOWL proctoring software, so please disconnect any additional screens from your computer while taking the exam

 

Participating in the exam and exam schedule

The online entrance exam is organised on 3 March 2025. It is a digital exam, completed remotely online using the applicant’s own computer. Only eligible applicants will be invited to the exam.
 

Invitation to the exam for eligible applicants

On 21.2.2025 at the latest, the eligible applicants will receive an invitation to the exam to the email address they provided in their Studyinfo application. The invitation includes a personal login link to the exam. Please note that the link is personal and should not be shared. The email will be sent only once so please make sure that you have space in your inbox. If necessary, also check your spam and other folders. NB: The invitation to the exam will be sent only to those applicants who have successfully completed the pre-identification.
 

Participating in the exam and the exam schedule

The online entrance exam is organised on 3 March 2025 from 12:00 o’clock onwards (Finnish time, UTC/GMT+2). Starting the exam is going to be phased in a way that the first applicant starts the exam at 12:00 noon Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) and the last applicant at 12:15 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) at the latest. You will see your personal exam starting time only after you have logged in to the exam system.

Before logging into the exam, make sure that you have SMOWL CM downloaded and installed. You can log in to the exam system on the day of the exam from 11:00 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) onwards. Please log in early, at 11:45 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) at the latest. The exam is organised only once on 3 March 2025 and cannot be completed at another time.

On the exam day, you have to identify yourself again while logging into the exam. While logging in, you will first proceed to Candour’s service to take a selfie using your computer’s camera. The person in the selfie must be recognizable as the same person whose facial image was captured during the pre-identification.

In Candour’s service, you have three attempts to identify yourself. If you fail three times to identify yourself you will no longer be able to identify yourself nor participate in the exam. When taking a selfie in Candour’s service, make sure you have adequate light conditions and that your face is clearly visible and the selfie you take is sharp.

After identifying yourself, you will proceed to the exam system’s waiting page to complete preparations related to SMOWL monitoring. On the waiting page, the exam system tells you when your exam starts. Please follow the exam system’s instructions. Monitoring starts from the moment your exam time begins. Do not leave the SMOWL monitoring block even for a moment after the exam has started. Your face must remain visible in the monitoring block throughout the entire exam. You are not allowed to visit other websites, use other programmes, applications or tools (such as mobile phone or headset) instead of the exam system. You are not allowed to leave your seat, such as going to the toilet. You must complete the exam independently, and no other individuals should appear in the SMOWL monitoring block at any point during the exam. Applicants’ exam results may be dismissed if they have acted contrary to the instructions given.

You can also log in to the exam after your personal exam starting time. In that case, however, your exam time starts running from the beginning of your personal exam starting time. If your internet connection is lost, you can re-enter the exam via the email link or the login page by completing the identification again. Your exam time keeps running also when you are logged out from the exam system. In these situations, SMOWL CM may store activities that could result in your exam being rejected.
 

Individual arrangements

If, due to disability, disease, dyslexia or some other specific reason, you need individual arrangements during the entrance exam (e.g. additional time, tasks without pictures for applicants using a screen reader), you have to fill in a written request for individual arrangements and attach a medical certificate or other equivalent attestation on the nature of your disability or disease. The statement should clearly state why you need individual arrangements and explicitly detail the type of individual arrangements recommended for you. The applicants’ situations are assessed on a case-by-case basis.The validity of statements is assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on the persistence of disability, disease or learning difficulty. For dyslexia, only statements that have been obtained at the age of 16 or later are considered. Please contact The University of Turku Admission Services admission@utu.fi for more information by 29.1.2025 at 15:00 (UTC/GMT+2).
 

Final student selection and publishing the results

All eligible applicants are first invited to the online exam.  

Based on the entrance exam, only applicants who passed the online Entrance Exam will be evaluated further based on the following criteria

  1. Relevant previous studies and academic success
  2. Motivation letter
  3. Interview

For more information please check Studyinfo.fi. The results will be published on 2 April 2025 at the latest. After the exam, MDP in Human Neuroscience reserves the right to adjust the online entrance exam scoring for justified reasons.
 

Frequently asked questions about the exam

Pre-identification

I can't find the invitation to the pre-identification in my email?

You can perform the pre-identification login.valluexam.fi. When logging in, please submit the same passport number and the PIN code as provided in your Studyinfo application. The pre-identification has to be performed on 23 February 2025 at 15:00 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) at the latest.

I'm not sure what my pre-identification status is?

You can check the status of your pre-identification login.valluexam.fi. When logging in, please submit the same passport number and the PIN code as provided in your Studyinfo application. After logging in, you can see the status of your pre-identification. If you have not yet performed the pre-identification in the Candour ID application and there is still time left, you can proceed with the pre-identification. The pre-identification has to be performed on 23 February 2025 at 15:00 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) at the latest.

I haven't performed the pre-identification on time, what should I do?

You cannot perform the pre-identification after 23 February 2025 at 15:00 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2). If you did not perform the pre-identification within the given timetable, you cannot be invited to the exam, and you cannot proceed in the selection process. The requirements related to the pre-identification are explained on the website and on the Studyinfo application form. If you did not perform the pre-identification within the given timetable, University of Turku follows a consistent procedure, and no one's situation can be corrected at this phase. 

Participating in the exam

Do I need the Candour ID mobile application on the exam day?

You do not need the Candour ID application on the exam day. On the exam day, you have to identify yourself again while logging in to the exam. This means that you will first proceed to Candour's service to take a selfie with your computer's camera.

Can I go to the toilet during the exam?

You cannot go to the toilet after the exam has started. Your face must remain visible in the SMOWL monitoring block throughout the entire exam. SMOWL monitoring starts from the moment your exam starts. After the exam has started, you can no longer leave your computer. Before the exam starts, you can still, for example, go to the toilet.

Can I take notes during the exam?

You are allowed to take notes on paper during the exam, but make sure that your face remains visible in the SMOWL monitoring block at all times.

How do I know how much exam time is left?

You can keep track of the exam time by following the clock at the upper right-hand corner of the exam system.

How do I know that my answer has been saved?

”Saved” notification will appear for a while above the option that you selected, when the system has saved your selected answer. If you use your keyboard for navigating and responding in the exam, please ensure that the response option you chose does not change.

What happens to my answers if I do not complete the exam on time?

If you do not complete a section, its latest version will be saved as your answer.

How do I know if my exam has been dismissed based on monitoring?

After the exam, the proctoring data of the applicants is reviewed. Based on this review, applicants’ exam results may be dismissed if they have acted contrary to the instructions given.