Frequently asked questions

Most Finnish universities have their international programmes in the national Joint Application in January. In the Joint Application you can apply to max. six (6) programmes. Of those six, max. three (3) can be programmes of the University of Turku. Please note that you can submit only one application – if you submit several, only the last one will be taken into consideration and all others will be deleted.

In addition, some universities may have their own separate applications at the same time with the Joint Application or at some other time. You can apply in the Joint Application + in separate application(s). You can also be offered several study places. However please note that you can only accept one study place beginning in the same semester. Accepting the study place is always binding.  Also note that the deadlines for accepting the study place, scholarship etc. can be different depending on the University and application.

You are exempt from taking an English language test if you have a Bachelor’s degree (or higher) or an equivalent degree in an English-language programme in an EU/EEA country or one of the following countries:

• Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Dominica, Cameroon, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Dominica, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, South Africa, United Kingdom, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Zimbabwe, Zambia.

Please see the full admission requirements for each programme on Studyinfo.fi. You can reach the full admission requirements through a link on each programme’s own page on the University’s website. The admission requirements include the general eligibility requirements, as well as programme-specific admission requirements. The programme-specific requirements include information about, for example, if your previous degree should be from a specific field in order to be considered eligible.

The country-specific experts at our Admission office will check your eligibility (institutional accreditation and ECTS correspondence) during the application period in detail. Specific answers regarding an individual applicant’s eligibility will not be given outside the application process.

Applying for a scholarship is simple: You just indicate “yes” to the appropriate question on your online application form for the programme. The scholarships are available for those who are subject to tuition fees. Please note that the scholarships do not cover living costs. Students need to cover all living expenses (at least 800 euros per month) from their own financial resources. Please see more information.

Yes, you can. Your possible admittance is conditional until you submit proof of your graduation to University of Turku. Proof of graduation must reach University of Turku by 11 August 2025, at 15:00 (local time in Finland). Please see the country specific requirements on how to send the documents.

If you apply for a Bachelor's degree programme, you must attach a statement from your home institution stating the expected date of graduation in the application form during the application period.

If you apply for a Master's degree programme, you must attach your most recent transcript of records in the application form during the application period. 

If you have an active study right with us, yes. The University’s Centre for Language and Communication Studies provides language studies to the University community. There are also other possibilities to study Finnish as a part of your studies, these will be introduced during the international orientation every August.

Full degree programmes in Medicine/Dentistry at the undergraduate level are only available in Finnish at the University of Turku. You would need to speak Finnish fluently in order to apply. Note that Finnish universities do not offer any language preparation year options; you should be fluent in Finnish already when applying.

No, unfortunately it is not possible to transfer to the University of Turku from another institution abroad. The only way to become a degree student at UTU is to apply to our degree programmes from the start.

No, that is not possible. There is only one application period per year and we can’t accept applications outside that application period.

No, you don’t. During the application period, we require only scans of the original documents, attached to the application form. You have to submit the application by 22 January (3 pm Finnish time) but you can add enclosures until 29 January (also 3 pm). Documents submitted according to the country-specific requirements are required only if you are admitted and accept the study place. In that case, you should submit them by the end of May.

If you are fluent in Finnish you can. You need to prove your Finnish language skills with a certificate when you apply and take part in a written entrance exam in Finnish. You can find application instructions and information e.g. on language requirements here. Information only available in Finnish.

Please watch our video tutorial on how to fill in the application form here.

Bachelor's and Master's degree students get the admission offers in April. After receiving an admission offer, you need to

1. Accept the study place at Studyinfo by the deadline given in your letter (if you receive a scholarship, the deadline is in April; if you do not receive a scholarship, the deadline is in July). Note that you may accept only one offer of admission to a study programme leading to a higher education degree in Finland in education that begins in the same academic term, and it is not possible to alter the confirmation once done at Studyinfo.
2. Provide your verified educational degree documents to the Admission Services
   • If you applied with a complete degree, you need to send the verified educational degree documents by 31 May 2025.
   • If you applied with an incomplete degree, you need to send proof of your graduation by 11 August 2025 at 15:00.
3. Pay the possible tuition fee by 31 July according to the instructions in your admission letter. If you do not need to pay tuition fees, you can proceed to registration. 
4. After accepting the study place (and possible scholarship), you need to register with the University by paying the Student Union membership fee. Registration is possible from around mid-May (for newly admitted students, for students who have deferred their study place registration opens 1 June) and must be done by 31 August at the latest. You will receive an e-mail about this with instructions.

Remember also:

• Pay the compulsory Student Health Care fee directly to Kela once per term (autumn term 15 November and spring term 15 March) either with Finnish online banking credentials or as a bank transfer.

Accepting the study place is done online at Studyinfo, and once done, it cannot be altered later. You can accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland per semester. If you have applied for several programmes/universities and get admitted to more than one, you have to choose which study place you accept. Read more about admission.

If you have accepted your study place and you change your mind, it is possible to forfeit your study right with a notification to the Study Registry located in Student Centre Disco.

All applicants who have applied for the scholarship will receive information of the decisions in their admission offer. If the admitted student has been put on the waiting list for a scholarship, that information is also stated in the scholarship offer. No new scholarship decisions will be made after the admission offer have been sent in April.

It is possible to apply for a scholarship for outstanding performance for the second (or in Bachelor level studies, third) study year. The basic requirement for receiving this scholarship is 55cr with an average score of 3.0 or higher for the first year of studies. All students who have applied for the scholarship and fulfill this requirement will be awarded a scholarship for the next academic year.

Read more about the scholarships at UTU.

Regarding your specialisation track, please be in touch with your programme coordinator. The email address can be found in the admission offer letter (email). Please note, that if you are subject to tuition fee and you received a scholarship, the scholarship is tied to the original choice of track. If you switch your track, you forfeit your scholarship.

The deadline for providing the original documents is 31 May 2025. Read more information about providing the original documents.

If you have applied with an incomplete degree in January:

• Proof of your graduation must reach University of Turku by 11 August 2025, at 15:00 (local time in Finland). Proof of graduation can be sent to us different ways depending on the country where the degree was completed. Read the country specific information here. If you were accepted conditionally, it’s written in your admission offer, which you received in April.

If you arrive to Turku before the deadline for providing the original documents, you can bring the original documents in person to the Student Centre Disco (on the University Hill). However, depending on the country, you might have to arrange your documents to be delivered directly to us in a specific way, so please read the instructions and country-specific requirements carefully.

If you have any problems with your documents, please be in touch with us: admissions@utu.fi

We recommend starting the residence permit process immediately after receiving the admission letter. Please contact Migri, the Finnish Immigration Office, to get instructions.

We have gathered some information about the residence permit on the University's website, but unfortunately, the University has no power regarding the visas or residence permits and can’t influence the process.
 

EU/EEA citizens do not need a residence permit to Finland.

For information about registration of the right of residence of a citizen of the European Union, see the Migri website.

Regarding questions about the health insurance and residence permit, please contact Migri. Find more info about the insurance requirements on the Migri website.

If you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you do not need to take out other insurance. By presenting the European Health Insurance Card, you can prove your right to necessary medical treatment in another EU or EEA country and in Switzerland. Your card must be valid for the duration of your stay in Finland.
 

The health care fee is compulsory for most of the students and must be paid directly to Kela once per term (spring term 15 March and autumn term 15 November).

Students who have social security coverage from another EU/EEA country or from Switzerland or the United Kingdom do not have to pay the healthcare fee. Read more about how you should proceed if you have social security coverage in another EU/EAA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.

In 2024, the student healthcare fee in higher education is EUR 36.80 per term.

The housing situation in Turku is relatively good and student apartments are easy walking, cycling or a bus ride distance from the campus.

The University of Turku cannot, unfortunately, guarantee or arrange housing for students. Please apply for housing well in advance, observing the deadlines set by individual housing providers.

Read more about housing in Turku and living expenses in Finland.

The orientation is usually held at the end of August on campus. We recommend you to arrive in Turku well in advance to get settled in before the orientation and the studies start.

During the first weeks, your student tutor will help you with all the practicalities. Please note, that most of the housing providers lease the apartments for whole months, so it is likely that you have your accommodation available from the beginning of the month.

The University of Turku does not offer distance learning (online) studies at the moment. Studying in the international degree programmes at the University of Turku requires being present in Turku/Rauma for the contact teaching conducted on campus.

If you wish to know whether your degree programme offers any studies that you can do online or remotely, please contact your degree programme coordinator directly and ask them. The contact details can be found in your admission offer letter or on your programme’s webpage: go to utu.fi/degrees and click your programme’s name.

Please find more information on the academic year, grading and credits, and the degree system on our website. If you would like to know more about the contact hours vs. independent work, or anything else regarding the studies in your programme, we recommend you to be in touch with your programme and your student tutor(s).

There are a lot of student activities and possible hobbies for students in Turku. You can read more on our website, and please visit also the Study in Turku website - a website of the city of Turku with more information on what this city has to offer for students!

You can also ask about the student life from your tutors or chat with our student ambassadors!

We have collected some information on financial matters in Turku and average living expenses in Finland. In general, you should have minimum 800 €/month/person in your use. This amount covers only the most necessary costs and does not include leisure activities.

Many Finnish and international students work alongside their studies, mostly in the hospitality and cleaning industries. There are several job portals in Finland where you can search for jobs yourself.

However, you should not completely rely on finding a job and being able to finance your living that way. The University can’t offer part-time jobs for students, and unlike in many countries, job opportunities on campus are uncommon. Finding a job requires activity and initiative and many employers require their staff to know Finnish.

The UTU Career Services (Rekry) can help you to start your career in Finland after you have started your studies. On the career after studies website you can find information and resources to develop your career prospects already during studies.

In Finland, people speak very good English and you will have no problem doing your studies and living your everyday life purely in English. However, getting to know the local language can help you to know the people and the culture better. Some Finnish studies are included in every international degree programme as mandatory courses, and you can sign up for extra courses, too.

It is also possible to include other language courses in your degree. Regarding this, please be in touch with your student tutor and your programme and check the webpage of the Centre for Language and Communication Studies.

 

Yes, you can. Keep in mind that all our degree programmes require full-time studying, and you will not have time to simultaneously work full-time. Also, your residence permit might restrict the number of hours you can work per week. Please find more information on the Finnish Immigration Services website. Most students who work alongside their studies work in the hospitality, cleaning and service industries.

The University has a website dedicated to Financial Matters, which also includes some information on working alongside your studies.

The University only occasionally has open vacancies that can be applied to by students. Open vacancies are announced through the University’s website and intranet, as well as through e-mail. Whether employment or internship, the student is responsible for searching for the position independently.

Yes, you can. For more information, please check the Finnish Immigration Services website for student’s family members.

If you have children, please find information about how to enroll your children in daycare or school.

Also, we highly recommend you contact the advisors of International House Turku, a counselling service offerred free-of-charge by the City of Turku, they can instruct you about many things about moving to Finland with your family or spouse.

Yes, you can. There are no age limits and also those who have graduated a long time ago are welcome to apply.

Turku as a student city provides various activities for you to do in your free time. Turku is surrounded by beautiful nature, you can take a walk by the Aura river, visit the University of Turku’s Botanical Garden, or have a barbeque with friends at Ruissalo beach. Join our various student and recreational organisations they host numerous events for students. CampusSport offers sports services for students including dancing classes, indoor cycling, running, combat sports, and many more. Enjoy many student discounts, immerse yourself in culture at the various theatre, concerts, museums, and libraries. Always check out the City of Turku's website to know what events are going on in town.

The University does not directly provide accommodation to its students. Students are responsible for seeking accommodation for themselves on time. However, in Turku, the Turku Student Village Foundation (TYS) provides affordable quality housing for students. It is easy to apply for housing with TYS by filling in the apartment application on their website.

For other housing options, please see the University’s website on housing.

Yes, if you are not from an EU/EEA country. To be precise, you will need a residence permit (a visa is needed only if you plan to stay for less than 90 days in Finland). Please check the Finnish Immigration Service’s website.

Our graduates are able to find employment in Finland and abroad. The degree is globally recognized and respected. If you plan to settle in Finland, you should start learning Finnish early. There are opportunities for doctoral studies, and plenty of support for entrepreneurs.

No, but we offer scholarships that cover the tuition fees. A scholarship will be granted to up to 30 % of the admitted students who are subject to tuition fees and have applied for a scholarship.

The University of Turku has decided to launch two new international bachelor's degree programmes: Information and Communication Technology within the Faculty of Technology, and Sustainable and Social Entrepreneurship within Turku School of Economics.

These programmes will be included in the upcoming joint application round in January 2025, with studies starting in August of the same year. Detailed information and admission criteria for the new programmes will be published on the University's website in the autumn of 2024.

Yes, you can. Please check the UTU Graduate School’s website.