L55 separate application
Complete your interrupted Master’s degree at Laurea
Have your university studies been interrupted after you have completed at least 55 credits of studies aimed at a Master’s degree? You can apply through the separate application to Laurea to complete your degree. Studies are planned flexibly to suit your life situation.
The L55 separate application is suitable for you when
- Your goal is to complete an interrupted Master’s degree.
- You have completed at least 55 credits of relevant studies leading to a degree at any Finnish university, but your studies have been interrupted. You may apply even if your previous studies were not completed at Laurea.
- If you interrupted your studies at Laurea, at least one semester must have passed since the interruption.
Principles of study
- Starting your studies is flexible — you can begin soon after you have applied and your eligibility has been checked.
- You will receive a personal tutor with whom you will plan a study entity that suits you.
- You will complete your studies according to a clear plan flexibly, also alongside work.
- You are entitled to the same student social benefits as other students
Completing a Master’s degree at Laurea
If you have started studies aimed at a Master’s degree but for some reason your studies were interrupted after you have completed at least 55 credits, you can now apply to Laurea to complete your degree. The application is open as a continuous separate application.
We offer everyone who has completed at least 55 credits of Master’s-level studies in a degree-leading programme at a Finnish university the opportunity to apply to Laurea as a Master’s student through the separate application.
After being admitted as a student, you will receive personal help and support from an advisor with whom you will review your previous studies and make a plan to complete your degree. The advisor will support you from the start to the completion of your studies.
Completing your Master’s-level studies at Laurea can be done flexibly alongside work.
If you do not yet have 55 credits of Master’s-level studies completed, you can supplement the missing credits in Laurea’s Open UAS.
Please note that studies completed solely through the open UAS cannot be used to apply in this separate application. If your studies were completed on the open UAS side, please refer to the separate application based on open UAS studies.
If less than one semester has passed since your studies were interrupted at Laurea, you can find instructions for applying for an extension here >>.
If your study right is still valid at another university, you can find instructions for transferring your study right here >>
Those completing their Master’s degree are entitled to the same benefits as other students:
- Student card and related student discounts
- Student health services through YTHS. Please note that you are also obliged to pay the YTHS fee semi-annually for the duration of your studies. The YTHS fee is paid independently; a separate invoice is not sent.
- Services aimed at Laurea students, such as campus libraries, career guidance and the services of the student union Laureamko.
- Laurea graduation ceremony
Also check whether you are entitled to benefits granted by, for example, KELA or the Employment Fund (Työllisyysrahasto) if you are not working full-time.
Applying
You can apply through the separate application if
- Your studies have been interrupted
- You have completed at least 55 credits of studies that lead to the same or a corresponding education or degree programme’s Master’s degree at a Finnish university (see application options at the end of the page)
- If you interrupted your studies at Laurea, at least one semester must have passed since the interruption
You can apply in this separate application for Master’s (UAS) degrees as a continuous application and you can continue your studies in the same application period once you receive a positive selection decision.
The decision on student selection is made on the basis of completed studies, the motivation letter and the interview.
How to apply
Fill in the application form
Fill in the application form in the Opintopolku.fi service. Applications are processed in order of receipt throughout the application period and studies begin flexibly after the selection decision in the same term. Studies are planned for you personally after applying and you can take courses at the campus or online that suit you best.
- If less than one semester has passed since your studies were interrupted at Laurea, apply for an extension.
- If your study right at another university is still valid, apply for transfer of study right.
Attach a copy of your previous transcript to the application form
If you have completed higher education studies elsewhere than Laurea, attach transcripts of those studies to your application form. The studies you apply with cannot belong to an already completed degree. If all your studies are from Laurea, we will check the records directly from Laurea’s student register.
Attach a motivation letter to the application form
The motivation letter is one selection criterion. The motivation letter assesses the applicant’s motivation and commitment to completing the Master’s degree. The motivation letter is evaluated on a pass/fail basis. The applicant must respond to all of the themes and questions below. The length of the text should be two A4 pages.
Instructions for the motivation letter
What motivates you to complete your degree right now? Briefly describe your goals and future plans. Also consider how studying will change your daily life and time use. What are you prepared to change in your current life situation to succeed in your studies?
What development areas and strengths do you have in implementing your studies? Have you gained any new skills in your work that you could use in recognition of prior learning (RPL) or in combining work and study modules (crediting prior learning)?
Do you see development areas in your current work that you could use in your studies, for example in your thesis?
Include a plan for your thesis in your motivation letter. Describe the current status of your thesis. If you have already started the thesis process earlier, how can you utilize what you have already begun when completing your degree now? Prepare a plan for your thesis including the preliminary development task, thoughts on relevant literature (theoretical framework) and methodological solutions (research and development methods).
Submit the application
Please note that the application cannot be processed without the requested attachments.
We will contact you by email to arrange the selection interview
Applicants who are eligible and have passed the motivation letter will be invited to a selection interview. The selection interview assesses the applicant’s motivation for the programme and readiness and ability for Master’s-level studies. The interview is conducted via Microsoft Teams. The interview is evaluated on a pass/fail basis.
Student selection
The final student selection is made on the basis of prior studies, the motivation letter and the selection interview.
Master’s degree in Social and Health Care (UAS)
Suitable prior education: Registered Nurse (UAS Bachelor’s degree), Public Health Nurse (UAS Bachelor’s degree), Physiotherapist (UAS Bachelor’s degree), bachelor of social services (UAS), Rehabilitation Counsellor (UAS). A discretionary selection is also used, whereby another suitable UAS-level qualification in social and health care may be accepted as prior education.
Upon graduation, the degree title awarded according to Laurea’s degree-awarding rights will be Registered Nurse (Master’s degree (UAS)), Public Health Nurse (Master’s degree (UAS)), Bachelor of Social Services (Master’s degree (UAS)), Rehabilitation Counsellor (Master’s degree (UAS)) or Physiotherapist (Master’s degree (UAS)).
Master’s degree in Social Services (UAS)
Suitable prior education: Bachelor of Social Services (UAS), Gerontology (UAS), Rehabilitation Counsellor (UAS), Community Educator (UAS), Bachelor (or Master) of Education or Bachelor (or Master) of Social Sciences/Political Sciences.
Upon graduation, the degree title awarded is Bachelor of Social Services (Master’s degree (UAS)).
Master’s degree in Business Administration; Security; Information Processing
Suitable prior education: Bachelor of Business Administration (UAS) or another suitable higher education degree
The degree title awarded upon graduation is Bachelor of Business Administration (Master’s degree (UAS)).
Master’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality (UAS)
Suitable prior education: Bachelor of Hospitality Management (UAS) or another suitable higher education degree
The degree title awarded upon graduation is Bachelor of Hospitality Management (Master’s degree (UAS)).
Master’s degree in Beauty and Cosmetics (UAS)
Suitable prior education: Beauty and Cosmetics professional degree (UAS) or another suitable degree
The degree title awarded upon graduation is Beauty and Cosmetics Professional (Master’s degree (UAS)).
Master of Health Care
Eligibility is given by a Registered Nurse (UAS) -, Public Health Nurse (UAS) -, Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) – or Physiotherapist (UAS) degree or another suitable higher education degree in social, health and care fields.
A discretionary selection is also used for holders of another suitable higher education degree or a post-secondary vocational qualification completed in Finland.
The degree title awarded upon graduation according to Laurea’s degree-awarding rights will be Registered Nurse (Master’s degree (UAS)), Public Health Nurse (Master’s degree (UAS)), Bachelor of Social Services (Master’s degree (UAS)), Rehabilitation Counsellor (Master’s degree (UAS)) or Physiotherapist (Master’s degree (UAS)) / Master of Health Care.
Master of Business Administration
Eligibility is given by a Bachelor of Business Administration (UAS) degree or another suitable higher education degree.
The degree title awarded upon graduation is Bachelor of Business Administration (Master’s degree (UAS)) / Master of Business Administration.
Master of Beauty and Cosmetics
Eligibility is given by a Beauty and Cosmetics professional degree (UAS) or another suitable higher education degree.
The degree title awarded upon graduation is Beauty and Cosmetics Professional (Master’s degree (UAS)) / Master of Beauty and Cosmetics.
General eligibility related to applying for a Master’s (UAS) degree
In addition to the special eligibility, the applicant must have completed a suitable higher education degree and have two years of work experience in the field after completing the degree. The relevant field is considered to be both the field you are now applying to and the field of your higher education degree. The required work experience must have been acquired by the time the separate application is submitted. Laurea accepts as work experience also two years of work acquired after a post-secondary or vocational higher-level qualification completed in Finland and before the higher education degree, provided the work is in the field you are applying for.
Entrepreneurship is accepted as work experience if there is proof that the applicant has been or is insured under YEL or MYEL. (YEL = self-employed person’s pension insurance, MYEL = farmers’, forest holder’s, fisherman’s and reindeer herder’s pension insurance and that of their family members). Foreign entrepreneurship is proven with equivalent official documents.
Work experience is reported in whole months. The applicant must convert part-time working hours (work under 35 hours/week) into full-time so that 150 hours or 20 days of at least 7 hours corresponds to one month. Work experience does not need to be continuous nor gained from the same employer. For concurrent employments, work experience months can only be counted for the amount corresponding to full-time work. Work experience is checked from copies of employment certificates that applicants provide to Admissions Services by the time of application submission.
Conscription, voluntary female military service, civilian service or parental leave are not counted as work experience.
Information about the completed higher education degree will be obtained directly from the applicant’s study records. Applicants applying with a post-secondary qualification must upload a copy of the degree certificate that their application is based on or deliver it to Laurea Admissions Services when submitting the application, so that the application can be processed.
Applicants who have completed their qualification outside Finland must upload a copy of the degree certificate that their application is based on or deliver it to Laurea Admissions Services by the time of application submission. If the certificate is issued in a language other than Finnish, Swedish or English, the applicant must provide a translation into Finnish, Swedish or English made by an authorized translator to Laurea Admissions Services. The copies must be received by Laurea Admissions Services by the time of application submission.
If the applicant is a refugee or in a comparable status and cannot prove their degree with documents, the university of applied sciences may invite the applicant to an entrance exam or consider the applicant’s submitted preliminary assignment by the given deadline. The applicant must have an official decision proving their refugee status (asylum decision or residence permit on grounds of protection). The applicant must provide a copy of that decision to Laurea Admissions Services by the time of application submission.
Eligibility requirements by degree in separate applications to Finnish- and English-language programmes apply the same prior education criteria. The applicant is required to have previously completed at least 55 credits in a Finnish university of studies leading to a particular education or degree programme’s Master’s degree.
The final decision on student selection is made by the Head of Studies. Laurea Admissions Services will notify the decision.
Please note
Separate applications are subject to the one higher education place rule. You can accept only one place leading to a higher education degree starting in the same term.
More information
Laurea Admissions Services
Tel. (09) 8868 7293
Phone service Mon–Thu 10:00–12:00
hakijapalvelut@laurea.fi