L160 separate application
Complete your unfinished lower university degree at Laurea
Apply through the L160 separate application to complete your studies. You can apply as a student even if you have not completed your previous studies at Laurea. The application is continuous, meaning you can start your studies whenever it suits you. The studies are planned flexibly to fit your life situation.
Why complete unfinished studies at Laurea?
Completing unfinished studies brings a sense of achievement, strengthens self-confidence and opens new opportunities in working life and further studies. A degree advances career development. You gain new perspectives and develop your competence towards your goals. Competence gained at work can be recognised as part of the degree.
We offer everyone who has completed 160 credits of university studies and those who have interrupted their studies the opportunity to finish their degree in our L160 model.
The L160 separate application is intended for you if:
- Your goal is to complete an interrupted university degree.
- You have completed at least 160 credits of studies leading to a degree at any Finnish university.
- If you do not yet have 160 credits, you can complete the missing credits before applying in the open UAS open UAS.
L160 studies
- You can apply year-round and start your studies flexibly.
- You will receive a personal tutor with whom you will plan a study path that suits you.
- You complete your studies flexibly according to a clear plan, also alongside work.
- You are entitled to the same student social benefits as other students.
Programs available in the L160 separate application
- Physiotherapist
- Beauty care and cosmetics
- Rehabilitation instructor
- Business
- Legal expertise
- Bachelor of Hospitality Management, Producing and Developing Service Experiences
- Bachelor of Hospitality Management, Service Business
- Criminal sanctions
- Nurse
- Bachelor of Social Services
- Public Health Nurse
- Degree programme in Business Information Technology, Developing Digital Services
- Degree programme in Business Information Technology, Cyber Security
- Safety, security and risk management
- Degree programme in Business Management
- Degree programme in Business Information Technology, Developing Digital Services
- Degree programme in Business Information Technology, Cyber Security
- Degree programme in Hospitality Management and Service Design
- Degree programme in Nursing
- Degree programme in Safety, Security and Risk Management
- Degree programme in Social Services
Personal plan and personal tutor
After being selected as an L160 student, you will receive a personal tutor with whom you will review your previous studies and any competence acquired at work. Based on this, a plan will be made to complete your studies. The tutor will support you from the beginning to the completion of your studies.
Flexible study opportunities
Completing your studies at Laurea can be done flexibly alongside work. The studies in your plan can be, for example, online studies, competence demonstrations, or personal projects.
You can acquire the competence required in the degree through your work tasks
All competence related to the degree is valuable and competence already acquired in working life can be recognised as part of the degree. You can also complete some studies through work-based study, where you do tasks that correspond to the curriculum’s learning outcomes. Well-planned work-based study can enrich your work and develop your competence individually and in a work-oriented way — while your studies progress! Read more about alternative ways to acquire competence as part of the degree.
Finish your thesis in a new way?
There are new flexible solutions for writing a thesis that you can combine with your work, such as a diary-format thesis and a portfolio-format thesis. For example, in a diary-format thesis the work is broken down into small parts that receive regular feedback and supervision. This way the thesis can be completed with a lower threshold as part of your own work.
You will plan with your tutor the way to write your thesis that suits you best. You will receive regular supervision for your thesis work, and you can participate in workshops that support the thesis process. You can start even immediately!
L160 students have access to the same services and benefits as other students:
- Student card and its student discounts
- Student health care via YTHS. Please note that you are also obligated to pay the YTHS fee semi-annually during your studies. The YTHS fee is paid independently; no separate invoice will be sent.
- Services for Laurea students, such as campus libraries, career guidance and the student union Laureamko’s services.
- Laurea graduation ceremony
- Also check whether you are entitled to benefits granted by, for example, KELA or the Unemployment Fund, if you are not employed full-time.
“The L160 process from application to graduation has been very clear, supported by regular guidance. As a student I feel that the guidance was appropriately challenging and supported my goals, even though the remaining workload initially felt endless. Despite summer, faster progress was also possible, which was a very positive surprise.”
Robi, 27, business student
How to apply
Fill in the application form
Fill in the application form in the opintopolku.fi service. In the application system the studies are set to start according to the application period, but in practice you can start your studies flexibly. Note! The campus and implementation information on the form does not matter, as studies will be planned for you personally after applying and you can complete studies at the campus or online that suits you best.
- If your interruption of studies at Laurea has been less than one semester, apply for an extension.
- If your study right at another higher education institution is still valid, apply for transfer of study right.
Attach to the application form a copy of your previous transcript of records
If you have completed higher education studies elsewhere than Laurea (for example via open UAS or a university), attach transcripts of those studies to the application form. The studies you apply with cannot belong to a completed degree. If all your studies are from Laurea, your records will be checked directly from Laurea’s student registry.
Attach a motivation letter to the application form
The motivation letter is one selection criterion. The motivation letter is evaluated as pass/fail. The applicant must answer all the themes and questions below. The length of the text should be at least two and at most three A4 pages. Acceptable file formats are PDF or Microsoft Word.
Motivation letter instructions
1. Motivation
- What motivates you to complete your degree right now?
2. Time management and life situation
- What kind of schedule plan will you set for yourself to complete your studies? How much time will you on average spend per week on studying?
- How will studying change your everyday life and time usage?
3. Missing studies from the degree and your own competence
- Which studies do you believe are missing from your degree? Use Laurea’s curriculum in your answer: Homepage | Study Guide, Laurea.
- Have you acquired competence through previous studies, work life or hobbies that you could use for recognition of the missing studies? Flexible ways to acquire competence as part of the degree – Laurea
- What strengths and development areas do you have for completing the missing studies?
4. Thesis
If you are employed, will you utilise working life in writing your thesis?
Describe your current situation regarding your thesis.
Submit the application form
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 is conducted via Microsoft Teams. If you apply to an English-language programme, your language skills may be tested during the interview.
The selection interview assesses the applicant’s motivation for the programme and suitability for the field, as well as readiness and ability to study at a university of applied sciences. The selection interview is evaluated as pass/fail.
Student selection
Final student selection is made based on previous studies, the motivation letter and the selection interview.
Important information
Applicants to the social and health care field must have health and functional capacity such that the student can perform the practical tasks and placements related to the studies. Check the requirements here >>
Separate applications are subject to the one higher education place rule. You can accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree that starts in the same semester. Read the detailed selection criteria on Opintopolku.
More information
Laurea Applicant Services
Tel. (09) 8868 7293
Phone service Mon-Thu 10 – 12
hakijapalvelut@laurea.fi