Required certificates

Applicants for Laurea Nursing or Laurea Social Services are required to have Finnish language skills (level B1 or better). Descriptions of the language levels: Common European Framework of reference for languages.

All applicants to Laurea Nursing/Social Services must provide proof of required Finnish language skills.The document proving Finnish language skills must be uploaded to the Studyinfo.fi application form latest by 24th January 2024. 

Student selection to Laurea Nursing/Laurea Social Services requires that the applicant has one of the following acceptable proof of Finnish language skills:

• Finnish primary and lower secondary education certificate: Finnish as mother tongue or Finnish as a second language

• Finnish general upper secondary education certificate: Finnish as mother tongue or Finnish as a second language

• Finnish Matriculation examination certificate: Finnish as mother tongue or Finnish as second language

• International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma or IB Certificate with Finnish language A or B

• European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma with Finnish language L1, L2 or L3

• Reifeprüfung (RP) / Deutsche Internationale Abitur (DIA) diploma with Finnish as native language or B1-language

• National certificates of language proficiency (YKI): Finnish intermediate level with assessment 3 or 4 in all parts of the exam (listening comprehension, speaking, reading comprehension and writing)

• National certificates of language proficiency (YKI): Finnish advanced level with assessment 5 or 6 in all parts of the exam (listening comprehension, speaking, reading comprehension and writing)

• Finnish Civil service language proficiency certificate in Finnish language with satisfactory, good, or excellent skills

• Finnish higher education degree completed in Finnish language or a Finnish higher education certificate with Civil service language studies in Finnish completed at an acceptable level (Todistus suomalaisessa korkeakoulussa suoritetusta virkamiessuomen opinnoista). The language of instruction and the achieved level of language skills are stated in the degree certificate.

Bachelor degree applicants who are applying based on the International UAS exam have to prove their English language skills either by an internationally recognized language test or previous studies. Please attach the required document to your Studyinfo application on 24th January 2024 at 15:00 Finnish time (UTC/GMT+2) at the latest. Details about the English language proficiency requirement is available and updated on the UASinfo.fi website.

Applicants applying to Laurea Bachelor degrees based on SAT and applicants to Laurea Masters degrees are not required to provide proof of English language skills. 

Upper secondary school qualification completed outside Finland

If you have completed your higher secondary school outside Finland, upload the final graduation certificate to your application form by 24th January 2024.  A qualification completed outside Finland must provide eligibility to apply to higher education in the country it has been awarded. When applying to a Bachelor’s Degree, the upper secondary school certificate awarded after 12 years of education is usually the general requirement. Laurea accepts only final certificates issued by the awarding body. Results slips, testimonials or Statement of results are not considered as final certificates.  If you are unsure whether or not your upper secondary school certificate gives eligibility for higher education, please contact Laurea Admissions Services.

If you are graduating from upper secondary school in spring 2024, you have to submit your latest transcript of records and it has to be uploaded to your application form by 24th Jan 2024. Your final graduation certificate has to be submitted by 11th July 2024.

Offical translations

If any of your educational documents are issued in another language than English, Finnish or Swedish, an official translation in Finnish, Swedish or English by an official translator must also be submitted together with the copy of the original document. Such translations must be signed and stamped by the official translator.

The students' admission is conditional until all relevant education has been checked from the education certificates.  Admission may be cancelled if the student has given false information in the application form.

International Baccalaureate Diploma, Reifeprüfung Diploma, Deutsches Internationales Abitur or European Baccalaureate Diploma

Completed International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Certificate with results in 6 different IB exam subjects, Reifeprüfung (RP), Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA) or European Baccalaureate (EB) diplomas must be uploaded to the application form by 24th January 2024.

Applicants with Reifeprüfung completed outside Finland must also provide official translation into Finnish, Swedish or English.

If you are graduating in spring 2024, you have to submit your predicted grades by 3rd April 2024 and the final diploma must be submitted by 11th July 2024. The IB results is also accepted.

Bachelor or Master degree completed outside Finland

If you have graduated from a Bachelor or Master degree completed outside Finland, upload your final degree certificate and transcript of records by 24th January 2024.

If you are graduating in spring 2024, upload your latest transcript of records by 24th January 2024 and your final degree certificate must be submitted by 31st July 2024.

If your degree documents are issued in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish, an official translation in Finnish or Swedish or English by an official (authorised) translator must also be submitted with the document.

Admission is conditional until the final education certificates have been checked.

You can apply to the following Degree programmes with SAT Test results (instead of entrance exam):

• Service Business Management: 30% of the study places will be filled based on SAT Scores.
• Business Information Technology: 30% of the study places will be filled based on SAT Scores. 
• Business Information Technology, Cyber Security: 30% of the study places will be filled based on SAT Scores.
• Safety, Security and Risk Management: 20% of the study places will be filled based on SAT Scores.

An applicant applying with SAT Test Scores must fill in the application form at studyinfo.fi during 3rd - 17th January 2024. Applicants applying based on SAT must also demonstrate their eligibility to apply by uploading their educational certificates.

In order for your SAT score to be considered, both of the following SAT test sections must be completed with the following minimum points:

1) Evidence-based reading and writing(minimum 500 points)

• Reading Test
• Writing and Language Test

2) Math (minimum 500 points)

Only the new version of the SAT test (completed after March 2016) is accepted. The lowest accepted SAT Test result total is 1000 points. Students are selected in order of best points. Please note that SAT Subject Tests are not accepted. An official SAT Scores Report must be ordered to Laurea straight from the SAT Test organizer. To collect SAT Test Scores, universities of applied sciences use an electronic test score service provided by the SAT Test organizer. Those applicants, who have already completed a SAT Test, must request their SAT Test result from the test score service to be delivered to Laurea University of applied sciences. To order your SAT Scores Report to Laurea, use the Institutional reporting code: 6965. SAT results are considered only if they arrive via the test score service. The SAT Test Scores must arrive to Laurea latest by 1st April 2024.

SAT reports printed or sent by the applicants themselves are not accepted.

Work experience certificates

Applicants applying to the Laurea Master’s Degree Programmes must provide proof of work experience for at least two years (24 months) of work experience aquired after the graduation date of their Bachelor degree/ Master degree/Finnish former post-secondary or Finnish former higher vocational level (opistoasteen/ammatillisen korkea-asteen tutkinto).

Employment certificates will be checked from admitted applicants and they must be uploaded to the application form latest by 11th July 2024 15:00. Details about work experience requirements is available in Selection criteria

An official translation in Finnish, Swedish or English by an official translator is also required if your work experience document is not issued in Finnish/English/Swedish. Such translations must be signed and stamped by the translator. The translation must be uploaded to the application form no later than 11th July 2024 15.00.

The students' admission is conditional until all relevant certificates have been checked. Admission may be cancelled if the student has given false information in the application form.

If your Bachelor's/Master's degree has been completed in Finland, Laurea Admissions Services will usually be able to verify the degree. If the verification of your degree completed in Finland is not possible, you will be asked to upload your Degree certificate.

 

If you are applying to study to Laurea Nursing or Laurea Social Services please be aware that in the social welfare and health care sector, the studies include working with customer groups requiring special protection, in which case ethical requirements and requirements for patient or customer safety are crucial. The health and functional capacity of students shall be such that they are capable of performing assignments and practical training related to their studies.

Studying and working in these professions requires sufficient physical, mental and social capacity.

Obstacles to student admission may include, for instance, the following:
•    Severe rash and/or allergy to e.g. medicinal products and detergents
•    Sensory disability affecting functional ability
•    Mental health disorder
•    Substance abuse/drug abuse or misuse during the last two years
•    Limited social capacity which makes it difficult to work with people
•    Long-term illness or physical injury limiting participation in studies and practical training

Applicants to Nursing and Social Services will be asked in the application form whether or not they have any health issues that could prevent studies and if their study entitlement has been cancelled.

• If the applicant answers 'Yes' to either of these questions, the university of applied sciences will request a detailed health information (medical certificate) and/or an account of the reason for previously cancelled study entitlement. These documents will be requested in order to assess whether the student will be able to manage the studies and which support measures will reasonably be required.

The admission of such applicants is conditional until the University of Applied Sciences has assessed the afore mentioned documents provided by the applicant.


An issue related to health or functional ability is not an obstacle to student admission if the obstacle can be removed by reasonable means. The severity and the management of the obstacle will be taken into account when assessing the applicant's suitability to be admitted as a student in the degree programme concerned.
 

Students involved in traineeships in social welfare and health care operating units shall be vaccinated against measles and chicken pox or have acquired immunity to them from natural infection, and those treating infants shall be vaccinated against whooping cough. In addition, annual influenza vaccination is required. (Section 48 of the Communicable Diseases Act 1227/2016). The required vaccinations are free of charge for students in the social welfare and health care sector.

The social welfare and health care sector is not suitable for individuals convicted of one of the following: offences against children, sexual offences, violent offences, crimes against freedom, or drug offences.

An extract from the judicial record shall be submitted for completing assignments or practical training included in the studies which require working with minors.

Blood-borne illnesses may restrict practical training and, after graduation, the students’ placement in work assignments.

SORA legislation applies to education leading to a degree in applied sciences in the field of social welfare and medical care, the humanities, physical exercise and maritime navigation. These fields have requirements concerning the safety of minors, patient and customer safety or traffic safety which restrict student admission. In this case, it is required that the health and functional capacity of approved applicants is such that they are able to take part in the practical assignments or training related to the studies.
A restriction related to health or functional ability does not prevent students from being admitted if the effects of the restriction can be reasonably eliminated, for example by making special arrangements. The purpose is not to impose unnecessary obstacles to the access to training for people with disabilities or people with other physical or mental restrictions. Restrictions apply only in situations where it is clear that the applicant cannot participate in the training because of their health or functional capacity. The severity of the obstacle and the situation related to its treatment are taken into account when assessing the applicant's suitability as a student in the degree programme concerned.

At the request of the university of applied sciences, students shall present an extract from the judicial record if, for their studies or practical training related to the studies, they are given assignments which essentially require working with minors. A university of applied sciences may oblige a student to present a certificate on a drug test if there is a reason to suspect that the student is performing practical assignments related to the studies under the influence of drugs or that the student has a drug addiction.

The study place is conditional until the university of applied sciences has processed and assessed the information related to health and functional capacity of the applicant required for the assessment of admission.

University of applied sciences may revoke the study place of the applicant:

• if the certificates are not submitted within the time limit indicated by the university of applied sciences;
• if the applicant has provided incorrect personal information;
• if it is evident that the student does not fulfil the prerequisites for admission in regard of his or her state of  health or functional capacity (Universities of Applied Sciences Act 932/2014);
• if the student has concealed a prior decision to revoke the right to study. (Universities of Applied Sciences Act 932/2014)

All Bachelor degree applicants must upload to their application form by 24th January 2024 a valid, acceptable identification document to be able to participate in the International UAS Exam.The ID will be used to verify the applicant's identity in the online UAS entrance exam.

Please see the UASinfo.fi webpage for details for approved ID and updates (information to be updated for spring 2024).

Non-EU/EEA citizens are liable to pay tuition fees unless they posess a valid document that exempts them from tuition fees. The documentary evidence for exemption of the tuition fee for the academic year must uploaded to the application form by 24th January September 2024. Please see the Tuition fee page for list of exempting documents.

If the applicant receives the document for exemption later, the applicant can still submit the document if given admission. The document must be submitted as soon as the notification of admission has been received but latest before confirming the study place.

Refugee status

A person with refugee status or an asylum seeker may apply and be accepted to study in education just as any other eligible citizen of Finland or any other country.

If an applicant is a refugee or in a refugee-like situation or is an asylum seeker, and is unable to submit documentary evidence of his/her educational qualification completed outside Finland, a university of applied sciences may invite the applicant to take an entrance examination.

The applicant must have a decision by authorities concerning his/her status (a decision on asylum or a residence permit granted on the basis of a need for protection). In order to declare his/her status, an asylum seeker who has not yet been granted a decision may verify his/her status by presenting an identity card with his/her photograph granted by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) and, when required by the degree programme, a fee-based (€20) pending application by Migri that states that the applicant is permitted to legally reside in Finland during the time when his/her case is being processed, i.e. until a lawful decision has been made on the case.

The decision on asylum or a residence permit granted on the basis of a need for protection must be uploaded to the application form no later than 24th January 2024 15.00.