Bachelor's Degree Programme in East Slavic Societies and Religion

In most cases, applicants who are eligible to pursue higher education in their home country are also eligible to apply for bachelor's level studies in Finland. To be eligible for admission to a bachelor's programme at the University of Eastern Finland, applicants must submit their application during the official admission period. The following documents must be uploaded as attachments during the application process:

• Certificate of completed upper secondary education (or higher education degree) ➤ Eligibility Based on Educational Background
• Proof of English language proficiency ➤ Language Requirements

Programme-specific requirements are listed below and on the Studyinfo application portal. Please review them carefully before applying.

Application details

In 2027, a maximum of 20 students will be admitted to the Bachelor's Degree Programme in East Slavic Cultures and Religion. Ten students will be admitted to each of the following two application options:

• Degree: Bachelor of Arts; Major: East Slavic Languages and Cultures
• Degree: Bachelor of Theology; Major: Orthodox Theology

The application period opens on 7 January 2027 and closes on 21 January 2027 at 3 pm (EET). Applicants need to apply through the national Studyinfo portal at studyinfo.fi. Each applicant can only fill in and submit one application form in the first joint application.

Each applicant may apply to only one of the following two application options:

• Bachelor’s programme in East Slavic Cultures and Religion, East-Slavic Languages and Cultures, Joensuu, Bachelor of Arts (3 years)
• Bachelor’s programme in East Slavic Cultures and Religion, Orthodox Theology, Joensuu, Bachelor of Theology (3 years)

Admission procedure 

Admission to the programme is based on an online video interview recorded by the applicant via the Recright platform. The purpose of the interview is to assess the applicant’s motivation, academic interests, and readiness for the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in East Slavic Societies and Religion.

Eligible applicants will receive detailed instructions for completing the online interview on 15 February 2027. The online interview system will be open from 16 February to 2 March 2027.

In the interview, there will be five questions, and each answer is evaluated using points on scale 0 to 5. The applicant must answer all questions and gain at least 1 point for each answer, and at least 10 total points out of 25 points from the interview.

The applicants are ranked based on the total score. The 10 applicants with most points are admitted, and the remaining applicants are rejected. The programme may admit more applicants at its discretion to fill the available study places. Applicants are not placed on a waiting list. If more than one applicant has the same combined score, all such applicants will be admitted.

Applicants must have the technical tools to conduct the online interview: a computer or a mobile device with a camera and microphone, a quiet private space and a stable internet connection. The responsibility to organise these technical and physical facilities lies with the applicant. 
The applicant’s eligibility for application and selection will be checked before the final selection decision.

One study right rule

Under the one study right rule effective from 1 August 2026 , you may hold only one study right leading to a bachelor's or master's degree at a time. Accepting a new bachelor's- or master's-level study right will automatically terminate any existing study rights at the same or a lower degree level.

Applicants must upload high-quality scans of their 1) original educational documents, 2) proof of English language proficiency, and 3) any programme-specific attachments to their electronic application during the application period. Paper copies are not required at the first application stage. Instructions on Studyinfo must be followed, and all documents submitted by the given deadlines.

Students in the final semester of their studies are eligible to apply. Their admission will be conditional until graduation is confirmed. For details, see: Eligibility Based on Educational Background

Copy of passport or residence permit card

Applicants must upload a copy of their passport's ID page or their ID card, or upload copies of both sides of their residence permit card to the online application form. 

General information on types of documents and how to submit them.

Document verification for accepted students

All applicants are conditionally admitted pending verification of their educational documents*. To finalize admission, students must submit verified copies of their degree certificates or diplomas by the specified deadlines. The university will assess the authenticity and eligibility of all submitted documents. Failure to verify documents will result in cancellation of the conditional admission. 

*Degrees completed at a Finnish university or university of applied sciences, as well as the Finnish matriculation examination, are verified through the national database.

There are several ways to submit documents for verification:

1. Educational documents shared through electronic credential services

2. Electronically signed or verified educational documents

3. Educational documents sent by e-mail by the awarding institution

4. Educational paper documents sent by post

We recommend using electronic verification methods. For detailed instructions, deadlines and tips, please refer to verification of official documents.

Tuition fee

The annual tuition fee for non-EU/EEA students is 10,000 €. There are no tuition fees for students who are citizens of EU/EEA countries or Switzerland.

Scholarships

No scholarships are available for the first year of studies. Instead, applicants who accept their study place and pay the tuition fee within three weeks of the admission decision receive a 30% early bird discount on the first-year tuition fee. For the second year, students who complete at least 55 ECTS credits during their first year receive a scholarship covering 30% of the tuition fee. Similarly, students who complete 55 credits during their second year receive a 30% scholarship for the third year.

Other fees

Independent of tuition fees, all degree students are required to pay the Student union membership fee and the Student healthcare fee.