Bachelor's Degree Programme in Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development

Application and Documents 

In order to check the eligibility of the applicant for the programme, the applicant has to submit an application and the following application documents: 

•  Certification of completed secondary education degree 
•  Certification of English language skills 

Check out the country-specific requirements for required documents.

Secondary education certification  

Eligible applicants must hold a certificate of upper secondary education (ISCED level 3; it typically ends when students are aged 17 or 18 years old; these programmes are designed primarily to prepare students so that they may continue their studies at a university, ISCED level 6). For example, the following certificates match the criteria: the Finnish matriculation examination, the International Baccalaureate, the European Baccalaureate, Reifeprüfung/Die Deutsche Internationale Abiturprüfung or any other comparable upper secondary educational qualification which provides eligibility to University level Bachelor’s studies in the applicant’s country of residence. 

In addition to an upper secondary school degree, the university can accept a student who has: 

• Completed Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), or 
• Who has been granted university study rights in Finland, or 
• Who has completed at least a bachelor's, or similar, university degree in Finland or abroad. 

Applicants who are in the final semester of their upper secondary education are also eligible to apply. The programme will conditionally accept applications from persons who will not have graduated by the time the application period for the programme ends. Conditionally accepted applicants are required to (1) indicate their anticipated graduation date in their application and (2) submit an officially certified copy of their latest transcript of records by the end of the application period.

Necessary attachments are required to be submitted by 25.1.2023 at 3 P.M. Finnish time.  The original copy of the diploma will be checked when the student arrives to begins their studies at the university or in Finland. The diploma of each student who is admitted onto the programme must be checked; this includes students of all nationalities. 

The original copy of the diploma does not need to be brought to Finland or the university to be checked if:

• The applicant has completed their high-school diploma in Finland in 1990 or later.  

OR

• The applicant has completed vocational undergraduate degree in Finland in 2017 or later. 

The university receives the certificate of completion from Opintopolku. 

Language requirements 

Applicants must either (1) meet the language proficiency criteria (see below), or (2) reach the minimum required language test results to be considered eligible to the University of Eastern Finland. No exceptions will be made. 

(1) Applicants who hold one of the following do not have to take an English language test 

• Secondary education or tertiary education in English in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United States 
• Finnish matriculation examination in English language, minimum grade of magna cum laude approbatur (M)  
• International Baccalaureate degree (diploma completed in English, satisfactory completion of A level English exam (literature / language and literature / literature and performance), satisfactory completion of B level English exam, minimum grade of 5 (good).    
• EB degree: L1, mother tongue (English) completed successfully.  L2 – or L3 language (English) completed with a minimum score of 7. 
• Reifeprüfung (RP) degree (German school of Helsinki) Satisfactory completion of English A (or a similar expected grade from upcoming DIA degree): Written scores are at a satisfactory level AND Oral score being minimum of 8.
• Applicant has taken studies (at least 20 ECTS) as exchange student at the UEF.

The language of instruction of secondary education must be proven with the degree certificate, diploma or transcript. Please note that all teaching and assessments must be entirely in English. 
Online studies or studies completed on offshore campuses outside the accepted countries/area cannot be used to indicate language skills, even if the degree-awarding institution is in one of the accepted countries. 

(2) All other applicants have to take one of the following language tests 

Some test organisers give an expiration date on the tests.  The language test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the organiser. Language test scores are valid for two years from the day they are issued.

• TOEFL: minimum score 78 (IBT-test)  
• IELTS (academic)-test minimum score 6.0  
• PTE (academic)-test minimum score 54  
• C1 Advanced score C 
• C2 Proficiency minimum score: Level C1 
• A National certificate of language proficiency (YKI) (English) of The Finnish National Agency for Education done at level 4 in all different areas.  
• TOEFL iBT Home Edition 78
• TOEFL Essentials 9.0

No other degrees or statements of language proficiency will be accepted. Once the online application has been filled out, required enclosures must be uploaded to the application by 25.1.2023 15.00 (UTC+2). Language test certificates are valid for two years from the day they are issued, and they must be valid during the application period.

Submission of diplomas for verification
Applicants must upload officially certified copies of diplomas (with translations) on the online 
application form by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 25 January 2023.
Applicants receiving their diplomas in 2023 must meet the following deadlines:
• Any other comparable upper secondary educational qualification which provides eligibility 
for University-level Bachelor’s studies in the country in question must submit the most 
recent grades with translation by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 25 January 2023.
• The most recent transcript of a Bachelor level degree conferred by a foreign institution 
with translation by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 25 January 2023.
• International Baccalaureate diploma (IB) and European Baccalaureate diploma (EB) 
predicted grades by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 6 April 2023.
• Deutsches Internationales Abitur diploma (DIA) final grades by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 6 April 
2023.
• International Baccalaureate diploma (IB) and European Baccalaureate diploma (EB) final 
grades by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 14 July 2023.*
• Any other comparable upper secondary educational qualification which provides eligibility 
for University-level Bachelor’s studies in the country in question final grades with 
translation by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 14 July 2023.
• Bachelor level degree final certificate conferred by a foreign institution with translation by
28 July 2023.
*Applicants receiving an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma in spring 2023 must apply for a 
Transcript of Grades from the IB organisation to be submitted electronically directly to the 
University of Eastern Finland by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 14 July 2023. The IB organisation will submit 
the final grades electronically.

After submitting the application with the required documents, the selection process comprises two stages. Stage one is an online motivational questionnaire, based on which a minimum of 30 applicants will be invited to stage two, which is an online video interview. A maximum of 20 students is admitted into the programme.

Submitting of application within the application period (4.1.-18.1.2023) 

SELECTION PROCESS 

STAGE 1: Motivational online questionnaire (19.1.-2.2.2023) 
STAGE 2: Individual online video interview (13.3.-31.3.2023)

STAGE 1: Motivational online questionnaire 

The motivational online questionnaire includes questions such as: 

• the reasons for applying for this programme, 
• the reasons for applying to study at the University of Eastern Finland, 
• describing and evaluating the applicant's suitability for the programme,
• describing the applicant's future plans after graduation, 
• describing the applicant's expectations for this international programme. 

The questionnaire must be filled in English and completed in person and individually by the person applying to the programme. This will be controlled at stage 2.

The link to the Motivational online questionnaire will be sent to the applicant when the application period has ended. The link will be sent to the email address the applicant has used in the application.

The Motivational online questionnaire link is open until 19.1.-2.2.2023. The applicant must answer the questionnaire by that deadline. After the closing of the online questionnaire (2.2.2023 at 18.00 Finnish time), additional answers will no longer be accepted.

After the closing of the online questionnaire (2.2.2023 at 6 P.M. Finnish time), additional answers will no longer be accepted. The answers in the motivational questionnaire are scored from 0 to 25 points, max. 5 points for each of the themes. To be eligible for selection to Stage 2 in the application process the applicant must gain at least 10 points from the motivational questionnaire. A minimum of 30 applicants will be invited to participate the Stage 2 of the application process based on the scores of the motivational questionnaire. 

STAGE 2: Individual online interview in English using video conferencing tools

A minimum of 30 applicants will be invited to the 30-minute online video interview by email by 1.3.2023. Interviews will be organized between 13.3.-31.3.2023. 

The applicants must have the technical tools to participate in the online video interview: a computer or mobile device (pad, phone) with camera and microphone, and a stable internet connection that works well. In addition, the applicant has to organize him/herself a peaceful and quiet closed room or other space, where no other people have access, and where there is no danger of disturbing noises. The responsibility to organize these technical and physical facilities lies on the applicant. 

The purpose of the interview in English is to find out about the applicant’s interest in the field of education, motivation as well as readiness and competencies for managing academic studies. It is possible to receive a maximum of 25 points from the interview. 

FINAL ADMISSION 

The final admission to the programme is based on the combined scores of the motivational questionnaire and the scores of the online video interview. If two or more applicants score the same number of points, their order will be determined based on the points earned from the interview. 

Decision about admission to the programme will be announced latest 2.6.2023. After that remaining places will be offered for those next in the waitlist, those on the waitlist must accept the offered study place by 1.8.2023.

The study place must be accepted by 14.7.2023. Those on the waiting list must accept the study place by 1.8.2023.

Students who are not citizens of EU/EEA countries are required to pay tuition. The annual tuition fee is € 10 000 per academic year. New students admitted in 2023 are eligible to receive a partial tuition waiver and the tuition waiver is 50% (€ 5000) of the annual tuition fee.