Improve your understanding of the rapidly changing world. Social scientists examine the dynamics of societal change and seek answers to questions such as what creates wellbeing or a lack of it, what causes alienation, what is happening in education and the labour market, and what is the role of culture in shaping our relationships with each other.
The Bachelor of Social Sciences degree consists of studies in sociology and social and public policy. Teaching covers key social scientific theories and methods for collecting and analysing data. These are applied to key topics in social sciences, such as labour, education, care, multiculturalism, and information and communication technology, and how they interlink with each other.
This programme is offered by the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland. The staff in the department are experts in their field and enthusiastically welcome new students from all backgrounds into the social sciences community. The programme is hybrid and does not require in-person participation on the campus.
For instructions on how to apply and a direct link to the application form on Studyinfo, please scroll down. The application period is open until 22 January 2025.
Key information
- Level of degree: Bachelor's degree
- Programme duration: 3 years / 180 ECTS credits
- Language of instruction: English
- Programme start: August/September 2026
- Tuition fee: EU/EEA nationals no tuition fee, non-EU/EEA nationals 10 000 €/academic year. Tuition waiver scholarship 50%/year
- Tuition waivers available for the top 70% of applicants. Note that also permanent residents are exempted from the tuition fee under certain conditions.
- Study campus: Hybrid. Studying on campus will provide more minor options.
Why study with us?
- This is the only Bachelor's programme in Social Science in Finland that is taught in English. Hybrid tuition also allows a high degree of flexibility.
- The programme provides tools for understanding society and its policy processes. It develops critical thinking in social sciences.
Studies
The Bachelor of Social Sciences degree familiarises students with key concepts and methods in social sciences. You will learn to gather information, organise it, and apply existing information in a range of tasks. During the three years of studies, you will take a combination of required and optional courses to total 180 ECTS.
The programme consists of basic and intermediate studies in social sciences, language and communication studies, general studies, and minor studies.
- Basic studies in Social Sciences 25 ECTS
- Intermediate studies in Social Sciences 60 ECTS
- Language and communication 12 ECTS
- General studies 18 ECTS
- Minor subjects 65 ECTS
Teaching emphasises the dynamics of contemporary society and the changing labour market, as well as the needs of everyday welfare. Teaching and learning take place online in lectures, seminars, and reading groups. Tasks range from learning journals to essays and exams.
What does it mean that the programme is taught in a hybrid form?
Hybrid tuition means that classes are taught both online and on campus. It also means that flexible options exist, if your life situation makes presence on campus difficult. Please just keep in mind that you have more options regarding minor subjects, for example, if you choose to study on campus.
I don’t live in Finland. Can I study in the programme?
We do not keep track on the location of our students. Please just keep two things in mind.
First, from the 2025 intake onwards, all exams are taken in e-exam rooms. There are e-exam rooms in several cities in Finland, so travelling to Joensuu is not necessary. However, if you aim to be located abroad, be prepared to make a few annual exam-taking trips to Finland. For course assessment, we use learning journals more than traditional exams, so the number of exams is not necessarily that high, but this does not mean zero exams.
Second, do keep in mind that this is a Finnish university. While we warmly welcome all applicants, the programme is best suited for foreigners living in Finland. If you have no connection with Finland, you should in any case know that there will be some lectures on Finnish society and compulsory Finnish language courses.
How do I take exams without being on campus?
For course assessment, we use learning journals more than traditional exams, so the number of exams is not necessarily that high. When exams are taken, they are organized either through co-operation agreements (within Finland) or on online platforms.
I don’t have a high school degree in English but I have lived for years in an English-speaking country. Do I still have to take the language test?
Sorry but yes. We realize that sometimes taking a language test feels like a waste of time. However, we have to apply general requirements.
Do I have to pay a tuition fee?
Finnish universities charge a standard tuition fee from international students. Yet all EU/ETA citizens and permanent residents are exempted from paying the fee.
I have already completed some studies in another university. Can they be counted towards the degree?
Usually some can be, but not necessarily all. We have to see how the previous studies overlap with our curriculum requirements. Please also note that if these existing studies are part of a completed degree, they cannot be used again as part of your degree at UEF.
I work full-time. Is it possible to study in the programme?
We realize that our students have to support themselves. However, online study does not mean complete flexibility time-wise. There are scheduled classes in which presence is required. So you could maneuver working full time and studying, if your job allows a high degree of flexibility. Studying only outside office hours is not possible.
I would like to study, but all kinds of things keep me so busy that full-time studying feels exhausting. Can I use more than 3 years to complete the degree?
Yes. Finnish universities allow a high degree of flexibility in structuring your studies. Your Personal Study Plan can well be based on a more relaxed pace of studying and using 4 years to complete the degree.
I am super-ambitious and want to complete the degree in two years. Is this possible?
As said above, you can plan your studies flexibly. It will be a tough two years, though.
My Finnish is perfect and I would like to take courses taught in Finnish, too. Is this possible?
Please note that this programme is taught in English. This means that also minor subjects need to be from the selection of tuition offered in English. If you are fluent in Finnish and wish to benefit from the selection of minor subjects available in Finnish, we have plenty of programmes taught in Finnish you can consider applying to.
The department of Social Sciences offers the Basic studies in Social Sciences (25 ECTS) as open university studies. Please see our Open University webpage for more information: Open University: Basic Studies in Social Sciences 2025-2026 | University of Eastern Finland
We also recommend checking out our admissions criteria below to learn about our selection based on previous studies.
How to apply?
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.
General instructions about the application process are available on How to apply?
Students are selected for the bachelor’s degree programme in Social Sciences in two ways
• entrance examination admission intake: 25 student places
• admission based on previous studies intake maximum of 5 students.
Study places left over from previous study based admission will be added to entrance examination admission The best 30 applicants are accepted to the program and the rest of the applicants are rejected. The programme may accept more applicants by discretion to fill the available study places in the programme. Applicants are not placed on the waiting list.
Selection based on the results of the entrance exam and interview
The entrance examination has 4 sections. You can receive 0–10 points from sections. The applicant must receive at least 20 points from the entrance examination in total in order to be selected. The maximum score for the interview is 10. The course 'What is Society', organized by the University of Eastern Finland, serves as the entrance exam course.
Admission is based on the applicant’s scores in the entrance exam and the admission interview. The entrance exam must be completed online using the university’s DigiCampus platform between 1 March 2026 and 5 April 2026. Only the eligible applicants are invited to take the entrance exam. You will be sent a link and instructions for the entrance examination on the 27th of February 2026. The applicants must receive a score of at least 1 from all sections of the exam and the interview to be accepted. The entrance exam consists of written assignments and a video assignment.
Applicants are ranked based on their entrance exam scores and admission interview scores. If more than one applicant has the same combined score, applicants are ranked as follows:
1. The score for the interview
2. The score for section 4
3. The score for section 3
4. The score for section 2
5. The score for section 1
If, after this, more than one applicant still has the same combined score and the same scores in sections 4, 3, 2, 1 and in the admissions interview, all applicants with the same score will be admitted to the programme.
The applicant’s eligibility for the application and selection will be checked before the final selection decision.
All eligible applicants are invited to a mandatory admissions interview during the entrance exam. The interview will only be evaluated from at least the most successful 55 applicants from the entrance exam.
Selection based on previous studies (Open university route)
To be accepted into the programme based on previous studies, the applicant must have completed basic studies of Social Science (25ECTS) in the University of Eastern Finland. Information about the basic studies of Social Sciences can be found here Open University: Basic Studies in Social Sciences 2025-2026 | University of Eastern Finland. The applicants with the best scores from the “What is
Society” course will be accepted for the programme. You can receive 0–10 points from each section.
The applicant must receive at least 20 points from the course in order to be accepted.
If more than one applicant has the same combined score, applicants are ranked as follows:
1. The score for section 4
2. The score for section 3
3. The score for section 2
4. The score for section 1
If, after this, more than one applicant still has the same combined score and the same scores in sections 4, 3, 2, and 1 all applicants with the same score will be admitted to the programme. If an applicant is not selected from the selection based on previous studies, they will placed among the admission group for selection based on the results of the entrance exam and interview, and their course score will be ranked compared to other applicants.
Submit a transcript of incomplete open university studies by January 28, 2026, at 3:00 PM, and the final one by April 30, 2026, at 3:00 PM. In order to be accepted, the course “What is Society” has to be completed and graded by April 5 2026.
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.
Students who are not citizens of EU/EEA countries are required to pay a tuition of € 10 000 per academic year. The top 70% of new students admitted in 2025 are granted a partial tuition waiver that will cover 50% (€ 5000) of the tuition fee per year. There is no tuition fee for EU/EEA nationals. Note that also permanent residents are exempted from the tuition fee under certain conditions.
Application period 2026
Our application period is open from 7 January 2026 to 21 January 2026. The application is completed and submitted online.
Apply via Studyinfo
Studyinfo.fi is the official national admissions portal with all the up-to-date information about study programmes leading to a degree in Finland.
