University Education

The Finnish higher education system consists of two complementary sectors: polytechnics and universities. The mission of universities is to conduct scientific research and provide undergraduate and postgraduate education based on it.

Under the Universities Act, universities must promote free research and scientific and artistic education, provide higher education based on research, and educate students to serve their country and humanity. In carrying out this mission, universities must interact with the surrounding society and strengthen the impact of research findings and artistic activities on society.

The traditional university sector consists of multi-faculty universities, universities of technology, business schools and art academies, all of which carry out research, provide under- and postgraduate education based on research and award degrees up to doctorates. In addition, university level education is provided at one military academy, the National Defence College, which is part of the Defence Forces.

All the 20 universities in Finland are state-owned and mostly financed from the state budget. Their operations are built on the freedom of education and research and university autonomy.

The Finnish matriculation examination provides general eligibility for university education. The same eligibility is also provided by the International Baccalaureate (IB), European Baccalaureate (EB) and Reifeprüfung examinations. In addition, those with a Finnish polytechnic degree, post-secondary level vocational qualification or at least a three-year vocational qualification also have general eligibility for university education. Universities may also admit applicants, who are otherwise considered by the university to have the necessary knowledge and skills to complete the studies. Most new students have completed the matriculation examination.

People who received their schooling in another country may be admitted if their qualification gives eligibility for corresponding university studies in that country

Universities select their students independently and they decide on the field-specific student intake according to the agreed target number of degrees. The numbers are determined in performance negotiations between the Ministry of Education and the universities. There is restricted entry, "numerus clausus’, to all fields of study. As there are many more applicants than there are places available, universities use different kinds of student admission criteria.

Student admission may be based on:

• the grades attained in the matriculation certificate (and in the general upper secondary school leaving certificate) together with the results of an entrance test, which is the most common procedure;
• the results of an entrance test only; or
• the grades attained in the matriculation certificate and in the upper secondary school leaving certificate only.

A two-tier degree structure was introduced in August 2005 in line with the Bologna Process. It divided the former Master’s level undergraduate degree programmes into separate Bachelor’s (180-210 ECTS credits ~3 yrs) and Master’s degrees (typically 120 ECTS credits ~2 yrs).

According to the Statistics Finland, altogether 176 300 students studied for a degree in 2007. 33 per cent studied for a Bachelor’s degree and 53 per cent for a Master’s degree. 14 per cent were post-graduate students or taking specialisation studies in medicine. The share of females of all students was 54 per cent and 57 per cent of new entrants.

The number of foreign students was 5 900, up by 500.

22 300 degrees were obtained in 2007: 5 900 Bachelor’s, 13 900 Master’s and 1 500 doctoral. Female share was 63 per cent.

Students with foreign background were awarded 820 degrees; 23 per cent of them were doctoral.