Recognition of a qualification completed abroad can now be applied for online

Recognition of qualifications refers to a decision on the eligibility that foreign qualifications provide when applying for a job or study place. In Finland, recognition decisions are made by competent authorities, educational establishments, higher education institutions and employers.

Earlier this year, the Finnish National Agency for Education has published an electronic service guide, with the help of which anyone who has completed a degree abroad can find out whether he or she needs a decision on the recognition of a qualification, where and how to apply for the decision, as well as where to find further information.

In most cases, the employer, educational establishment or a higher education institution assesses the competence and skills that a foreign qualification provides. The decision on the recognition of a qualification made by the Finnish National Agency for Education or another competent authority is needed if the person who has completed a degree abroad wishes to work in Finland in a regulated profession or in a post that requires a higher education degree of a certain level.

The Finnish National Agency for Education’s decision on the recognition of a qualification can be applied for by using the electronic application form on the Studyinfo webservice. The form is available in Finnish, Swedish and English. An instruction video has been published to support the use of the electronic application system.