Number of applicants in the first joint application of the spring decreased by more than a quarter

The first joint application for Finnish higher institutions in spring 2026 ended on Wednesday, 21 January. There were about 9,000 starting places to apply to in 440 study programmes. Roughly half of the study options are at universities and half at universities of applied sciences.

A total of around 23,700 applicants participated in the joint application. Around half of them were citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland, and they were particularly interested in English taught degree programmes. More than 3,500 applicants applied to programmes offered by the University of the Arts, and a bit less than 1,000 applicants to the Theatre Arts programme at Tampere University. The largest nationality groups were Finland (39 % of applicants), Pakistan (10 %), Bangladesh (8 %), Nigeria (6 %) and India (5 %). In total, the applicants represented 147 nationalities.

The overall drop in the total number of applicants is largely explained by the fact that there were clearly fewer applicants from outside the EU/EEA area and Switzerland this year; last year they numbered over 20,000. The biggest decreases were among applicants from Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The number of Finnish applicants remained the same, but their relative share increased (2025: 25%).

Most of the applicants applying to English-taught degree programmes are from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, and as such they are required to pay tuition fees. Since last year, they have also been required to pay an application fee of 100 euros, which last time led to the number of applicants halving. The same reason has had an effect this time as well.

The number of applicants includes those who have sent in their application by the 21st of January. This number will decrease over time, as the applicants can send in their applicants before paying the fee. This means that the number includes applicants who will not pay the application fee and thus their applications will not be processed. Last spring, around 6,000 applicants were removed on this basis. The final number of applicants will be known in February when all the applications are reviewed.

Big differences between study fields in the competition for study places

In absolute numbers, the highest number of applicants were for study programmes in the fields of business, administration and law, and information and communication technologies (ICT). 

In higher education, the toughest competition for a study place, i.e. the highest number of applicants in comparison to study places, takes place in Arts and culture (9,2 applicants/study place), Social sciences (8,7 ) and Education (4,9 ). 

The lowest number of applicants in comparison to study places is in Engineering and technology (2,6), as well as in Information and communication technologies (2,8).

The results of the selections will be published at the end of May at the latest

Currently, higher education institutions are reviewing applications and organizing entrance examinations. The results of the first joint application for the spring will be published starting from the end of January and the beginning of February. All results will be published no later than May 27.

In the first spring joint application the applicant can be offered admission to any and all of the programmes on the application form. However, only one offer of admission can be accepted to studies starting in the same academic term. 

Applicants with a Finnish citizenship follow the status of their application in the My Studyinfo service. Anyone accepted as a student will automatically receive information about the selection via email.

Higher education institutions may also organize separate applications outside the first joint application. Most of these are also carried out in Studyinfo. You can find more information about these in Studyinfo and websites of the higher education institutes.

The second joint application period for higher education begins in March

The second joint application this spring is from 10 March to 24 March 2026. The application includes study programmes in Finnish and Swedish at the higher education institutions starting in the autumn. 

The Finnish National Agency for Education is responsible for the national implementation of the joint applications to higher education as well as for nationwide communication related to applying and student selection. All applications are submitted in the Studyinfo service maintained by the Agency.

More information

• Senior advisor Ilmari Nokkonen ilmari.nokkonen [at] oph.fi, tel. 029 533 8687
• Senior advisor Janni Jokela janni.jokela [at] oph.fi, tel. 029 533 1818