Applying to the Finnish National Agency for Education for a decision on recognition of a qualification

How to apply for a decision?

You apply for the decision using the electronic application form on Studyinfo service.

Proceed to the electronic application form (in English, Finnish or Swedish)

If you wish to apply for the decision using the paper-based application form, please request for the application form and instructions by sending an email to recognition [at] oph.fi.

Application form for a final decision on recognition

Please use one of these forms if you already received a conditional decision on recognition and have completed the adaptation period, aptitude test or supplementing studies in accordance with the decision.

Application for a final decision on early childhood education and care (docx, 39.77 KB)

Application for a final decision for another profession (docx, 29.66 KB)

Required documents

When submitting your application, please attach copies of the following documents:

Degree/qualification certificate
Document specifying the content of studies (e.g. transcript)
Proof of nationality (e.g. an extract from the Population Information System in Finland or copy of the ID page of your passport)
Document verifying name change (if applicable)

If you are an EU/EEA national and you apply for recognition of professional qualifications obtained in an EU/EEA member state, please attach as well:

A certificate issued as evidence of professional qualifications, if such a document is issued in the country where you have obtained your professional qualifications (e.g. document on teacher registration)
If applicable, certificates of professional experience (work certificates) and certificates of life-long learning.

Translations
Provide a translation of each document into Finnish, Swedish or English if the original document is in a language other than Finnish, Swedish, Danish, English, Estonian, Icelandic, French, German, Norwegian or Spanish.
The translator must be an authorised translator in Finland or an official translator in the source country, working in the language pair in question. Translations done by the body that has issued the original document are also accepted.

List of authorised translators in Finland

What happens after I have submitted my application?

You receive an email confirming that your application is received.
If all documents are not provided, you will receive an email requesting you to supplement your application. Send the required supplementing documents to the Finnish National Agency for Education.
The processing of an application takes on average 2-3 months counting from the date on which all the necessary documents were provided.
The handler of your application will contact you by email in case additional information is required.
You will receive an electronically signed decision by either email or mail.
You will receive a printed invoice later by mail.

What do I do when I have received the decision?

If the decision is conditional and you are required to complete certain studies or a compensation measure, you will receive, along with the decision, instructions on how to complete what is required. After completing the requirement, submit your application for a final decision and attach the certificate showing you have completed what was required. Link to the application for a final decision.
If the decision you receive is not conditional, you can use it to prove your eligibility for a position. When applying for a job, the employer may require also other documents, such as a certificate attesting language proficiency.

Appealing a decision

A decision issued by the Finnish National Agency for Education can be appealed against to an administrative court in Finland. The appeal instructions are sent along with the decision.

Read more about appealing to an administrative court at oikeus.fi service

Fees

Decision on recognition of a higher education degree as comparable in terms of level to a degree completed in Finland 279 €
Decision on recognition of higher education studies as comparable to a specific degree or certain study module 420–664 €*
Decision on recognition of professional qualifications 420–664 €*
Decision on sufficient studies for instruction in a foreign language, teaching based on Steiner pedagogy or pre-primary education based on Montessori pedagogy 420 €*
Processing fee for a cancelled application 70 €
Final decision on the recognition of professional qualifications or final decision on the recognition of higher education studies 70 €
Decision on recognition if the decision is based on the same qualifications as a previous decision on recognition by the Finnish National Agency for Education 150–394 €

*The fee includes a decision on the recognition of the level of a higher education degree, where applicable.

Examples of the fees in different cases are provided on the application form.

You will receive a printed invoice by mail once your application has been processed.

Information about the processing of personal data

1. Data controller

The Finnish National Agency for Education (Opetushallitus)

P.O. Box 380, 00531 Helsinki, Finland.
kirjaamo(at)oph.fi, opetushallitus(at)oph.fi, +358 29 533 1000 (switchboard)

Head of information management Jyrki Tuohela
tietosuoja(at)oph.fi, + 358 29 533 1000 (switchboard)

2. Purpose of the filing system and legal basis for processing personal data

Purpose	Legal basis for processing personal data
Decision-making about recognition of professional qualifications	Act on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications 1384/2015 Decree on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications 1459/2015
Decision-making about recognition of the eligibility provided by higher education studies completed abroad	Act on Eligibility for Public Posts Provided by Higher Education Studies Completed Abroad 1385/2015
Decision-making about sufficient studies for teaching in a foreign language or for teaching based on a specific pedagogical system	Teaching Qualifications Decree 986/1998, section 21

3. Recipients of personal data

Personal data provided in the application and appendices is processed by officials who work in the Finnish National Agency for Education.
The Finnish National Agency for Education provides data on recognition decisions to the Statistics Finland annually.

4. Retention of data

The Finnish National Agency for Education keeps the data provided in applications for 60 years.
Information about processed applications are removed from the Study Info -system once a year.

5. Rights of the registered

A registered person has the right to access his/her personal data, to review his/her data, to demand rectification of data and to limit the processing of his/her data.
A registered person has the right to complain to the supervisory authority (the Data Protection Ombudsman), if he/she suspects a violation in the handling of personal data.