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

How to apply for a decision?

The image shows a schematic representation of the degree recognition process. The same content is in the text of the page.

You can apply for the decision using the electronic application form. The application form is available on Studyinfo service in English, Finnish and 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. Please note that you will receive the decision faster by using the electronic application form.

If you already have received a conditional decision on recognition, use the application form for final decisions. The application form and instructions are available in chapter "How do I apply for a final decision".

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.
You will receive instructions for paying the processing fee. Pay the processing fee within 14 days.
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.
When the decision has been made, you will receive the instructions for paying the decision fee.
Pay the decision fee within 14 days.
An electronically signed decision will be sent to you by e-mail, or you will receive the decision by post once you have paid the final payment.

What do I do when I have received the decision?

Please see our separate webpage for those who have received a decision on the recognition of a degree or studies.

Information for recipients of a decision on the recognition of a degree or studies

How do I apply for a final decision?

Check if you need to apply for a final decision from the Finnish National Agency for Education. For more information, please see our website for recipients of the Finnish National Agency for Education’s decision.

Apply for the final decision using the electronic application form for final decisions. The application form is available in the Studyinfo.fi service in Finnish, Swedish and English.

Use the application form for final decisions only if you already have received a conditional decision on recognition and have completed the adaptation period, aptitude test or supplementing studies in accordance with the decision.

The Finnish National Agency for Education charges a processing fee of 70 euros for the processing of the application. If you are applying for a final decision, a separate decision fee will not be charged. After a decision on your application has been made, we will send you the electronically signed decision by email or mail.

Electronic application form for a final decision on the recognition of professional qualifications or on the recognition of higher education studies completed abroad

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 and paying

All decisions issued by the Finnish National Agency for Education are subject to a fee. The fees are charged in two stages: Before the processing is started, a processing fee is charged. When the decision has been issued, the decision fee is charged.

Those using the electronic form to apply for the decision pay the processing fee and the decision fee electronically. Those using the paper form will receive the invoices for the processing fee and the decision fee by post.

Decision on recognition of a higher education degree as comparable in terms of level to a degree completed in Finland: processing fee 70 € and decision fee 209 €
Decision on recognition of higher education studies as comparable to a specific degree or certain study module: processing fee 70 € and decision fee 350–594 €*
Decision on recognition of professional qualifications: processing fee 70 € and decision fee 350–594 €*
Decision on sufficient studies for instruction in a foreign language, teaching based on Steiner pedagogy or pre-primary education based on Montessori pedagogy: processing fee 70 € and decision fee 350–594 €*
Final decision on the recognition of professional qualifications or final decision on the recognition of higher education studies: processing fee 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: processing fee 70 € and decision fee 80–324 €

*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.

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.