Higher education
Universities and polytechnics in Finland
Higher Education in Finland splits between universities, which focus on scientific research, and polytechnics (ammattikorkeakoulut) where the focus is on teaching the expertise needed for working life. Competition for places is relatively fierce.
Universities in Finland
There are 20 universities in Finland. Ten of these are multidisciplinary, three technical, three schools of economics and business administration, and four are art academies.
Application for universities usually happens in the spring. To enter university, students need to have passed the Upper Secondary examination or a three-year vocational qualification.
Fields of study are diverse and plentiful, the biggest of which include natural sciences and humanities. A lower tier (Bachelor’s) degree is attained in three years and requires 180 credit points, whilst a higher Master’s degree is most commonly completed in two years. As with in most European countries, fields such as Medicine often require more extensive study and therefore take longer to finish.
After their university degree, students can continue education for a doctoral degree or licentiate.
Polytechnics in Finland
Polytechnics offer more practically-orientated studies than universities, and their extensive working life connections ensure a good employment record among graduates.
Entry requires completion of either general Upper Secondary school or a vocational upper secondary qualification, and the selection process takes place through the joint application process in the spring and autumn.
Polytechnic studies generally take between 3.5 and 4.5 years, are free of charge, and include a six-month period spent working in the chosen field. Polytechnics construct their curricula in the following fields:
• Humanities and Education
• Culture
• Natural Sciences
• Tourism, Catering and Domestic Services
• Social Services, Health and Sports
• Technology, Communication and Transport
• Social Sciences, Business and Administration
There are 29 polytechnics in Finland, the majority of which are multidisciplinary, with student numbers ranging from 1,000 to 8,000.
Postgraduate studies in polytechnics are possible once three years of working life experience have been attained since completion of the first degree. They are based around the expert needs of businesses in the region, and usually take between a year and eighteen months of full time study to complete.
Also in this section
- Introduction: The Finnish education system
- Pre-primary education: Pre-schools in Finland
- Schools in Finland: Compulsory primary education
- Secondary education: Vocational and upper secondary schools
- Higher education: Universities and polytechnics in Finland
