Higher Education Preparatory Programme for Immigrants - Karelia University of Applied Sciences

In the Higher Education Preparatory Programme for Immigrants you gain skills and competencies needed in higher education studies or working life. The language of instruction in the programme is Finnish.

The programme includes a lot of Finnish language studies and you will improve your language skills from level B1 to level B2, which is needed for higher education studies in Finland.

During the programme, you will improve your study skills and get to know the field of study that interests you. You will receive information on different education options in Finland as well as teaching and guidance on how to apply to different educational institutions. In addition, you will gain the academic skills needed in a Finnish higher education institution.

The programme is organized in Joensuu and it is mainly contact teaching. Studying is full-time.

Who can apply?

You can apply to the Higher Education Preparatory Programme, if you have:

– Certificate of Secondary Education (high school or vocational qualification)

– a Foreign degree that in the relevant country qualifies for higher education studies

– Finnish language skills, level B1

Contents of the programme

Preparatory Programme Courses:

Finnish language, three courses
Skills and Competencies for Higher Education studies, one course
Mathematics, one course
English language, one course (you don’t have to know English when you start the programme)

Scope and lenght: 30 credits, 6 months
Application period: 5.6-18.9.2024
Training period: 4.11.2024–30.4.2025

Entrance examination: 30.9.2024 in Joensuu, at Karelia UAS

How to apply?

You can apply to the programme by filling in an electronical application form. The form is in Finnish.

Open and fill in the application form from this link (the form will open on June 5th, 2024)

All applicants will be invited to the entrance exam. The invitations will be sent in September. After the entrance exam, you will receive the information, if you have been accepted to the programme.

The programme is free of charge and you can receive Financial aid for students from Kela. More information about the Financial aid for students from Kela webpage. Ask the TE Office for more information about financial support during studies in the programme.

After the preparatory programme, you can apply to study at all higher education institutions in Finland in the Joint application system (then there will be an entrance exam). After the preparatory programme, you can apply to Karelia University of Applied Sciences without an entrance exam, in a separate application process. Read more about the separate application process on our website (in Finnish).

Watch a video about the programme on Youtube.

Take a look at the experiences of the students who studied in the programme 2021-2022:

Students from the Higher Education Preparatory Programme at Karelia UAS in 2021-2022 tell about their experiences.