The Master's Degree Programme in Biomedicine is a unique combination of science education and medical competence offered by the UEF School of Medicine. The programme provides the student with a strong theoretical background in biomedicine and hands-on expertise in modern biomedical research methods and techniques. The students will learn, not only about the current developments, but also near future challenges to molecular biomedicine, especially genome-based diagnostics and personalized treatments.
The major of the Master's degree is Molecular Medicine, with Molecular Medicine and Computational Biomedicine as orientation options. There is an optimal balance between the theoretical studies and practical training. In the advanced level courses, the student will learn e.g. principles of disease development at the molecular and cellular level, cell and tissue imaging, genome-wide methods, computer-aided data analysis and reporting scientific data in both written and verbal format.
The education is based on top quality research conducted at the Institute of Biomedicine, the A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, and the School of Pharmacy. The Biomedicine MSc graduates are fully capable of working as team members in biomedical research groups or enterprises, or continuing with postgraduate studies.
Maximum of 10 students will be accepted to pursue Master's degree studies in the programme on the basis of their application documents and performance in interview. The Master's Degree Programme in Biomedicine is also available for Finnish applicants fulfilling admission criteria.
For instructions on how to apply and a direct link to the application form on Studyinfo, please scroll down. The application period is on 8 January 2025 - 22 January 2025.
Key information
- Level of degree: Master's degree
- Programme duration: 2 years / 120 ECTS credits
- Language of instruction: English
- Application period: 8.1.2025 - 22.1.2025
- Programme start: September 2025
- Tuition fee: EU/EEA nationals no tuition fee; non-EU/EEA nationals 10,000 €/academic year
- Tuition waivers available
- Study campus: Kuopio
Why study with us?
- Study the molecular mechanisms of disease.
- Discover Molecular & Cellular therapies.
- Master bio-computational data processing.
- Take a step to international biomedical research community.
Studies
The studies leading to Master's degree in Biomedicine give the student good expertise in planning and executing a scientific research project in the field of molecular medicine independently, and in analyzing and reporting biomedical research data. Advanced level studies in biomedicine give the student good theoretical and methodological tools and skills to work in biomedical research laboratory as well as the ability to retrieve and review scientific literature independently.
Biomedicine MSc graduates possess a firm knowledge of the molecular mechanisms within human body and understand the molecular processes behind the pathological changes in human tissues. They can also interpret and make computer-assisted analyses of biomedical information and are capable of scientific reporting to both the research community and the general public.
This all gives the capability to work as a researcher in research institutes or pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as a healthcare consulting professional or an official in national and international agencies. The Master's degree in biomedicine also gives a good basis for postgraduate studies.
The Master’s Degree Programme in Biomedicine is a two-year full-time study programme. The Master's degree in biomedicine consists of 120 ECTS credits of studies in one main subject, Molecular Medicine. The studies consist of mandatory major subject studies including the Master’s thesis project, optional studies, and studies on communication and presentation skills. The student can choose to specialize in either Molecular Medicine or Computational Biomedicine.
Medium of instruction is English. The first study year starts with an orientation week to help our international students to familiarize themselves with the Finnish study environment. The orientation week is followed by courses that take usually from 2 to 8 weeks each. A course may include lectures, exercises, seminars and laboratory practicals. You may have several courses going on at the same time, but the premade timetable ensures that there will be no overlaps. There is no special exam period, as every course has its own exam at the end of the course. The second year has only a few mandatory courses, as the year is mainly dedicated for the MSc thesis research project and writing the thesis.
Councelling and guidance
The beforehand made schedules for each class provide a base for the studies. In addition, a tutor teacher provides the students with study guidance throughout their studies. The studies follow a personal study plan, which the student writes with the help from the tutor teacher.
The Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Biomedicine is a two-year full-time study program. Master's degree consists of 120 ECTS credits of studies in one main subject, Molecular Medicine. The student can choose to specialize in either molecular medicine or computational biomedicine.
Study modules in the Master’s Degree Programme in Biomedicine
The studies in Master’s degree programme in Biomedicine consist of the following modules:
- Advanced studies in Molecular medicine / Computational biomedicine, obligatory, 57 ECTS
- MSc research project + MSc thesis, 40 ECTS
- Academic communication and general skills, 12 ECTS
- Advanced studies, optional, min. 11 ECTS
One ECTS credit corresponds to 27 hours of work.
How to apply?
To assess an applicant's eligibility for the program, the applicant must submit an application during the admission period. A previous Bachelor's degree corresponding to at least 3 years of full-time academic studies from an institution for higher education is required from all Master's degree applicants.
Eligibility criteria
All applicants should have at least Bachelor's or equivalent degree in an applicable field (e.g. biomedicine, cell biology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, biochemistry) corresponding to at least 3 years' of full‐time academic studies (equivalent of 180 ECTS credit units in the Finnish university system) obtained at an internationally recognized and accredited university or higher education institution. Applicants having a Bachelor's degree from a Finnish University of Applied Sciences or Polytechnic are not electable.
The background studies must include at least 10 ECTS of practical laboratory work.
Note that biological, environmental, medical, veterinarian or pharmacy studies, as such, do not give an adequate knowledge base for biomedicine MSc studies. For a successful study performance, a more comprehensive understanding of the structure and function of the genome is needed.
Language requirements
Applicants must either (1) meet the language proficiency criteria (see below), or (2) reach the minimum required language test results to be considered eligible to the University of Eastern Finland. No exceptions will be made and no waivers to the language proficiency requirements are given.
(1) Applicants who hold one of the following do not have to take an English language test:
- A language test is not required if the applicant has completed their secondary education in English language in EU/EEA -countries*, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand or in Switzerland.
- A language test is not required if the applicant has completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or higher degree in English language in EU/EEA -countries, or in one of the following countries: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South-Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
*EU-countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. EEA-countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
The degree/programme must be taught and assessed entirely in English. If you verify your language skills with your education degree, the language of instruction must be clearly indicated on the educational document or on a separate official statement provided by the degree awarding university.
Online studies or studies completed on offshore campuses outside the accepted countries/area cannot be used to indicate language skills, even if the degree-awarding institution is in one of the accepted countries. Applicant can only indicate the language skills with an incomplete degree if he/she is applying for the studies with the same degree.
(2) All other applicants have to take one of the following language tests:
- TOEFL iBT, overall score 92, min. 22 in writing
- IELTS (academic) overall score 6.5, min. 6.0 in writing
- PTE (academic), overall score 62, min 54 in writing
- C1 Advanced overall score C or 180, with min. 162 in writing
- C2 Proficiency overall score level C1 or 180, with min. 162 in writing
- National Certificate of Language Proficiency YKI-test: level 5 in all different subtests (reading, comprehension, writing and speaking). It is possible to combine different examinations.
No other degrees or statements of language proficiency will be accepted.
TOEFL, IELTS and PTE certificates are valid for two years from the day they are issued, i.e. the language test need to be in effect during the application period. The language test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the organizer.
Required documents
You must attach the following documents in your application in Studyinfo:
- Degree certificates, and if needed, an English translation provided by an authorized translator
- Course transcript, and if needed, an English translation provided by an authorized translator. The transcript must include amount of credits, grading and date of each study unit, and also the scale of grading used by the university.
- A copy of passport
- If required (see the language requirements above), certificate of English language proficiency
- Curriculum Vitae (CV). Please use the Europass template > Europass CV. In the CV, please, list the most important job duties (those relevant for evaluating the laboratory or biomedical data analysis work experience) and whether the position has been full time or part time, and if part time, the weekly working hours. If you have completed a practical research project as part of your BSc or MSc thesis, please, list also that in the CV.
- Letter of motivation. A short description of the applicant's former studies / research experience and reasons why applying to degree program of Biomedicine.
- Recommendation letters from two (2) referees. The referees are recommended being academics (teachers or supervisors) from the university where the applicant has studied, or supervisor from the place of employment.
- A document to show that the background studies include at least 10 ECTS of practical laboratory work (course experiments, internships or thesis). If the practical and theory courses are clearly separated in the transcript of records, the transcript itself is enough to show this. Otherwise, please, add a separate document that is highly recommended to be written by the study programme or the degree awarding university. The document can be e.g. a course syllabus, diploma supplement, or a letter written by a representative of the study programme.
If any of the required enclosures is missing, the application will be rejected.
Official translations
All application documents should be submitted in Finnish, Swedish or English. Also the copies of the original documents have to be submitted. Translations of educational documents must be 1) issued by the awarding institution or 2) officially certified copy of a translation issued by the awarding institution or 3) translated by an official translator or 4) officially certified copy of a translation made by an official translator. Each page of an official translation must bear the translator’s stamp and/or signature. Official translations must be exact translations of the original documents. Translations done by the applicants themselves are not accepted.
1) Check the application period
There is only one application period to the Master's degree programme in Biomedicine in January each year. The online application is accessible only during the application period, so be sure to check the dates.
2) Check the admission requirements
Ensure you meet the program-specific admission criteria. Pay attention to language requirements - do you need to take a language test? If so, register early for tests like TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, or PTE Academic.
3) Gather your documents
The required documents are described in Admission requirements, and they can also be found on Studyinfo. Prepare your documents well before the application period begins. If your educational documents are in a language other than English, Finnish, or Swedish, include official translations.
4) Submit the application
Application forms are available only during the specified application period. Submit your documents as electronic copies or scanned attachments along with your online application. Follow the instructions provided in Studyinfo. Ensure all documents are uploaded by the deadline, as email attachments are not accepted. After submitting, you will receive a confirmation email, which includes a link for making changes to your application during the application period. You may upload documents for up to seven days after the application window closes.
5) After submitting your application
The admission team will start checking the applications after the application window closes. We will assess the eligibility and authenticity of educational certificates and language tests for all applicants. After you have been accepted, you must remember to verify your documents. This process includes verifying information with previous educational institutions. Please Learn more about the verification process.
Questions?
If you have any questions about completing your application or uploading documents, please contact our admissions office at admissions@uef.fi or by phone at +358 29 445 8990.
Student selection will be based on the application documents and evaluation of how the applicant’s skills and competences gained by the previous academic studies correspond to the Master´s studies applied. Also, the success in earlier studies, possible earlier research experience, the motivation letter and the introduction video of the applicant will be taken into account in the selection process in evaluating the suitability of the applicant’s background.
Note, that a previous MSc degree (or higher), or present study place in another MSc programme, are not necessarily considered to be beneficial. Meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee acceptance to the programme.
Applications are evaluated by the admission committee of the Master’s degree programme. The admission committee asks the 20-30 best applicants to make a short, max. 5 minutes introduction video about themselves. Instructions and a request to make an introduction video will be sent by e-mail, thus, the applicants don't need to attach a video in their application. If the applicant does not send the video by the given date, the application will not be processed further.
The admission committee scores the selected applicants by following application components:
- Compatibility of the background studies 0-5 p (0p = insufficient, 1p = poor, 2p = satisfactory, 3p = good, 4p = very good, 5p = excellent relevance to Biomed programme curriculum)
- Previous academic success and study history 0-3p (0p = poor, 1p = satisfactory, 2p = good, 3p = excellent)
- Laboratory or biomedical data analysis work experience 0-3p (0p = no experience, 1p = minor or irrelevant experience, 2p = relevant experience, 3p = wealth of significant experience)
- Motivation letter 0-3p (0p = insufficient, 1p = somewhat motivated, 2p = sufficient and well-justified motivation, 3 p = excellent motivation)
- The introduction video, including English skills, is scored on scale 0-3p (0 = insufficient, 1p = satisfactory, 2p = good, 3p = excellent).
If the applicant scores 0p in any of the components, the application will not be processed further.
Applicants will be ranked according to the selection criteria. The best 10 applicants are accepted to the program and the rest of the applicants are rejected. The programme may accept more applicants by discretion to fulfill the available study places in the programme. Applicants are not placed on a waiting list.
Selection results
Results for studies starting in September 2025 will be published on 28 May 2025 at the latest. When the selection decision has been made, the results will be posted immediately to applicants by e-mail.
Admitted students shall inform whether they accept their study place by latest on 10 July 2025 at 3 pm (EEST) electronically via Studyinfo portal or by submitting the confirmation form to hakijapalvelut@uef.fi.
According to One study place per term provision, a student may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland during one academic term. This rule applies to all higher education.
Conditional acceptance
Your admission is conditional if you apply to UEF with a degree that is not finished during the application period. It is required that the applicants deliver officially certified copies of the final degree certificate and the transcript of records to the programme coordinator by 31 July 2025.
All accepted students need to provide officially certified copies, if they cannot authenticate their degree/transcript electronically when applying. The students will be conditionally accepted until they have provided the certified copies of the educational document (degree certificate and transcript of records). Country specific requirements are in use in the situations when the applicant cannot provide the documents electronically. The last date to send the documents is 30 May 2025.
Your admission is conditional also if you are liable to pay the tuition fee until you have returned the signed Student agreement and have paid the tuition fee by 31 August 2025 at the latest.
In case the applicants do not deliver the documents by the given deadlines, their study right will be cancelled.
Students who are not citizens of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland are liable to pay the tuition fee of 10 000 € per academic year. The tuition fee covers the studies included in the degree, studies-related supervision and counselling, and studies-related supporting services offered by the university.
In addition, all degree students are liable to pay the membership fee of the Student Union. By paying the Student Union membership fee, students are also entitled to university sports services (Sykettä). All degree students are entitled to the services of the Finnish Student Health Service by paying the mandatory student healthcare fee.
University of Eastern Finland offers scholarships for non-EU/EEA students. Applicants subject to tuition fees can apply for tuition waivers and scholarships during the university application process by completing the relevant section on the application form. All tuition fees, waivers, and scholarships are outlined and determined by the Academic Rector's decision for the 2025-2026 academic year (diary number 4401/02.04.01/2024). The University of Eastern Finland will also grant an Early Bird tuition fee deduction of 500 € to students who accept the study place and pay the tuition fees by 11 June 2025.
The Scholarship does not cover living costs. Students are expected to cover all living expenses (app. 800 euros per month) and other study related costs from their own financial resources.
More information on tuition fees, waivers and scholarships can be found in the University of Eastern Finland website.
Application period 2025
Our application period is open from 8 January 2025 to 22 January 2025 at 3 pm (EEST). The application is completed and submitted online.
Apply via Studyinfo
The applicants need to apply through the national Studyinfo portal at studyinfo.fi. Each applicant can only fill in and submit one application form in the joint application. Studyinfo.fi is the official national admissions portal with all the up-to-date information about study programmes leading to a degree in Finland.
Student and alumni stories
Learn more about studying at the UEF, our university and its campuses, and life in Finland!