Master's Degree Programme in Forestry

Admission requirements

To assess an applicant's eligibility for the programme, 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 - Degree certificate & transcript of grades (A previous Bachelor's degree in forestry or in related field corresponding to at least 3 year's of full time academic studies from an institution for higher education is required from all Master's degree applicants. The degree must be awarded by an internationally recognized university. Applicants who have a previous Bachelor’s degree in forestry or in related field from a recognized university of applied sciences or polytechnic are also eligible.)

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 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.

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 documents. 

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.

(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, from 8 January 2023 onwards.

The language test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the organiser. More information about submitting the language test reports HERE.

Required documents – You must attach the following documents in your application on Studyinfo. The documents must be high-quality scans of original documents.

• Bachelor’s degree certificate (and an official English translation of it if needed)
• An official transcript of academic records (and an official English translation of it if needed)
• English language certificate (English language test or If you verify your language skills with your education degree, the language of instruction must be clearly indicated on the educational documents) 
• Curriculum vitae
• Two recommendation letters*
• A copy of passport (not required from Finnish applicants)
• Possible document giving you an exemption from paying tuition fee

In addition, as a part of the admission requirements, in the application form you will be requested to write a motivation letter (max. 1000 characters) and include information about your work experience (max. 500 characters) and international experience (max. 500 characters).

All enclosures are compulsory for the selection process. 

Official translations: If your educational documents are issued in a language other than English, Finnish, or Swedish, you must provide official translations in one of these languages. These translations must be done by the degree-awarding institution or a certified translator. Every page of the official translation should include the translator's stamp and/or signature. The translation must accurately reflect the original documents, and self-translations by applicants are not accepted. 

*The recommendation letters can be attached with the online application form OR they can be sent by email directly to the programme coordinator, Ms. Marjoriitta Möttönen (marjoriitta.mottonen(at)uef.fi) by the referee. The template for the recommendation letters to be used (doc, pdf)

You will begin the application process on the national Studyinfo portal. Application form is available at studyinfo.fi only when the call for applications is open (8 January 2025 - 22 January 2025 at 3 pm (EET). Go to Studyinfo portal and begin the application.

You must fill in the online application and submit it with the required scanned enclosures. We will not process application documents that have arrived after the deadline.

For more information about how to apply.

Application instructions in a nutshell

• When the application period begins, fill in the online application form and make sure you have attached the required application enclosures (in pdf format). At the application state we require only scanned enclosures attached (uploaded) to the application form. Note: The documents must be high-quality scans of original documents. Paper copies are not required during the application period.
• The recommendation letters can be attached with the online application form OR they can be sent by email directly to the programme coordinator, MS. Marjoriitta Möttönen (marjoriitta.mottonen(at)uef.fi) by the referee.

Should you have any questions about completing your application, please contact our Admissions Office, admissions[at]uef.fi, tel. +358 29 445 8990. In case you have questions concerning the application requirements, please contact Ms Marjoriitta Möttönen, email. marjoriitta.mottonen(at)uef.fi, tel. +358 (0) 50 442 3031.

Application documents will not be returned to the applicant.

Further information on application procedure at the University of Eastern Finland.

Selection process

The admission processes in the Master’s Degree Programme in Forestry aims at fair selection of high-quality applicants. Student selection is based on the application documents and evaluation how the applicant’s skills and competences gained by the previous academic studies correspond to the Master's studies applied for. Meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee acceptance to the programme.

Applicants will be ranked according to the selection criteria. The best 10 applicants are accepted to the programme 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 the waiting list.

The applications will be graded using the following criteria: 

All eligible applications will be evaluated according to five selection criteria: 

1. Academic excellence: 0-20 p (0=poor, 20=excellent) 
2. Prestige and level of the home university: 0-5 p (0=poor, 5=excellent)
3. Relevant studies and other background (e.g. work experience, international experience and other projects): 0-15 p (0=poor, 15=excellent)
4. Recommendation letters: 0-5 p (0=poor, 5=excellent)
5. Applicant’s own explanations about their motivation to apply for studies: 0-10 p (0=poor, 10=excellent)

The ranking list is made according to the total score. Whenever two or more applicants have the same total points, the one who has higher score in academic excellence will be placed first.

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 

All accepted students need to provide officially certified copies of their educational documents (BSc, MSc or higher degree), 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 when the documents need to be at the university is 30 May 2025. In case the applicants do not deliver the documents by the given deadline, their study right will be cancelled.

In addition, non-EU/EEA students who are required to pay tuition fees will be conditionally accepted until they have paid the required tuition fees and signed the Student Agreement. 

Delimitation of granting right to study 

Applicants cannot be granted a new right to study resulting in a Master of Science (Agriculture and Forestry) degree in Forestry (major) if they already have a valid right to study in the degree programme resulting in a Master of Science (Agriculture and Forestry) degree in Forestry (major) at the University of Eastern Finland. 

Appeal 

If applicants disagree with the decision, they may apply for a rectification of the decision he Dean of the faculty by 11 June 2025 at 3 pm (EEST) at the latest. The instructions for making a request for rectification can be found on Admissions results website.  

Tuition fees

The annual tuition fee for non-EU/EEA students is 10,000 EUR. There are no tuition fees for students who are citizens of EU/EEA countries or Switzerland. 

For more details: Tuition fees, waivers and scholarships

Tuition fee waivers and scholarships at UEF

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. The best 70 % of admitted applicants (as ranked by the reviewers of the applications) will receive a tuition waiver covering 50 % of the tuition fee. In addition, the highest ranked applicant will be completely exempted from paying the tuition fee (UEF Scholarship).

Students granted a tuition waiver or scholarship must sign and return a student agreement. Additionally, degree students are required to pay the Student Union membership fee and the Kela student healthcare fee.

For more details: Tuition fees, waivers and scholarships

Services provided by UEF

UEF offers all students - irrespective of whether they are required to pay tuition or not - a range of services that take off some of the financial burden on the student. The cost of living in Finland is relatively high and students are expected to cover these independently and have access to sufficient funds (this will be checked at the time of applying for/renewing your residence permit).

For example, students have free access to the collections of the University Library, there are computers and a free WiFi on campus available to students, as well as a number of other supporting services designed to facilitate the everyday life of our students. And last but definitely not least, membership in the Student Union comes with a variety of leisure time activities organised for free by, for example, your field's subject association. Membership in the Student Union is mandatory for all degree-seeking students. For further information and annual updates about the exact amount of the student union fee, please see the website of the Student Union.

Founded in 1982, the School of Forest Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland is an international research and education centre, providing the highest level of expertise in forestry and related sciences. The School of Forest Sciences is an internationally renowned research and education centre which produces highly competent and responsible professionals with excellent management skills for forestry and other environmental management fields for Finland and the rest of the world. The School's situation in the City of Joensuu places it at the core of a dynamically developing national centre of expertise in the forest, wood, and environmental sciences as well as education.

The School of Forest Sciences has over 300 undergraduates and approximately 80 post-graduate students. Each autumn about 70 new forestry students begin their studies.

Studies

MSc Forestry students major in Forestry and they can specialize in A. Management and ecology of forest ecosystems or B. Forest technology and economics.

Research priorities

The research priorities in our school are:

• Effects of climate change on forests
• Forest ecology and biodiversity
• Multi-objective and participatory forest planning
• Wood science
• Wood procurement
• Forest resource inventory and GIS
• Economic evaluation of forest benefits
• Forest economy and marketing
• Forest energy and its procurement