Bachelor's Degree Programme in Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development

20 Students are selected to the bachelor’s degree programme in Lifelong Learning and Sustainable development in two ways: 

• Admission group I: Entrance examination: motivational online questionnaire and online interview. Intake: 15 student places 
• Admission group II: Open university route. Intake: 5 student places 

Both admission groups have the same language requirements.  

The best 20 applicants are accepted to the program and the rest of the applicants are rejected. The programme may accept more applicants by discretion in order to fill the available study places in the programme.  Applicants are not placed on the waiting list.

Language requirements

Applicants must either (1) reach the minimum required language test results to be considered eligible to the University of Eastern Finland or (2) meet the language proficiency criteria (see below). No exceptions will be made.

1. Applicants can prove their English language skills with one of the following examinations or tests

Matriculation examinations

• Finnish matriculation examination, English language (A-language, advanced syllabus) completed with a minimum grade of magna cum laude approbatur (M)
• International Baccalaureate degree (IB):
  • diploma completed in English, 
  • successful completion of A level English exam (literature / language and literature / literature and performance), 
  • completion of B level English exam, minimum grade of 5 (good).
• European Baccalaureate (EB) degree: 
  • L1-language (English) completed successfully
  • L2 – or L3 language (English) completed with a minimum grade of 7.
• Reifeprüfung (RP) or DIA degree (German school of Helsinki) Satisfactory completion of:
  •  English A written scores completed successfully 
  •  oral score being minimum of 8

Language tests 

• TOEFL iBT test: minimum overall score 78 
• IELTS (academic)-test: minimum overall score 6.0
• PTE (academic)-test: minimum overall score 54
• C1 Advanced minimum score: C
• C2 Proficiency minimum score: Level C1
• A National certificate of language proficiency (YKI) (English) of The Finnish National Agency for Education: level 4 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 needs 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. 

2. 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 degree 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, Ruanda, 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.

Admission group I – Motivational online questionnaire and online interview 

Eligibility criteria

Eligible applicants hold an upper secondary education degree certificate:

• Finnish matriculation examination
• International Baccalaureate degree (IB)
• European Baccalaureate degree (EB)
• Deutsches Internationales Abitur degree (DIA) or Reifeprüfung degree (RP) in Finland
• A Finnish vocational upper secondary qualification, further vocational qualification or specialist vocational qualification as set in the Vocational Education Act (531/2017)
• any other comparable upper secondary educational qualification which provides eligibility for university-level Bachelor’s studies in the country in question.
• Cambridge Assessment International Education A-level or Advanced International Certificate of Education degree (AICE), or
• has the right to study towards a university degree in Finland, or
• holds a degree conferred by a Finnish higher education institution or 
• holds at least a Bachelor level degree conferred by a foreign institution. 

Applicants who are in the final semester of their upper secondary education are also eligible to apply.

In entrance examination admission, completed Finnish matriculation examinations and Finnish vocational qualifications of which the university has received information by 13 June 2025 will be taken into account. International matriculation examinations and degrees completed abroad will be taken into account if the required attachments have been sent by the deadline.

If you are a refugee or your status is comparable to a refugee, and you thus cannot verify your eligibility to higher education with documentation, the university may allow you to take part in an entrance examination for the bachelor’s degree programme. You must have a decision by the authorities regarding your refugee status (decision on asylum or residence permit on the basis of protection), and you must submit a copy of the decision to Admissions Office on 29 January 2025 at the latest.

Admission group II – Open university route 

Eligibility criteria 

To be eligible in apply in admission group II applicants must have completed basic studies in Bachelor’s degree programme in Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development (five courses, a total of 25 ECTS) at the University of Eastern Finland Open University by 2 May 2025, with grade 3 or higher on scale 1-5. 

Applicants must submit their current open university study transcript by 29 January 2025 at 15:00 pm.  All five courses must have been completed by 31 March so they can be graded and the basic studies study unit (25 ECTS) compiled by university administration 2 May 2025. 

Applicants are ranked according to the weighted mean of grades of the five basic studies courses, calculated to two decimal places. If applicants have the same weighted mean, they will be ranked according to the points received in book and lecture exams at the course Introduction to education and lifelong learning (5 ECTS). 

Additionally, the applicant must meet the above-mentioned language requirements to be eligible to apply in this admission group. 

If some of the 5 study places in this Admission group II are not filled, remaining places will be transferred to be filled in the Admission group I. 

Admission group I – Motivational online questionnaire and online interview

The admission to the programme in Admission group I is based on the scores of the motivational online questionnaire (Stage 1) and the online interview (Stage 2) that is evaluated on the scale of pass/fail. 

STAGE 1:  Answering the motivational online questionnaire (3.-14.2.2025) 

The purpose of the motivational online questionnaire is to determine the applicant’s suitability for the programme. 

The questionnaire must be filled in English and completed in person and individually by the person applying to the programme. This will be controlled at Stage 2.  

The online questionnaire is open 3.-14.2.2025.  The applicant must answer the questionnaire within that period. After the closing of the online questionnaire (14.2.2025 at 15:00 pm Finnish time), additional answers will no longer be accepted.  

The answering time for motivational online questionnaire is 40 minutes. There will be both multiple choice questions and open questions. Grading is done in two phases. First, multiple choice questions are graded.  After that, based on the points received on multiple choice questions, the open answers of 100 applicants who have received highest points will be graded.

To be eligible for selection to the Stage 2 (online interview) in application process, the applicant must gain at least 10 points out of 25 points from the open questions in motivational online questionnaire. A maximum of 50 applicants who have scored at least 10 points from open answers will be invited to participate the Stage 2 (online interview) in the order of the points.  

STAGE 2: Individual online interview in English (7.-17.4.2025) 

The maximum of 50 highest scored applicants will be invited by email by 31.3.2025 to conduct an individual online interview. The individual online interview instructions will be sent by email to applicants who are invited to Stage 2. The applicants must have the technical tools to conduct the online interview: a computer or a mobile device with a camera and microphone, and a stable internet connection.  The responsibility to organize these technical and physical facilities lies with the applicant. The stage 2 individual online interview is conducted with Recright.

The online interview is organized between 7.-17.4.2025. 

The purpose of the interview in English is to check the applicant’s identity and find out about the applicant’s interest in field of education, motivation as well as readiness and competences for managing academic studies.  

Online interview will be evaluated pass/fail.  

In admission group I study places will be offered to top 15 eligible applicants ranked based on the points of the motivational online questionnaire, who have also passed the online interview. Please note that passing both stages does not guarantee study place. 

Instructions for individual online interview in English has been edited 25.11.2024 and 10.12.2024.

Admission group II – Open university route

To be eligible in apply in admission group II applicants must have completed basic studies in Bachelor’s degree programme in Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development (five courses, a total of 25 ECTS) at the University of Eastern Finland Open University by 2 May 2025, with grade 3 or higher on scale 1-5. 

Applicants are ranked according to the weighted mean of grades of the five basic studies courses, calculated to two decimal places. If applicants have the same weighted mean, they will be ranked according to the points received in book and lecture exams at the course Introduction to education and lifelong learning (5 ECTS). 

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. 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. 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.

Learn more about tuition waivers here.