Are you passionate about nature and forests, curious about the world of forest bioeconomy, and committed to addressing global sustainability challenges?
Embrace a brighter future by joining the International Bachelor's Degree in Sustainable Forest Bioeconomy (SuFoBe). This programme will give you the knowledge and the necessary working-life skills for the effective and sustainable management of forests, considering multiple ecosystem services, while addressing global sustainability challenges such as climate change, overconsumption, and biodiversity loss.
This three-year programme will equip you with the knowledge and competencies for sustainable forest management and the wider sector of forest bioeconomy. As a graduate, you will be proficient in applying fundamental research methods in the forest, and digitalized learning environments as well as knowledgeable on how futures of forest-related topics can be assessed with foresight methods. Join our community of experts, peers, and local bioeconomy companies and get connected. Additionally, you can study a term abroad, during the last year, from our extensive network of partner universities in different parts of the World.
A lively university city in the middle of nature with a world of opportunities is awaiting you in Joensuu. Find yourself here and discover why Joensuu is called "the Forest Capital of Europe"!
For more info about the structure of the studies, instructions on how to apply and direct link to the application please scroll down.
Key information
- Level of degree: Bachelor's degree
- Programme duration: 3 years / 180 ECTS credits
- Language of instruction: English
- Next application period: 3.1.2024-17.1.2024
- Programme start: September 2024
- Tuition fee: EU/EEA nationals no tuition fee; non-EU/EEA nationals 10,000 €/academic year.
- Tuition waivers available
- Study campus: Joensuu
Why study with us?
Shape your path based on knowledge and practice:
• Understand the vital role of forests in global sustainability challenges.
• Gain practical experience in managing forest resources sustainably.
• Benefit from field practices, ICT -tools, and digitalized learning environments to drive positive change.
Studies
Studies cover core areas of sustainable forest bioeconomy including forest ecology, biodiversity and management, forest mensuration and remote sensing, forest technology, wood science, innovation, economics and policy. Sustainability is emphasized throughout the programme but specially within the sustainability studies where special focus is also given to forests and its contribution to people's and cultural well-being.
The programme has also a special focus on information and communication technology and their applications to sustainable forest management. These focus areas are unique among forestry programmes globally and will provide you with good competence in evolving job markets of forestry and environmental management.
Additionally within the studies, you can select a minor subject of a relevant discipline to build on your specialization e.g., sustainable business, social sciences, environmental policy and language and communication studies to assist you in forging your future career and improving language skills required in Finland or/and abroad.
The structure of the programme is module- based. Every module contains several courses.
Year 1. Introduction to the fundamentals and methods of forest bioeconomy, sustainability and university life
Fundamentals of sustainable forest bioeconomy
Forest bioeconomy analytics
Diverse communities, responsibility and ethics
Year 2. Ensuring sustainability through the dimensions of the forest bioeconomy
Sustainable and integrated management of forest ecosystems
Technology for forestry
Forest and society
Year 3. Towards the professional path
Regional development and networking studies
Exchange period
Minor studies (free election)
Additional components
The programme includes studies in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), language and communication studies, field practices, bachelor's thesis and professional traineeship.
As a graduate you can apply to continue your studies towards the master level in Joensuu e.g., in the internationally recognized Master of Science in European Forestry; Master's degre programme in forestry (including Transatlantic forestry) or other relevant master at UEF or elsewhere. You can also direct your career towards becoming a forester, forest specialist, forest-data scientist, GIS and remote sensing analyst, climate change manager, forest ecosystems services specialist, REDD+ project manager, forest conservation and restoration specialist, sustainability specialist, CSR coordinator, environmental specialist, bio-based R&D scientist, ecosystem carbon specialist or forestry policy expert among a wide variety of professions.
How to apply
- In order to check the eligibility of an applicant for the programme, the applicant has to submit an application and the following application documents:
- Certificate of upper secondary education degree (see more below)
- Language certificate (see below: “language requirements”)
*Please note that any other documents different from those asked above attached to the applications will not be read.
Secondary education certification
Eligible applicants hold an upper secondary education 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.
• Advanced International Certificate of Education degree (AICE) in Finland, or has the right to study towards a university degree in Finland, or holds a degree conferred by a Finnish higher education institution or 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.
Applicants who complete their upper secondary education after the application period are selected conditionally. The university will make the final decision based on final degree certificate.
HERE you can find more information about the deadlines and the Eligibility for international Bachelor's degree programmes
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 the Admissions Office on 24 January 2024 at the latest.
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.
(1) Applicants who hold one of the following do not have to take an English language test
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Proof of completed secondary or tertiary education taught exclusively in English
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Finnish matriculation examination in English language, minimum grade of magna cum laude approbatur (M)
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International Baccalaureate degree (diploma completed in English, satisfactory completion of A level English exam (literature / language and literature / literature and performance), satisfactory completion of B level English exam, minimum grade of 5 (good).
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EB degree: L1, mother tongue (English) completed successfully OR L2 – or L3 language (English) completed with a minimum score of 7.
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Reifeprüfung (RP) degree (German school of Helsinki) Satisfactory completion of English A (or a similar expected grade from upcoming DIA degree): Written scores are at a satisfactory level AND Oral score being minimum of 8.
A language test is not needed if the applicant’s secondary education was conducted in English or they have completed a university degree or a university of applied sciences degree in English in an EU/EEA country, the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or Switzerland.
The language of instruction of secondary education must be proven with the degree certificate, diploma or transcript. Please note that all teaching and assessments must have been in English entirely.
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
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TOEFL: minimum score 78 (IBT-test)
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IELTS (academic)-test minimum score 6.0
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PTE (academic)-test minimum score 54
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C1 Advanced score C
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C2 Proficiency minimum score: Level C1
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A National certificate of language proficiency (YKI) (English) of The Finnish National Agency for Education done at level 4 in all different areas.
Some test organisers give an expiration date on the tests. The language test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the organiser. Language test scores are valid for two years from the day they are issued thus, the language test needs to be in effect during the application period, from 3 January 2022 onwards.
No other degrees or statements of language proficiency will be accepted.
After submitting the certificates of upper secondary education and language certificate by 24 January at 15:00 pm Finnish time at the latest.
The eligibility of the applicants will be checked and eligible applicants will be given more details on the process at the latest by 26 of February at 15:00 pm Finnish time.
The admission to the programme is based on entrance examination course and online interview.
The entrance examination course accounts for 50% and the online interview examination accounts for the 50% of the final score. However, both parts need to be completed and the applicants need to get at least 50% out of the maximum number of points in each part to be considered in Admission group.
Annual tuition fees for non-EU/ETA students will be 10 000 EUR. There are no tuition fees for EU/ETA students.
Non-EU/ETA applicants can apply for the tuition fee waivers when applying for admission to the university by filling out the relevant section of the application form. The decision about the waiver is made in connection with student admission, and the student is notified of the matter in the letter of acceptance. The waiver is personal and it is awarded for three academic years. The waiver exempts the student from the tuition fee partially (50%).
Students who are awarded a tuition fee waiver are required to sign and return a student agreement. The Early Bird deduction ends on 21 June 2024. The first tuition fee payment for autumn 2024 needs to be made by 31 August 2024. In addition, Student Union membership fee and Kela student health care fee are obligatory for master’s degree students.
Application period 2024
Our application period is open from 3 January 2023 to 17 January 2024. The application is completed and submitted online.
Apply via Studyinfo
Studyinfo.fi is the official national admissions portal with all the up-to-date information about study programmes leading to a degree in Finland. Click the box link on the right.
Contact us
For more information about the programme, please contact us via sustainablefobe@uef.fi