If you are looking for information about open university routes into Finnish-language degree programmes, please see this page.
Becoming a degree-pursuing student is possible through several different admission processes: you may be admitted on the basis of a motivational letter, an entrance exam, or based on your previous diploma. The open university route is an alternative way of applying as a degree student; you are free to apply through any useful routes simultaneously. In Finland, open university routes have been available for several years and we are happy to announce that the first open university routes to English-language degree programmes are now open, with more on the way.
An open university route to a university means that you complete a set of studies as an open university student, after which you may apply to become a degree student. The admission criteria of each programme specify what studies you need to complete and how well to be eligible. There is a fixed number of seats to be filled by applicants; if there are more eligible applicants than there are seats, applicants will be selected on the order of their grades. Please note that English-language programmes also have requirements on your English-language skills. The application period is once per year, in the spring.
Admission criteria and the application timetable are confirmed yearly, and they are made public in the autumn, by October. The criteria can change or be updated so it is recommended to always check the criteria when they are published.
The studies offered via the open university are always parts of university degrees – in other words, the courses you take are the same ones degree students also complete. This means that the route studies you take at our open university will be approved as parts of your degree, which makes your future degree studies a bit lighter and can help you graduate sooner.
In short: you can begin degree studies before being admitted as a degree student.
Studying at an open university with the goal of becoming a degree-pursuing student is a long-term project and it is a good idea to plan your studies ahead – this may be done together with that academic subject’s coordinator or with a guidance counsellor; contact us at jok-ohjaus@uef.fi and we'll be glad to help.
The open university route is worth your while!
- You can start your studies flexibly while still working, for example.
- You get an idea of what studying a specific subject is like.
- You will have a part of your degree already done when you’re admitted as a degree student.
- You can familiarize yourself with UEF and hone your study skills before embarking on full-time studies.
More information about studying at the Open university can be found here: How to study at the Open university.
Our open university routes
The first open university route to an English-language degree programme at UEF.
The Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development bachelor’s degree programme gives an opportunity to learn, in a multicultural and diverse context, how sustainable development can be advanced locally and globally, using innovative out-of-school learning spaces and methods typical of adult and lifelong learning (intergenerational or informal learning, nonformal education, associations, workplaces, organizations, civic movements, etc.).
Admission criteria: To be eligible to apply through the Open University route, applicants must have completed the basic studies of the Bachelor's degree programme in Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development (five courses, totaling 25 ECTS) at the University of Eastern Finland’s Open University. Applicants must achieve a grade of 3 or higher on a scale of 1-5 in these courses. Applicants are required to submit their current open university study transcript by the specified deadline. All five courses must be completed, graded, and the basic studies unit (25 ECTS) compiled by the given date. Additionally, since the programme is taught entirely in English, applicants must meet the general language requirements to be eligible to apply.
Please see the degree programme’s webpage for deadlines and further information.
Seats: 5 students will be selected via the open university route. If there are more eligible applicants than there are seats, applicants will be 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).
Route studies
Studying at the Open University
The studies are available as online teaching. Please note that not all courses can be completed year-round. Detailed information can be found in the course-specific links above.
More information about registration and fees.
More information
Improve your understanding of the rapidly changing world. Social scientists examine the dynamics of societal change and seek answers to questions such as what creates wellbeing or a lack of it, what causes alienation, what is happening in education and the labour market, and what is the role of culture in shaping our relationships with each other.
The Bachelor of Social Sciences degree consists of studies in sociology and social and public policy. Teaching covers key social scientific theories and methods for collecting and analysing data. These are applied to key topics in social sciences, such as labour, education, care, multiculturalism, and information and communication technology, and how they interlink with each other.
Admission criteria: To be accepted into the programme based on previous studies (Open University route), the applicant must have completed basic studies of Social Science (25ECTS) in the University of Eastern Finland. The applicants with the best scores from the “What is Society” course will be accepted for the programme. The scoring and ranking of applicants are similar to those used in the entrance exam-based admission. Applicants are required to submit their current open university study transcript by the specified deadline. All five courses must be completed, graded, and the basic studies unit (25 ECTS) compiled by the given date. Additionally, since the programme is taught entirely in English, applicants must meet the general language requirements to be eligible to apply.
Please see the degree programme’s webpage for deadlines and further information.
Seats: admission based on previous studies intake (Open University route): maximum of 5 students.
Route studies
Basic Studies in Social Sciences 25 ECTS
Studying at the Open University
The studies are available as online teaching. All courses are open from 1.9.2024-30.4.2025, and you can study at your own pace by accessing the modules from anywhere using your own device.
More information about registration and fees.
More information
Refunds for Open university route applicants pursuing their first degree
If you are applying to become a degree student for the first time, and are doing so via an open university route, you can apply for a refund of your open university fees regardless of whether or not you are accepted.
A refund can be applied for by an applicant who is seeking their first higher education study place (in Finland) through the separate admission process of the Open University route of the University of Eastern Finland. The refund does not apply to the study programs (teacher training) that are part of the national admission cooperation networks and are applied for through the joint application process.
To be able to apply for the refund, the studies required for the Open University route must have been completed with the study right of the Open University of the University of Eastern Finland. The refund applies to studies completed after August 1, 2023.
The studies are paid for upon registration according to the fees of the Open University of the University of Eastern Finland, and the refund is applied for retrospectively using this separate application form.
A refund can be applied for under the following conditions:
- The applicant is a first-time applicant (no previous higher education degree or a higher education study place accepted in autumn 2014 or later, including universities of applied sciences).
- The refund is granted only upon application, provided that the admission criteria for the Open University route have been met.
- The refund is issued for studies completed after August 1, 2023, at the University of Eastern Finland, for which the student has paid the tuition fee.
- The refund is granted for studies completed with the study right of the Open University of the University of Eastern Finland and is not issued for studies or fees from other open universities or higher education institutions.
- The refund is issued according to the fees of the Open University of the University of Eastern Finland.
- The refund is issued after the admission process is complete, provided that the conditions for the refund are met.
- The applicant is compensated for only one (1) Open University route
- The refund is paid only for the route or target for which the applicant has applied for admission.
- The application period takes place every summer, following the publication of admission results. The refund application form for 2025 admissions will be updated here.
