Have you ever wondered which the most welcoming universities in Finland are? Well, the purpose of this article is just that – to list the universities in Finland with high acceptance rates and provide a brief overview of each of them.

Finland has the 14th-best higher education system in the whole world. Also, higher education in the country is free for local students, students from the EU, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland. Last but not least, non-EU students who enroll in graduate or undergraduate programs taught in the local language or Swedish are also exempt from paying tuition fees.

Which University Has the Highest Acceptance Rate in Finland?

The university in Finland with the highest acceptance rate should be either the University of Eastern Finland or the University of Oulu. The University of Eastern Finland has an estimated acceptance rate of 21% while the University of Oulu has an estimated acceptance rate of 10%.

To increase your chances of admission, make sure to apply to a wide range of universities in Finland, and if you want to increase your chances even more, try to look at courses offered by institutions in countries other than Finland.

Universities in Finland with High Rates of Acceptance

1. University of Eastern Finland

Our top university with the highest acceptance rate in Finland is relatively young in Finland, the University of Eastern Finland. It was founded in 2010, following the merger of the University of Joensuu and the University of Kuopio.

This public university is one of the best places in Finland to earn a degree in philosophy. The Faculty of Science and Forestry also offers a large number of master’s programs taught in English. Based on past admission reports, we could estimate the school’s admission rate at about 21%.

2. Aalto University

Aalto University came into being in 2010 when the Helsinki University of Technology merged with the Helsinki School of Economics and the University of Art and Design. Named after Alvar Aalto, one of Finland’s greatest architects of all time, the university plays host to thousands of domestic and international students. The academic focus is on design and architecture, business, chemical engineering, and science.

This university is very welcoming to foreign students, as it offers as many as seven bachelor’s programs taught in English. Not surprisingly, over 20% of the university’s full-time students come from non-EU countries. Securing admission to Aalto is a bit competitive, as the university’s latest acceptance rate is about 5-15%.

3. University of Helsinki

Located in Finland’s capital, Helsinki, the University of Helsinki is also the oldest, the biggest, and the most popular higher education institution in the country. For several years now, the university has resided among the top 100 universities in the world and its beginnings can be traced back to 1640.

As of fall 2019, the Faculty of Science with the University of Helsinki has launched its bachelor’s program in science taught entirely in English. However, the options for a master’s degree taught in English are numerous. This is a rather competitive university, if you are planning to study at the University of Helsinki, you must be aware that the average acceptance rate is about 14%.

4. University of Oulu

Established in 1958, the University of Oulu is a medium-sized university in Oulu, Finland with thousands of full-time domestic and international students. Its main campus is in Linnanmaa, less than 5 km from downtown Oulu. The academic focus is on business, engineering, and economics.

The university offers several undergraduate and master’s programs taught in English. This is also one of the best places in Finland to pursue a degree in Arctic Studies.

An interesting fact about the University of Oulu: this is the alma mater of Finland’s former President and Nobel Prize laureate for 2008, Martti Ahtisaari. With an average acceptance rate of 10%, this university in Finland is competitive.

5. University of Turku

Located in Turku in southwestern Finland, the University of Turku is one of the oldest universities in the country with roots going back to 1920. With an annual student enrollment of around 22,000, this is also one of the largest universities in Finland. The share of international students is just over 10%

This is one of the best places in the country to pursue a degree in Humanities. If you do not speak the local language, you can choose from a wide range of master’s programs that are taught in English.

6. Tampere University

Located in the very heart of the city of Tampere, this is Finland’s second most popular university. Tampere University was established following the merger of the University of Tampere with the Tampere University of Technology at the beginning of 2019. Tampere is Finland’s third-largest city with students making up five percent of its population.

The new school has stepped on the strong academic traditions of the original University of Tampere, which was established in 1925.

While the university offers a few bachelor’s programs taught in English, there are more than twenty master’s programs to choose from with English being the language of instruction.  This is a highly selective university with a most recently reported admissions rate of about 9%.

 7. University of Jyväskylä

We conclude our list of universities in Finland with the highest acceptance rates with the University of Jyväskylä. Located in Jyväskylä, the largest city in central Finland, this university has long-established traditions dating back to 1934.

The university offers a wide variety of master’s degree programs taught in English. The most popular of them are Biological and Environmental Science, Cognitive Computing and Collective Intelligence, and Corporate Environmental Management.

This highly selective university has an average acceptance rate of just 5-10%. The famous Finnish designer and Architect Alvaro Aalto, mentioned above, is one of the most famous alumni of the University of Jyväskylä.

 

These are some of the best institutions not just in Finland but in Europe as well.  If you’re planning to pursue your studies in Finland, you can find more information on different Finnish universities and scholarship opportunities on the Study in Finland page! If you are interested in studying in Europe, make sure to check out Available Programs for International Students.

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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