Finland is not just an excellent place for students because of its magical cities and stunning sites that would certainly inspire someone to pursue their degree. More than that, the country’s quality of education is high caliber, as evidenced by its world-class institutions that frequent international rankings. Besides that, their government strives to make education as affordable and accessible as possible.

With all of those said and more, it is not surprising that so many students want to study in Finland. If you plan to join them, read through this article and get to know some English-taught universities in Finland. English-taught universities help transition to a new country much more manageable because of the reduced language challenges.

Top English-taught Schools in Finland for International Students

1. University of Helsinki

The University of Helsinki is Finland’s leading public university in international rankings and among its best English-taught schools. Established in 1640, it is also the country’s oldest and largest institution. Now, the institution has transformed into a community of thousands dispersed amongst its four campuses – City Center, Viikki, Kumpula, and Meilahti. The university is geared to commit to impactful, sustainable, and innovative research.

This institution has a wide array of programs to offer. These programs may be provided in Swedish, Finnish, and English. The university’s website has individual pages reflecting programs available for each language. For their doctoral program, whichever language skill the student wants to prove shall also be the language of their degree.

For undergraduates, the University of Helsinki offers only one bachelor’s program in English – Bachelor’s in Science. It is a three-year course where one learns science research and application. For graduate students, options are more diverse, with around nine faculties offering English-taught master’s degree-granting programs and four doctoral schools for Ph.D. students.

2. Aalto University

Aalto University in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, is also one of Finland’s premier universities that offer English-taught programs. It regards itself as the point “where science and art meet technology and business.” Despite being relatively young (established in 2010), the institution has earned its place in international rankings and is among the top young universities in the world.

While Aalto University is seen as a rendezvous of art, science, technology, and business, knowing its history will explain why that is so. This institution was formed by merging the Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics, and the University of Art and Design Helsinki. The coming together of these major academies has allowed Aalto University to be a holistic and multi-disciplinary institution.

There are many undergraduate programs one can choose from at Aalto University. These include design, economics, business, engineering, data science, digital systems, and quantum technology. The university even offers more master’s degree programs in English, such as manufacturing, marketing, visual communication design, etc. Even though the university offers doctoral-level programs, these are not solely in English (e.g., Finnish/English or Finnish/Swedish/English).

3. University of Turku

The University of Turku is one of Finland’s largest and top English-taught universities, right after the University of Helsinki and Tampere University. The institution was established in 1920 after an initiative to establish a “purely Finnish university.”

Fast forward, the university has been transformed into a prestigious institution in Finland comprised of eight faculties plus the Turku School of Economics. These faculties provide many programs delivered in English or Finnish. Students may take up international bachelor’s or master’s degree programs taught in English.

For undergraduates, options include courses in Primary Teacher Education and Early Childhood Teacher Education; however, admissions may not open for specific years. For masters-level students, prospects are more varied, such as economics and business administration, education, biomedical sciences, technology, etc. There are also doctorate-level studies in law, nursing, clinical research, languages, translation, etc., that are available in the institution.

4. University of Jyväskylä

The University of Jyväskylä is another excellent English-taught university in Finland that was established in 1863, with its roots being traced back to teacher training through a teaching seminary. This seminar was the first Finnish-speaking teacher training college. Until now, the university continues to mold students to become future educators.

Taking pride in their education and training, the University of Jyväskylä has found its niche among the world’s best institutions, as shown by its international rankings. The university’s community continues to grow and break its records.

Even though the university does offer undergraduate programs, these are delivered in Finnish only. However, international or English-speaking students have several master’s level programs that they can select from, including banking and international finance, biological and environmental science, the biology of physical activity, etc. They also offer doctorate or Ph.D. programs, which may demand specific language proficiencies.

For applicants who prefer to study in English, you must attain the minimum IELTS band requirement of 6.5 for master’s and 7.0 for doctoral programs. As for TOEFL, candidates should strive to get a minimum score of 92.

5. University of Oulu

Another leading university that offers English-taught programs in Finland is the University of Oulu, founded in 1958. It is an international science university committed to research and education. The institution’s pursuit of excellence has placed it among the world’s top 3%.

Since its establishment, the University of Oulu has grown into a vast community of more than ten thousand students and employees on its two campuses – Linnanmaa and Kontinkangas. This growing population may be attributed to the university’s brand of excellence, which entices thousands of students within and outside the country to learn within the institution’s halls. If you are an international student interested in pursuing studies at the University of Oulu, there is a selection of English-taught international programs available for you.

For undergraduates, you may choose from a bachelor’s program in digitalization, computing, and electronics or a bachelor’s in intercultural teacher education. Meanwhile, master’s degree students can choose from around 20 programs, such as biomedical engineering, business analytics, computer science and engineering, electronics, economics, finance, and other programs. The institution also has Ph.D. programs; however, these are in Finnish and English; thus, proficiency in English and/or Finnish may be required before admission.

 

We hope that this article on Best English-Taught Universities in Finland was helpful. If you are planning to study in Finland, check out our Study in Finland Page for more information about the admissions process, the best cities to study, and more.

 

Still undecided about which programs to pursue? Here are several Available Programs in Europe 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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