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Faculty of Social Sciences
Information:
Contact information: Faculty Office: Unioninkatu 37 (P.O. Box 54) 00014 University of Helsinki Phone +358-(0)9-1911 (University) Fax +358-(0)9-191 24835 |
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Frequently Asked Questions on Admissions
Q: How can I apply? What do I need? What is an application? Here is the application procedure explained in bried, here is a listing of the required documents and finally an application is a complete bundle of all the required documents, that has been sent to University Admissions on time. Please note, that just filling the online registration form does not constitute applying, but the applicant has to deliver all the required documents in as many examples as he is applying to. Please also remember, that you can apply to maximum of three programmes/fields of study at the University. Q: What is the difference between Master´s Programme and Studies leading to Master´s Degree? A: The differences in the proper Master´s programmes and leading to Master´s degree are largely cosmetic and technical. In both cases
However, there are a few differences:
I come from a country with many different languages. English is the ‘Lingua Franca’ in my country . Moreover, I have completed my secondary education (and my university education) in English. Do I still need to take the required English test or is this enough to prove my English skills? A: You’ll find a list of the approved language tests and a listing of other acceptable ways of indicating language skills here. A: Graduate admission is meant for applicants who have a bachelor’s degree from the same or very close area of study than the subject they are applying to. Economics taught at the Faculty of Social Sciences is classical economics, not business economics. University of Helsinki does not offer studies of business administration, management, accounting, marketing, business technology or finance. In case you have a bachelor's degree in business-related studies, your chances of being admitted to ECON are not very good. You might want to consider studying at the Helsinki School of Economics or at Helsinki Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration. No, you can't. Studies completed more than ten years ago will not be taken into consideration. I have a Bachelor’s degree in sociology. What are my options? Starting from the year 2008, Sociology as such is not offered as an option, but there are two different Master´s programmes,
Thus you should apply to either one (or both) of the programmes to be able to continue your studies at this university. Both programmes offer studies in Sociology. I have completed a Bachelor’s degree with two major subjects, development studies and social sciences history. Can I apply to both subjects? Yes, you can. You’ll need to send two sets of supporting documents. Remember to state in your online registration form which subject you prefer in case you are admitted to both of them. I want to apply to Master’s degree program in social work. I have worked several years with social matters in my home country. Can I apply? Yes, you can, provided you know both Finnish or Swedish sufficiently to be able to work with the languages and you must have the the skills of the above-mentoned languages when applying. Work experience from the field will probably help you with the studies and it is advisable to mention it in your motivation letter. However, if you do not have a Bachelor’s degree, you will not be accepted as a student for master level studies. I am studying for a bachelor’s degree in Great Britain. I am currently completing the second year of studies. I would like to continue my studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences next year, write my Bachelor’s and then continue to the Master’s degree. Can I apply? A: No, you can not. Graduate admission is meant for applicants, who have already completed their Bachelor’s degree. Can I complete my studies entirely in English at the Faculty of Social Sciences? A: Yes, you can. It is possible to complete degrees in English in all of those major subjects that accept international students. However, it should be kept in mind that the main language of instruction at the University of Helsinki is Finnish. Non-Finnish speaking students may have to complete some of the study units as written examinations based on required reading listed in study guides. The amount of offered lecture courses in English varies with the department and with the year. An up-to-date listing of the courses is available here. If the required reading for a particular course is in Finnish, it is possible to contact teachers in order to choose alternate books in English. Although a working knowledge of English and also other European languages is quite common among Finns, acquiring a basic knowledge of Finnish (or Swedish) is essential for everyday life and contact with people. Is studying tuition free? Are there any grants or scholarships available for international students? A: For general information on tuition fees and financing of studies, please see A: You need to have an excellent knowledge of Finnish or Swedish to be able to take the entrance examination for Bachelor level studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Detailed information on admission for Bachelor level studies is available here (in Finnish) . I would like to apply for graduate studies for the spring session. Is it possible to start my studies in January? A: No, unfortunately not. It is possible to apply for graduate studies only once a year. The application period runs from mid-November until the end of January. If you are offered a study place, you can start your studies when the autumn term begins at the end of August/beginning of September. |
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions and answers to them. We hope you´ll find them useful.