Proving your English language skills - Bachelor's Programmes

You can demonstrate your language proficiency through a Finnish matriculation examination as follows:

• Minimum grade of magna cum laude approbatur in a foreign-language test in English (test based on the advanced syllabus) OR
• Minimum grade of eximia cum laude approbatur in a foreign-language test in English (test based on the basic syllabus)

You need not submit a copy of your certificate if you completed a matriculation examination in or after 1990 or if you will complete it in the spring of application. The University will receive information on matriculation examinations and their grades from the register of the Matriculation Examination Board. Please, note that if you are completing the Finnish matriculation examination in the application spring and use it to prove your language skills, it is enough that the University of Helsinki receives your exam results from the register by 12 June 2026. In exceptional cases where information cannot be obtained from the register, you will be contacted and asked to supplement your application.

If you completed a matriculation examination prior to 1990, you must submit an officially certified copy of your matriculation examination certificate or of a separately completed foreign-language test in English. If you prove your language skills and eligibility for higher education with the same certificate, you need only submit one copy.

You can prove your language skills with the or the , if your programme has been completed in English.

If your IB examination has been completed in a language other than English, you can prove your language skills with the the following grades:

• English as the A1 language with a minimum grade of 2.
• English as the A2 language with a minimum grade of 5.
• English as A language (literature/language and literature/literature and performance) a minimum grade of 2.

Submit an officially certified copy of your diploma. If you intend to complete your degree in the summer of 2026, you must submit a copy of the official grade predictions (Candidate Predicted Grades) provided by your school.

Alternatively you can and ask them to send it to the Admissions Services of the University of Helsinki. University of Helsinki will get the final grades electronically from IBO. Please note, that there may be a delay in IBOs service, so make sure to order your transcript well before the deadline.

If you demonstrate your language proficiency and eligibility for higher education with the same certificate, you need only submit one copy.

You can prove your language skills with the European Baccalaureate. The following grades are accepted as proof of language skills:

• European Baccalaureate with English as the L1 language with an approved grade
  • minimum grade of 4 if the examination was taken before 2021
  • minimum grade of 5 if the examination was taken in 2021 or after.
• European Baccalaureate with English as the L2 language with a minimum grade of 7.

Submit an officially certified copy of your certificate. If you intend to complete your degree in the summer of 2026, you must submit a copy of the official grade predictions provided by your school.

If you demonstrate your language proficiency and eligibility for higher education with the same certificate, you need only submit one copy.

You can demonstrate your language proficiency through a Reifeprüfung / Deutsches Internationales Abitur examination by:

• completing the English-language test in writing or orally with a minimum grade of 8 (test based on the advanced syllabus) OR
• completing the English-language test in writing or orally with a minimum grade of 10 (test based on the basic syllabus)

If you have completed your examination in the Deutsche Schule Helsinki, and your examination did not include a test in English, the Finnish-language certificate of equivalence can be used. The minimum grades required for the advanced and basic syllabi are same as above.

Submit an officially certified copy of the four-page German-language certificate Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife. If you intend to complete your degree in the spring/summer of 2026, you must submit a copy of the grade page of the certificate, available in advance. If you have completed your examination in the Deutsche Schule Helsinki, please submit also the Finnish-language certificate of equivalence.

If you demonstrate your language proficiency and eligibility for higher education with the same certificate, you need only submit one copy.

You can prove your language skills with upper-secondary education conducted in English in the following countries:

• Nordic Countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
• Australia
• Canada
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

Submit a copy of your certificate. If your upper-secondary education was completed in the Nordic countries, the language of instruction must be stated on the diploma.

If you demonstrate your language proficiency and eligibility for higher education with the same certificate, you need only submit one copy.

Minimum requirement:

• Overall score 6.5, with a minimum score of 6.0 in the writing section.

Please note that the University of Helsinki only accepts IELTS Academic test scores. Tests taken at the general level will not be accepted as proof of the applicant’s language skills.

IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Online tests at Academic level are also accepted.

IELTS with One Skill Retake are also accepted.

How to submit the test report form:

You can submit your IELTS test report form in one of the following ways:

IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Online:

• Share your test report form to the University of Helsinki through the test organiser's own service.

or

• Upload a copy of your test report form to the application form. Your results will be verified from the test organiser.

It is advisable to book your test date well before the application period has started as it may take some time after the test date for your test score to be published.

IELTS scores are valid for two years and the score must be valid throughout the application processing period. This means that the test score must not expire before the deadline for supplementing the application.

Please note: If your test score expires right after the deadline for supplementing the application, please submit your test score so that it is valid for at least two weeks after submitting.

Minimum requirement:

• TOEFL iBT (Internet-based) 92, a minimum score of 22 in the writing section

The Home Edition of TOEFL iBT is also accepted.

How to submit the score report:

• Share your score report directly to the University of Helsinki (institution code 9872) from the test organiser

or

• Upload a copy of your score report to the application form. Your results will be verified from the test organiser.

It is advisable to book your test date well before the application period has started, as it may take some time after the test date for your test score to be published.

TOEFL scores are valid for two years and your the score must be valid throughout the application processing period. This means that the test score must not expire before the deadline for supplementing the application.

Please note: If your test score expires right after the deadline for supplementing the application, please submit your test score so that it is valid for at least two weeks after submitting.

Minimum requirement:

• C1 Advanced (formerly CAE): Pass levels A, B or C
• C2 Proficiency (formerly CPE): Pass levels A, B, C or level C1 certificate

How to submit the test results:

• To submit your  (formerly known as CAE and CPE) results to the Admission Services, log into your Candidate Results website and share your test result with the University of Helsinki.

or

• Upload a copy of your Statement of Results that includes your Statement of Results Number to the application system. Your results will be verified from the test organiser.

It is advisable to book your test date well before the application period has started, as it may take some time after the test date for your test score to be published.

Please note that only tests taken after 2005 are accepted. Please also note that the University of Helsinki only accepts C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency. No other Cambridge language tests are accepted.

Minimum requirement:

• Overall score 62, with a minimum score of 54 in each communicative skills section (listening, reading, speaking and writing).

PTE Academic UKVI test is also accepted.

How to submit the test score:

Upload a copy of your test score with your Score Report Code to the application form. Your results will be verified from the test organiser.

It is advisable to book your test date well before the application period has started, as it may take some time after the test date for your test score to be published.

PTE Academic scores are valid for two years and the score must be valid throughout the application processing period. This means that the test score must not expire before the deadline for supplementing the application, i.e., three weeks after the application deadline.

Please note: If your test score expires right after the deadline for supplementing the application, please submit your test score so that it is valid for at least two weeks after submitting.

The (YKI) is a language test organized by the Finnish National Agency for Education.

Minimum requirement:

• Skills level 5 in all sub-tests: speaking, listening comprehension, writing and reading comprehension.

How to submit the test score:

Upload a copy of your  test score to the application form.

Your results will be verified from the test organiser.

You can prove your academic English language skills with a university degree or polytechnic/university of applied science degree completed in English in one of the following countries: EU/EEA countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, United Kingdom, Jamaica, Cameroon, Canada, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United States of America, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Please note that your degree/programme must be taught and assessed entirely in English.

A degree completed at a Finnish university with English as the major subject is also an acceptable way of proving academic English language skills.

If your degree includes transfer credits from outside the specified country/area or courses conducted in a language other than English, the degree might not meet the requirement.

If you verify your language skills with your higher education degree, the language of instruction must always be indicated clearly on the educational documents. A conditional acceptance of your language skills with your future degree is also possible. However, this can be done acceptably only if you indicate your language skills with the same degree as your university eligibility.

If you completed the degree or studies demonstrating your language proficiency in Finland in or after 1995, you need not submit copies of your diploma or transcript of studies because the University of Helsinki will receive the relevant information via the electronic Studyinfo records. In exceptional cases where information about your previous studies cannot be obtained from the records, you will be contacted and asked to supplement your application.

If you completed the degree or studies demonstrating your language proficiency in Finland prior to 1995, you must submit copies of your diploma and transcript of studies.

If you completed the degree or studies demonstrating your language proficiency in a country other than Finland, you must submit copies of your diploma and transcript of studies as well as unless the original documents are in Finnish, Swedish or English.

You can prove your language skills with foreign language studies in English as degree studies completed in a Finnish university or university of applied sciences and as defined by Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004) or University of Applied Sciences Degrees (1129/2014). The degree does not have to be completed.

If you completed the degree or studies demonstrating your language proficiency in Finland in or after 1995, you need not submit copies of your diploma or transcript of studies because the University of Helsinki will receive the relevant information via the electronic Studyinfo records. In exceptional cases where information about your previous studies cannot be obtained from the records, you will be contacted and asked to supplement your application.

If you completed the degree or studies demonstrating your language proficiency in Finland prior to 1995, you must submit copies of your diploma and transcript of studies.

Minimum requirement:

• minimum score of 550 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (SAT)

or

• minimum total score of 43 in English and Reading (ACT)

The University of Helsinki must receive the results of the SAT or ACT tests directly from the test organiser (College Board and ACT). You must select the University of Helsinki (code 0483 for SAT and 8225 for ACT) as the recipient of your results when registering for the test. If you have taken the test at an earlier date, you must request a report of the results to be separately submitted to the University of Helsinki. Instructions for the submission of results are available on and website.