Applicants with refugee status

These instructions are for applicants who are living in Finland and have

a refugee status or subsidiary protection status or on the last day of the application period, the applicant is granted temporary protection
a status equivalent to refugee status or a status equivalent to subsidiary protection status outside Finland, or on the last day of the application period, the applicant receives protection equivalent to temporary protection from a state other than Finland.
the applicant is a Finnish citizen on the last day of the application period. Immediately before acquiring Finnish citizenship, the applicant had refugee status or subsidiary protection, or immediately before acquiring Finnish citizenship, the applicant received temporary protection.

Application specific instructions

This section focuses on applications for the English-language Bachelor's programmes in admission group 1 and 2. Application period in admission group 1 is from 2nd to 16th January 2026 and in admission group 2 from 10th to 24th March 2026. You must follow these instructions if you completed the studies providing eligibility for higher education prior to your arrival in Finland and are unable to obtain a certificate for said studies.

If you apply in admission group 1, you must complete SAT or ACT tests ().

Submit an application on as well as the required proof of language proficiency, the report on the SAT or ACT test results and other enclosures to the University of Helsinki Admission Services by 23 January 2026. See instructions . Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an application number. After submitting an application and delivering the required enclosures, please send an email to , stating your application number and the fact that you are unable to prove that you have completed education providing eligibility for higher education. Admission Services will contact you, and you will receive an encrypted email with instructions for proving your refugee status.

If you apply in admission group 2 prepare to prove that you hold one of the above-mentioned statuses. You need to prove your eligibility for higher education. If you do not have an official certificate of your eligibility for higher education, but you have a copy of the certificate, follow these instructions. Please note that the required enclosures are to be submitted by 31 March 2026 at 3 PM local Finnish time. Application documents submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. You can request a certificate on the grounds of your residence permit or refugee status from the Finnish Immigration Service (see detailed instructions on the website of the ) or from the authority abroad.

After submitting an application and delivering the required enclosures, please send an email to , stating your application number and the fact that you are unable to prove that you have completed education providing eligibility for higher education. Admission Services will contact you, and you will receive an encrypted email with instructions for proving your refugee status.

NB! Your email is not an application to a degree programme! You must submit an official application by the application deadline.

This section focuses on applications for English-language and multilingual master's programmes. Application period is from 2nd to 16th January 2025.

Make sure you meet the language requirements of your prospective degree programme and make sure you are able to prove the required language proficiency. If you do not meet the language requirements, you cannot be admitted to the programme. Prepare to prove that you have been granted asylum or a residence permit on grounds of subsidiary protection or that you have arrived in Finland under the refugee quota. Please note that the certificate proving the above must be made available during the period when the required enclosures are to be submitted, i.e., by 23 January 2025 at 3 PM local Finnish time. Application documents submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. You can request a certificate of the grounds of your residence permit or refugee status from the Finnish Immigration Service (see detailed instructions on the website of the ).

If you do not have original documents and thus cannot submit officially certified copies, submit unofficial copies. If you are unable to meet the country-specific requirements, submit your document via a method feasible for you. For example, if you have an original diploma in Finland, have a copy of the diploma certified by a Finnish notary public.

You must be able to submit at least the following:

transcript of records and a diploma

transcript of records indicating your degree title and the fact that you have graduated

If the original documents are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, you must submit authorised translations.

If you do not submit information on the courses you have completed and the title of your degree, your application cannot be considered.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an application number.

If you are unable to submit all the required enclosures with your application, or if the enclosures do not meet the country-specific requirements, please send an email to , stating your application number and the fact that you are unable to submit all the required enclosures. Admission Services will contact you, and you will receive an encrypted email with instructions for proving your refugee status.

NB! Your email is not an application to a master’s programme! You must submit an official application by the application deadline.

If the documents you submit are considered inadequate, your application cannot be considered even if you prove your refugee status.

Any documents you submit concerning your refugee status will be confidentially processed and appropriately disposed of after the appeals deadline.

This section focuses on the joint application procedure for bachelor’s programmes. Application period is from 10th to 24th March 2026. You must follow these instructions if you have completed studies providing eligibility for higher education prior to your arrival in Finland and are unable to obtain a certificate for such studies.

Prepare to prove that you have been granted asylum or a residence permit on grounds of subsidiary protection or that you have arrived in Finland under the refugee quota. Please note that the certificate proving the above must be made available during the period when the required enclosures are to be submitted, i.e., by 31 March 2026 at 3 PM local Finnish time. Application documents submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. You can request a certificate on the grounds of your residence permit or refugee status from the Finnish Immigration Service (see detailed instructions on the website of the ).

Submit an application to your prospective programme and deliver, if necessary, a language certificate and any other enclosures to the University of Helsinki Admission Services. () Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an application number.

NB! Your email is not an application to a degree programme! You must submit an official application by the application deadline.

If the documents you submit are considered sufficient, you can take the entrance examination administered in the option you applied for. The examination will be assessed in accordance with the general principles of assessment. Information on your refugee status will not be disclosed to degree programmes. Any documents you submit concerning your refugee status will be confidentially processed and appropriately disposed of after the appeals deadline.

This section focuses on the application procedure for Finnish- and Swedish-language master’s programmes. Applications can be submitted between 11th to 25th March 2025.

Make sure you meet the language requirements of your prospective degree programme and make sure you are able to prove the required language proficiency. If you do not meet the language requirements, you cannot be admitted to the programme. Prepare to prove that you have been granted asylum or a residence permit on grounds of subsidiary protection or that you have arrived in Finland under the refugee quota. Please note that the certificate proving the above must be made available during the period when the required enclosures are to be submitted, i.e., by 1 April 2025 at 3 PM local Finnish time. Application documents submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. You can request a certificate on the grounds of your residence permit or refugee status from the Finnish Immigration Service (see detailed instructions on the website of the ).

Submit an application to your prospective programme together with all the enclosures you are able to submit. If you do not have original documents and thus cannot submit officially certified copies, submit unofficial copies. If you are unable to meet the country-specific requirements, submit your documents via a method feasible for you. For example, if you have an original diploma in Finland, have a copy of the diploma certified by a Finnish notary public.

You must be able to submit at least the following:

A transcript of studies and a diploma

A transcript of studies indicating the title of your degree and the fact that you have graduated

If the original documents are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, you must submit authorised translations.

If you do not submit information on the courses you have completed and the title of your degree, your application cannot be considered.

If the option you applied for requires the submission of enclosures you can prepare yourself (e.g., a motivation letter or an academic text), they must be submitted.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an application number.

NB! Your email is not an application to a master’s programme! You must submit an official application by the application deadline.

If the documents you submit are considered inadequate, your application cannot be considered even if you prove your refugee status. Information on your refugee status will not be disclosed to degree programmes. Any documents you submit concerning your refugee status will be confidentially processed and appropriately disposed of after the appeals deadline.