Applicants who have completed their degree outside Finland must submit an application to Valvira to be licensed to practice the profession of dispenser or pharmacist. The Faculty of Pharmacy provides an assessment on the equivalence of degrees completed outside Finland only for applications received through Valvira.
The criterion for assessing the equivalence of such degrees is that they have been completed at a university or institute of higher education.
Usually the applicants are required to complete supplementary studies to ensure sufficient knowledge and skills. Such applicants must apply for the right to complete the required studies as non-degree studies. The criterion for the right to complete non-degree studies is that the applicant has sufficient proficiency in Finnish or Swedish. The proficiency in Finnish can be demonstrated in the same ways that are accepted in the student admissions of Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees in Pharmacy in the University of Helsinki. The required language skills can be demonstrated with the following Finnish-language tests:
Applications for non-degree studies must be accompanied by one of the above-mentioned language certificates. Statements by individual language teachers on an applicant’s language skills are unacceptable, as they cannot be compared with standardised language tests. In addition, applicants should note that some of the literature used in studies may be in English.
Fees are charged for non-degree studies (€15 per credit).