3,951 students admitted to the University of Helsinki

A total of 28,872 prospective students applied to the University of Helsinki in the joint application procedure of spring 2019, making the share of admitted students 13.7%. This spring, 21% of all those admitted were selected on the basis of certificates.

The joint application procedure is intended for applying to both bachelor’s programmes and Finnish- and Swedish-language master’s programmes. The number of applicants to bachelor’s programmes was 27,531, of whom 3,537 were admitted. This makes the programmes’ admittance rate 12.8%.

This spring, 21% of all those admitted were selected on the basis of certificates. In future, this share will continue to increase.

When comparing the number of applicants to available student places, the most popular degree programmes of the University of Helsinki were law, psychology and logopedics. The number of applicants to bachelor’s programmes increased from the previous year, among others, at the Swedish School of Social Science as well as in psychology, computer science and agricultural sciences. 

“My heartfelt congratulations to everyone admitted to the University! I believe our reformed degree programmes will ensure you are well equipped to tackle the challenges of future professional life,” says Sari Lindblom, vice-rector for academic affairs.

Certificate-based admissions the future primary admissions channel to higher education

The Ministry of Culture and Education has laid down a policy according to which admissions based on the Finnish matriculation examination or equivalent international examinations will be the primary route to higher education by 2020. For example, in the field of law the share of students admitted on the basis of certificates will be 40% beginning in 2020. In the physical sciences, chemistry and the mathematical sciences, 97% of student admissions will be based on certificates. The shares of students admitted on the basis of certificates and related scoring details are available on the Studyinfo service (in Finnish only).

In future, it will still be possible to apply to universities through alternative routes that are not based on certificates. The University of Helsinki has decided that at least one alternative application option in addition to certificate-based admissions must be available for its bachelor’s programmes. Many of the University's bachelor’s programmes receive a lot of applications, and entrance examinations will remain a route to most bachelor’s programmes in the coming years.

Student places must be accepted by 15.00 on 8 July

The results of student selection can be viewed by the applicants in the national Studyinfo service. Student places must be accepted by 15.00 on 8 July.

Detailed faculty-specific statistics on student admissions will be published on the statistics page of the University of Helsinki on Friday, 28 June, while degree programme-specific statistics will be published in the week of 1 July.

Read also: 

Nearly 29,000 prospective students applied to the University of Helsinki – application practices transformed by the joint application procedure and certificate-based admissions



For further information, please contact Sini Saarenheimo, head of services,

Admissions Services, sini.saarenheimo@helsinki.fi, phone: +358 50 448 0840

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