General admission criteria for Master’s degree

The admission criteria for Master’s degrees at Finnish universities of applied sciences is strictly regulated by Finnish legislation.

When applying for Master’s degree at Oulu university of applied sciences, you must have:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from the relevant field of study. The relevant fields of studies are listed at the websites of the admissions criteria of each of our Master’s degree programmes.
• At least two (2) years of work experience from the field of the higher education you have or are applying to. The work experience must have been gained after receiving the higher education degree. 

If the experience is in the arts sector, artistic activities may be accepted instead of work experience if demonstrated within a portfolio.

The work experience should be given as full months. When converting part-time work (less than 35 hours/week) into its full-time equivalent, 150 hours or 20 working days lasting at least 7 hours per day correspond to one month of work. Work experience does not have to be continuous or obtained working for the same employer. The amount of work experience points awarded for simultaneous employment relationships may not exceed the amount awarded for full-time employment.

Entrepreneurship will be accepted as work experience if an applicant can produce a certificate attesting that he or she is or has been covered under the statutory YEL or MYEL pension scheme. (YEL= statutory pension scheme for entrepreneurs, MYEL = statutory pension scheme for farmers, forest estate owners, fishers and reindeer herders and their family members). Enterprising activities abroad should be substantiated with comparable official documents.

Military or non-military national service, women’s voluntary military service or child-care leave will not be counted towards work experience.

Refugees or asylum seekers may submit their application and be selected for the degree programme in the same way as any other eligible Finnish citizen or foreign national.

If you are a refugee in Finland or are in a position similar to that of a refugee or an asylum seeker, and you cannot provide documented evidence of your earlier degree, you must complete a background check form. You can receive the form from the Admission Services. Oamk will decide whether the information given in the back ground check form is sufficient. Based on this decision you will or will not be invited to take entrance exam. To be able to apply as refugee, you must have an official decision of your status (asylum decision or residence permit based on protection). A copy of the official status must be added as annex into your back ground check form. 

If you are an asylum seeker and are yet to receive a decision of refugee status, you should present an identity card with a photograph issued by Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) at the entrance examination. In addition you should also present a certificate on a pending asylum process issued by Migri. 

If you are applying as refugee or asylum seeker in Finland, please contact our Admission Services for further information.