Page History

This page contains information on the points systems of certificate-based admissions to universities’ degree programmes taught in English. In certificate-based admissions, the new students are selected based on the grades they received in the Finnish matriculation examination, in the International Baccalaureate Diploma, in the European Baccalaureate diploma, in the Reifeprüfung examination completed in Finland or in the Deutsches Internationales Abitur examination completed in Finland.

Please note that this website does not contain a complete list of all the degree programmes taught in English as only the programmes using certificate-based admissions are listed. You will find all the degree programmes taught in English listed on Studyinfo.fi

You can find information on the point systems of certificate-based admissions to universities' degree programmes taught in Finnish and in Swedish on their respective websites.

For more information on points systems of universities' certificate-based admissions, please contact universities' admissions services.

Quotas and threshold criteria for business studies

Points system in certificate-based admissions

Applicants can score points for up to five subjects, which are:

• mother tongue
• mathematics (advanced or basic syllabus)
  
• the language for which the applicant receives the highest points
• and out of the remaining subjects, two subjects for which the applicant receives the highest points

The maximum score is 154.

Quotas and threshold criteria for economics

Points system in certificate-based admissions

Applicants can score points for up to four subjects, which are:

• mother tongue
• mathematics (advanced or basic syllabus)
  
• the language for which the applicant receives the highest points
• and out of the remaining subjects, the subject for which the applicant receives the highest points

The maximum score is 125.7.

Quotas and threshold criteria for natural sciences

Points system in certificate-based admissions

Applicants can score points for up to four subjects, which are:

• mother tongue
• mathematics (advanced or basic syllabus)
  
• and out of the remaining subjects, the two subjects for which the applicant scores the highest points.

The maximum score is 132,7.

Quotas and threshold criteria for social sciences

Points system in certificate-based admissions

Applicants can score points for up to five subjects, which are:

• mother tongue
• philosophy OR history OR psychology OR social studies (please note that there are exceptions for EB, IB, RP and DIA diplomas)
  

• and three highest scores from the following:

  • maximum of one humanities or science subject
  • maximum of one language
  • mathematics (advanced or basic syllabus) 

Instead of the subjects included in the group ”philosophy or history or psychology or social studies”, in EB, IB, RP and DIA diplomas the applicants score points for the following subjects:

• In EB diploma, philosophy, history, psychology or economics
• In IB diploma, philosophy, history, psychology, global politics or economics
• In RP diploma, history
• In DIA diploma, philosophy, history or economics.

The maximum score is 157.9.

Quotas and threshold criteria for technology and engineering

Points system in certificate-based admissions

Applicants can score points for up to three subjects, which are:

• mother tongue
• mathematics, advanced syllabus
  
• physics or chemistry

The maximum score is 105.

Instructions for interpreting the points tables

• In certificate-based admissions, the number of matriculation examination subjects for which the applicants score points vary by degree programme. A maximum of six matriculation examination subjects can be taken into account.
• The degree programmes can specify one or several threshold criteria. Only applicants who meet the threshold criteria can be admitted through certificate-based admissions.
• In all degree programmes, applicants score points for mother tongue.

  • As mother tongue is accepted Finnish as mother tongue, Swedish as mother tongue, Sámi as mother tongue, Finnish as a second language and Swedish as a second language.

  • Some degree programmes have specific requirements concerning the mother tongue syllabus. These exceptions are included in the information on the degree programmes in question.

  • If the applicant has taken the test in two native-level languages, one of them is taken into account as an advanced syllabus in a language.

• The degree programmes have specified the subjects for which applicants score points in addition to mother tongue.
• An applicant may only score points once for each subject. In mathematics, an applicant may score points either for the advanced syllabus or the basic syllabus, unless stated otherwise in the information on the degree programmes.
• If an applicant has taken the test in syllabuses of the same level in several languages (advanced, intermediate, basic) and the points system specified by the degree programme allows this, the applicant may score points for several languages.
  • Example: In certificate-based admissions to the degree programme, five subjects are taken into account, consisting of mother tongue and any other four subjects. The applicant has taken the matriculation examination tests in Finnish as mother tongue, advanced syllabus in Swedish, advanced syllabus in English, basic syllabus in French and biology. In certificate-based admissions to the degree programme in question, the applicant scores points for all subjects in which they have taken the test.
• An applicant who has not taken all the subjects specified by the degree programme may be admitted through certificate-based admissions if they score enough points for the remaining subjects.
• Applicants score points for tests in natural sciences and humanities taken in 2006 and later in the Finnish matriculation examinations. No points are awarded for tests in natural sciences and humanities taken before 2006.
• The points scored in certificate-based admissions are calculated based on the degree programme’s admission criteria, using the combination of subjects for which the applicant scores the highest points.
• If the applicant has completed not only an EB, IB, RP or DIA diploma but also the Finnish matriculation examination or individual matriculation examination tests, their points are calculated based on the combination for which they score the highest points.

Threshold criteria

Threshold criteria means passing a certain matriculation examination test or achieving a certain grade in it. The applicant can only participate in certificate-based admissions to a degree programme if they meet the threshold criteria. The degree programme may have set one or several threshold criteria for certificate-based admissions. The threshold criteria are set out in connection with each degree programme.

Threshold criteria, example 1

If the threshold criteria for a degree programme is achieving grade M in chemistry, the applicant has to achieve at least grade M in the matriculation examination test. If the applicant has not taken the test in chemistry or their grade in this test is A, B or C, they cannot be admitted through certificate-based admissions to the degree programme in question.

Threshold criteria, example 2

If mother tongue has been specified in the threshold criteria, it means the test in Finnish as mother tongue, Swedish as mother tongue, Sámi as mother tongue, Finnish as a second language or Swedish as a second language. If Finnish as mother tongue, Swedish as mother tongue or Sámi as mother tongue has been specified in the threshold criteria, this only refers to the test in mother tongue syllabus of the language in question, and an applicant who has taken the test in Finnish as a second language or Swedish as a second language does not meet the requirement.

Right to study

If the applicant has been granted a right to study in a degree programme in higher education institutions’ joint application system, as a rule they have a right to complete both a Bachelor's and a Master’s degree. In some exceptional cases, the right to study is only granted for completing a Bachelor's degree (including Kindergarten teacher education). If the degree programme only grants a right to study for a Bachelor's degree, this is mentioned in connection with the information on the degree programme in question.

Language proficiency requirement

The applicant must prove their English proficiency at the application stage. The methods for proving language proficiency are explained on each university’s website. In some cases, the information on the matriculation examination is sufficient to prove English proficiency. If the applicant has to produce a separate certificate as proof of their language proficiency, a request to attach this certificate will come up in the application form.

When applying to degree programmes taught in Finnish or Swedish, proof of Finnish or Swedish proficiency must be provided.

To be noted in points scored for EB, IB, RP and DIA diplomas

In certificate-based admissions, the grades achieved in the European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma as well as in the Reifeprüfung (RP) diploma and the Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA) diploma completed in Finland are converted into corresponding Finnish matriculation examination grades. For these correspondences, see the section on each degree programme.

To be noted in points scored for EB, IB, RP and DIA diplomas:

• Points for subjects in EB, IB, RP and DIA diplomas that do not have equivalents in the Finnish matriculation examination are scored as set out in the section Other natural science and humanities subjects in EB, IB, RP and DIA diplomas.
• The threshold criteria of the degree programmes are given as Finnish matriculation examination grades in connection with the criteria for certificate-based admissions. As a rule, grades and points achieved in EB, IB, RP and DIA diplomas are also converted into corresponding Finnish matriculation examination grades when examining the fulfilment of minimum requirementsthreshold criteria. Some of the degree programmes in languages are an exception to this rule, and in these cases, the minimum requirements threshold criteria are given separately as EB, IB, RP and DIA diploma grades and points in connection with the criteria for certificate-based admissions.

European Baccalaureate (EB)

To assess EB diplomas, two recommendation on correspondence are used: for those who took the diploma in 2021 and later, the new recommendation is followed, and the old recommendation is applied to those who took the diploma in 2020 or earlier.

The grades of Final marks included in the EB diploma correspond to Finnish matriculation examination grades as set out in the following tables.

The correspondence of grades in this table applies to applicants who have taken the diploma in 2020 or earlier.

The correspondence of grades in this table applies to applicants who have taken the diploma in 2021 and later.

In the points system of certificate-based admissions, the subjects in EB diploma correspond to Finnish matriculation examination subjects as follows.

Points for natural sciences and humanities subjects in EB diploma are scored as shown in the scoring tables of each degree programme.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

The grades of tests included in the IB diploma correspond to Finnish matriculation examination grades as set out in the following tables.

Correspondence of grades.

In the points system of certificate-based admissions, the subjects in IB diploma tests correspond to Finnish matriculation examination subjects as follows.

Correspondence of subjects.

Points for natural sciences and humanities subjects in an IB diploma are scored as shown in the scoring tables of each degree programme.

Reifeprüfung (RP) and Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA) diplomas

The scores for tests included in the RP and DIA diplomas correspond to Finnish matriculation examination grades as set out in the following tables.

Correspondence of grades.

In the points system of certificate-based admissions, the subjects in RP and DIA diploma tests correspond to Finnish matriculation examination subjects as follows.

Correspondence of subjects.

The points for natural sciences and humanities subjects in RP and DIA diplomas are awarded as set out in the scoring tables of the degree programmes.

If the subjects for which points are scored are not included in the subjects the applicant has taken for the diplomas, the points will be based on a certificate of correspondence issued by Deutche Schule Helsinki.