Looking for something specific? Use our search engine!

Apply to an international master’s degree programme

Apply to an international master’s degree programme

Please note that this information does not apply to the admission to regular master’s programmes (e.g. those in the 2nd National Joint Application/Andra Gemensamma ansökan/Toinen yhteishaku).

Who can apply?

You are an eligible applicant if

  • you have a nationally recognized bachelor’s degree or equivalent to at least 180 ECTS or to three years of full-time study from an accredited institution of higher education
  • you have a degree in a, for the master’s degree programme, relevant field
  • you fulfill the language requirements

If you are graduating after the application deadline, you may apply on the condition that the required application documents are submitted and arrive at Åbo Akademi University by 31 July 2023 at 3:00 pm (Helsinki time).

Important dates 2023

4 January
8:00 am (Helsinki time)
Application period opens at Studyinfo
18 January
3:00 pm (Helsinki time)
Application period closes, deadline to make changes to the content in the online application form.
25 January
3:00 pm (Helsinki time)
Deadline to upload missing enclosures to the online application form.
Note that changes to your answers in the application form can’t be made after 18 January!
Beginning of April Admission results will be sent by email to all applicants.
1 June Deadline for admitted students to submit certified hard copies.
14 July
3:00 pm (Helsinki time)
Deadline to accepts the study place offered.
31 July
3:00 pm (Helsinki time)
Deadline for conditionally admitted students to submit degree certificate and final transcript.
1 September
(to be confirmed)
Deadline for first tuition fee installment.
Deadline to register as present.

How to apply

 

Step 1. Check the requirements! 
Read carefully the general instructions regarding the academic and English language requirements as well as the programme specific requirement. Make sure that you fulfill all the requirements before applying. If you need to take a language test, book and take one well in advance.
Step 2. Collect the required enclosures and scan them
At the application stage we require only scanned copies (in color and pdf format) of the following documents:

  • Original Bachelor’s degree certificate and relevant Master’s degree certificate in the original language.
    Note that if you are applying with a for the programme relevant master’s degree you will always need to also enclose your bachelor’s degree certificate.
  • Translation of original degree certificate(s) in English, Swedish or Finnish.
  • Original transcript of records of all higher education studies completed so far, including present studies, in the original language.
  • Translation of original transcripts of records to English, Swedish or Finnish.
  • diploma supplement must be enclosed when available.
  • Proof of language skills in English, please see information about language requirements,note that we don’t accept statements from university officials as proof of language skills.
  • Passport (information page containing the applicant’s name, date of birth, nationality and photo)
  • Residence permit (required only for non-EU/EEA-applicants already residing in Finland or in some other EU country on a more permanent basis, both sides needed)
  • Any other enclosure required by the programme (please see the programme presentations) or relevant for the application

NOTE that we don’t accept scanned copies of copies, we accept only scanned copies of the original documents.

Remember to check the general requirements for the enclosures and the country-specific requirements .The country-specific requirements must be followed first and foremost, before the general requirements.

Applicants who have not completed their Bachelor’s degree by the application deadline must in the application state the expected graduation date and enclose the transcript of records of all studies completed so far. If admitted, it will be conditionally and a certified true copy of the degree awarded must reach Åbo Akademi University by 31 July 2023 at 3:00 pm (Helsinki time).

Step 3.  Apply online at Studyinfo
All international master’s degree programmes are part of the Spring’s first Joint Application to programmes taught in English. Search for the master’s degree programme of your choice. Fill in one application only, within the same application you can apply for up to six (6) programmes, note though that you may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland during one academic term (1.8.-31.12. or 1.1.-31.7.).

In addition to personal information (e.g. name, date of birth, address etc.), the application form includes questions regarding your educational history as well as language proficiency. You will also need to complete questions that the international master’s programme(s) have formulated. These questions are given to test the applicant’s motivation for the studies. Sometimes the programmes also ask for specific information. Please read through the questions carefully and reserve some time to answer. The application form as well as the questions should be answered in English.

You will also need to upload the required enclosures (see step 2 above). Note that if you have been awarded a degree in a country subject to our country-specific requirements your enclosures will need to follow the requirements.

Åbo Akademi University offers scholarships for students who are subject to tuition fees. You can apply for our scholarships in the same application form, simply indicate “yes” in the appropriate question. In the application you will find questions that are also assessed by the scholarship granting committee.

Step 4. Check and submit your application within the given deadline!
Note that there are separate deadlines for the application form and its enclosures. The online application is open only during the application period, no changes can be made to the content after the deadline, you have though one week after the end of the application period to upload all necessary enclosures.

Processing the applications takes 10 weeks and the admission decision will be published at Studyinfo.fi by the beginning of April 2023. No separate messages are sent to the applicants during the application and processing period unless they need to complete their application, so we kindly ask our applicants to be patient and minimize contact with the admission office unless it is really necessary.

Step 5. Certified hard copies – only for admitted applicants
Cerified hard copies are required for our verification and authentication process.

All admitted applicants who aim to accept our study offer need to send certified or legalized hard copies of the following documents:

  • Original Bachelor’s degree certificate and relevant Master’s degree certificate
    Note that if you are applying with a for the programme relevant master’s degree you will always need to also enclose your bachelor’s degree certificate
  • Translation of degree certificate(s) in English, Swedish or Finnish
  • Original transcript(s) of records of all higher education studies completed so far (including present studies)
  • Translation of original transcript(s) of records in English, Swedish or Finnish

Note the general requirements for the enclosures and the country-specific requirements .The country-specific requirements must be followed first and foremost, before the general requirements.

The documents should be sent to:
Åbo Akademi University/International Admission
Hämeenkatu 13
20500 Turku, FINLAND

The documents should arrive to Åbo Akademi University by 1 June 2023.
If you are sending your documents from the Aland Islands or a country outside the EU, we recommend you use curier services, such as DHL, UPS, Fedex, TNT, etc.

Åbo Akademi University also accepts electronic transcripts submitted through a few recognized sources, such as Truecopy and Digitary. For information on which electronic transcript sending services are accepted by the university, please see general requirements for the enclosures.

Applicants who have graduated from a Finnish university before the application period don’t need to submit ceritfied hard copies as the degree can be verified in the national database.

NOTE! that due to the amount of hard copies we receive we will not notify separately when documents have arrived. We will only contact the applicant if we are missing documents, in which case we will give him/her time to send supplementary documentation.

Questions related to the admission process can be e-mailed to admission@abo.fi prior to the admission deadline. Note that due to Christmas holidays and New Year it might take longer for us to get back to you.

Step 6. Authentication of original documents
For verification and authentication porpouses, we require all admitted applicants to submit their original degree certificates and transcript of records, including original translations of the documents, to the Stduent Office upon arrival in Finland.

All documents, including the ones sent directly to the university by your previous institution must reach Åbo Akademi University by the given deadline(s).

Giving incorrect/false information or failing to provide the university with the required documentation will lead to direct cancellation of the admission.

 

Updated 25.5.2023