Languages of study and degrees

The language of study is the language in which you complete the relevant studies (e.g., answer examination tasks). Information on the language of instruction for each course can be found, for example, in the course description in Sisu. The language of study may differ from the language of instruction or your native language.

Only one language is recorded in the student information system for each completed course or module. If a course consists of several components completed in different languages, the language of study for the course is the language in which you completed the component with the greatest workload. If the components completed in different languages have an equal workload, the teacher responsible for the course decides which language is recorded in the student information system.

You can use Finnish or Swedish to complete your studies and can obtain written examinations and other study-related assignments in the language you request, that is, Finnish or Swedish. However, the nature of a degree programme or course (e.g., language studies) may require that you complete studies in a certain language. Similarly, when pursuing a degree in English, you must complete the majority of your studies in English.

If you are studying in a Finnish- or Swedish-language degree programme, you must, as a rule, complete studies in the language of instruction. However, such degree programmes may include instruction in English or the other national language of Finland (i.e., the one that is not the student’s native language). You can complete these studies in Finnish, Swedish or, possibly, English. In language subjects, the language of instruction and study may be a language other than Finnish, Swedish or English.

In English-language degree programmes, instruction is given in English, and you complete your studies in English. You must complete at least 75% of all the studies to be included in your degree in English and must also write your thesis in English.

In Swedish-language degree programmes, instruction is given in Swedish, and you complete your studies in Swedish. You must complete at least 75% of all the studies to be included in your degree in Swedish and must also write your thesis in Swedish.

In multilingual degree programmes, you can complete your studies in Finnish, Swedish or English, depending on the language of your degree. If completing a degree in English, you must complete at least 75% of all the studies to be included in your degree in English and must also write your thesis in English.

If pursuing a bilingual degree (i.e., the languages of your degree are Finnish and Swedish or Swedish and Finnish), you must complete at least a third of your degree in each degree language (i.e., in Finnish and Swedish or Swedish and Finnish). In addition, the language of instruction and the language in which you complete the relevant course must, as a rule, be the same. Moreover, for a bilingual degree, you must complete a language test at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in the language that is not the main language of your degree. If you have previously completed a language test for a bilingual bachelor’s degree, you need not complete it again for a master’s degree.

As a rule, you receive examination tasks and answer them in the language in which teaching has been provided. However, if teaching has been provided in more than one language, tasks can be given in the language of the relevant part of teaching.

In language subjects, you usually receive examination tasks and answer them in the language in question.

If teaching has been provided in Finnish, Swedish-language students may request and receive the examination tasks in both Swedish and Finnish and answer them in Swedish. However, you must submit a notification about this well in advance, at least 10 days before the examination session. Your personal notification to the teacher or other examiner is sufficient.

If the language of teaching is Swedish, the tasks included in an examination connected to teaching will be given in Swedish. Finnish-speaking students can answer the questions in Finnish or Swedish.

If teaching in a Finnish- or Swedish-language or a multilingual degree programme has been given in English, you will receive the examination tasks in English. You can complete the tasks in Finnish, Swedish or English if you are completing a degree in Finnish or Swedish. If you are completing an English-language degree in a multilingual degree programme, you must complete the examination tasks in English.

In English-language degree programmes, examination tasks are provided in English, and you must complete them in English.

In Swedish-language degree programmes, examination tasks are given in Swedish, and you must complete them in Swedish.

If you are completing a bilingual degree (Finnish and Swedish, or Swedish and Finnish), examination tasks are, as a rule, given and completed in the language in which teaching was provided.

The University offers degrees in Finnish, Swedish and English.

In Finnish- and Swedish-language degree programmes, the language of the students’ degrees is Finnish or Swedish. In a Swedish-language bachelor’s programme or option available for application, the language of the degree is Swedish. In other cases, the language of the degree is Finnish or Swedish, depending on the language in which you have completed more studies included in the degree. When you graduate from a master’s programme offered in Finnish and Swedish, the language of the degree is recorded as Finnish or Swedish, depending on the language in which you have completed more studies included in the degree.

When students complete bilingual degrees in a bachelor’s or a master's programme, the languages of the degrees are Finnish and Swedish or Swedish and Finnish.

In multilingual degree programmes, the language of the students’ degrees is Finnish, Swedish or English. The English skills of students completing an English-language degree are examined before they begin their studies.

In English-language degree programmes, the language of the students’ degrees is English.

In Swedish-language degree programmes, the language of the students’ degrees is Swedish.

Your language of degree is recorded in Sisu (My profile page, the tab Study rights, Show details, Degree language).

Changing the language of degrees in multilingual degree programmes
 

If you continue your studies in a multilingual master’s programme in Finnish or Swedish, you can change the language of your degree into English. You can apply for the right to do so at any stage of your master’s studies. 

You must demonstrate your English skills in the same way as when applying for the programme. You are considered to have demonstrated your English skills, for example, if you have completed the foreign-language studies included in your Bachelor’s degree in compliance with the decrees on degrees. For other ways to demonstrate your English skills (PDF), please see these instructions. 

When completing an English-language degree in a multilingual master’s programme, you must complete at least 75% of the studies included in your master’s degree in English and must also write your thesis in English. 

Also notice that if you are a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country and you are completing a degree in English, you are likely to be liable for tuition fees. Section 10 of the Universities Act provides for the liability for tuition fees. At the University of Helsinki, this liability commences from the beginning of the term following the change of degree language.

If you wish to change the language of your degree from English into Finnish or Swedish in a multilingual master’s programme, you can apply for the right to do so at any stage of your master’s studies. You must demonstrate your Finnish or Swedish language skills unless you have already demonstrated it before.

You can notify student advice via HelsinkiUni Help about the change.

The following master’s programmes are multilingual:

• Master’s Programme in Agricultural Sciences
• Master’s Programme in Agricultural, Environmental and Resource Economics
• Master’s Programme in Atmospheric Sciences
• Master's Programme in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences
• Master’s Programme in Computer Science
• Master’s Programme in Data Science
• Master’s Programme in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Master's Programme in Economics
• Master’s Programme in English Studies
• Master’s Programme in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability
• Master’s Programme in Food Sciences
• Master’s Programme in Forest Sciences
• Master’s Programme in Genetics and Molecular Biosciences
• Master’s Programme in Geography
• Master’s Programme in Geology and Geophysics
• Master’s Programme in Human Nutrition and Food-Related Behaviour
• Master’s Programme in Integrative Plant Sciences
• Master’s Programme in Life Science Informatics
• Master's Programme in Linguistic Diversity and Digital Humanities
• Master’s Programme in Materials Research
• Master’s Programme in Mathematics and Statistics
• Master’s Programme in Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology
• Master’s Programme in Neuroscience
• Master’s Programme in Particle Physics and Astrophysical Sciences
• Master’s Programme in Theoretical and Computational Methods
• Master’s Programme in Urban Studies and Planning

You can also read the separate instructions for the language and communication studies included in degrees and the languages of maturity tests (bachelor’s students, master’s students).

For further information on degree certificates, please see the instructions available at Copies and translations of the degree certificate.