How to apply in joint application?

The Finnish joint application is a national application procedure the Finnish education institutions use when selecting new students to to higher education institutions.

In the Joint application autumn 2024 and spring 2025, only those with a Finnish qualification and those with an IB/EB/RP/DIA qualification completed in Finland can apply to bachelor level degree programmes at LAB University of Applied Sciences. Exceptionally, Bachelor Culture and Arts, Sustainable Design Business is offered in the Joint application, and all students eligible for higher education, regardless of country, are eligible to apply.

In addition, all of LAB's Master's degree programmes in English are offered in the Joint application. Master's degrees are offered online.

Higher education institutions have two application periods during each spring:

Application period in January for degree programmes offered in English.
Application period in March-April for degree programmes offered in Finnish.

In addition, one application period during autumn

Application period in September for degree programmes offered in English and Finnish

Applying through the Joint application is done with one form. You can apply to a maximum of six degree programmes which you should rank in the order in which you wish to be selected. The order of preferences in the application is binding and you cannot change them after the application period has ended. The exception is the January application period, which is not prioritized. In other application periods, applicants will be offered the highest option in their application form for which they have sufficient points.

The next application period for study programmes offered in English is 8 – 22 January 2025 at 3 pm UTC+2.

The Joint application for studies starting in January 2026 will take place from 1 to 11 September 2025 .

A hand holding a glass ball in a winter landscape

Checklist: Before you apply

Find the most appealing Degree Programme for you.
Check the admission criteria: Make sure you know all about the eligibility criteria, application process and deadlines and possible entrance exam.
Take a look at the tuition fees and scholarships: The higher education institutions in Finland collect tuition fees from students outside the EU/EEA area.
Remember to apply and submit attachments during the application period.

How to fill in the application form:

When the application period is open, you can access the application form from the Studyinfo front page and the link to the application form can be found on our website in the description of each degree programme.

You do not need to register or log in in order to apply. Fill in the application and submit it during the application period. If you have not submitted your application by the end of the application period, it is not possible to apply. Submit the required documents on time.

Note that you can only submit one (1) application form in joint applications. If you submit several application forms, only the newest one will be taken into consideration and all others (i.e., first submitted ones) will be deleted. Higher education institutions will not inform applicants about deleted applications.

Do not use another person's email address as contact information on the application form. If your email address changes during the application process, we cannot guarantee that your email address change can be taken into account in time and your application process may fail. So please be careful.

Please contact the admission services of the University of Applied Sciences of your first choice in the application form in all matters relating to your application and to changes in your circumstances.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE STUDY PROGRAMMES (in March and September)
You can apply to up to six (6) study programmes in autumn's joint application and in the application period for degree programmes offered in Finnish in March. In addition,

arrange your choices in order of preference.
consider the order of preference carefully, because the order is binding and you cannot change it after the application period ends.
If you are not admitted to the study programme of your first choice, your points will be checked in order to find a study place from your other preferences.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE STUDY PROGRAMMES (in January)
You can apply to up to six (6) study programmes in the application period for degree programmes offered in English in January.

You can be admitted to all the degree programmes for which you have sufficient points. However, a student may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland in education that begins in the same academic term.

Is there an entrance exam?

Check the specific admission and eligibility criteria and information on entrance exams for each study programme you wish to apply to. You can find the information from the Studyinfo-webpage at study programme description under the box "Read admission criteria". In spring 2025, the entrance examination will only be held for the Bachelor's of Culture and Arts, Sustainable Design Business. In addition, all Master's degree will include a course of study on the basis of which students will be selected.

Confirm the study place

You will receive a notification with the application results from the higher education institution. It also includes instructions on confirming the study place and registration as well as important dates. You can accept only one study place per term. Confirm the study place by following the guidelines and inform you attendance information for the academic year.

You can register as non-attending for the first academic year only for statutory reasons, that is
•    military or civilian service,
•    maternity leave, paternity leave or parental leave or
•    due to own illness or disability.

Failure to register for the academic year by the deadline may result in the loss of student's study place. The lack of enrolment information also results in the student not being transferred to the student administration system.