Separate open route application

In the separate application through the open route, you may apply for degree studies at Lapland University of Applied Sciences on the basis of studies you have completed in an open university of applied sciences. In addition, this application is open to students who are completing their higher education studies as well as to those who have achieved success in the Taitaja competition.

Selection criteria

Applicants who have completed studies at a Finnish open higher education institution or other applicants who meet the selection criteria below may apply for and be accepted as degree students without having to participate in the student selection required by the joint application procedure. You can apply for both Finnish-language and English-language UAS Bachelor’s and Master’s degree studies through the open path if the following conditions are met.

Applicant who has completed path and route studies

The applicant has completed at least 60 credits of studies suitable for the degree in question at a Finnish open higher education institution (open university of applied sciences or open university). For a student at an open university of applied sciences, the identification and recognition of competencies can be integrated as part of their studies at an open university of applied sciences.

OR

The applicant has completed 15 credits of the Lapland University of Applied Sciences study route suitable for the degree applied for (Tables 1 and 2 attached) at the Open University of Applied Sciences. In addition, the applicant has completed an initial vocational qualification, further vocational qualification, specialist vocational qualification, matriculation examination or the general upper secondary school syllabus, and the time passed since graduation is no more than 2 years.

The applicant has completed at least 25 credits of a 90-credit UAS Master’s degree at a Finnish higher education institution (open university of applied sciences or open university) or at least 20 credits of studies suitable for the degree in question of a 60-credit UAS Master’s degree. For a student at an open university of applied sciences, the identification and recognition of competencies can be integrated as part of their studies at an open university of applied sciences.

Furthermore, the applicant has a higher education degree or a higher vocational level/college level degree that is relevant to the applied degree, along with two (2) years of work experience following their graduation. Two (2) years of work experience must have been accumulated from the date of issue of the degree certificate for the prior degree requirement, and by the beginning of the studies at the latest.


Applicant who has discontinued their higher education studies

An applicant whose UAS Bachelor’s degree is missing 60 credits or less must make a personal study plan with a study counsellor on the amount of credits to be completed before applying for degree studies.

An applicant whose UAS Bachelor’s degree is missing more than 60 credits can complete the studies missing from the 60 credits at the open university of applied sciences before applying for degree studies.

Through the separate application process for the open route, you can apply to complete any unfinished studies, generally only once.

An applicant who has studied at Lapland University of Applied Sciences and commenced their studies after 1 August 2015 and who is missing 60 credits or less from their UAS Bachelor’s degree may apply for the re-establishment of their right to study.

An applicant whose UAS Master’s degree is missing 30 credits or less must make a personal study plan with a student counsellor on the amount of credits to be completed before applying for degree studies.

An applicant whose UAS Master’s degree is missing more than 30 credits may complete the studies missing from the 30 credits at the open university of applied sciences before applying for the degree studies.

Through the separate application process for the open route, you can apply to complete any unfinished studies, generally only once.

An applicant who has studied at the Lapland University of Applied Sciences, started their studies after 1 August 2015, and is missing 30 credits or less of their UAS Master’s degree may apply for the re-establishment of their right to study.

An applicant who has not completed their degree studies and has utilised the route for finishing incomplete studies without completing a degree. The applicant can complete any missing studies required for the degree through open university studies, and can subsequently apply to become a degree student.


Applicant wishing to upgrade their college-level degree to a UAS degree

The applicant is missing less than 120 credits for a UAS Bachelor’s degree according to a personal study plan made with a guidance counsellor. The applicant must complete half of the number of credits specified in the personal study plan made with a study counsellor at the open university of applied sciences before applying to become a degree student.

If the applicant has started upgrading an earlier higher education degree to a UAS Bachelor’s degree in accordance with the study plan agreed with a study counsellor at the open university of applied sciences before 1 June 2025, the applicant may apply to become a degree student until 31 December 2026.

After graduating from upper secondary education, students can obtain the right to study at Lapland University of Applied Sciences without an entrance examination in the field corresponding to their field of competition. Participants in the final of the competition must submit a certificate to the applicant services of the Lapland University of Applied Sciences. The certificate can be used to apply in the year of the competition and in the following year.


Participants in the final of the Taitaja competition

After graduating from upper secondary education, students can obtain the right to study at Lapland University of Applied Sciences without an entrance examination in the field corresponding to their field of competition. Participants in the final of the competition must submit a certificate to the applicant services of the Lapland University of Applied Sciences. The certificate can be used to apply in the year of the competition and in the following year.

Student selection

The separate application for the open route is based on a competence-based selection method, in which the applicant demonstrates their higher education study skills by successfully completing the required studies.

In student selection, priority is given those who, at the Lapland University of Applied Sciences,

  • have completed the studies for the higher education study route
  • have completed the UAS Bachelor’s and Master’s path studies in the degree programme that is being applied for
  • are completing an unfinished degree through studies at the open university of applied sciences
  • are continuing from a college-level degree to a UAS Bachelor’s degree
  • as well as those who participated in the final of the national Taitaja competition.

Those who have completed the above-mentioned studies or have succeeded in the competition, as well as those who meet the selection criteria, are guaranteed a place as a degree student at Lapland UAS in the application process.

In the separate application process for the open route, other applicants who meet the student selection criteria will be accepted in the order their applications are received (based on the submission timestamp in the system) until the application period ends or all available places have been filled.

Student selection decisions are made on the basis of the application. The University of Applied Sciences may cancel the selection if the applicant has provided incorrect information in his or her application.

In social, health and sports education, the applicant’s state of health and functional capacity must be such that the student is capable of the practical tasks and training related to the studies. Therefore, applicants are asked in the application form about health factors that may hinder their studies. In addition, applicants are asked in the application form about any previous cancellation of their right to study due to health problems or endangering the safety of other persons. (L932/2014)

One Study Place per Academic Term

You may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland during the same academic term. Study places received through a transfer application are not subject to this regulation. The regulation also does not apply to the Police University College, Åland University of Applied Sciences, or foreign higher education institutions.

Applicant’s State of Health

Read more on the website https://www.uasinfo.fi/.

In the fields of social services, health care, and sports, the applicant’s state of health and functional capacity must be such that the student is able to participate in the practical training and tasks included in the studies. For this reason, applicants are asked in the application form about health-related factors that may prevent participation in the studies.

In addition, the application form asks whether the applicant’s previous right to study has been revoked due to health reasons or because of endangering the safety of others (L932/2014).


Application Periods

  • 1 June – 30 November, for studies beginning in the autumn semester
  • 1 December – 31 May, for studies beginning in the spring semester

Tables 1 and 2

Eligibility for degree studies through the higher education studies route:

Route students who started after 1 August 2025

Higher education studies route 15 creditsDegrees for which the higher education studies route of 15 credits provides eligibility for the separate application process
Sports instructor’s higher education studies routeBachelor of Sports Studies
Business, sport business and tourism higher education studies routeBachelor of Hospitality Management, Bachelor of Business Administration, International Responsible People & Business Management, Bachelor of Business Administration, International Sport Business Management
Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Hospitality Management and visual arts higher education studies routeBachelor of Culture and Arts (visual arts); Bachelor of Hospitality Management, Tourism; Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Economics; Bachelor of Business Administration, Information Technology
Bachelor of Business Administration (Business Economics) higher education studies routeBachelor of Business Administration, Business Economics; Bachelor of Hospitality Management
Social services and healthcare higher education studies routeBachelor of Health Care, Physiotherapist; Geriatric nurse (Bachelor of Social Services and Health Care); Bachelor of Health Care, Registered Nurse; Bachelor of Social Services; Public health nurse (Bachelor of Health Care)
The field of technology and natural resources higher education studies routeBachelor of Natural Resources Bachelor of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering; Bachelor of Engineering, Surveying Technology; Bachelor of Engineering, Machine Learning and Data Engineering; Bachelor of Engineering, Civil Engineering; Bachelor of Engineering, Electrical and Automation Engineering; Bachelor of Engineering, Information and Communication Technology; Bachelor of Natural Resources (UAS), Forestry Bachelor of Construction Management

Route students who started before 1 August 2025

Higher education studies route 15 creditsDegrees for which the higher education studies route of 15 credits provides eligibility for the separate application process
Bachelor of Social Services higher education studies routeBachelor of Social Services; Geriatric nurse (Bachelor of Social Services and Health Care); Bachelor of Health Care, Registered Nurse; Public health nurse (Bachelor of Health Care)
Geriatric nurse’s higher education studies routeGeriatric nurse (Bachelor of Social Services and Health Care); Bachelor of Health Care, Registered Nurse; Bachelor of Social Services; Public health nurse (Bachelor of Health Care)
Physiotherapy higher education studies routeBachelor of Health Care, Physiotherapist
Sports instructor’s higher education studies routeBachelor of Sports Studies
International Sport Business Management higher education studies routeBachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration (Business Economics) higher education studies routeBachelor of Business Administration, Business Economics; Bachelor of Hospitality Management
Bachelor of Business Administration (Information Technology) higher education routeBachelor of Business Administration, Information Technology
Bachelor of Hospitality Management (Tourism) higher education studies routeBachelor of Hospitality Management Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Economics
Visual arts higher education studies routeVisual arts (Bachelor of Culture and Arts)
The field of technology and natural resources higher education studies routeAgrologist; Bachelor of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering; Bachelor of Engineering, Surveying Technology; Bachelor of Engineering, Civil Engineering; Bachelor of Engineering, Electrical and Automation Engineering; Bachelor of Engineering, Information and Communication Technology; Bachelor of Natural Resources (UAS), Forestry Bachelor of Construction Management

Last Updated: 29.10.2025