SIMHE Studies – Finnish, Swedish and English courses for immigrants

Do you want to learn Finnish, Swedish or English and improve your employability in Finland? SIMHE language studies are offered for foreigners living in Finland. The courses are free of charge.

Beginner to basic level Finnish, Swedish and English courses

To select the right course for you, please read the course descriptions and check the CEFR: European language skill levels (Kielibuusti.fi). Please note that in the academic year 2024–2025, level 1a and 1b courses for total berginners are not available. You should already have some knowledge of the language before applying to courses.

A path that represents the order in which the courses should be completed if you don't have previous knowledge of the language: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4.

How to apply?

You can apply to SIMHE language courses if you live in Finland and have the Finnish personal identity code (henkilötunnus).  

For the academic year 2024-2025, there are three application waves:

  1. For courses starting in autumn 2024, the application opens 13 August 2024 at 10 AM.
  2. For courses starting in January 2025, the application opens 12 November 2024 at 10 AM.
  3. For courses starting in March 2025, the application opens 14 January 2025 at 10 AM.

You can apply online through the Studyinfo portal when the application period is open. The application closes one week before the start of the course or when the course is full. You will find the link to Studyinfo by clicking the course's name. Please check the detailed description and timetable of the course from Studyinfo before applying.

Questions?

Contact us at simhe (a) lists.uwasa.fi. 

Finnish as a Foreign Language 2a, 2 ECTS (application has ended)

CEFR Start level: A1.2 – basics of language proficiency  
CEFR Target level: A1.3 – You can manage simple everyday situations and write a little. 

If you already have completed Finnish 1a and 1b or have equivalent knowledge of Finnish, this course is for you. You will learn how to communicate about travel, sickness and health, leisure and hobbies, and will be able to actively use vocabulary related to these topics.

Online group from 29 October to 28 November 2024. Application has ended.

Finnish as a Foreign Language 2b, 3 ECTS (application has ended)

CEFR Start level: A1.3 – You can manage simple everyday situations and write a little.  
CEFR Target level: A2.1 – You can manage ordinary service situations. 

On this course, we will learn vocabulary related to nature, education and service situations, and practice communicating in various service situations in Finnish. After completing the course, you will be able to speak and write about your past, your studies, your future hopes and your career.

Online group from 14 January to 11 March 2025. Application has ended.

Finnish as a Foreign Language 3a, 2 ECTS (application has ended)

CEFR Start level A2.1 – You can manage ordinary service situations.
CEFR Target level A2.1 – You can manage ordinary service situations. 

Let’s start negotiating in Finnish! After completing this course, you can speak about matters related to work and leisure in Finnish. You will learn how to express your opinions and justify them. You know how to act in situations requiring negotiation.

Online group from 25 September to 27 November 2024. Application has ended.

Finnish as a Foreign Language 3b, 3 ECTS (course full)

CEFR Start level A2.1 - You can manage ordinary service situations.   
CEFR Target level A2.2 - You understand familiar topics fairly well. You write simple language. 

Let’s learn about work-related topics and language needed in job-seeking! This course prepares you to speak about your skills and matters related to your own field.  

Online group from 18 March to 14 May 2025. Application opens 14 January 2025.

Learn more and apply

Finnish as a Foreign Language 4, 5 ECTS (application has ended)

CEFR Start level A2.2 – You understand familiar topics fairly well. You write simple language.  
CEFR Target level B1.1 – Intermediate level. Moderate language proficiency in normal situations.

After completing this course, you will be able to communicate in spoken and written Finnish about your skills and express yourself in a convincing way, taking the audience into account. You will be able to search for information about companies of your field and compile a poster based on that information. You will be able to prepare documents for job applications, make a video CV and answer typical job interview questions. 

Online group from 15 January to 2 April 2025. Application has ended.

Swedish as a Foreign Language 2a, 2 ECTS (application has ended)

CEFR Target level: A2.1 – You can manage ordinary service situations. 

Let’s learn more Swedish for service situations, everyday conversations and writing simple messages. After completing the course, you can use appropriate language in a shop and restaurant situation, talk about the weather and tell about something that happened to you in the past.

Online group from 9 September to 9 October 2024. Application has ended.

Swedish as a Foreign Language 2b, 3 ECTS (application has ended)

CEFR target level: A2.1 – You can manage ordinary service situations. 

After completing this course, you can talk about your body, common sicknesses and book an appointment to the doctor in Swedish. You can also share opinions, make comparisons, give road directions and read and write short texts about familiar matters.

Online group from 21 October to 9 December 2024. Application has ended.

Swedish as a Foreign Language 3a, 3 ECTS (application has ended)

CEFR target level: A2.2 – You understand familiar topics fairly well. You write simple language. 

After finishing the course, you can discuss, write and read about feasts, traditions and the world’s nations. You will also learn the core knowledge about Swedish literature, Sweden’s and Finland’s brief history and the Nordic welfare model, and different cultural phenomena in the Nordic everyday life.

Online group from 13 January to 12 February 2025. Application has ended.

Swedish as a Foreign Language 3b, 3 ECTS

CEFR Target level:A2.2 – You understand familiar topics fairly well. You write simple language. 

After finishing the course, you can write a job application, and discuss, write and read about work and economy. In addition, you will gain the core knowledge about Finland-Swedish and Swedish culture.

Online goup from 3 March to 12 May 2025. Application opens 14 January 2025.

Learn more and apply

Strengthen Your English Skills (application has ended)

CEFR Start level: A2.2-A2.3
CEFR Target level: B1.2

This course is for those who have want to revise their English skills and further build them in for use in university studies or professional life. We practice reading, writing, listening and speaking to ensure you become an independent user of English. 

Online group from 3 February to 12 March 2025. 

Should I study Finnish, Swedish or both?

It depends on your career and life plans. Both Finnish and Swedish are official languages in Finland. If you have the time to invest for both languages, it is definitely an asset in the job markets. In Finland in general, Finnish is the majority language. However, Swedish is widely spoken in the Ostrobothnia region where 50,6 % of the population is Swedish-speaking.

I don't have the Finnish personal identity code, how can I apply for the courses?

The courses are intended to people who live in Finland. Unfortunately we cannot accept participants without the Finnish personal identity code due to funding-related reasons. 

Why is attendance and active participation required?

The learning activities are designed so that you get a lot of practice with your peers. The more you attend the classes the more you get to practice and the more you learn. The lessons are not recorded.

Do I need to buy a book or other materials for the course?

Usually not, we mostly use online materials. You will receive more information about the materials from the teacher after you have been accepted to the course. Literature can be borrowed, for example, from Tritonia Academic Library.

These are not the right courses for me. Where can I find more options?

You can find information about language courses and self-study resources from the Welcome Office webpage.

What is the difference between SIMHE courses and Linguavaasa courses?

SIMHE language courses are open for all internationals living in Finland – you don’t have to be a student to enrol. The courses are targeted especially for those who don’t have the opportunity to study the languages as part of degree studies.

Linguavaasa courses are offered only for students at the following universities: Hanken School of Economics, Vamk University of Applied Sciences, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, University of Helsinki (Vaasa unit) and University of Vaasa.

I have been selected to a course. How can I access Moodle?

See further instructions about Moodle.