Language Requirements

English language proficiency needs to be met by every applicant and it can be proved only in one of the below listed ways. University of Vaasa does not apply a strict time limit to how recently the necessary verification for English language skills has been acquired. However, if the language skills verification is several years old it may have a negative effect on the admission decision.

 

    Language test certificates

    Depending on the language test in question, part of the language test certificates may be uploaded to the online application form by the applicant. Please see instructions for each test on this page.

    Some language certificates are asked to be submitted directly by the language test provider to the University. These certificates should be submitted either by e-mail at admissions(at)uwasa.fi or at: University of Vaasa, Admission Services ref. Master's application, P.O. Box 700, FI-65101 Vaasa, Finland.

    If the language skills required by the University of Vaasa are shown in your educational documents (Degree Certificate or Transcript of Records proving you meet the language requirements), you do not have to submit any additional attachments.

    A Language Certificate issued by your home university or any other institution or organisation is not accepted.

       

      Language requirements

      These requirements concern the following Master's Programmes:

      • Master's Degree Programme in Finance
      • Master's Degree Programme in International Business
      • Master's Programme in Strategic Business Development
      • Master's Programme in Industrial Management
      • Master's Programme in Industrial Systems Analytics
      • Master's Programme in Smart Energy
      • Master's Programme in Strategic Project Management

      For the Master's Programme in Sustainable and Autonomous Systems, please see the requirements in the next section.

       

      Language tests

      • TOEFL iBT (internet-based) TOEFL iBT Home Edition or TOEFL iBT Paper Edition minimum overall score 80, MyBest scores are accepted
      • IELTS test results (academic band) with minimum overall band score of 6.0 (each section minimum 5.5)
      • PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English, Academic band) or PTE Academic Online results with minimum overall score of 54
      • National Certificate of English Language Proficiency (arranged by Finnish National Agency for Education) with minimum overall language proficiency level 5, advanced
      • C1 Advanced test (Certificate in Advanced English) with minimum pass grade C 
      • C2 Proficiency test (Certificate of Proficiency in English) with minimum level C1 

      Higher education in English in countries mentioned below

      • English language course(s) included in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree conducted in Finnish or Swedish in Finland
      • Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree conducted in English language in Finland or another EU / EEA country, United Kingdom, Switzerland, United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand
      • Degrees completed in English on offshore campuses are accepted if the main university located in one of the countries listed above
      • Studies in English as exchange student in a Higher Education Institution in Finland or another EU / EEA country, United Kingdom, Switzerland, United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand
      • Bachelor's or Master's degree with English as the major subject (English language/literature/philology)

      Secondary education in English in countries or examinations mentioned below

      • Certificate of secondary education completed in English language in Finland or another EU / EEA country, United Kingdom, Switzerland, United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand
      • Certificate of English as the A language with a minimum grade of Magna Cum Laude Approbatur as part of a Finnish Matriculation examination
      • Certificate of English as the A1 language (minimum grade 2) or A2 language (minimum grade 5) as part of an International Baccalaureate examination
      • Certificate of English as the A language (literature/language and literature/language and performance) as part of an International Baccalaureate examination (minimum grade 2)
      • Certificate of English as the LI language (minimum grade 4) or LII language (minimum grade 7) as a part of European Baccalaureate examination

      Language requirements for the Master's Programme in Sustainable and Autonomous Systems

       

      • TOEFL test results with minimum score of 92 in iBT (with minimum of 20 in Writing section)
      • IELTS Academic or IELTS Indicator test results 6.5 (with a minimum of 5.5 per each section)
      • PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English) test results with minimum overall score of 62 (with minimum of 52 in Writing Section)
      • C1 Advanced test pass level A, B, C
      • C2 Proficiency test pass level A, B, C or level C1 certificate 
      • National Certificate of Language Proficiency by Finnish National Board of Education skill level 5 in the following subtests: reading, writing, listening and speaking
      • English language course(s) included in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree conducted in Finnish or Swedish in Finland
      • Bachelor´s, Master´s or Doctoral degree in English, the degree must be completed in a university or university of applied sciences in EU/EEA country, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand or the United States excluding online degrees and offshore campuses
      • 20 ECTS credits of studies conducted in English language at a Finnish higher education institution, credits must be completed at a Finnish University or a University of Applied Sciences, courses can include e.g. internships and language courses as long as the language of instruction can be verified to be English, the transcript of records must be clearly stating the courses completed in English

      How to submit certain test results

      IELTS

      The University accepts language test results uploaded directly to the online application form by the applicant, or in paper format both from the test centre and from the applicant directly. If requesting the IELTS test centre to forward your language test results to the University of Vaasa, please write down University of Vaasa as the receiver of the test result.

      TOEFL

      When requesting the TOEFL test centre to forward your results to the University of Vaasa, please fill in the University of Vaasa's Institution Code 0647 in the Score Report Recipient field. The testing centre must send the score slip directly to the University or make its electronic equivalent available. Please note that test results sent by the applicant are not accepted.

      PTE Academic

      Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic is a paperless test. Once you receive your test score, please send it to the University of Vaasa from your PTE account. Choose Finland as the 'Country', University of Vaasa as the 'Institution' and click 'Search'. Select University of Vaasa and the programme you are applying to. Then confirm your order. After this, University of Vaasa should have access to your test results within 48 hours. Please note that online language test results are only accepted through the test organiser website, and not as a copy on your application form.

      National Certificate of English Language Proficiency by the Finnish National Board of Education

      Submit your test results to the University of Vaasa together with your application. Your result will be verified from the organiser.

      C1/C2

      Submit your test results to University of Vaasa together with your application. Your results will be verified from the test organiser. Include your Candidate's ID (three letters and six numbers) and secret code (four numbers), if applicable. If you do not have these codes, you can request them from the testing organisation. If the codes are unavailable, you should ask the test organiser for the Certifying Statement from Cambridge ESOL to be sent directly to the University of Vaasa.