Higher education in Åland

There are two types of higher education institutions in Finland: universities of applied sciences and universities. In Åland, Åland University of Applied Sciences offers a number of bachelor's degree programmes and a master's degree programme.

Nordic citizens can apply for programmes at Åland University of Applied Sciences on the same terms as Åland citizens. This is thanks to the Nordic agreement on admission to higher education.

The education programme at Åland University of Applied Sciences combines theoretical and practical education. They are between 3.5 and 4.5 years long and provide between 210 and 270 credits. Work experience is included and the programmes lead to a bachelor's degree.

To be admitted to an education programme at Åland University of Applied Sciences, you need to have completed at least three years of upper secondary education, a vocational degree or equivalent education. If you have a non-Nordic qualification equivalent to upper secondary education, you must submit a copy of your certificates together with a certified translation into Swedish or English.

The bachelor programmes at Åland University of Applied Sciences are in Swedish and you need to be able to demonstrate good knowledge of Swedish to be admitted to them. Some courses and some course literature are in English, so you need a good knowledge of that language as well.

The education programmes are free of charge for everyone.

Åland University of Applied Sciences offers a master's programme in technology with a focus on energy automation and sustainability. To be admitted you need a Bachelor of Science degree and at least two years of relevant work experience after graduation.

The programme is a collaboration between Åland University of Applied Sciences and Arcada University of Applied Sciences. The language of instruction is English. The master's programme is fee-based for non-EU, Swiss and Liechtenstein citizens.

In addition to the degree programmes, you can take stand-alone courses at Åland University of Applied Sciences through the Open University, which also gives you access to the higher education courses of other Finnish universities. The Open University has no admission requirements and anyone can enrol in open university courses. The Open University charges a tuition fee.

If you don't want to take a full degree programme in Åland, you can look into the possibility of studying in Åland as an exchange student. Check with your educational institution if they offer exchanges with Åland University of Applied Sciences. There are also international exchange programmes such as Erasmus+ and Nordplus.

As a student at Åland University of Applied Sciences, you can complete part of your studies or internship as an exchange student in another country.

We have gathered useful information for those who want to study in a Nordic country in our study guides. They include information on student financial aid, student accommodation and how to get your education recognised in the Nordic countries.