Study Programmes
Please note! As of 1 August 2026, tuition fees apply in Finland to upper‑secondary students from outside the EU and EEA (third‑country nationals). A third‑country national refers to a person who is not a citizen of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland. You can find the most up‑to‑date information on tuition fees on our website: Tuition fees for applicants coming from outside the EU and EEA.
Available study programmes in English
Further Vocational Qualification in Tourism Services
The programme is designed for qualified and experienced tourism and hospitality professionals who want to strengthen their customer service skills and further develop their expertise in tourism activities.
Application period: from 15 October 2026 to 15 January 2027
The education is scheduled to start: 4 October 2027
Interested in applying? Read more about the programme and how to apply (opens in a new tab).
How to apply
This section covers essential information for international applicants. You can find detailed application instructions and further information on the programme page.
Who can apply?
The Finnish Vocational Education Act (531/2017) requires equal treatment of all applicants. VET providers set their own admission criteria and decide on any entrance examinations or aptitude tests.
You may be a good fit for the programme if you meet the general requirements at Samiedu:
- You are at least 18 years old.
- You have the necessary skills and educational background to complete the qualification.
- You are motivated to study in an international group in Savonlinna.
- You are suited to the field.
- You meet the health requirements for the chosen field.
- You have a good English language skills to study in the field.
- You have have good IT skills.
- You are motivated to work in Finland.
- Some programmes may also require relevant work experience.
Meeting the requirements allows you to apply for the programme. Please note that meeting all the requirements does not automatically guarantee admission to the programme.
How do you prove your English language skills?
To demonstrate that you have the English language skills required for your studies, you must take a language proficiency test at your own expense and attach a valid test certificate to your application. The minimum accepted scores are 85 in the Duolingo English Test or 5.0 in IELTS. Only the specified language tests are accepted as proof of English language proficiency.
Please note that the language certificate must be valid. For Duolingo, the certificate is valid for two years from the date the results are certified, and for IELTS, it is valid for two years from the test date.
Ready to apply?
Apply for our programmes in English through Wilma. A direct link to the application form will be available on the programme page when the application period begins. There is no fee to apply.
Fill out the application form accurately. Attach your previous educational certificates, any relevant work experience certificates, and your Duolingo or IELTS English test certificate to your application.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and have submitted all required documents will proceed in the selection process. Based on their scores, the top applicants will be invited by email to an interview via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided after the application period.
Admission result, tuition fee, and residence permit
You will receive the admission result by email after the application period ends. If you are selected, you will also receive instructions for paying the first-year tuition fee by the specified deadline. Once the tuition fee has been paid, you will receive an admission letter with information about required health documents and applying for a residence permit.
If you do not live in Finland and are admitted as a student to Samiedu, apply for a residence permit as soon as possible, as the process may take several months. Finnish Immigration Service will make the final decision on your residence permit. When applying for a residence permit, you must have sufficient funds in your bank account to cover your living expenses and must be able to provide proof of these funds. See the Finnish Immigration Service’s instructions for students who have been admitted to study in Finland (opens in a new tab).
Vocational qualifications and further and specialist vocational qualifications
Vocational qualifications are divided into vocational (upper secondary) qualifications, further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications. The qualifications consist of units. You can either complete a full qualification or only study individual qualification units. The scope of the qualifications and units is measured in competence points, abbreviated as cps.
The studies involve contact instruction and guidance, online studies, training and education provided on the job and independent studying.
Vocational qualifications have a scope of 180 cps. When studying for a vocational qualification, you learn to complete basic tasks in the field and further improve your competence by completing studies related to the competence area of your choice and optional studies. The time you ultimately spend on your studies depends on your previous education and work experience.
A vocational qualification consists of 145 cps of vocational units. In addition to these units, you study 35 cps of common units. Common units include foreign languages, mathematics and entrepreneurship.
The qualifications include both compulsory and optional units. Optional units can also be chosen from other vocational qualifications, common units or studies at a general upper secondary school or a university of applied sciences.
Further vocational qualifications have a scope of 120 or 150 cps. Further vocational qualifications are mainly for people who have already completed a vocational qualification or some other qualification or they have acquired competence at work. A further vocational qualification provides higher competence in the field than a vocational qualification.
Specialist vocational qualifications have a scope of 160 or 180 cps. Specialist vocational qualifications are mainly for people who already have education in the field, professional skill and solid work experience in the field. A specialist vocational qualification provides higher competence than a vocational or a further vocational qualification.
Further and specialist vocational qualifications consist of compulsory and optional units according to the national requirements for each qualification. Further and specialist vocational qualifications do not include common units.
Studies in Finnish
In addition to the vocational qualifications offered in English, Samiedu offers a wide range of vocational qualifications in Finnish. These qualifications are intended for applicants with sufficient Finnish language skills.
Available qualifications and application periods vary. For the latest information, please see our qualifications currently open for application (opens in a new tab).
