Entrance exam­i­na­tion for univer­si­ties of applied sciences to be carried out in two stages

Entrance exam­i­na­tion for univer­si­ties of applied sciences to be carried out in two stages

The entrance exam­i­na­tions for univer­si­ties of applied sciences will be carried out in June in two sepa­rate stages. The stage one entrance exam­i­na­tion date is 4 June. This will be held remotely as an online exam. The date and method of imple­men­ta­tion for the second stage will be announced later in May.

The univer­sity of applied sciences entrance exam­i­na­tion is being carried out in two stages in order to verify the iden­tity of the candi­dates. This is impor­tant to prevent cheat­ing. If any cheat­ing is detected, the person’s exam will be rejected.

The first stage of the entrance exam­i­na­tion is open to all appli­cants who were not accepted for their top choice through the certifi­cate-based admis­sions. The results for the certifi­cate-based admis­sions will be published no later than 27 May.

The appli­cant needs a func­tion­ing computer and inter­net connec­tion to complete the entrance examination.

The most success­ful appli­cants from the first stage will be invited to partic­i­pate in the second stage.

Both exams assess the appli­cants’ capac­i­ties for higher educa­tion studies, and there are no prelim­i­nary mate­r­ial for either of them. In this respect, the arrange­ments are no differ­ent from the normal univer­sity of applied sciences entrance examination.

Univer­si­ties of applied sciences consider it impor­tant that appli­cants also have other routes into a degree programme besides certifi­cate-based admis­sions. Univer­si­ties of applied sciences will also use the study paths of the Open Univer­sity of Applied Sciences as an entrance route, as previ­ously announced. 

The univer­si­ties of applied sciences have worked together to develop a digital entrance exam­i­na­tion that is useful also in excep­tional circum­stances. The univer­si­ties will also benefit in their own admis­sions processes from the system developed.

A total of 92 000 appli­cants applied to univer­si­ties of applied sciences through the joint appli­ca­tion process which ended on 1 April. Of these, 75 000 regis­tered via the joint appli­ca­tion process for the entrance exam­i­na­tion. Tens of thou­sands of appli­cants are expected to take the second stage of the entrance examination.

More detailed instruc­tions regard­ing the exam­i­na­tion will be published on the ammattikorkeakouluun.fi website.

More infor­ma­tion:
Karelia Univer­sity of Applied Sciences, Head of Student Recruit­ment Pirjo Uusoksa, email: [email protected]

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Student admis­sions at univer­si­ties of applied sciences: ques­tions and answers

The regu­la­tions and guide­lines issued by the author­i­ties are to be complied with when carry­ing out student admis­sions during the coro­n­avirus epidemic. This may lead to changes in the follow­ing matters.

1 How have the univer­si­ties of applied sciences decided to carry out student admis­sions during spring 2020?

Due to the state of emer­gency, changes have been made to the student admis­sions process for univer­si­ties of applied sciences.

Univer­si­ties of applied sciences will select students by means of certifi­cate-based admis­sions and a two-stage entrance exam­i­na­tion. The test is arranged in two stages in order to verify the iden­tity of the candi­dates. This is impor­tant to prevent cheating.

Both exams assess the appli­cants’ capac­i­ties for higher educa­tion studies, and there are no prelim­i­nary mate­r­ial for either of them. In this respect, the arrange­ments are no differ­ent from the normal univer­sity of applied sciences entrance examination.

The stage one entrance exam­i­na­tion date is 4 June. There will be two differ­ent exam­i­na­tions. Appli­cants who have regis­tered for the univer­sity of applied sciences entrance exam­i­na­tion during the joint appli­ca­tion period will take part in the morning exam. The after­noon exam­i­na­tion is for those appli­cants who initially regis­tered for this.

The second stage exam­i­na­tion will be held on a date that will be announced in June.

2 Which appli­cants are affected?

The change to the two-stage entrance exam­i­na­tion affects appli­cants who have regis­tered for the univer­sity of applied sciences entrance exam­i­na­tion through the joint appli­ca­tion process.

3 When will I know if I have to take the entrance examination?

The results of the certifi­cate-based admis­sions will be avail­able on 27 May. Appli­cants who have not been admit­ted to their top choice based on their school certifi­cate will partic­i­pate in the entrance exam.

Appli­cants will get more infor­ma­tion about the entrance exam from the Studyinfo.fi

4 What is the timetable for student admis­sions to univer­si­ties of applied sciences?

27 May The results of the certifi­cate-based admis­sions shall be commu­ni­cated to the appli­cants by

4 June First stage entrance examination

23 – 25 June Second stage entrance examination

15 July The results of the admis­sions not based on school certifi­cates shall be commu­ni­cated to the appli­cants by

3 pm on 22 July. The appli­cant must give noti­fi­ca­tion of whether they will accept the study place by

3 pm on 3 August. Admis­sion of those on the waiting list ends.

Studies start in August–September 2020

5 How the certifi­cate-based admis­sions work

Approx­i­mately half of the study places at univer­si­ties of applied sciences will be filled through certifi­cate-based admis­sions, the results of which will be ready on 27 May. The certifi­cate-based admis­sions take into account the appli­cants’ matric­u­la­tion exam­i­na­tion, voca­tional upper secondary qual­i­fi­ca­tions completed on or after 1 August 2015, and inter­na­tional EB, IB and RP/DIA certificates.

The scoring models for the certifi­cate-based admis­sions can be found on the website ammattikorkeakouluun.fi >>

You can check the programme choices for the certifi­cate-based admis­sions on the ammattikorkeakouluun.fi website >>

6 What happens if I don’t take the entrance exam­i­na­tion myself?

By regis­ter­ing for a remote exam, the appli­cant under­takes to take the entrance exam inde­pen­dently. This means that no person other than the appli­cant may take part in the entrance exam­i­na­tion. If the entrance exam­i­na­tion is not carried out inde­pen­dently, this counts as cheating.

After the entrance exam­i­na­tion, the univer­sity of applied sciences may request further clar­i­fi­ca­tion from the appli­cant if there is suspi­cion of cheat­ing. If the appli­cant is found to have cheated in some way, their entrance exam­i­na­tion is rejected (Admin­is­tra­tive Proce­dure Act 434/2003, sections 31 and 50).

A right to study obtained by cheat­ing may also be revoked after the study place has been accepted.

 

7 What does the exam require of the applicant?

The appli­cant must have a working computer with Inter­net connec­tion. The exam soft­ware supports up-todate versions of the follow­ing browsers:

  • Chrome
  • Edge
  • Firefox
  • Inter­net Explorer 11
  • Safari

Other modern browsers may work, as well.

You must have JavaScript and cookies enabled in your browser.

The soft­ware has been thor­oughly tested with the follow­ing oper­at­ing systems:

  • Windows 10
  • macOS 10.14
  • Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS

Before the entrance exam­i­na­tion, check the infor­ma­tion on the ammattikorkeakouluun.fi website (in Finnish or Swedish).

8 Why are univer­si­ties of applied sciences not carry­ing out student selec­tion based on school certificate

Univer­si­ties of applied sciences consider it impor­tant that appli­cants also have other routes into a degree programme besides certifi­cate-based admissions.

Univer­si­ties of applied sciences select approx­i­mately half of the students by selec­tion based on school certifi­cate. Depend­ing on the study programme, 20–80 % of the avail­able student places will be filled by selec­tion based on school certificate

The number of appli­cants whose certifi­cates cannot be scored in the same way as certifi­cates for matric­u­la­tion exam­i­na­tion or voca­tional upper secondary qual­i­fi­ca­tions completed after 1 August 2015 is 33,000. This group includes persons with an older voca­tional upper secondary qual­i­fi­ca­tion, a secondary level qual­i­fi­ca­tion, a further voca­tional qual­i­fi­ca­tion, a special­ist voca­tional qual­i­fi­ca­tion, a degree completed abroad or a completed upper secondary school syllabus without a matric­u­la­tion examination.

Extend­ing the selec­tion based on school certifi­cate would not have ensured equal treat­ment of applicants. 

9 Why was the deci­sion to change the entrance exams made only now?

Infor­ma­tion avail­able on coro­n­avirus and the epidemic is constantly increas­ing and chang­ing. Prime Minis­ter Sanna Mari commu­ni­cated on 22 April that the situ­a­tion in Finland has changed. The country’s govern­ment is prepar­ing to grad­u­ally disman­tle the restric­tive measures.

On 9 April, univer­si­ties of applied sciences provided infor­ma­tion on the organ­i­sa­tion of the entrance exam­i­na­tion as a remote exam. Since then, it has become clear that it is tech­ni­cally diffi­cult to organ­ise the super­vi­sion of a remote exam for tens of thou­sands of appli­cants in a reli­able manner. For this reason, the univer­si­ties of applied sciences decided on carry­ing out a two-stage test.

10 Is the solu­tion now chosen fair and legal for all applicants?

The deci­sion to carry out the entrance exams in two stages gives all appli­cants the oppor­tu­nity to aim for a study place. Issues of equal­ity and legal­ity are exam­ined very care­fully at all stages of the deci­sion making process.

11 What should an appli­cant do now?

The changes do not require any action from the appli­cants at this stage.

After the certifi­cate-based admis­sions, appli­cant should check the time of the entrance exam on 4 June and take this first stage entrance examination

The changes will be commu­ni­cated on Study­info, the Ammattikorkeakouluun.fi website and the website of the univer­si­ties of applied sciences. In addi­tion, appli­cants are requested to follow the email address given in Studyinfo.