Application documents
Here you can find information on how to submit your documents when applying to our International Programmes.
Please note that all attachments are only valid for one application period. If you have applied in previous application rounds, you still must attach all documents on your online application for the ongoing application period.
Admission Services of the University of Oulu evaluates the eligibility and authenticity of your educational certificates. This means, for example, contacting your previous educational institution or the language test organiser. Any malpractice will be reported to your home institution and the appropriate authorities.
Please note that application documents are not returned to the applicants.
No, you do not need to submit verified copies during the application period. During the application period you must upload copies of your educational documents, proof of language skills, and other attachments on your electronic application. Please note that the University of Oulu does not evaluate application documents before the application period!
After you have been accepted, you must remember to verify your documents. Verification may take time, so please make sure you begin the process well in advance! If you do not verify your documents by the verification deadline, you will lose your study place. Admission Services of the University of Oulu evaluates the eligibility and authenticity of your educational certificates. This means, for example, contacting your previous educational institution or the language test organiser. Any malpractice will be reported to your home institution and the appropriate authorities.
Please note that application documents are not returned to the applicants.
A higher education degree certificate is a document issued by an institution to a student who has successfully completed all studies included in the degree. The student has graduated. The degree certificate should include the name of the institution awarding the degree, the date of issue, and the name of the person to whom the degree certificate has been issued and which title/degree the person has been awarded.
Eligible applicants hold an upper secondary education certificate - the Finnish matriculation examination, the International Baccalaureate, the European Baccalaureate, Reifeprüfung/Die Deutsche Internationale Abiturprüfung, vocational qualification or any other comparable upper secondary educational qualification which provides eligibility for University-level Bachelor’s studies in the country in question.
A temporary (provisional) degree certificate is accepted if it was awarded no more than five years earlier. The five-year validity period begins from the date on which the degree was conferred and must not expire prior to the application deadline. In other words, a temporary degree certificate is not accepted if it was awarded more than five years ago. In such cases, the applicant must present his or her final degree certificate.
A temporary (provisional) degree certificate is a document issued by an institution to a student who has successfully completed all studies included in the degree. The student has graduated. The temporary degree certificate is issued as a replacement for the actual degree certificate e.g. in case the actual degree certificate cannot be given to the student immediately after the studies have been completed due to technical or administrative reasons. The temporary degree certificate should include the name of the institution awarding the degree, the date of issue, and the name of the person to whom the degree certificate has been issued and which title/degree the person has been awarded.
Please note that you must present your final certificate before you can graduate from the University of Oulu.
The official transcript of records must include the following information:
full titles of the units that the student has completed for the degree
completion times of study units (or at the very least the overall study time at the institution)
grades obtained
credits awarded
information on the grading scale used at the institution
The transcript must cover the full length of studies. If the degree includes course units that the student has completed at another institution and the transferred credits are not indicated in detail on the transcript of records, a separate transcript of records regarding the transferred credits should be submitted.
University of Oulu only accepts official transcripts of records.
If your educational documents are issued in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish, official translations of them to one of these languages are required. Officially certified copies of the original documents must also be submitted. An official translation must be one of the following:
Each page of an official translation must bear the translator’s stamp and/or signature. Official translations must be exact translations of the original documents. Translations done by the applicant themselves are not accepted.
You do not need to send us the official translations by post but you do need to upload them on your application by the same deadlines as your educational documents have (please see our Deadlines pages for more detailed information).
If you have a diploma supplement, you may use it as an official translation. If you do this, you must verify your diploma supplement by the verification deadline of your programme, and use the same instructions as you use to verify your educational documents. Please note that a diploma supplement cannot be used to replace the original educational documents. You still must upload your degree certificate and transcript of records on your online application.
If you send us documents by post, please use the following address:
Registry Office
University of Oulu
P.O.Box 8000
90014 University of Oulu
FINLAND
If the courier service does not accept a P.O.Box address, please use the following:
Registry Office
University of Oulu
Pentti Kaiteran katu 1
90570 Oulu
FINLAND
Contact number for courier services when sending your documents: +358 294 484 108.
Please note that this number is for courier services only and that there is no admissions guidance available in this number.
When you send a consignment of documents to Finland:
For further information regarding the consignment of documents to Finland, please contact Finnish Customs directly.