Develop your competence and study at Metropolia!
Developing competence through courses and modules
Career Boost programmes for international professionals in the Helsinki region
Explore also our other SIMHE services for immigrants.
Degree studies
Apply for degree studies in Metropolia
Metropolia offers degree studies in Finnish and in English. You can study for a bachelor or a master degree in a university of applied sciences. Read more on the application process and discover our degree programmes.
Check also other tips on applying and studying in Finland on our website.
Get prepared for higher education studies
Metropolia provides a higher education preparatory programme for immigrants in different fields of study. The tuition is in Finnish. The courses help you develop required skills for higher education studies and at the same time you learn Finnish necessary for studying in the field in question. Read more on the preparatory programme for immigrants (in Finnish).
Developing your competence through individual studies and modules
Supplement your competence and study in open UAS
In Metropolia Open UAS you have a variety of courses available to you in Finnish and in English.
Courses in the open UAS charge a fee. However, in the spring 2021 unemployed jobseekers can study for free in Metropolia Open UAS.
Open UAS path studies open also the opportunity to apply to study for a degree in Metropolia.
Read more on your opportunities in Metropolia Open UAS.
Check also other tips on studying in open higher education in Finland on our website.
Update your expertise with module studies
Metropolia provides various module studies in different fields of study to update your expertise.
For instance in ICT you have a wide variety of courses available in:
- AMKoodari (courses in Finnish and in English)
- Non-stop Virtual Studies in ICT (courses mostly in English)
Are you an unemployed jobseeker living in the Helsinki region? Check also the Career Boost programmes.
Learn Finnish language
Study Finnish and improve your employment prospects!
Courses in Metropolia Open UAS charge a fee. However, in the spring 2021 unemployed jobseekers can study for free.
Read more on enrolment, cancellation policy and studying in Metropolia Open UAS.
Finnish courses available in Metropolia Open UAS in the spring 2021
Basic level (A1-A2)
Enrolment to the courses in the spring 2021 has closed.
The courses for the autumn 2021 will shortly be updated on the website.
Intermediate level (B1-B2)
Enrolment for the courses in the spring 2021 has closed.
The courses for the autumn 2021 will shortly be updated on the website.
How to enrol? Click on the course you wish to enrol for and select "Add to basket".
Are you studying for a degree in Metropolia? Enrol through OMA student tools.
Career Boost programmes for international professionals in the Helsinki region
Career Boost programmes are tailored for international currently unemployed professionals who wish to
- develop and supplement their professional competence
- find employment in their own professional field in Finland.
The programmes are available in the fields of automation business, business accounting, ICT, nursing and real estate and construction. Check the programme specific content, selection criteria and mode of delivery.
The programmes are developed by Metropolia SIMHE services in collaboration with the employment services of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa-Kerava.
Who are the programs for?
Each programme has their own selection criteria. General criteria for the programmes are the following:
- You are an unemployed jobseeker; in the nursing programme also employed are accepted
- Your native language is other than Finnish, Swedish or Saame
- You live in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa or Kerava
- You have completed a higher education degree abroad related to automation business, business accounting, ICT, nursing or real estate and construction
- You speak Finnish at minimum B1 level or if you are from the ICT field, you speak English: evaluate your language competence on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
- You wish to find employment in the Finnish job market in your field of expertise
What are the programmes about?
In the Career Boost programme you will develop your professional compentece and your career in Finland. You will also get support and references for job search.
The programme gives you access to the following services:
- recognition of competence by an expert in your field
- courses developing your competence that match with your needs
- support in learning professional Finnish
- collaboration and networking with Finnish employers
- career guidance
- an online portal supporting job search
The length of the programme is 1-12 months. The exact start and end date are determined based on what previous competence you have and which courses match with your needs.
Participation in the programme is free of charge for you.
Upon completing the programme you will receive a certificate and a reference document on your competence from an expert to support your job search in Finland.
How can you access the programme?
- Check first that you belong to the target group of the programme.
- Contact the employment services in your municipality of residence and ask for guidance in Metropolia SIMHE services.
- SIMHE Career Coach will map your study and professional background, your career plans and your suitability to the programme in a personal guidance discussion.
- An expert from your field will assess your professional competence, previous studies and work experience with you and compare these to the typical requirements in your field in Finland. Based on the discussion the expert will confirm which courses match your background and drafts an Individual Study Plan (IPS) for you.
- Have the IPS accepted by the employment services of your municipality of residence before starting the studies.
Welcome to the Career Boost programme!
Note that there are some exceptions in the Career Boost programme in nursing.
Content, mode of delivery and selection criteria
Career Boost for automation business professionals
Career Boost for automation business is targeted to professionals in electrical and automation technology who wish to develop and update their skills or specialise from programming to automation business. By completing the programme you will improve your employment prospects in jobs such as e.g. an automation mechanic, automation engineer, process engineer, designer or system specialist in Finland. You will also develop your field-specific language skills in Finnish and build your networks with the local businesses and industry.
Mode of delivery, structure and timing:
- Language of tuition: Finnish, but material also in English
- Start of studies: September 2021
- Duration: max. 12 months
- Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
- Mode of delivery: online studies and contact teaching partly in groups, partly independently
- Group size: max. 30
Courses from which the most suitable ones for you will be selected:
- Industrial programming technology and an IoT project (max. 10 ECTS), programming (max. 10 ECTS), control system engineering and mathematics (max. 10 ECTS), innovation project and safety at work (max. 10 ECTS)
- Professional Finnish (max. 10 ECTS)
- Work-based learning (max. 10 ECTS)
- In addition you will develop your career skills and network with local employers
Programme-specific selection criteria:
- A higher education degree from abroad related to automation business, e.g. technician or engineer, or when applicable also professional competence developed through work experience
- Language requirement: min. B1 level in Finnish, in addition good English skills
- Good mathematical skills
- In addition the above eligibility criteria for all the programmes
Career Boost for business accounting professionals
Career Boost for business accounting is targeted to professionals who wish to update their knowledge of business and management accounting and understand better the work environment and expectations in Finland. You will also master better the language needed in your daily work. After completing the programme you will have improved your employment prospects in jobs such as a controller in Finland.
Mode of delivery, structure and timing:
- Language of tuition: Finnish
- Start of studies: September 2021
- Duration: max. 12 months
- Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
- Mode of delivery: online studies and contact teaching partly in groups, partly independently
- Group size: max. 30
Courses from which the most suitable ones for you will be selected:
Business accounting (max. 15 ECTS), management accounting (max. 10 ECTS), business analytics and tools (max. 10 ECTS)
Professional Finnish (max. 15 ECTS)
Work-based learning (max. 5 ECTS)
Study and career planning (max. 5 ECTS)
- In addition you will develop your career skills and network with local employers
Programme-specific selection criteria:
- A higher education degree in business or similar from abroad
- Good IT skills (Microsoft software)
- Language requirement: min. B1 level in Finnish
- Work experience and independent learning of business administration is an asset
- Ability to take initiative and learn independently, reflection and meta cognitive skills and interest in the thematic area of business administration
- In addition the above eligibility criteria for all the programmes
Career Boost for ICT professionals
Career Boost programme in ICT is targeted to professionals who wish to develop or update their competence or specialise in a new area in ICT. We will design an individual study plan for you based on your needs and career goals to make sure you improve your employment prospects in Finland.
Mode of delivery, structure and timing:
- Language of tuition: English
- Timing of studies: non-stop
- Length: max. 12 months
- Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
- Mode of delivery: online studies independently
- Number of seats: max. 100 yearly
Courses from which the most suitable ones for you will be selected:
- Basic update of ICT skills (max. 10 ECTS), programming (max. 50 ECTS), cloud computing (max. 50 ECTS), AI and machine learning (max. 20 ECTS)
- If needed, professional Finnish (max. 10 ECTS)
- Work-based learning (max. 5 ECTS)
- In addition you will develop your career skills and network with local employers
Programme-specific selection criteria:
- An applicable higher education degree in ICT from abroad
- Language requirement: sufficient English skills
- In addition the above eligibility criteria for all the programmes
Career Boost for nurses
The Career Boost programme in nursing is designed to help you obtain the right to practise the nursing profession in Finland. You get to explore the health care work in Finland and to develop your professional Finnish skills. The content and the length of the programme will be determined by the requirements set to you by Valvira.
Note that in addition to the programme, in order to obtain the right to practise the profession you will also need to be able to demonstrate sufficient Finnish language competence:
- YKI test with the result 3, coordinated by the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI)
- another nationally accepted language degree (see the EDUFI website in Finnish) or
- upper secondary education in Finnish.
Mode of delivery, structure and timing:
- Language of tuition: Finnish
- Timing of studies: start once a month during the academic semesters, studies proceed flexibly according to the individual study plan
- Length: varies depending on the education background (e.g. degree from EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA countries) and the Valvira requirements
- Extent: 25-40 ECTS credits depending on the Valvira requirements
- Mode of delivery: multiform learning mostly online including simulations; work placements take place in different units in the health care sector
- Number of seats: max. 40 yearly
Courses are selected on the basis of the Valvira requirements, including usually approximately 30 ECTS of the following:
- Three simulations, clinical practices (min. 8 ECTS), final exam (1 ECTS)
- Service system and legislation in health care and social services, medication, clinical care
- Guidance and professional Finnish (max. 8 ECTS)
- In addition you will develop your career skills and network with local employers
Programme-specific selection criteria:
- A bachelor-level higher education degree in nursing which is based on nursing science (NB: not medicine)
- Language requirement: min. B1 level Finnish demonstrated with an YKI3 result at the start of the programme or the preparedness to reach YKI3 level - note also the requirements to obtain the right to practise profession
- In addition the above eligibility criteria for all the programmes
- As an exception the nursing programme also accepts individuals who are not unemployed jobseekers and also residents of other Finnish cities who commit to completing the work placement in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa or Kerava. In these cases contact simhe-info [at] metropolia.fi.
Career Boost for real estate and construction professionals
Career Boost in real estate and construction is tailored for professionals who wish to develop and update their professional competence and improve the understanding of the Finnish real estate and construction environment. You will also develop the Finnish language and digital skills required at work. The goal is to find employment as an expert in Finland.
Mode of delivery, structure and timing:
- Language of tuition: Finnish
- Start of studies: September 2021
- Duration: max. 12 months
- Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
- Mode of delivery: online studies partly independently, partly in groups
- Group size: max. 30
Courses are selected on the basis of the Valvira requirements, including usually approximately 30 ECTS of the following:
- Foundations of house construction, construction ICT, legislation and regulations in real estate and construction, labour legislation, digital skills (max. 25 ECTS)
- Professional Finnish (max. 15 ECTS)
- Work-based learning (max. 5 ECTS)
- Elective studies based on your needs (max. 15 ECTS)
- In addition you will develop your career skills and network with local employers
Programme-specific selection criteria:
- A higher education degree from abroad related to real estate and construction (e.g. construction engineer, master of science in engineering, building engineer, construction architect)
- Language requirement: min. B1 level Finnish
- In addition the above eligibility criteria for all the programmes
Explore our other services
SIMHE services
What are SIMHE services about and what opportunities do international professionals and future talents have with us? SIMHE helps you find your study and career path in Finland.
Personal guidance discussion
In a one-to-one discussion with a SIMHE Career Coach you will identify the suitable study and career path for you and start mapping your competence, based on your individual needs.
Guidance Generalia lectures
The Guidance Generalia are lectures and info sessions open to all immigrants. The topics are selected to help you navigate your study options and develop your career prospects in Finland.
Recognition of competence
How can you get started with recognising your key competences? Metropolia also provides recognition of competence by a professional in selected fields of study and for limited target groups.
Higher education preparatory programme for immigrants
Do you wish to study for a degree in Finnish in a university of applied sciences? Metropolia provides studies to prepare you for this. The courses are taught in Finnish.
Tips for information search
A lot of information is available to support you in finding your path in Finland. We have collected some tips and links for you on where to get started with your search on professional qualifications, studies, employment, entrepreneurship and learning Finnish.