Develop your competence and study at Metropolia!
Competence development through courses and modules
Career Boost programmes in ICT, Real Estate and Construction, and in Nursing
Explore also our other SIMHE services for immigrants and Our services for Ukrainian refugees.
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).
Do you need preparing of certain skills before applying for higher education studies? Check the following courses for min. B1 Finnish speakers in the Metropolia Open UAS in the spring 2022:
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.
Some studies are available also free of charge. You can explore these in the Metropolia Open UAS enrollment system as follows: click Other search criteria >> Show all >> Free of charge studies.
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. Note that in the Metropolia Open UAS study search engine you can search for courses specifically designed for immigrants by choosing on the left-hand side selection panel: Other information > Show all > SIMHE - studies for immigrants.
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 e.g.:
- Me as a programmer? studies by AMKosaaja (page in Finnish but see information on Me as a programmer? module in English)
- Non-stop Virtual Studies in ICT (courses mostly in English)
- Summer School in ICT in August
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.
Read more on enrolment, cancellation policy and studying in Metropolia Open UAS.
Are you looking for inspiration and tips on learning Finnish? Read a blog post by our Finnish language teacher.
Finnish courses available in Metropolia Open UAS in the spring 2022
AAC727 Finnish for Foreigners 1 (NonStop) (A1.1)
- Timing of studies: 100% online (Self-Study) course
- Deadline for enrolments: 31.12.2022
- Extent: 5 ECTS credits
- Read more and enrol for Finnish for Foreigners 1
AAC728 Finnish for Foreigners 2 (NonStop) (A1.2-A1.3)
- Timing of studies: 100% online (Self-Study) course
- Deadline for enrolments: 31.12.2022
- Extent: 5 ECTS credits
- Read more and enrol for Finnish for Foreigners 2
AAC729 Finnish for Foreigners 3 (NonStop) (A2.1)
- Timing of studies: 100% online (Self-Study) course
- Deadline for enrolments: 31.12.2022
- Extent: 5 ECTS credits
- Read more and enrol for Finnish for Foreigners 3
AAD436 Let's speak Finnish (A2.2-B1.1)
- Timing of studies: 5.9.-31.10.2022
- Deadline for enrolments: 31.8.2022
- Extent: 3 ECTS credits
- Read more and enrol for Let's speak Finnish (A2.2-B1.1)
AAD437 Finnish for Professionals 2 (B1.2-B2.1)
- Timing of studies: 5.9.-10.11.2022
- Deadline for enrolments: 31.8.2022
- Extent: 5 ECTS credits
- Read more and enrol for Finnish for Professionals 2 (B1.2-B2.1)
AAD435 YKI intermediate level exercises in Finnish 2 (B1.1)
- Timing of studies: 14.11.-15.12.2022
- Deadline for enrolments: 8.11.2022
- Extent: 2 ECTS credits
- Read more and enrol for YKI intermediate level exercises in Finnish 2 (B1.1)
How to enrol? Click on the course you wish to enrol for and select "Add to basket". Note that places are limited. You can also enrol for the queue - often cancellations occur closer to the start of the course.
Are you studying for a degree in Metropolia? Enrol through OMA student tools.
Career Boost programmes for highly educated immigrants in the Helsinki region
Career Boost programmes are for highly educated immigrants who aim to
- develop their professional competence
- improve their Finnish language skills
- find employment in their own professional field in Finland.
The programmes are available in the fields of
- ICT (programme in English)
- Real estate and construction (programme in Finnish with Finnish language support)
- Nursing (programme in Finnish with Finnish language support)
Application to automation business and business accounting programmes has ended.
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 and matching with your needs and background
- 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 depending on your previous competence and which courses match with your needs.
Programmes are free of charge.
Content, mode of delivery and selection criteria
Career Boost in ICT
Career Boost programme in ICT is targeted to highly educated immigrants who are currently unemployed and who aim to develop or update their competence or to specialise in a new area in ICT. We will design an individual study plan for you based on your needs, background and career goals in order to match your competences with the requirements of the ICT industry in Finland, and thus improving your employment prospects in Finland.
The programme offers a wide range of courses covering SW development, cloud computing (including networks, cyber security and servers and applications) and artificial intelligence and machine learning. In addition to these, some IT fundamental courses are offered for updating essential skills.
The offered courses give a broad view to latest developments in the ICT field and develop competences for various advanced specialist tasks, such as a Front-end SW developer, Web developer, Full-stack SW developer, Solution Architect, IT Specialist, System Specialist, System Administrator, Quality Engineer or Test Engineer.
Mode of delivery, structure and timing:
- Language of tuition: English
- Timing of studies: non-stop
- Length: 2-12 months, according to a personal study plan, mainly part-time studies
- Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
- Mode of delivery: online studies independently
- Number of seats: max. 100 yearly
- Studies are free of charge
Courses from which the most suitable ones for you will be selected:
Career Boost: NonStop Virtual Courses
General criteria for the Career Boost programme in ICT:
- You are an unemployed jobseeker
- Your native language is other than Finnish, Swedish or Sami
- You live in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa or Kerava
- You have completed a higher education degree abroad related to ICT
- You speak English (B1-level or better): 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
How to apply to the programme?
- Sign up online for a SIMHE guidance discussion.
- A 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. The employment services will also check the conditions for unemployment benefits in your case.
Welcome to the Career Boost programme!
More information: simhe [at] metropolia.fi
Information on study courses: project specialist Chau Truong Minh, chau.truongminh [at] metropolia.fi
Career Boost in Real Estate and Construction
The Career Boost program in the real estate and construction sector is for immigrants who have a relevant university degree from abroad and who aim to supplement their professional competence, develop their Finnish language skills and expand their knowledge of the Finnish operating environment in the field.
The program complements knowledge of Finnish building regulations, design criteria and construction project practices, and information modeling of construction projects. Finnish language studies support the ability to work in a Finnish-speaking work environment in the field. The program also includes career coaching and working life networking.
Course selection:
Summer / Autumn 2022 Independent Online Studies (Moodle)
- Johdatus puurakentamiseen ja kestävään kehitykseen 5 op (Overview on Possibilities of Timber Building and Sustainability)
- Puurakenteet ja puurakentaminen 5 op (Basics of Wood Structures)
Autumn 2022 courses (excact time schedule to be specified in June)
- Talonrakennuksen perusteet 5 ECTS (Basics of building construction)
- Rakentamisen tietotekniikka 5 ECTS (IT in Construction)
- Kiinteistö- ja rakennusalan lainsäädäntö ja viranomaisohjaus 5 ECTS (Real estate legislation and regulations)
- Ammatillista suomea 2, 5 ECTS (Professional Finnish 2)
- Ammatillista suomea 3, 5 ECTS (Professional Finnish 3)
Mode of delivery, structure and timing:
- Language of tuition: Finnish
- Start of studies: June 2022 or September 2022
- Duration of studies: according to an individual study plan
- Extent: 5-35 ECTS credits
- Mode of delivery: partly indepedent online studies, or on campus studies (Autumn 2022)
- Location of contact teaching: Myllypuro campus (Myllypurontie 1, Helsinki)
- Studies are free of charge
Programme-specific selection criteria:
- You have university degree from abroad in real estate or construction, eg civil engineer or graduate engineer, master builder or building architect
- You live in the Helsinki region
- Your native language is other than Finnish, Swedish or Sami
- Proficiency in Finnish at least B1 level (European Language Proficiency Assessment Reference Development CEFR)
How to apply to the programme?
- Sign up online for a SIMHE guidance discussion.
- A 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 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).
- If you are unemployed, please contact your local employment services before starting the studies. The employment services will determine the conditions for studying when receiving unemployment benefits.
Welcome to the Career Boost programme!
More information: simhe [at] metropolia.fi
Information on courses: senior lecturer Simo Hoikkala, simo.hoikkala [at] metropolia.fi
Career Boost in Nursing
The Career Boost programme in nursing is designed to support immigrants who have a degree in Nursing from abroad to obtain the right to practise the nursing profession in Finland.
The content and the length of the programme will be determined by the requirements set individually by Valvira. The competences covered in the programme include e.g. clinical, surgical and perioperative nursing and nursing in the contexts of internal diseases, mental care and substance abuse. Also, you will develop special competences required in work with children, the youth, families and the elderly. Furthermore, you will learn about different service environments and nursing in cases of special needs.
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 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
- Location of contact teaching: Myllypuro campus (Myllypurontie 1, Helsinki)
- Number of seats: max. 40 yearly
Studies are carried out in accordance with Valvira's regulations, usually including 25-40 ECTS:
- Three simulations, clinical practices (minimum 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
- Career Boost programme for nurses accepts individuals nationwide, but please notice that the programme includes some contact teaching in Helsinki. Furthermore, collaboration in clinical practice matters is limited to municipalities and other employers in the Helsinki region. If you wish to find a clinical practice required by Valvira outside the region, you are responsible for independently securing one. While searching for such a placement, note that Metropolia does not pay guidance fees to employers.
How to apply to the programme?
Apply to the programme by 31 May 2022.
- Sign up online for a SIMHE guidance discussion.
- A 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 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.
- If you are unemployed, please remember contact you local employment services before starting the studies. The employment services will check the conditions for unemployment benefits during the studies.
Welcome to the Career Boost programme!
More information: simhe [at] metropolia.fi
Career Boost in Automation Business
Application to the programme is closed.
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. You will learn to programme industrial applications and devices (e.g. embedded measurement and control systems, control devices, data collection and management, different industrial IoT applications). You will also develop your competence in data management and analytics by exploring data management in different databases, data-based problem-solving and applications of machine learning and AI. The studies also give you the opportunity to develop your skills in operating in project environments and in managing projects.
By completing the programme you will improve your employment prospects in jobs such as e.g. automation engineer/specialist, industrial engineer/manager, system specialist or maintenance 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
- Duration: max. 12 months
- Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
- Mode of delivery: online studies and contact teaching partly in groups, partly independently
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. 15 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 in Business Accounting
Application to the programme is closed.
Career Boost for business accounting is targeted to professionals who wish to update their knowledge of financial and management accounting and understand better the work environment and expectations of this field in Finland.
By completing the programme, you will learn to produce bookkeeping and financial statements according to Finnish legislation and taxation practices. You will also learn about salary administration and how salary entries are done. You will be able to produce and analyse financial data to support decision-making, e.g. budgets, reports, indicators, analyses and calculations of costs and profitability. The programme also prepares you to use business intelligence and analytics tools for developing business solutions of quality and impact. In addition, integrated Finnish language studies will help you improve your substance related Finnish language skills to the next level.
By completing the programme you will improve your employment prospects in management accounting and analytics, e.g. as a controller, consultant of profitability accounting, financial manager or analyst. You can also find employment in financial accounting in duties such as salary administration, bookkeeping or management of accounts ledger.
Mode of delivery, structure and timing:
- Language of tuition: Finnish
- Duration: until max. 31 Dec 2022
- Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
- Mode of delivery: combined face-to-face and online studies, partly in groups, partly independently
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)
- 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