Studies
Would you like to study Public health nursing in bilingual degree programme?
In this programme, you study to become both a Public Health Nurse and a Nurse. You start your studies in English. You do not need to know Finnish before you start. You will learn Finnish during your studies. This programme is also good for Finnish speakers who want to study in English.
Being a Public Health Nurse (or Community Health Nurse) means working with people
- You have the role of health promotion expert
- You work together with many other professionals
- Your job is to care for people of all ages. You help them stay healthy and prevent illness.
Could you be a Public Health Nurse?
This job is good for you if:
- You like working with people
- You want to help people live healthy lives
- You are friendly and can understand others’ feelings
- You are ready to work well in a team
You will learn these skills during your studies:
- You can organize your own work and take responsibility
- You can make decisions by yourself
- You have good communication skills
- You have strong theoretical and practical public health nursing competencies
- You can work well with others
What kind of jobs can a Public Health Nurse do?
With this degree, you can work with people of all ages. You can work in many places, for example:
- maternity and child health clinics
- school and student health care
- occupational health care
- health centres and home care
You can also work:
- in organisations that promote health
- in education or different projects
- as an entrepreneur
You can also work as a Registered Nurse in:
- primary health care
- home care
- specialised healthcare, for example in hospitals
- private health and welfare services
You can work in Finland and in other countries.
What is the salary of a public health nurse?
A public health nurse in Finland usually earns about 3,000€ each month.
How do you study?
Your studies include theory lessons, practice in skills labs, simulation exercises, language studies, and Bachelor’s thesis. About one third of your studies will be real work experience in health care settings.
You start your studies in English. Finnish is included in your courses from the first semester. You can learn Finnish from the basics or continue from your own level.
If your own language is not Finnish, you will study more Finnish as part of your programme. If you already speak Finnish, you can choose other optional studies. You need to be motivated to study Finnish.
At Myllypuro campus, you will use high-level simulation spaces to practise nursing skills. There is a simulation hospital and Hymy Village for health care training. Some lessons are online. You will spend a lot of time learning in real health care places.
Before you apply, please check the health and ability requirements. You can find more information here: Application process – Ammattikorkeakouluun.fi
What is it like to study nursing in Metropolia?
Read what our students Anna and Michael say about their experiences studying nursing at Metropolia.
International experience
You will study with people from many countries. Your teachers and classmates will speak English and Finnish. You can join international projects. You can also take part in student exchange programmes.
Students' experiences on public health nursing studies
More study options after your degree
With this degree, you can apply for Master’s studies in universities of applied sciences or in universities in Finland or abroad. You can also participate in continuing education.
At Metropolia, you can study for example Master’s degrees in:
- Development and Leadership of Nursing
- Terveyden edistäminen
- Hoitotyön kehittäminen ja johtaminen
- Päivystyksellisten palveluiden kehittäminen ja johtaminen
You can also study Nursing Science at university.
Language Proficiency and Qualification Standards
You will study in both English and Finnish.
You must know English well (at least level B2) when you apply.
You do not need to know Finnish before you start.
During your studies, you will learn more Finnish.
By graduation, you should know enough Finnish to work as a Public Health Nurse or Registered Nurse in Finland.
At the end of your studies, you will show that you have the right language skills for the job.
The degree in Public health nursing is a Bachelor level degree. The programme meets the standards of the European Union Directive (2013/55/EU) on the recognition of professional qualifications, as well as the national criteria and European Qualifications Framework (EQF level 6) set for degree programmes.
Only people who have the right education and a certificate can work as a Public Health Nurse or a Registered Nurse.
After you finish your degree, you must apply for permission to work as a nurse from Valvira (the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health). Valvira is the national authority that checks health care workers in Finland. You must follow the Act on Health Care Professionals (559/1994).
All health care workers in Finland need to have good oral and written skills in Finnish or Swedish (checked by Valvira).
Scholarships and tuition fees
Annual tuition fee 11 000 € for new non-EU/EEA degree students.
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You will receive information 1–3 times a year about Metropolia's degree programmes, application schedules, and studying with us.
Applying
- Application period-Start of studiesautumn 2026Apply now!
- Day-time studies
Instructions for applying
In the spring 2026 Joint Application 1 to higher education, you can apply to degree programmes that start in the autumn of 2026. The application period starts on the 7 January 2026 at 8 am and ends on the 21 January 2026 at 3 pm (local time in Finland).
All the information needed to apply can be found on the national Studyinfo.fi portal. At Studyinfo.fi you can find descriptions of degree programmes, application criteria, application instructions, application forms and much more.
Application fee
Applicants who are not citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland are required to pay an application fee in order to apply to higher education studies. The application fee of 100 euros is collected for applicants from countries outside EU/EEA seeking education leading to a degree in higher education. The Finnish National Agency of Education will collect the application fee in connection with filling in the Studyinfo application form. There is no application fee for Finnish or EU citizens.
The application fee does not guarantee that you will be offered admission to studies. The application fee is not refunded if you cancel your application or are not offered admission.
More about application fee in Studyinfo.fi.
Questions about application fees? Contact applicationfee [at] oph.fi (applicationfee[at]oph[dot]fi)The International UAS Exam is a joint digital entrance exam of the Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS), used for selecting students to study programmes leading to a bachelor’s degree and conducted in English. The entrance exam is completed by the applicant’s own computer remotely online.
Read more about the International UAS Exam and language requirements on the website uasinfo.fi
Useful links
More information on the application process
Tel. +358 9 7424 5902, Mon-Wed 10 am – 12 pm
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Starting studies
Welcome to study for a degree at Metropolia!
Congratulations! You have been admitted to Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and we are delighted to have you as a new member of our vibrant community of more than 16 000 students!
You have made an excellent choice - Metropolia offers you unique multidisciplinary opportunities throughout your studies with its strong connections to working life and active role in innovations built around socially significant phenomena.
We are happy to have you with us and help you with any questions you might have. Welcome to Metropolia!
The below information applies to students who have been accepted to study for a full degree at Metropolia. Make sure to complete all the steps in order to secure your study place.
Confirming a place of study requires certain formalities to be completed by the deadline. More detailed instructions below:
Non-EU/EEA students need a student residence permit. You can begin the student residence permit application online at Enterfinland.fi. Remember that you must personally visit a Finnish embassy or consulate as part of this process. Start your residence permit process as soon as possible, carefully following the immigration authorities' instructions and regulations, so that you can receive your permit in good time before your studies begin! You can find detailed information and advice on the residence permit requirements and procedures on the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) website.
Note that participating online programmes does not entitle you receiving residence permit. See more about the topic in Finnish Immigration Service websites.
All Metropolia's students who do not have a Finnish personal identity code, have to apply for it before their arrival or register at the local registry office after their arrival to Finland to apply for one.
Students who have to apply for residence permit (i.e. non-EU/non-EEA citizens) before their arrival to Finland should ask to be registered in the Finnish Population Information System when they apply for their first residence permit. This way they will receive a Finnish personal identity code at the same time as they are issued with the permit. More information on this for residence permit applicants in Migri site
Other students have to apply for the personal identity code from the local registry office of the city where you are living in.
More information on Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).
More information on registration to the Finnish Population Information System in DVV site
After you have received the personal identification code, remember to inform it to the Student Services with the official document. Acceptable documents are for example DVV:s document (Notification of registration), Finnish passport, Finnish identity card with a photo, issued by police, Finnish driver's license, residence permit or KELA card with a photo.
User account activation is possible from the start date of your study right. Activate your user account before the orientation days by following the instructions available on the IT Services website. To activate your account, you will need personal online banking credentials or a mobile certificate. Also check the instructions provided by your degree programme.
If you do not have Finnish online banking credentials or a mobile certificate, authenticate using the Candour ID application. After authentication, you will receive instructions on how to activate your user account. Read the instructions for authentication and receiving user accounts on the Information Management Services website.
Once you have activated your user account, enable multi-factor authentication for Microsoft 365 services. First enable SMS authentication, and then Microsoft Authenticator. If possible, also enable alternative authentication methods on your other mobile devices. This will help you avoid login issues if your primary phone is replaced or lost. Follow the instructions available on the IT Services website.
If you have any questions about user account activation or multi-factor authentication, please contact the Helpdesk. You will find the contact information on the IT Services website.
All foreign students (who are not EU citizens or citizens of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland) who come to Finland for the purposes of studying are required to have a health insurance, if the studies endure longer than three months.
More information on insurances in Student's Guide
Student financial aid is for Finnish citizens. Foreign citizens are entitled to student financial aid if they live in Finland on a permanent basis for the purpose other than studying and they have registered as permanent residents in the Finnish population register system.
More information on student financial aid in Student's Guide
- Find out where your campus is located
- If you have a smart phone you can download the free HSL mobile app to get access to the public transportation Journey Planner and tickets (e.g. for travelling from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport to your apartment or from your apartment to the campus).
- If you have a smart phone you can download the Tuudo mobile app for free to get your digital student ID and student discounts (ID and discounts are available from the first day of the studies onwards)
- Information on student life and well-being, costs and finance, study environment etc. in Student's Guide
New students need a laptop for their studies.
Minimum laptop requirements for new students:
- Windows 11 or Mac computer
- Intel i5/i7 processor (at least 8 gen), AMD Ryzen 5/7 or equivalent processor
- RAM 8 GB memory
- SSD hard disk min. 256 GB
The life cycle of the laptop should be at least 4 years. The estimated cost of a laptop meeting the recommended specifications is between €600 and €800 and upwards. If the student's studies are geared towards gaming or graphic design, for example, the laptop should have a more powerful graphics card and more SSD hard disk space.
The recommended operating system will depend on the degree programme and the area of specialisation. As a general rule, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X are safe choices for a laptop operating system. Students of XR Design, 3D Animation and Visualisation and Visual Communication Design will be informed in the first weeks of their studies about the purchase of their own computer and the features they need.
Tuudo is a mobile app with which you can use various Metropolia web services easily on your smart phone. With Tuudo you can get VR, HSL, Matkahuolto and Kela student discounts immediately. The benefits are free for all Metropolia students.
In Tuudo you can check Metropolia, Admission Services, and student union METKA announcements, your schedule, study attainments, and cafeteria menus.
Get Tuudo on your phone from the app store for free and start using it!
During your studies, your support of well-being and health is Finnish Student Health Services (FSHS). The specialist in student health care offers you general, mental and oral health services and supports the well-being of study communities.
Our services can be used by students completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree at a university or a university of applied sciences who have registered as attending for the semester.
Master the facts! Familiarize yourself with our services and user instructions in Kela's site fshs.fi, and Kela's Health information resource on the address.
Start using Self! Self is the student’s own online service for health care issues at FSHS. In Self, you can manage appointment bookings, communicate via SelfChat and start a remote consultation. Log in to Self as a user immediately from the beginning of the semester and keep your contact details up to date for as long as you are a student. Read more about Self in Kela's site.
The health care fee for students in higher education will be paid to Kela on your initiative. Read more about health care fee in Kela's site.
If you have social security coverage in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you do not have to pay the healthcare fee. However, you can to use the FSHS’s services.
Metropolia does not have housing services to offer. Thus, it is the student's responsibility to find an accommodation for the period of their studies. There is a lot of competition in affordable housing, so it is important to start searching for a room many months prior to arrival.
Already excited about starting your studies in Metropolia and meeting new people?
On Student Union Metka's site you will find welcome letters for each degree program.
Welcome letters are information packages prepared by your future tutors. They include, for example, important dates as well as information about studying, student benefits, or student life.
Create your own profile and sign up to JobTeaser portal now and stay up to date on job vacancies, training and upcoming recruitment events promoted especially to Metropolia students. There are hundreds of job opportunities available and a lot of information to support your career planning.
JobTeaser is a career portal where you can find lot of career information in one platform.
- Open jobs and traineeships
- Working life events
- Advice & guidance
- Employer profiles
Sign up and start exploring
Sign up to JobTeaser using your @metropolia.fi email address.
You can also download a Jobteaser application.
How to start Publich Health Nursing studies
Information will be published later.