Open UAS - Studying in Open University

Studying at Metropolia Open University begins with activating your Metropolia user account. You will receive instructions for activating your account by email once a student role has been created for you in our system.

If you used strong identification when enrolling in Open University studies, you can activate your account independently by following the instruction below. If you didn't use the strong identification when enrolling, or you don't Finnish online banking credentials or a mobile certificate, read instruction under Identification and Account Activation with Weak Identification.

Activating Your User Account

To activate your account independently after enrolling with strong identification, you will need either online banking credentials or a mobile certificate.

Please read first the instructions for the user account activation on the IT Services website. Activate your user account at the identification service at https://salasana.metropolia.fi/ . Activate your account using online banking credentials or a mobile certificate.

Multi-Factor Authentication

Once you have activated your user account, enable multi-factor authentication for Microsoft 365 services. First enable SMS-based authentication and then Microsoft Authenticator. If possible, also enable alternative authentication methods on your other mobile devices. This will help you avoid login problems if your primary phone is replaced or lost. Follow the instructions available on the IT Services website.

If you have any questions about activating your user account or multi-factor authentication, please check first the FAQ at IT Services website.

Identification and Account Activation with Weak Identification

Activating user accounts requires strong identification. If you enrolled in Open University studies using weak identification, one option is to visit a Student Services' office during their opening hours to complete strong identification before you can activate your user account. Student Services will provide you with a form that allows you to activate your user account. You will need to provide a valid official identity document.

Alternatively, you can complete strong authentication remotely by verifying your identity through the Candour ID service using the Candour ID mobile application. After authentication, you will receive instructions for activating your account. Please read the instructions for remote authentication with Candour ID on Metropolia’s IT Services website.

After activation remember to enable the multi-factor authentication for Microsoft 365 services. Please read the instruction above.

Metropolia's services

See how to use your user ID when you log in to different services.
With the user ID, you can access to the following services:

• OMA service (e.g. personal student information, course workspaces and grades)
• E-mail. You can log in by e-mail at mail.metropolia.fi with your username. E-mails related to the studies is sent to the metropolia.fi e-mail. Only automatic messages sent from the system e.g. in connection with registration will come to the e-mail address you provided during registration.
• Moodle e-learning platform (if used on the course). Note! The teacher gives the course key separately in the Moodle workspace.
• Computers and network disks at public spaces
• Office 365 during your studies
• Metropolia Cloud services during your studies
• Helpdesk services (IT support)
• Library services (incl. e-materials)

Open UAS students have the same rights regarding access cards, the use of special facilities etc. If these are required for completing the course, you're entitled to them.

Email

Once your study right is valid activate your Metropolia user ID and follow your metropolia.fi -e-mail. You can log in by e-mail at mail.metropolia.fi with your username. E-mails related to the studies is sent to the metropolia.fi e-mail. Only automatic messages sent from the system e.g. in connection with registration will come to the e-mail address you provided during registration.

Setting up your Metropolia email

• Log in to your email at: mail.metropolia.fi
• Log in using your Metropolia username and password.
• Your Microsoft Authenticator app will ask you for a verification code. Enter the code and approve the sign-in.

Note! During autumn 2026, Metropolia email accounts will be fully migrated to the cloud service, and the email sign-in process will change. If you are unable to access your email at mail.metropolia.fi, follow these instructions:

• Go to outlook.office365.com in your browser.
• Log in using your Metropolia username in the format yourusername [at] metropolia.fi (yourusername[at]metropolia[dot]fi)
• Your Microsoft Authenticator app will ask you for a verification code. Enter the code and approve the sign-in.

If you wish to receive all your study related emails in same address, make the necessary forwarding settings in your own email.

Course workspaces in the OMA service

All courses have their own workspace in the OMA service. The workspaces are listed in OMA at the top of the front page, below the house icon. Open UAS student is automatically a member of the workspaces for the courses he or she has enrolled and accepted in.

Teachers use workspaces for informing students about current matters (eg. illnesses), course materials and literature. The emails from the workspace are sent to the students' Metropolia email address.

If some other e-learning platform (e.g. Moodle) is used on the course, the teacher informs about it. The same OMA user ID also works in Moodle, but the teacher usually needs to give the key to the Moodle workspace if it's not an open one.

Please also read the general announcements on Metropolia's OMA-intranet.

Virtual studies

Instructions for the completion of a 100 % virtual courses can be found as a message in your Metropolia email (mail.metropolia.fi) or in the course workspace in Metropolia intranet OMA (oma.metropolia.fi). You can get further information from the teacher of the course.

Tuudo is a mobile app with which you can use various Metropolia web services easily on your smart phone.

In Tuudo you can check Metropolia, Admission Services, and student union METKA announcements, your schedule, study attainments, and cafeteria menus.

Open UAS path students are eligible to obtain a red student card through Tuudo, which entitles them to a specific meal discount at Metropolia campus restaurants (excluding the Arabia campus). The price of the meal is restaurant-specific.

Get Tuudo on your phone from the app store for free and start using it!

• Tuudo for IOS at AppStore
• Tuudo for Android at Google Play

When you have already been accepted to studies and have activated your Student ID, you can examine your personal schedule.

Log in to Lukkarikone with your Student ID and password in the upper right corner. Choose Settings –tab, where you can choose e.g. your default schedule. The view shows you those courses where you have been accepted. See instructions for using the Schedule Machine.

When you are an active Open UAS student, you can save the schedule in the system. We recommend that you check the schedules regularly during studies. Open UAS students do not enrol for the courses themselves. You have already been registered for the courses.

Students have numerous different services at Metropolia. Here is gathered information about the most relevant. More information about the services can be found on the student's desktop in OMA (requires Metropolia user ID).

Library

Open UAS student have the right to use all Metropolia libraries and their services. You can get the library card from the library by showing your ID card. Libraries also have studying premises and computers for students to use.

Information Systems and Helpdesk

Metropolia's Helpdesk supports students in problems related to information systems and user IDs. In order to get help, the student must create a service request (logging requires a user ID) or if the user ID doesn't work, send email to helpdesk [at] metropolia.fi (helpdesk[at]metropolia[dot]fi).

More information on Metropolia's information systems and IT Services on their wiki pages.

Student Welfare

Metropolia's Open UAS students are entitled to the services of Metropolia's counselling psychologist and student wellbeing advisors. However, Open UAS students are not entitled to student healthcare services, so they don't pay FSHS healthcare fee. If a social and health care path student needs vaccinations or a vaccination certificate for work placement, please contact the health center in your hometown.

This page contains essential information about the benefits and forms of support for an open student.

Student Financial Aid and Student Benefits

It is not possible to get a Kela study grant or a student loan to study at an open UAS. Open UAS students are also not entitled to student benefits, e.g. student discount in Metropolia's student restaurants or student discounts for public transportation.

Meal Discount

Open Study Path students are entitled to a meal discount in Metropolia's student restaurants because Open UAS students are not entitled to the degree students’ meal subsidy. The price of the meal is restaurant-specific. The meal discount is not valid at the Hämeentie 135 D student restaurant. Tuudo mobile app’s red student card or meal certificate, which you can either pick up at the Student and Admission Services customer service point or order by e-mail from studentservices [at] metropolia.fi (studentservices[at]metropolia[dot]fi) at the beginning of your studies, entitles to a meal benefit. Students in study modules or individual courses are not entitled for the benefit.

Unemployment and Open Studies

Before applying for Open UAS, all unemployed persons receiving unemployment benefit should discuss with their Employment services if the open studies affect their unemployment benefit or if there is some financial support available for the studies.

Note! All requests to complete aid application forms should be sent to the Open University Possible statements by Metropolia for aid applications can be given only to students accepted in Metropolia's Open University, not for applicants on waiting list.

Insurance

Metropolia's Open UAS students are insured by Metropolia UAS.

Students enrolled in an open university of applied sciences who complete at least 30 credits per semester are entitled to personal study guidance throughout their studies. It is the student's responsibility to participate in the study guidance and to take responsibility for the progress of their studies.

Guidance is given usually by the tutoring teacher, Programme Coordinator or the Head of the Degree Programme. Further information about the guidance will be given to path students in the beginning of the studies. For general questions you can contact the Open UAS customer service

Matters regarding a specific course should always be asked from the teacher.

Studies are carried out in the manner described in the implementation information. Teaching methods, attendance obligation and learning materials are stated in the information. All possible materials are self-financed and are not included in the Open UAS fee. All questions related to the implementation must be addressed to the teacher in question.

Open UAS paths and study modules are carried out in a designated order. The pre-requirements mentioned in the implementation data also apply to open students. If the student fails to carry out some course, it may prevent proceeding in the studies. Students are themselves responsible of their performance in the studies. Metropolia does not offer substitutive studies nor refunds on the Open UAS fee in such circumstances.

If you wish to complete other studies in addition to those in your study path or module, you can enrol for the Open UAS courses in the enrolment system. Please make sure that your additional studies do not overlap with the studies included in the path or module.

Path students at Metropolia have the opportunity to complete studies offered by other higher education institutions. For further information, please see Metropolia’s Student's Guide.

Recognition of prior learning RPL

In the open UAS, no direct accreditation of prior competence is done. Direct accreditation is done only for degree students. In the open UAS, prior learning may be accredited only partially, in which case the student demonstrates his / her competence in a way determined by the teacher. The RPL process is identical with the degree students. More information is given by the lecturer of the course in question or your Student Advisor. Accreditation of prior competence does not entitle to a price reduction.

Evaluation of Studies

The following competence scale is used in evaluation:

excellent (5)
very good (4)
good (3)
very satisfactory (2)
satisfactory (1)
fail (0)

or optionally just pass or fail (H/0)

Transcript of Records

• Students with active Open UAS study right can print a transcript of records from the eStudent Services on the student's desktop.
• Students who have completed their studies can request transcripts from the Metropolia archive (arkisto [at] metropolia.fi (arkisto[at]metropolia[dot]fi)) for a fee. The price is 15 euros. Completed studies can also be viewed in My Studyinfo -service.

Study certificate

Students with active study right can download official electronically signed study certificate from Metropolia's digital certificate service.

If the course includes an exam, the student who fails a course may re-sit the exam twice, and a student who passes a course may re-sit the exam once in the the next possible retake(s). If the assessment is based on a form of performance for which the assessment method cannot be repeated, the student cannot attempt to raise his or her grade.

Open UAS students enrol to the exams and re-exams independently. When attending to both actual exam and re-exam, it's necessary to be on time. It's not possible to take part into any exam if you arrive late. Identification is verified from all students attending to any exams, which is why students need to have an identity card with them when attending exams.

All re-exams of the courses are organised on a specific day informed beforehand and each re-exam day has it's own enrolment period. Instructions at Metropolia's OMA: Study guide > Studies > Exams and retests

Re-exam outside the original study time

If the re-exam is organised outside of the original study time, in addition to the re-exam enrolment, Open UAS students must ask for extension for the study right . The study right is then continued by the Open studies contact person, or otherwise the student ID won't work.

Check out Open UAS Terms of Payment and Cancellation.

More information about the campuses and the degree programmes can be found on our website:

• Arabia Campus
• Karamalmi Campus
• Myllypuro Campus
• Myyrmäki Campus

Language Skills

Degree programmes conducted in Finnish language require the minimum of B2 level Finnish language skills.

Minimum of B2 level English language skills are required in English language degree programmes.

English study materials can be used in Finnish Degree Programmes.

University of Applied Sciences studies require sufficient language skills and students are independently responsible of having such skills.

Note: In some open UAS paths language skills may be tested. This will be mentioned in the information about that specific path.

Language skills need to be good enough for University of Applied Sciences (UAS) studies:

• reading
• listening
• writing
• vocabulary
• grammar

The language skill levels(avaa uuden välilehden) (A1 the lowest, C2 the highest) are described on the Council of Europe's pages(avaa uuden välilehden):

• A1 and A2: Basic User
• B1 and B2: Independent User
• C1 and C2: Proficient User

Study Skills

Open UAS students are required to have the same university level study skills as the Degree Students. Students themselves are responsible for having these skills. These skills include e.g. information searching skills and preparedness to write an essay answer. Usually a secondary level education (high school, vocational school) gives a good base for university level studies.

All Master's degree Open Study Paths (15 cr or 30 cr depending on the extent of the degree) require an appropriate Bachelor's Degree. This is checked of all students. All necessary information is mentioned in connection to the path information. Work experience is not required in Open Study Paths. If you later apply to degree studies on the Basis of Open UAS Studies, two years' work experience in the relevant field will be required after completing your Bachelor's degree.

In terms of Master's degree level individual courses or study modules, the above-mentioned requirement of Bachelor’s Degree is not obligatory but recommendable.