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Admissions

How to apply for exchange studies?

1. Get to know your study options

Check the courses offered in English from here.

Do you need help? You can contact Incoming services online in TEAMS on Tue 9.00 - 11.00 & Thu 12.00 - 13.30 through following link
https://www.ulapland.fi/IN_office_hours at any issues related to your exchange studies and application process.

2. Check your eligibility

Eligible exchange applicant:

1. Is a student from partner universities with one of the following agreements:

Erasmus+, Nordplus or Nordlys, North2north or Bilateral mobility agreements.

Also a student enrolled at an institution of higher education may apply as a so-called "Freemover" student. Priority is given to the applicants within the networks and partner universities.

2. Has sufficient knowledge of English, both oral and written, for academic studies.

Required level of English language proficiency must be CEF B2 / IELTS 6 / TOEFL iBT 87 or equivalent.

Students must prove their English skills in the SoleMOVE online application e.g. with a transcript of records, letter from the home university or official language test such as TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic or similar. For further reference, please see the Exam English page for comparison of Common European Framework (CEF) levels and scores for the various exams.

3. Get nominated by your home university

Your home university's coordinator must nominate you for one or two semesters of exchange studies. The nomination should be done in SoleMOVE (university representatives can ask for the username for the system; e-mail: incoming(at)ulapland.fi) or university representatives can nominate directly by secure email and include the following information:

1) home university
2) applicant’s name (first name/last name)
3) date of birth
4) gender (female/male)
5) valid email address
6) duration of the exchange
7) EU subject area at home institution
8) EU subject area code at ULapland

The nomination deadlines are:
- 30 April for autumn and full-year admissions
- 30 September for spring admissions

4. Activate your user account in SoleMOVE
You'll get the activation link directly to your e-mail after your nomination.

5. Create a study plan/Learning Agreement

You need to prepare a study plan/learning agreement (LA) for your application. LA is needed to make sure that your planned studies are based on the ULapland study offer and that they are accepted by both your home and host university. Course information is available here. Select a full course load of 30 ECTS per semester or 60 ECTS for the full academic year. Use the course information from the previous web page called "Plan" and if the course offer is not available, use the course offer information of the previous year. Be prepared for possible changes in the courses. You can choose courses from different faculties, but some restrictions apply to the Faculty of Art and Design. See here.

Non-Erasmus+ students
You can use our or your university’s own LA form. Our LA form.

Erasmus+ students
ULapland endorses Erasmus+ Online Learning Agreement and Erasmus+ Mobile App applications. During the transition period, we accept learning agreements both via OLA or as printed versions. In both cases the student has to upload a PDF-version of the LA in her/his application in SoleMOVE, our mobility application tool.

Online Learning Agreement
• allows the Learning Agreement to be prepared online
• is shared with both the home and host universities and is signed electronically

ULapland OLA information
In your application please choose a code from the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) list, see the Fact Sheet 2023-2024 below.
- Country “Finland”
- Host institute “UNIVERSITY OF LAPLAND”
- Add the faculty/unit: Your faculty at ULapland (Art & Design, Education, Law or Social Sciences)
- Contact person: Jani Suokanerva (EDU & LAW)/Virpi Nurmela (ART & SOC)
- E-mail: incoming@ulapland.fi
- Phone: +358 40 484 4496

6. Collect your enclosures

Required enclosures:

- Letter of Motivation (to be written in English, length max one A4 sheet)
- Official Transcript of Academic Records (in English)
- Erasmus+ Learning Agreement based on requirements of your home university (Erasmus students)/If you are not Erasmus student, use this form
- Proof of English Language proficiency (see 2.)
- Portfolio (applicants to the Faculty of Art and Design only)

"Freemover" applicants must also provide:
- a certificate stating that you are enrolled at an institution of higher education
- a letter of recommendation from a professor or other appropriate authority

All documents should be submitted in PDF-format. The total size of the files sent may not exceed 10 MB.

7. Fill in the online application in SoleMOVE

When your user account has been created, you will receive an e-mail with instructions for activating your SoleMOVE account and completing your application online. No paper copies or scanned documents should be sent by post or e-mail.

The application periods are:

- 1 April – 15 May for autumn and full year admissions
- 1 September – 15 October for spring admissions

No late applications will be accepted.

8. Save & send your application

We only receive your application after you do this.

9. Selection Criteria and Decisions

Being nominated by your home university does not automatically mean that you will be accepted at the University of Lapland. All applications will be reviewed by the relevant faculty.

Faculty of Art and Design
The faculty departments will make the decision on students acceptance. Students who meet the eligibility criteria (see 2.) are selected based on previous studies, study plan, portfolio and motivation. If there are more applications than places available we will negotiate with the student and offer an alternative program/plan if possible.

Other faculties
Students who meet the eligibility criteria (see 2.) are selected based on previous studies, study plan and motivation. If there are more applications than places available we will negotiate with the student and offer an alternative program/plan if possible.

Admission decisions will be informed to applicants on 15 June / 15 November by e-mail. Successful applicants will receive a letter of acceptance. Students should wait for the official acceptance decision before proceeding with any arrival arrangements (e.g. flights).

10. Confirm your Exchange in SoleMOVE