Admissions

When can I apply?

The application period for 2012 is January 16 - March 1 2012. The Application Guide is available under the heading admissions in the menu to the right. If you are interested in applying to a Master's Degree Programmes at Hanken you can create a user account for University Admissions Finland here.

I have not yet obtained my degree - can I still apply?

The basic admission criterion for the Master's degree programmes at Hanken is a completed Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from a recognised higher education institution. However, students who are going to graduate after the application deadline (March, April, May or June) can apply for admission without initially enclosing their degree certificate with the application. Successful candidates who have not yet obtained their bachelor's degree will be conditionally admitted. Conditionally admitted applicants have to submit certified copies of their degree certificate and final transcript as soon as they have obtained them, however no later than 29 June 2012 at 4.15 p.m (GMT+2). This means that if you expect to graduate later than 29 June 2012, you will not be able to apply for admission to a master's degree programme at Hanken in 2012. Conditionally admitted applicants should send the degree certificate and final transcript directly to Hanken.

How do I apply?

Fill out the application form through University Admissions Finland's (UAF) centralised application and pre-processing service here.

To complete your application please follow the instructions given below:

• Print out the application form (pdf). You can also order the pdf-document to your personal email account and print it out later.
• Remember to sign the application form.
• Collect the enclosures which the programme requires. They are listed on the first page of the application form. Mark down your application form number into every document, and the number together with the name of Hanken into the lower left corner of the envelope.

Remember to send your application to:

University Admissions Finland
Yliopistonkatu 2

FI-00170 Helsinki
Finland

If you use a courier service, please give the service provider the phone number of University Admissions Finland: +358 (0)9 191 23528

What is UAF?

University Admissions Finland (UAF) is a centralised service for Finnish universities that pre-process all application documents. Pre-processing includes verifying the authenticity and accuracy of application documents and language skills. This includes e.g. contacting your previous educational institution and language test organiser. Any malpractice will be reported to universities and proper authorities.You will receive an email notification when the documents have been pre-processed and, if necessary a request to supplement the application. After the first-level processing, all applications are sent to Hanken for student selection. UAFs' services are free of charge for the applicants.

Do I need take the TOEFL or IELTS test?

You do not need to take a language test if:

• you have obtained a university or polytechnic degree with instruction completely in English, or
• you have completed your school education in Finland (grundskola och/eller gymnasiet / peruskoulu ja/tai lukio) or in one of the other Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland), or
• you have obtained a certificate at level C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF/CEFR).

All other applicants must submit an official score report of one of the following language tests:

• IELTS
• TOEFL (University Admission Finland's Institution Code is 3138)
• CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English)
• The National Certificate of Language Proficiency in Finland

Hanken does not accept any other English language test than these.

All language test results must be sent to University Admissions Finland by the application deadline 1 March 2012 at 4.15 p.m. (GMT +2). It is the applicant's responsibility to make testing arrangements for her/himself in time. Please be prepared that it may take several weeks before the test results are published.

More details about the language requirements and required enclosures can be found in the Application Guide.

When do I have to take the language test?

If you plan to apply for admission to a degree programme starting in 2012, you should take your language test as soon as possible if you do not have a valid score. Please, be prepared that it may take several weeks for the testing organisation to publish the results. The score must reach University Admissions Finland by application deadline 1 March 2012 at the latest . Your application will not be processed unless your test score is available.

What is GMAT and GRE?

GMAT and GRE are standardised admission tests that are widely used by Business Schools and Graduate Schools in admissions to master and doctoral programmes. The tests measure the applicants' verbal, mathematical and analytical writing skills. Both tests can be taken at various test centres all over the world. For more information: www.mba.com (GMAT) and www.gre.org (GRE). In Helsinki, applicants can take GRE at the Premeria test centre ( www.premeria.fi) and GMAT at Lan Group Finland ( www.lgf.fi).

Do I have to take GMAT or GRE?

The Master's Degree Programme in Intellectual Property Law is the only programme for which a GMAT or GRE test result is not mandatory. ALL other applicants for all other programmes must take either GMAT or GRE General Test before 1 March 2012 in order to be eligible for admission. This requirment concerns both Finnish and international students, regardless of where the applicant has completed his/her previous degree. Hanken's institutional code for GRE is 8433. There is no code for GMAT. Applicants taking GMAT should select Finland and Hanken School of Economics and then Master's Degree programmes when asked where the test scores should be sent. Please see the Application Guide for more information about GMAT and GRE.

What is the required GMAT or GRE score?

The minimum required score for GMAT is 550 and 40-50 per cent in the quantitative and verbal section of the GRE General Test. GRE test scores will be converted to the GMAT scale and compared to the required score of 550. Hanken may, however, admit applicants with lower scores, based on the applicant's other application documents. Usually, exceptional academic records are required to compensate for a weak test score.

How long is a GMAT or GRE score valid?

GMAT and GRE scores are valid five years after the test has been taken. After five years it is no longer possible to have original score reports sent to educational institutions. Therefore Hanken does not accept any GMAT and GRE scores that are more than five years old.

What is the difference between GMAT and GRE?

Students who are applying to a business school or another management program usually take the GMAT. The GMAT is specifically designed to address the skills required for graduate management education; for example, the key skills of critical reasoning and data sufficiency. Students who plan to study most other subjects in graduate school usually take the GRE. The GRE General Test measures critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study.

What is the average GMAT/GRE score of admitted applicants?

The average GMAT/GRE score of the admitted applicants to Hanken's master's degree programmes in 2011 was 600.

What is a Diploma Supplement?

A Diploma Supplement is a document attached to a higher education diploma providing a standardised description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were pursued and successfully completed by the graduate. The Diploma Supplement is quite widely used within the European Union with the purpose of providing transparency and facilitating academic and professional recognition of qualifications. Students from non-EU countries and students who have a degree from a university that does not provide a Diploma Supplement are requested to enclose an equivalent description of their degree, duly signed and stamped by a university official.

If you cannot obtain a Diploma Supplement, you should try to get a certificate from your university including a description of your degree. The description should include information about what kind of degree it is (e.g. university degree, first or second cycle) and give an outline of the degree structure and requirements. For example if a thesis is required, what is a credit (or explanation of ofter measurement of student work), how many credits/hours/points are required in order to complete the degree and how many credits are required in different subjects (or for example in the major subject and in minor subject(s)). The certificate from the university should therefore include a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were pursued and successfully completed by the graduate.

You can read more about the Diploma Supplement here.

It is not possible for me to receive a Diploma Supplement. What can I do?

If you cannot obtain a Diploma Supplement, you should try to get a certificate from your university including a description of your degree. The description should include information about what kind of degree it is (e.g. university degree, first or second cycle) and give an outline of the degree structure and requirements. For example if a thesis is required, what is a credit (or explanation of ofter measurement of student work), how many credits/hours/points are required in order to complete the degree and how many credits are required in different subjects (or for example in the major subject and in minor subject(s)). The certificate from the university should therefore include a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were pursued and successfully completed by the graduate.

What are the basic requirements for admission to a Master's Degree programme at Hanken?

The basic requirement for admission to the Master's Degree programmes is a completed Bachelor's degree. In addition, the applicant must have a sufficient academic background in economic sciences and a high level of English proficiency. All applicants must also take a standardised admission test, GMAT or GRE, in order to be eligible for admission. GMAT or GRE is optional for applciants to the Master's Degree Programme in Intellectual Property Law. For more detailed information about the admission requirements, please see the Application Guide.

What are the programme specific requirements?

The applicant must have completed at least 60 ECTS credits in economic sciences, including at least:

• 30 ECTS credits in finance for the Master's Degree programme in Quantitative Finance and the Master's Degree programme in Financial Economics
• 30 ECTS credits in subjects relevant to the programme for the Master's Degree programme in Corporate Governance
• 30 ECTS credits in marketing and/or other subjects relevant to the programme for the Master's Degree programme in Marketing
• 30 ECTS credits relevant to the programme for the Master's Degree programme in Intellectual Property Law, of which at least 15 ECTS must be in law.
• 30 ECTS in Economics for the Master's Degree Programme in Economics

A broad background in economic sciences is desired for the Master's Degree programme in International Management and Strategy. The required 60 ECTS in economic sciences should not all be within the same subject. 60 ECTS credits is the equivalent of one year of full-time studies.

Where do I send my application documents?

The following documents should be sent directly to University Admissions Finland, Yliopistonkatu 2, FI-00170 Helsinki, Finland:

• The printed and signed application form along with the requested enclosures
• Language test score reports (IELTS, TOEFL, CPE and The National Certificate of Language Proficiency). The institutional TOEFL reporting code for UAF is 3138.

The following documents should be sent directly to Hanken School of Economics, Office of Study Affairs, P.O. Box 479, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland:

• GMAT or GRE test score reports. The institutional GRE reporting code for Hanken is 8433.
• Officially certified copies of the degree certificate and final transcript should be sent directly to Hanken, in case the applicant graduates in March, April, May or June 2012.

Please note that it is the applicant's responsibility to make testing arrangements for her/himself in time. Please be prepared that it may take several weeks before the test results are published.

Is there a tuition fee?

No. Foreign students coming to Finland to study for a degree at Hanken do not pay tuition fees, since the Ministry of Education supports university education in Finland. However, students pay the annual Student Union membership fee of approximately 100 EUR. In order to be eligible for a residence permit, foreign students must also prove that they have adequate funds to support themselves financially during their time of studies in Finland.

How do you select students?

The selection of students to the programmes is based on a system of numerus clausus (restricted entry). This means that admission is granted on a competitive basis and that some applicants might not be admitted even if they are eligible for the programme in question. There will be no discrimination based on age, gender, ethnicity or other similar grounds.

The selection of students is based on whether or not the applicant meets the general eligibility requirements for studies within a Master's Degree programme at Hanken, as well as on an evaluation made by the academic representatives of the program based on the following criteria, in the following order:

• the scope and content of, as well as the applicant's success in, his or her previous studies in general, with the focus on the intended major and economic sciences
• GMAT or GRE score
• the applicant's motivation for and interest in the programme (as shown in the letter of motivation, the applicant's interest in working in the field, does the applicant seem sincere in his or her interest in the programme)

Is the application deadline a definite deadline?

Yes. The application deadline is on Thursday, 1 March 2012, at 4.15 p.m. (GMT +2). Your application must have reached University Admissions Finland (UAF) by this deadline in order to be taken into consideration. It is not enough that you have filled out the application form, you must print out the filled-out form, sign it and submit the whole application by mail to UAF by the deadline. Please also note that your application must be complete with all of the required enclosures. Applications that arrive late will be disregarded, even if they have been sent before the deadline. The signed application with enclosures must be sent to:

University Admissions Finland
Yliopistonkatu 2

00170 Helsinki

Finland

You will receive an email notification when the documents have been preprocessed at University Admissions Finland and, if necessary a request to supplement the application. You can supplement your application for 14 days after the notification.

When will the admission results be released?

The admission results will be released on 4 May 2012 and an email will be sent to all applicants. The names of the admitted applicants will be published on this website. However, please note that only the names of the admitted applicants who have marked on the application form that they permit us to publish their name on the Internet will appear on this list.

Can I apply for admission for entry in January?

It is not possible to apply for admission for entry in January. All Master's Degree programmes at Hanken start in August/September each year. The next opportunity to apply for admission to one of our Master's Degree programmes will be in the beginning of the year 2012 for programmes starting in August 2012.

Can I apply to more than one Master's programme at Hanken?

No. You can only apply for admission to one of the Master's Degree programmes offered at Hanken.

I need to change information in my application. What do I do?

If you wish to change your personal information or educational background, you can log in to your user account at www.universityadmissions.fi and correct it yourself even if you have already created the pdf-appplication form. Changes to other information given are not possible.

I have technical problems with my application form. Who can help me?

If you have questions concerning applicant registration-related technical matters, please contact University Admissions Finland (UAF) at info(a)universityadmissions.fi

When you contact UAF, please make sure to mention your application form number, name, date of birth and the university and programme you are applying to.

Please note that University Admissions Finland receives hundreds of applications every day, so unfortunately they do not have resources to check the arrival of each application and its enclosures before preprocessing them. After preprocessing they will inform you via email. Please be patient, they will contact you as soon as possible.

I can't find an answer to my question - What can I do?

Please send us an email to masters(a)hanken.fi and we will get back to you as soon as we can.