English language requirements

This page contains a complete list of how you can meet Hanken's language requirements to apply for either Bachelor's, Master's or PhD studies in English.

Click on your intended programme to see how you can fulfill the requirement. 

How do I demonstrate my language skills in English?

For this programme the English language skills are incorporated in the admission based on SAT or ACT tests – in other words you do not need to take a separate English language test if you have completed the ACT or SAT test and met the minimum acceptable scores including the minimum required scores for the English language requirement (see below), as you are considered to have sufficient English language skills for pursuing Bachelor’s degree studies in English.

Aptitude tests

  • SAT test: minimum required score of 600 in Evidence-based Reading and Writing.
  • ACT test: minimum required score of 49 in English and Reading.

If you are applying though certificate-based admission you can demonstrate your English language proficiency in one of the following ways:

Finnish Matriculation Examination

You can show your language skills in English even without a completed degree (except if you show your English skills though a completed IB Diploma):

  • English (Lång lärokurs/pitkä kieli) in the Finnish Matriculation Examination with the grade magna cum laude approbatur (M) or higher.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

  • IB Diploma completed in English.  
  • English A-level, A1-level or A2-level (literature / language and literature / literature and performance) with grade 2 or higher.  
  • English B-level with grade 5 or higher.

European Baccalaureate (EB) 

  • An approved grade in English completed as L1-language.
  • Grade 7 or higher in English as L2 or L3 language.

RP-certificate in Finland

Helsingin saksalainen koulu/Tyska skolan i Helsingfors:

  • The student has completed English as A-language (or corresponding in the DIA-certificate) and have an: 
    • Approved written result or
    • Oral grade of at least 8.

Educational background

  • Higher secondary education (final diploma) with English as language of tuition obtained in specific countries which grants access to higher education in the country in question.
    • Degrees from the following countries are accepted: a country part of the EU/EEA, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, New Zealand or USA.
  • Bachelor's, Master's, Licentiate's or PhD degree with English as language of tuition obtained in specific countries and obtained at an education institution that is a recognized part of the official national education system in the country in question.
    • Degrees from the following countries are accepted: a country part of the EU/EEA, Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Great Britain, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia, New Zealand,  Zimbabwe or USA

    NOTE,

    • The language of tuition for the degree must be clearly stated in the official educational documents (degree certificate, transcript of records, diploma supplement or other official certificate issued by the institution). If the language of tuition is not stated on any official educational document, the applicant should complete a language test.
    • If the degree has been obtained in several countries, at least 50 % of the degree must have been obtained while the student physically has been studying in one of the listed countries.
    • If you are graduating with one of the degrees listed above in the spring of applying, you can also fulfill the English language requirement with that degree.
    • Hanken reserves the right to decide whether the language of tuition for your degree is English or not. 

     

    If you do not meet the SAT/ACT or certificate based English language requirements you can prove your skills in English in the following ways:

    Language test

    Hanken neither accepts IELTS Academic One skill retake results nor TOEFL iBt My Best scores results.

    How do I demonstrate my language skills in English?

    You can demonstrate your proficiency in English in one of the following ways:

    Language tests

    No other than the tests below are accepted:

    Hanken neither accepts IELTS Academic One skill retake results nor TOEFL iBt My Best scores results.

    Aptitude tests

    Educational background

    • Bachelor's, Master's, Licentiate's or PhD degree with English as language of tuition obtained in specific countries and obtained at an education institution that is a recognized part of the official national education system in the country in question.
      • Degrees from the following countries are accepted: a country part of the EU/EEA, Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Great Britain, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia, New Zealand,  Zimbabwe or USA.
         
    • Higher secondary education (final diploma) with English as language of tuition obtained in specific countries which grants access to higher education in the country in question.
      • Degrees from the following countries are accepted: a country part of the EU/EEA, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, New Zealand or USA.

    NOTE,

    • The language of tuition for the degree must be clearly stated in the official educational documents (degree certificate, transcript of records, diploma supplement or other official certificate issued by the institution). If the language of tuition is not stated on any official educational document, the applicant should complete a language test.
    • If the degree has been obtained in several countries, at least 50 % of the degree must have been obtained while the student physically has been studying in one of the listed countries.
    • If you are graduating with one of the degrees listed above in the spring of applying, you can also fulfill the English language requirement with that degree.
    • Hanken reserves the right to decide whether the language of tuition for your degree is English or not. 

    Eligibility for doctoral studies requires sufficient language skills in either Swedish or English. If you wish to read about the Swedish language requirement and how you can fulfil the language requirement based on education completed in Swedish or Swedish language tests, visit the page covering the language requirement in Swedish.

    How do I demonstrate my language skills in English?

    You can demonstrate your proficiency in English in one of the following ways:

    Language tests

    No other than the tests below are accepted:

    Hanken neither accepts IELTS Academic One skill retake results nor TOEFL iBt My Best scores results.

    Aptitude tests

    Educational background

    • Bachelor's, Master's, Licentiate's or PhD degree with English as language of tuition obtained in specific countries and obtained at an education institution that is a recognized part of the official national education system in the country in question.
      • Degrees from the following countries are accepted: a country part of the EU/EEA, Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Great Britain, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia, New Zealand,  Zimbabwe or USA.
         
    • Higher secondary education (final diploma) with English as language of tuition obtained in specific countries which grants access to higher education in the country in question.
      • Degrees from the following countries are accepted: a country part of the EU/EEA, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, New Zealand or USA.

    NOTE,

    • The language of tuition for the degree must be clearly stated in the official educational documents (degree certificate, transcript of records, diploma supplement or other official certificate issued by the institution). If the language of tuition is not stated on any official educational document, the applicant should complete a language test.
    • If the degree has been obtained in several countries, at least 50 % of the degree must have been obtained while the student physically has been studying in one of the listed countries.
    • If you are graduating with one of the degrees listed above in the spring of applying, you can also fulfill the English language requirement with that degree.
    • Hanken reserves the right to decide whether the language of tuition for your degree is English or not. 

    In addition to the above-mentioned ways of proving English language proficiency, applicants applying to doctoral studies in English only can also prove said language proficiency if they:

    • have acquired English skills that enable them to follow developments in their field and to work in an international environment in accordance with subsection 6.2 in the Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004) in their Finnish Bachelor's or Master's degree. This way to demonstrate proficiency in English based on a university degree is only possible for applicants applying to doctoral studies in English.

    • From April 2025 onwards: Applicants who otherwise meet the general eligibility requirements, fulfill the subject-specific and qualitative criteria, and are deemed suitable, can be can have their language skills assessed in connection with the academic evaluation during the interview. The assessment is carried out by academic staff on a pass/fail scale.

     

    When should I take a language proficiency test?

    • Register for a test date as early as possible so you can take the test well in advance before the start of the application period.
    • You must submit your test taker's copy (or screenshot of test result) of the test result in your application.
    • It is your responsibility to find out the test dates and closing dates for registration for the language tests so that you timely can submit the test result.
    • If you already have a test result, check the validity of your test result and if necessary, make arrangements for a new test well in advance.
    • Remember to request the test organisation to give Hanken access to your test result so that we can verify your result in the test organiser's verification portal.

    How long is my language test valid?

    • We accepts language tests that are no older than 2 years. If you are proving your language skills based on one of the aptitude tests, the test is valid for 5 years.
    • Bachelor's admission/Main admission/PhD admission round: your test result must be valid on the final application deadline date in order for the test to be accepted.
    • Rolling admission round: your language test result must be valid when submitting the application form and for the whole duration of the processing of your application (30 days after submitting your application).
    • The test results will be verified with the test organiser.

    After taking a language test

    • TOEFL/TOEFL iBT® Home Edition:
      • request the test organiser to share your test result with Hanken using the reporting code 8433 in the score report recipient field. You do not need a department code (or you can choose any department).
      • Upload a copy of your test result in your application.
         
    • IELTS Academic/IELTS Online/IELTS Indicator:
      • request the test organiser to share your test result with Hanken. You can choose any department and the result will reach us.
      • For the IELTS indicator test, include the IELTS Indicator Score ID in your application.
      • Upload a copy of your test result in your application.
         
    • C2 Proficiency (previous name CPE) and C1 Advanced:
      • share your test result with Hanken through the Result Service for Candidates.
      • Upload a copy of your Statement of Results that includes your Statement of Results Number in your application.
         
    • PTE Academic/PTE Academic Online:
      • log in to your PTE account and send your test results to Hanken.
      • Upload a copy of your test result including your Score Report Code in your application.
         
    • The Finnish National Certificate of Language Proficiency YKI test in English:
      • upload a copy of your test result in your application.

    Fulfilling the language requirement based on aptitude tests

    Bachelor's degree admission round:

    • You can also prove your English language proficiency based on SAT or ACT.
    • Info on taking the SAT/ACT tests, test validity and more is found on the SAT/ACT requirement page.

    Master's Main admission, Master's Rolling admission and PhD admission round:

    • You can also prove your English language proficiency based on one of the accepted aptitude tests. 
    • Info on taking the aptitude tests, test validity and more is found on the GPA or GMAT/GRE requirement page.

    Language attachments at all levels of education

    • Everyone who applies for a Bachelor's or Master's degree programme in English must choose how they prove their language skills in connection with the application.
       
    • When you fill in your application form in the Studyinfo.fi portal, the form will automatically ask for the attachments you need to upload. Upload the attachment certifying your linguistic eligibility in Studyinfo.fi by the deadline for attachments so that we can verify your language eligibility.  
       
    • Not all applicants need to upload attachments but remember to check carefully what applies to your way of proving language skills.