Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences

About Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences

Haaga-Helia belongs to Finland’s university-of-applied-sciences sector, which provides higher education for professional expertise and conducts applied research, development and innovation. This is distinct from Finland’s research-university sector: the educational emphasis is on applying knowledge in working-life settings, although Haaga-Helia also undertakes research and development activities. The present institution was established in 2007 through the merger of Haaga Instituutti University of Applied Sciences and Helia University of Business and Applied Sciences. Its official profile emphasizes business and services, cooperation with employers, entrepreneurship, innovation and international activity. The institution reports approximately 11,000 degree students, alongside Open UAS learners and staff experts. Haaga-Helia’s footprint extends beyond the Helsinki city record. As of August 2026, its official site describes campuses in Pasila and Malmi in Helsinki, Porvoo, and Vierumäki, plus the RestoCamp hospitality-learning facilities beside Pasila. A campus restructuring is underway: Haaga operations are moving to Pasila and RestoCamp, while Malmi staff and functions are scheduled to relocate to Pasila by 1 August 2027 at the latest. The changes affect facilities rather than the institution’s operating or degree-granting status. Applicants should therefore verify the teaching location shown for their chosen intake rather than assuming every programme is based in central Helsinki.

Applications are submitted online through Finland’s national Studyinfo service, but the relevant route and selection method depend on the programme. Haaga-Helia’s official admissions page lists joint applications, rolling admissions and selected separate applications. Applicants must consult the programme-specific Studyinfo entry for eligibility, required documents, selection criteria and deadlines; rules are not uniform across all bachelor’s and master’s degrees. As of 20 August 2026, Haaga-Helia lists rolling admission for selected English-taught bachelor’s programmes from 12 August to 30 September 2026 for studies beginning in January 2027. Selection in that route may use an eligible certificate or SAT result. The autumn 2026 joint application is listed for 31 August to 10 September 2026. A separate application for the European joint MBA in AI for Business Transformation is listed for 31 August to 11 September 2026. These dates apply only to the specified rounds and should not be generalized to later intakes. Master’s applicants need to pay particular attention to degree and work-experience requirements. Finland’s UAS master’s framework normally requires an appropriate prior higher-education qualification and relevant post-degree employment, while each programme may impose additional conditions. Applicants educated outside Finland should allow time for document verification, certified translations where required, tuition-payment arrangements and, when applicable, residence-permit preparation. An application fee of EUR 100 per semester applies to applicants who are not exempt under Finland’s rules; payment does not guarantee admission.

Haaga-Helia concentrates on professionally oriented fields rather than offering a comprehensive research-university curriculum. Its official programme pages identify business administration, information technology, hospitality and tourism, journalism, and sports and leisure management among its teaching areas. The 2026 English-taught bachelor’s portfolio includes options in aviation business, business information technology, digital business innovation, international business, hospitality and tourism, hospitality operations, strategic hospitality management, and sports coaching and management. Availability, campus and intake can change, so applicants should use the individual programme page and Studyinfo listing for the application round they intend to enter. English-taught bachelor’s degrees are generally 210 ECTS and designed for about three and a half years of full-time study. Depending on the programme, delivery may be full-time, part-time or virtual. The institution also offers professionally oriented master’s degrees. In the Finnish UAS system, master’s eligibility normally includes an appropriate prior higher-education degree and at least two years of relevant work experience acquired after that degree; programme-specific rules remain controlling. Practical learning is a defining element. Haaga-Helia’s general bachelor’s work-placement guidance specifies 30 ECTS and 800 working hours, which may be completed in Finland or abroad and can be divided across placements. Students are responsible for finding a suitable position, with guidance and vacancy tools available through Career Services. Degree-specific placement arrangements can differ, so students should check their curriculum rather than treating the general framework as a complete programme plan.

Key Highlights

• Verified Finnish university of applied sciences awarding bachelor’s and professionally oriented master’s degrees
• Established in 2007 through the merger of Haaga Instituutti UAS and Helia UAS
• Approximately 11,000 degree students reported by the institution
• Campus restructuring is continuing through 2026–2027

Student Life & Environment

Student experience varies significantly by campus and study mode. Pasila is the largest urban campus and is integrated with Helsinki’s transport and commercial hub, while Porvoo offers a smaller setting near its historic centre. Vierumäki is oriented toward sports and wellbeing in a nature-based environment. Virtual and part-time students should expect a different community experience from students attending daily classes on campus. Haaga-Helia provides each degree student with a personal guidance counsellor for study planning, progress and career-related questions. Its wellbeing services include study psychologists, study coaches, university chaplains and vocational special-education teachers. The institution describes these services as confidential and free, with individual and group guidance, events and webinars available. International opportunities include semester exchanges, international work placements, shorter programmes and some double-degree routes. Haaga-Helia reports a network of about 200 international partner universities and participates in the Ulysseus European University alliance. Participation depends on degree requirements, academic progress, available places and application criteria. Students should arrange housing separately. Helsinki-region accommodation is not automatically included with degree admission, and affordable furnished housing can be competitive. Meal and public-transport discounts may reduce routine expenses for eligible students, but they do not remove the need for a realistic living budget.

Location & Surroundings

Haaga-Helia is associated with Helsinki but operates across several distinct locations. Pasila, its largest campus, is beside Pasila railway station, Mall of Tripla and the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre. The location has direct train, tram and bus connections and is convenient for reaching other parts of the capital region. RestoCamp, opened in 2026 for hospitality education, is located nearby in Mall of Tripla. Malmi is also in Helsinki and close to a railway station, although Haaga-Helia plans to relocate its functions to Pasila by August 2027. Porvoo Campus is near Porvoo’s city centre and Old Town, outside Helsinki. Vierumäki, near Lahti and roughly a 1.5-hour journey from Helsinki according to the institution, provides a nature- and sports-oriented setting. Applicants should evaluate location at programme level. A degree advertised under Haaga-Helia may be taught in Helsinki, Porvoo, Vierumäki, online or through a blended arrangement. This affects commuting, housing availability and access to campus activities. Helsinki offers the broadest public-transport network but also tends to require a higher housing budget than smaller locations.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For students beginning on or after 1 August 2025, Haaga-Helia lists annual tuition of EUR 11,000 for English-taught bachelor’s programmes and EUR 12,000 for English-taught master’s programmes. Tuition applies to students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland unless they hold qualifying exemption documentation. EU, EEA and Swiss students do not pay these tuition fees. Housing, meals, transport, insurance and personal expenses are not included. For 2026 admissions, eligible applicants may receive a EUR 2,000 first-year early-payment discount if they accept and pay within the stated timetable; exact cutoffs differ between spring and autumn offers. Scholarship provisions also vary by start date, academic progress, Finnish-language achievement and other conditions. Applicants should not subtract a scholarship from their budget until they have confirmed eligibility in the current rules. Haaga-Helia recommends budgeting approximately EUR 900–1,200 per month for living expenses, above the EUR 800 monthly minimum cited for residence-permit purposes. Its indicative budget lists student housing at about EUR 270–700 monthly depending on room type and private housing at roughly EUR 600–900. The institution cautions that employment can be difficult without Finnish or Swedish and advises students not to rely on part-time work to finance study. Career preparation is embedded through projects and work placements. The general bachelor’s placement is 30 ECTS, and students may use Career Services and JobTeaser to find internships, jobs, thesis topics and project work. Students still bear responsibility for securing a suitable placement; neither a placement nor post-graduation employment should be treated as guaranteed.