Laurea University of Applied Sciences

About Laurea University of Applied Sciences

Laurea University of Applied Sciences is part of Finland’s professionally oriented higher-education sector. It began operating in Vantaa in 1991, initially under an experimental licence. The Finnish government placed its operations on a permanent footing in 2000, and the institution adopted its current English name in 2001. It is organized as Laurea University of Applied Sciences Ltd, whose owners are municipalities and cities in Uusimaa together with the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities. This public and nonprofit-oriented ownership context is materially different from that of a commercial training provider. Laurea operates six campuses across Uusimaa: Tikkurila in Vantaa; Leppävaara and Otaniemi in Espoo; and campuses in Hyvinkää, Porvoo, and Lohja. Its official institutional figures report approximately 11,300 degree students, 712 staff members, and 2,700 degrees completed annually. These figures describe the institution as a whole, not the Vantaa campus alone. The university’s main areas of activity are wellbeing, safety, and business. Education is integrated with applied research, development, innovation, and regional collaboration. This makes Laurea most relevant to students seeking career-oriented higher education with structured engagement in practical projects. Prospective students should not assume that every subject or English-language programme is offered at every campus. The autumn 2026 English-language intake included campus-based, blended, and fully online options, principally connected with the Leppävaara and Tikkurila campuses.

Applications to Laurea’s degree programmes are generally submitted through Finland’s national Studyinfo joint-application system, although separate application routes also exist. Applicants can list up to six higher-education programmes in a joint application. Bachelor’s eligibility can be based on a Finnish qualification or a foreign qualification that grants higher-education eligibility in the country where it was awarded. Master’s applicants normally need an appropriate prior higher-education degree and must document at least two years of relevant work experience completed after that degree. Selection methods and documentation requirements differ by programme. Depending on the option, selection may involve an entrance examination, programme-specific assessment, certificate-based selection, or SAT results. For the spring 2026 round, designated business, information-technology, and safety programmes required proof of English for applicants using the International UAS Exam route. Nursing and Social Services applicants had to demonstrate at least B1 Finnish. These were 2026 programme-specific rules and should not be generalized to later intakes. The main January 2026 joint application for programmes beginning in autumn ran from 7 to 21 January 2026 and is now closed. Laurea’s next published joint round runs from 31 August to 10 September 2026 for programmes starting in spring 2027. Applicants should use the current programme page for exact eligibility, selection criteria, attachment deadlines, and language requirements. Admission may remain conditional until Laurea verifies certificates, work history, and any required tuition payment.

Laurea has legal and institutional authority to provide bachelor’s and master’s education. Its degree regulations distinguish the two levels, while official 2026 admissions material confirms active programmes at both levels. As a university of applied sciences, Laurea emphasizes professional competence and applied development rather than offering the disciplinary breadth or doctoral training typical of a research university. For the autumn 2026 English-language intake, Laurea advertised bachelor’s opportunities in areas including business management, business information technology, safety and risk management, hospitality and service design, nursing, and social services. Master’s options included service innovation and design, transformational change, global health and crisis management, and technology law. Availability, teaching language, campus, and delivery format can change between application rounds, so applicants should rely on the programme listing tied to their intended intake. The common pedagogical framework is Learning by Developing. Students work on authentic development assignments originating from workplaces or Laurea’s research, development, and innovation projects. The model combines theory, investigation, reflection, teamwork, and supervised feedback. It is designed to build project management, critical thinking, problem-solving, and professional networking skills, but it also requires active participation and responsibility within teams. Laurea’s 2026–2028 pedagogical framework recognizes daytime, blended, and online study as distinct delivery modes. Consequently, the weekly structure and amount of campus attendance depend on the selected programme. Work placements, projects, and other practice-oriented components may also carry field-specific requirements, particularly in health and social care.

Key Highlights

• Founded in Vantaa in 1991 and operating permanently as a university of applied sciences since 2000
• Six campuses across Finland’s Uusimaa region
• Officially reports approximately 11,300 degree students and 712 staff
• Owned primarily by Uusimaa municipalities and cities through a limited company

Student Life & Environment

Student experience varies across Laurea’s six campuses and according to whether a programme is taught on campus, in blended form, or online. Campus-based students have access to study services, academic and career guidance, international services, and wellbeing support. Laurea lists a counselling psychologist and special-education teacher among its support resources, while eligible degree students can use the Finnish Student Health Service. Laureamko, Laurea’s statutory student union, represents students in institutional and national decision-making. It trains tutors, organizes activities, and offers a digital student card to members. Activities described by the union include social events, company visits, team-building sessions, and board-game evenings. Campus teams provide a local point of contact, which is useful at an institution spread across several cities. Laurea does not operate its own student dormitories. Students must arrange accommodation independently, commonly through the Helsinki-region student housing organization HOAS or the private rental market. Laurea advises applicants to begin the housing search promptly after admission because obtaining an apartment can take months. This is an important planning consideration for international students and anyone relocating to Uusimaa. Online and blended students should separately assess attendance requirements before deciding where to live.

Location & Surroundings

Although the database record identifies Vantaa, Laurea is a multi-campus institution serving the wider Uusimaa region. Its administrative contact point and Tikkurila campus are at Ratatie 22 in Vantaa, directly opposite Tikkurila railway station and the Dixi shopping centre. This location offers rail and other public-transport connections within the Helsinki metropolitan area and toward Helsinki Airport. The other campuses are in Leppävaara and Otaniemi in Espoo, Hyvinkää, Porvoo, and Lohja. Leppävaara is near Sello shopping centre and is accessible by train and bus, while Otaniemi is within Espoo’s university and innovation district and is served by metro and bus. Porvoo is a shared campus with Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. Laurea has also announced that a new Hyvinkää campus will open in 2027. Applicants should verify the exact campus attached to their programme before arranging housing or estimating commuting time. The institution’s housing guidance recommends checking public-transport routes carefully and notes that living farther from a campus or city centre may expand the available rental options.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For students beginning under the current fee schedule, Laurea charges tuition for English-taught degree study when the student is a citizen outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland and does not hold a qualifying exemption. The published annual fees are EUR 9,500 for bachelor’s programmes and EUR 11,000 for master’s programmes. New first-year fee-paying students must pay the entire first academic year by the deadline for accepting the place. The fee covers tuition only; it excludes housing, insurance, residence-permit costs, travel, and everyday living expenses. Laurea’s scholarship scheme is aimed at students who pay annual tuition. The published criteria allow a scholarship of up to 15% of the annual fee, based on completing at least 60 relevant credits in the preceding academic year or passing specified Finnish-language YKI tests. Students should treat this as performance-based support rather than guaranteed first-year funding. Laurea does not provide dormitories and advises budgeting approximately EUR 500–800 per month for housing. That is institutional guidance rather than a guaranteed rent, and actual costs depend on location, room type, and market availability. Career preparation is embedded in Laurea’s Learning by Developing model through employer and community projects, practical problem-solving, and professional contacts. Study and career guidance is available, but applicants should examine the curriculum for their chosen programme to understand placements, professional recognition, and any Finnish-language expectations in regulated or client-facing fields.