University of Oulu
Oulun yliopisto
Finland's northern multidisciplinary university and home of the world's first 6G research centre.
- Students
- 14,800
- Tuition
- €10,000
- 2027-28
- Founded
- 1958
- QS World Ranking
- #360
- 2027 edition
About UniOulu
The University of Oulu was founded in 1958 and began teaching in 1959 with faculties of philosophy and technology, adding medicine in 1960. It is one of the largest and most multidisciplinary universities in Finland, with about 14,800 students and 4,300 employees in eight faculties: Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Education and Psychology, Humanities, Medicine, Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Science, Technology, and Oulu Business School. Its main campus is at Linnanmaa, north of the city centre.
Oulu's defining strength is wireless communications, a field it has worked in since the first mobile generation in the 1980s. It hosts the 6G Flagship, the world's first 6G research centre, and is also known for Arctic research, hydrogen and green steel, and data science. Oulu Business School is AACSB accredited, and the Oulu School of Architecture is the world's northernmost architecture school.
For international students, Oulu offers four English-taught bachelor's programmes, each a 3+2 path to a master's: Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Software Engineering and Information Systems, and International Business Management. Students are selected mainly on SAT scores or, for some qualifications, school grades. It suits technically minded students who want a strong ICT education, low living costs and a northern city close to the Arctic Circle.
Why students choose UniOulu
The 6G Flagship makes Oulu a centre for wireless and ICT research, and the English-taught bachelor's programmes draw on it.
Each English bachelor's leads straight into a master's (3+2 years), so you apply once for five years of study.
Non-EU fees are EUR 10,000 a year, with a 30% Early Bird discount and tuition waivers of 20-30% from the second year for students who complete 60 credits.
Living costs are about EUR 800-1,000 a month including PSOAS student housing, where rent averages EUR 250-550 a month.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry
Selectivity
Oulu does not publish an overall admit rate. Applicants are ranked by SAT or ACT score or, for Finnish Matriculation, IB, EB and some German qualifications, by points from their grades, and places are offered in rank order.
Typical entry requirements
| General eligibility | A qualification that makes you eligible for research-university study in the country where it was awarded |
|---|---|
| SAT (all bachelor's programmes) | Minimum 1050-1250 total depending on programme, with a Math minimum of 570-670 for the ICT programmes |
| IB / EB / Finnish Matriculation | Certificate-based selection in the joint application for all four programmes except International Business Management's rolling round; IB and EB predicted grades due 1 April 2027 |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 78 IELTS Academic 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each section; TOEFL iBT 78 for tests before 21 January 2026, or 4.0 with at least 3.5 per section on the new scale; PTE Academic 62 (writing 61); Cambridge C1 Advanced grade C. Certain previous education in English or upper secondary qualifications can also count. |
Deadlines
- Joint application (all English-taught bachelor's and master's) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~4 months21 January 2027, 15:00 (UTC+2)
Open 7-21 January 2027; supporting documents due 28 January 2027; IB/EB predicted grades by 1 April 2027; study place confirmation by 13 July 2027.
- Rolling admission: International Business Management Non-binding In ~5 months25 February 2027, 15:00 (UTC+2)
Opens 1 October 2026 at 08:00; first results two weeks after opening and places must be confirmed within three weeks. Closes early if all places fill. SAT/ACT verification by 11 March 2027.
Dates are from the University of Oulu's 2027 bachelor's admissions timeline; the university notes the processing schedule may still change during autumn 2026, but application periods will not.
How to apply
Apply through Finland's national Studyinfo.fi system. International Business Management has a rolling admission round based solely on SAT or ACT; all four English bachelor's programmes are also in the January joint application, where you can list up to six programmes at different institutions. Upload all educational documents with the application; admitted students must later submit verified copies. Non-EU/EEA applicants pay an application fee to the Finnish National Agency for Education.
What admissions looks for
- A strong SAT score above the programme minimum, especially in Math for the ICT programmes; the highest single sitting counts.
- For certificate-based selection, strong grades in the Finnish Matriculation, IB, EB or eligible German qualifications.
- Eligibility for research-university study in your home system.
- Proof of English at the required level.
Tips for applying to UniOulu
- 1 Apply early to International Business Management's rolling round: it closes as soon as places are filled, possibly before 25 February 2027.
- 2 Book the SAT well ahead and send scores electronically to code 9079; superscores are not accepted and only tests from after 2016 count.
- 3 Pay the first-year fee within three weeks of your result to get the 30% Early Bird discount (EUR 7,000 instead of EUR 10,000).
- 4 Plan for the Finnish language studies required to keep your tuition waiver from the second year.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in EUR
Bachelor's students who pay the first-year fee within three weeks of admission get a 30% Early Bird discount. From the second year, students who complete at least 60 ECTS credits (including required Finnish studies) receive a tuition fee waiver of 30% (ICT programmes) or 20% (International Business Management, rising to 30% in the master's phase). Non-EU students need EUR 9,600 in funds for a residence permit.
- 30%, EUR 10,000 to EUR 7,000
- Early Bird discount (first year)
- 20-30% with 60 ECTS completed
- Tuition waiver from year two
- EUR 9,600
- Residence permit funds requirement
- EUR 60 per year
- Student Union fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Academic year from August/September, in two semesters
Computer Science and Engineering (BSc + MSc, English)
The most selective of Oulu's English bachelor's, with a minimum SAT of 1250 and Math 670.
Electronics and Communications Engineering (BSc + MSc, English)
Built on Oulu's wireless communications research, which dates back to the first mobile generation and now includes the 6G Flagship.
Software Engineering and Information Systems (BSc + MSc, English)
A 3+2 route into software and information systems, SAT minimum 1050 with Math 570.
International Business Management (BSc + MSc, English)
Taught at AACSB-accredited Oulu Business School, with a rolling admission round based on SAT or ACT.
Architecture (MSc)
The Oulu School of Architecture is the northernmost architecture school in the world.
Mining and geosciences
Oulu Mining School covers the whole mining value chain, with English-taught master's programmes.
Research
- The 6G Flagship, the world's first 6G research centre, is hosted by the university.
- The Digital Waters Flagship, coordinated by Oulu, builds digital twins of entire water systems.
- Profile areas include Arctic biodiversity, hydrogen and sustainable steel, the InStreams circular economy hub and FibroHealth research on fibrosis.
- Jarkko Oikarinen wrote the first Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server and client while working at the university in 1988.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
- Faculty of Education and Psychology
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Technology
- Oulu Business School
Student life
Oulu is a student city with a strong outdoor side: the Linnanmaa campus is surrounded by pine forest, and Lapland and the Arctic Circle are a couple of hours' drive away. Most international students live in PSOAS student housing, where rent includes heating, internet and laundry, and campus restaurants serve student lunches from under EUR 1 to about EUR 6. The Student Union (OYY) is mandatory for degree students, and the UniMove sports service costs EUR 58. In 2026 Oulu was a European Capital of Culture. International students rate the accommodation and value for money highly in the International Student Barometer.
- Oulu was European Capital of Culture in 2026.
- PSOAS student housing with rent from about EUR 250 to 550 a month.
- Student lunches from EUR 0.84 to 5.90 at campus restaurants.
- UniMove university sports membership (EUR 58).
Housing. Most international students rent through the student housing foundation PSOAS, averaging EUR 250-550 a month including heating, internet and laundry.
Location
Oulu is a city in northern Finland, a couple of hours' drive from the Arctic Circle and Finnish Lapland, and European Capital of Culture in 2026. Decades of wireless research at the university have fostered an ecosystem of technology experts and companies around it. The university estimates living costs at EUR 800-1,000 a month including student housing, and a monthly bus pass costs EUR 52.
Nearest airport: Oulu Airport (OUL)
Notable alumni
- JS Juha SipiläPrime Minister of Finland 2015-2019; MSc (Technology) from Oulu
- JO Jarkko OikarinenInventor of Internet Relay Chat (IRC); PhD from Oulu in 1999
- HR Hannu RajaniemiScience fiction author of The Quantum Thief and biotech entrepreneur; BSc in mathematics
- LP Leena Peltonen-PalotieGeneticist who helped identify 15 genes for Finnish heritage diseases; doctoral thesis at Oulu
- PA Pekka AikioPresident of the Sami Parliament of Finland 1996-2008; studied biology
- VH Vuokko HirvonenScholar of Sámi literature and education; doctorate from Oulu, Alumna of the Year 2020
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Oulu require the SAT?
Yes, for most applicants. All English bachelor's programmes select by SAT (minimums from 1050 to 1250), and International Business Management also accepts the ACT (20). IB, EB and Finnish Matriculation holders can use certificate-based selection in the joint application.
When is the University of Oulu application deadline for 2027?
The joint application runs from 7 to 21 January 2027. International Business Management also has a rolling round from 1 October 2026 to 25 February 2027 that can close early.
How much is tuition at the University of Oulu?
EUR 10,000 a year for non-EU/EEA students on all four English bachelor's programmes, reduced to EUR 7,000 in year one with the Early Bird discount. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition.
What IELTS score does the University of Oulu require?
IELTS Academic 6.0 with no section below 5.5, or TOEFL iBT 78 (for tests before 21 January 2026).
Are there scholarships at the University of Oulu for bachelor's students?
Yes: a 30% Early Bird discount on first-year tuition, then tuition waivers of 20-30% from the second year for students who complete 60 credits a year.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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