Non-degree studies in Theology

Applicants may be granted the right to pursue non-degree studies if they have completed an academic degree by the deadline for applications. The degree may be a Finnish university degree or a degree completed at a university abroad which the Finnish National Agency for Education has recognised as comparable to a Finnish university degree. An exception to the above is the discipline of Romani and Roma culture, for which applications are accepted from applicants with an upper secondary qualification.

The right to pursue non-degree studies cannot be granted to applicants enrolled as degree students at any Finnish university at the time when they must inform the University of Helsinki of their acceptance of the right to pursue non-degree studies (see Scope and duration of the right to study, fees to be collected and acceptance of the student place).

University of Helsinki degree students graduating during the spring term of 2024 may apply for the right to pursue non-degree studies, but their degree must be completed before the right to pursue non-degree studies begins  (see Scope and duration of the right to study, fees to be collected and acceptance of the student place).

Degree students from other Finnish universities can apply for the right to pursue studies at the Faculty of Arts under the JOO Flexible Study Right Scheme. The right to complete non-degree studies cannot be granted even in the case that the applicant’s home university does not support the JOO application.

The right to complete non-degree studies may be granted for studies that provide the qualifications required for

• a clerical post in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland if the applicant has completed a Master of Theology degree and wishes to supplement it, or
• subject teachers (60 cr, basic and intermediate studies) of Catholic or Islamic religion. 

Study rights are granted only for modules or courses of a minimum scope. For each application, the applicant may be granted the right to complete up to 100 credits.

Information on study modules:

• Studies in Catholic Religion (60 cr) 
• Studies in Islam for Subject Teacher (60 cr)

Studies that the right to complete non-degree studies does not cover

• However, the application process for non-degree studies does not include modules and related courses offered by the University of Helsinki Open University during the academic year (inculding summer teaching) in the Helsinki region or as web-based studies. Because the basic and intermediate studies (Evangelical Lutheran religion) in Theology and Religious Studies can be completed at the University of Helsinki’s Open University, they cannot be completed as non-degree studies. If other modules or study units are added to the teaching programme of the University of Helsinki Open University before the curriculum is confirmed in May, the right to complete non-degree studies in those modules and study units cannot be granted even if applications for them have been accepted. Even in the case that Open University studies are unsuitable for some reason for the applicant, the applicant cannot be granted the right to pursue the above-mentioned studies as a non-degree student. 

Applicants must have the required knowledge and skills to complete the studies applied for. The prerequisite knowledge and skills can be assessed on the basis of previous studies.

Course-specific prerequisites have been defined in discipline-specific degree requirements (“previous studies”). Applicants may be granted the right to complete a single course as non-degree studies if no previous studies are required for the course or the applicant has completed the required studies, or if the applicant can likely demonstrate by 31 August 2024 that he or she has completed the required studies or the applicant is applying for the right to complete the required studies in the same application process.

The right to complete an intermediate study module can be granted if the applicant has completed the preceding module (basic studies), or the applicant can likely demonstrate by 31 August 2024 that he or she has completed the preceding module, or the applicant is applying for the right to complete the preceding module or the courses missing from it in the same application process.

As a rule, studies at the Faculty of Theology are completed in Finnish or Swedish.

Applicants must demonstrate that they are proficient in one of these languages. Typically, applicants have completed an academic degree in Finnish or Swedish, in which case they can demonstrate language skills with their degree diploma.

The different ways that applicants can demonstrate their language proficiency has been decided on in Rector’s Decision No HY/9199/00.00.06.00/2022. If you have not completed an academic degree in Finnish or Swedish, you can find information on how to demonstrate your language proficiency here in Finnish and here in Swedish. Proof of language proficiency can be demonstrated only as specified in the Rector’s Decision. Language proficiency must be demonstrated by 31 August 2024.

At the Faculty of Theology, the application procedure for non-degree studies is organised annually in April. The next application will take place on 2.-16.4.2024 at 15:00.

The application form is electronic. Please contact Metsätalo Student Services if you have questions regarding the accessibility of the application form.

Enclosures to the application must also be submitted within the application period. The application enclosures should primarily be submitted electronically as attachments to the electronic application form (saved or scanned as a PDF file). Exeptionally the enclosures may be sent to the Metsätalo Student Serives either per e-mail or as hard copies ; if you send the enclosures by post, please mark the envelope with the Finnish words “Erilliset opinnot, teologinen tiedekunta” (non-degree studies).

Each applicant can submit up to three applications.

Application 1: studies required for a clerical post in the Evan­gel­ical Lutheran Church of Fin­land

The application 1 can be used to apply for the right to complete studies required for a clerical post in the Evan­gel­ical Lutheran Church of Fin­land when the applicant has completed a Master of Theology degree (in Finland) or a higher university degree that includes equivalent studies. These studies will be assessed at the time of application. The modules and/or courses must be identified in the application.

Application form, application 1 (in Finnish and Swedish, the link will be added later)

Application 2: studies required for subject teachers of Catholic or Islamic religion.

The application 2 can be used to apply for the right to complete the basic and intermediate study modules in a discipline representing a school subject to be taught. Applicants can apply for the right to complete an entire module or incomplete parts of a module. Applicants granted the right to pursue non-degree studies will be notified of the studies that they must complete to obtain the qualification. If the applicant has an old equivalency statement, the studies might change from those specified in the statement.

The right to complete non-degree studies can be granted to those who submit a teacher application in the following two cases:

• The applicant has completed a second-cycle degree and studies in education for teachers or holds the right to complete such studies at a Finnish university on the closing date for applications.
• The applicant has completed a second-cycle degree but has not completed certain pre-determined courses which he or she must complete to receive a certificate of equivalence for the school subject to be taught (typically needed to apply for studies in education for teachers).

Application form, application 2 in Finnish and Swedish.

Applications must be accompanied by the documents specified on the application form or instructions. The official who processes applications may also request the submission of particular documents.

Typically, applicants must submit a copy of their degree diploma together with any appendices and supplements as well as a transcript of studies. Other possible enclosures include a language certificate, an equivalency certificate or statement on studies required for teacher qualifications, a certificate of the expiry of the right to study, and a statement on the estimated date of completion of incomplete studies (if such studies are a prerequisite for the studies applied for).

No enclosures need be submitted for studies and degrees that have been completed at the University of Helsinki. Such studies and degrees will be verified directly from the student register. Copies of equivalency statements issued by the Faculty of Theology must be submitted when studies specified in the statement are being applied for.

When submitting enclosures, please ensure that your transcript of studies contains all pages and that the copy of your degree diploma contains all appendices and supplements (all pages).

The copies need not be certified. If necessary, the Faculty will ask the applicant to present the original document. If an applicant provides incomplete or inaccurate information, his or her study right may be revoked.

Only the requested enclosures should be submitted with the application. Applicants should not submit any other unrequested documents, such as a letter of justification, letter of motivation, employer’s statement or recommendation, testimonials, CVs or language course diplomas for other languages than Finnish or Swedish. These will receive no consideration when deciding whether to grant the right to pursue non-degree studies.

The dean of the Faculty decides on granting the right to complete non-degree studies after consulting the relevant degree programme.

Applicants will be notified of the decision by email as soon as it has been made, most likely in May 2024. If your email address changes after the closing date for applications, please notify the Metsätalo Student Services.

The decision to grant the right to study depends not only on the resources of each degree programme, but also on the number of applicants for specific studies.

If all applications cannot be accepted, priority will be given to applicants who need to complete the least amount of studies to qualify in their teaching subject or for a post in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. If a discipline’s teaching resources also permit the admission of applicants who wish to complete entire modules, such applicants can be ranked based on their previous academic performance.

The Faculty may also grant conditional rights to complete non-degree studies or grant rights to complete only some of the studies applied for. In the former case, the right to study will take effect only if the specified conditions are met by the set deadline. Common conditions include a receipt of payment for the study right fee or a certificate of the completion of previous studies.

Students pursuing non-degree studies may complete only those studies for which the right was granted. They are not enrolled at the University of Helsinki as degree students and do not have the right to complete a degree at the University.

Being granted the right to complete a specific course (or module) as non-degree studies does not guarantee that this course (or module) will be taught before the right expires. If the course cannot be completed by attending teaching, it can typically be completed as a book examination or an essay. The teaching schedule for the 2024 autumn semester will be published by the end of June and the schedule for the spring semester will be published by the end of September.

The right to study is free of charge if it applies to studies which the applicant needs to qualify as a subject teacher and if the applicant has completed studies in education for teachers by the closing date for applications or holds the right to complete such studies at a Finnish university on the closing date for applications.

Otherwise, a fee will be collected. According to the rector’s decision, a fee of €15 per credit will be collected for non-degree studies.

Applicants who are granted the right to pursue non-degree studies must inform the Faculty by 31 May 2024 of their acceptance of this right. If they fail to inform the Faculty, their study right will be revoked.

If the study right is free of charge and unconditional, it will take effect on 1 August 2024.

If the study right is subject to a fee, it will take effect once proof of payment is submitted, but no earlier than 1 August 2024. Proof of payment must be presented no later than 31 August 2024.

If the study right is conditional, it will take effect once the conditions indicated in the decision are met, but no earlier than 1 August 2024. Applicants must prove that they meet the conditions by 31 August 2024. The conditions may include meeting the required prerequisite knowledge and skills (test) or proving the completion of previous studies (e.g., completion of the basic studies module).

The right to study will expire once the student has completed the studies for which the right was granted, but no later than 31 July 2026.

When the student’s study right for non-degree studies is coming to an end, a one-year extension to the study period may be granted, provided that the student gives compelling reasons for the extension. The application must be submitted to the Dean no later that 31.10.2026. 

Rectification procedure

If the applicant considers the decision on the right to non-degree studies erroneous, he or she may request a rectification of the decision. The request must be made in writing and it must indicate which decision and which part of the decision is to be rectified, how the decision should be altered and on what grounds. The request for rectification should be addressed to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and submitted to the Metsätalo Student Services (metsatalo-student@helsinki.fi). The request must be submitted to the Student Services within 14 days of when the applicant has first received the decision. The applicant is considered to have received the decision three days after it was posted to the applicant.