7,400 students apply to Helsinki University Int´l Masters programme

A total of 7,401 applications were received in the international master’s programme application round of the University of Helsinki, which was 58% higher than that in the previous year, said the university in a press release.

The application round ended on Friday.

The most popular programme was the Master’s Programme in Data Science, with a total of 573 applications. The Master’s Programme in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability was in the second place with 532 applications, while the Master’s Programme in Computer Science was third with 490 applications.

Applications were received from 150 countries (128 in 2020). After Finland, the highest number of applications was submitted from Pakistan (424), followed by China (376) and India (374).

In terms of percentage, Tunisian applicants increased their share the most. Finnish applicants accounted for 19.5% (24% in 2020) of all applicants.

The percentage of applicants subject to a tuition fee or non-EU and non-EEA applicants was 68% (62% in 2020). From among the applicants subject to a tuition fee, 87% also applied for a grant.

In this round, applications were also accepted only for enrolment in the English-language bachelor’s programme at the University of Helsinki, the Bachelor's Programme in Science.

Additional applications to this programme will be received at a later date in the second application round in March. During this round, the programme received 156 applications, 13 more than in last year.

“International applicants increasingly find the University of Helsinki an attractive institution of higher education. It’s wonderful that neither the coronavirus pandemic nor Brexit has reduced our applicant numbers,” said the university’s Director of Development Susanna Niinistö Sivuranta from Teaching and Learning Services.