New student
Welcome to study at Xamk!
Accept the offer of admission by 28 November 2024, 3 pm Finnish time (UTC +2).
Accept the offer and enrol as student through My Studyinfo service or via the link included in the email you received from Studyinfo.
Accept the offer within 7 days from the notice of admission if you are:
- admitted from the waiting list after 28 November, or
- admitted in supplementary application.
If you cannot accept the offer electronically, please contact the Admission Services.
If you do not accept the offer by the deadline, you will lose it.
Accepting an offer of admission is a binding choice, and you cannot cancel or change your choice later. When you accept an offer of admission bindingly, all the other higher education study programmes you have applied to in the joint or separate applications will automatically be cancelled.
You can only accept one offer of admission for higher education study programmes beginning in spring semester 2025 (1 January – 31 July).
Rolling admission
Accept the offer of admission within three weeks (21 days) from the notice of admission. The exact deadline is given in the admission letter.
- To get the Early Bird scholarship: accept the offer within 7 days from the notice of admission.
Accept the offer through My Studyinfo service or via the link included in the email you received from Studyinfo. If you are exempted from tuition fees, enrol as student when accepting the offer.
If you cannot accept the offer electronically, please contact the Admission Services.
If you do not accept the offer by the deadline, you will lose it.
Accepting an offer of admission is a binding choice, and you cannot cancel or change your choice later.
You can only accept one offer of admission for higher education study programmes beginning in autumn semester 2025 (1 August – 31 December). When you accept an offer of admission bindingly, you cannot be accepted to other higher education degree programmes starting in the same academic term (through the Joint application, spring 2025 or other separate applications for the August 2025 intake).
Enrol as an attending or non-attending student when accepting the offer of admission. The link for enrolment appears on the screen after you have accepted the offer of admission.
- If you do not enrol as a student, you are not granted a study right at Xamk.
- If you are liable to pay tuition fee: See instructions for paying the tuition fee and pay the fee by the given deadline. Your enrolment for attendance will be registered automatically after your tuition fee payment has been received at Xamk.
Do you need to postpone the beginning of studies?
You can postpone the beginning of studies, if you have acceptable grounds for enrolling for non-attendance. In this case you need to accept the offer of admission, enrol for non-attendance and deliver a certificate on the acceptable grounds for the non-attendance by the deadline for accepting the study place offer.
Only the following reasons are acceptable grounds for non-attendance for the first study year:
- You complete military service, civilian service or voluntary military service for women in Finland.
- You need leave from studies to care for child in connection with the child’s birth or adoption.
- You are unable to begin your studies due to illness or disability.
If any certificate needed in student selection is missing from your application form, Xamk Admission Services will notify you about it by email. You can access your application form through My Studyinfo service or via the link you received from Studyinfo after submitting your application.
If you have been asked to upload missing certificates to your application form, upload the documents by the following deadlines:
- January 2025 intake: by 28 November 2024
- August 2025 intake: by 10 July 2025
The student selection is conditional until information about your qualifications used for applying has been checked. Qualifications are verified either from the national database in Finland or from the certificate copies uploaded on the application form.
Residence permit for non-EU/EEA citizens
Non-EU/EEA students need a student residence permit for the studies delivered on campus. Note that you cannot apply for a residence permit for studies that are delivered fully online.
Admitted applicants receive an offer of admission email including a pdf-file “Offer of Admission” from Xamk. You can use that email and the attachment as certificate of acceptance when applying to your first residence permit. In addition, attach a receipt of the paid tuition fee, given by your bank, to the residence permit application.
You will need to add your Learner ID code to your residence permit application. The code helps the Finnish Immigration Service in processing your application more fluently. You can find this code from the offer of admission email you received from Xamk.
The residence permit application is submitted online but in addition, you must personally visit a Finnish embassy or consulate for identification as part of this process. The process takes several months.
Submit your residence permit application and book the required appointment to the Finnish embassy/consulate immediately (within a week from admission), to ensure you have the permit in time and can be present on campus by the given deadline.
To find the nearest Finnish embassy/consulate and to check their instructions for appointment booking, please visit Finland abroad website. It is important to act quickly because the appointment times may be limited in some embassies/consulates.
Instructions for a student residence permit
- Guide for students to apply for a residence permit
- Instructions on the Finnish Immigration Service website
- Video: how to get a student’s residence permit in Finland
- All videos and webinars on Finnish Immigration Service channel on YouTube
Residence permit or visa for part-time studies
The Finnish Immigration Services make decisions on residence permits for part-time studies on a case-by-case basis. Information on the mode of study is included in the admission notice and certificate of attendance for the purpose of applying for a residence permit. In case the residence permit is not granted, the student may apply for a travel visa for the contact lesson days.
If you are a citizen of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you do not need a residence permit to enter Finland. However, you may need to apply for EU-registration. See instructions for EU citizens on the Finnish Immigration Service website.
If you need a certificate about your study place at Xamk before the studies begin:
- you can use the result email sent for all applicants in Joint Application.
- you can use the email sent from Xamk’s Admission Services.
- you can download the certificate by yourself from the student register Peppi.
Instructions on travelling
It is important that you get to know the regulations for a smooth enter to Finland. If you are planning to apply for a D visa for entering to Finland, read the instructions carefully. Follow the regulations also closer to your arrival as situations / instructions may change at short notice. Get to know Finnish Government’s information about Travel to and From Finland.
Register with the DVV
Remember to register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency when you start your studies in Finland. The registration is free of charge and beneficial for you.
Register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) for the following reasons:
- You will be given a Finnish personal identity code unless you have already received one from the Finnish Immigration Service or the Finnish Tax Administration. In Finland, a personal identity code is used to identify persons. You must have a personal identity code
- to receive a transcript of study records from your Finnish university.
- when you deal with the Finnish authorities.
- You will be registered an address in Finland. The address can be registered as temporary or as permanent.
Note that you may need to have a Finnish personal identity code and a registered address in Finland to open a bank account or to get a service contract with mobile phone operator.
Before the studies begin
You will need to have the username and password at use when the studies begin. If you have online banking codes from a bank in Finland, you can get Xamk username by logging in to the identity service.
The username for new students is available in the service 30 days before the studies begin.
The service uses online banking codes from a bank in Finland for authentication and to activate your Xamk username you need to change your password there.
Please write down the username you get from the service.
In case you face problems either in authentication or in creating your own password, please try again later. If it still will not succeed, you can create a service desk help request to IT support at Xinfo.
If you do not have access to the identity service:
- Students who do not have a Finnish ID number and therefore cannot access the identity service will get the username from the Student Affairs Office before the studies begin.
- If you have a Finnish ID number but do not have online banking codes from a bank in Finland to access the service with, please contact the Student Affairs Office at Xinfo and request for the username.
With the username you can access the intranet Lux.
Please add @edu.xamk.fi after your username when you are logging in. During the studies all news, instructions and other information are provided for students through the intranet service.
Students primarily use their own devices like laptops in the studies. There are given recommendations for the device and support available also before the studies begin.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Xamk uses multi-step authentication, which you must enable when logging in for the first time to a service that requires authentication. Read the instructions before logging in.
Familiarize yourself with studying at Xamk and the services available for students, as well as digital studying environment by completing these two online courses in Xamk Learn – digital learning environment. You can work with the course materials and tasks when it suits you best, and sign out whenever you need without losing any completed tasks. When you are finished, you may upload a certificate to be used later on in Study and career planning course.
Online orientation course 1: Digital environments (2025)
Online orientation course 2: Xamk orientation (2025)
Information package for new students (PDF, published later)
Study skills course
You can acquire the first 2 ECTS credits by completing the optional course Study skills. The course opens on 1 November. The course consists of 8 sections including versatile material, and assignments about various study-related topics. After completing all assignments, the teacher will give you the grade ‘Pass’ in Xamk’s Peppi system.
You can join the course here: Study skills, November 2024 – May 2025 | Xamk Learn. When signing in the course for the first time, use the course key: skills2425.
This course is a valuable source of different study skills and a new student can reflect his/her readiness for higher education studies. Note that this course is a bachelor-level course. If a master student completes this course the 2 credits will be included in your personal study plan as extra credits.
Tuudo is a mobile app designed to help students in their everyday life.
- Download Tuudo app free of charge from the app store of your phone (Google Play Store, Apple App Store).
- Open Tuudo and select South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences – Xamk from the list of institutions.
- Log in with the student account from the menu and you will have access to all sections on Tuudo.
- Or select “Proceed” in the New student section (no login required) and you can check new student’s orientation path.
Student health care services
All degree students (bachelor and master degrees) enrolled for attendance in higher education can use the health care services provided by FSHS. Students can use the health care services primarily in the town where the studies are located in but also remote services and consultations are available.
Students need to pay the fee on their own initiative according to instructions given by Kela. The fee must be paid by the given deadline (see Kela website) in the beginning of the semester.
Check the instructions for new students at FSHS page.
Students who are entitled to FSHS services are required to pay the health care fee annually to Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, regardless if they use the services or not. Kela is a government agency that provides basic economic security for everyone living in Finland.
Also foreign students must pay the healthcare fee. You don’t have to pay the fee if you have social security coverage from another EU/EEA country or from Switzerland or the United Kingdom and you send the required document of it to Kela.
Students from EU/EEA countries: European Health Insurance Card
Students from other EU or EEA countries than Finland will have to provide a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) when accessing FSHS services. The card must be obtained before coming to Finland.
Students from Britain and Northern Ireland may provide a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).Students will have to present the card at each visit, whether remote or in person. In the absence of a card, students may provide a provisional replacement certificate.
Financial aid for Finnish students
Kela financial aid is available in the form of study grant, government guarantee for a student loan and housing supplement (available on certain conditions only). The qualifying conditions for student financial aid are: full-time study, academic progress and need of financial assistance.
Students are eligible for general housing allowance on the same terms as everyone else. Find out more from Kela website.
If you are unemployed or about to lose your job in Finland, consult your TE services office for information on the possibility for independent study supported by unemployment benefit.
If you are not a Finnish citizen and have come to Finland for study purposes, the general rule is that you cannot get financial aid from Finland. The eligibility criteria for financial aid from Kela is available on their website.
Working while studying
In the full-time studies there are requirements for presence on lectures and other practical study methods in daytime, during weekdays. Though students may work part-time during the studies, one is not advised to plan the personal finances on it. Finding a part-time work may be difficult, especially without knowledge of the Finnish language.
Students with a residence permit for studies have a limited right to work during the academic year, see Finnish Immigration Service website for more information. Also then the main purpose of the stay in Finland is studying and making progress in the studies.
Student union Kaakko and student card
Student Union Kaakko is present on all four campuses of South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences: Mikkeli, Savonlinna, Kouvola and Kotka. Any member of Student Union Kaakko may apply to become an active operator in the student union. The work to promote and support student life is important and interesting – if you would like to join, keep your eyes and ears open year-round so that you will not miss the application process.
Joining student union as a member is the official and for this reason the recommendable way to receive the official student statement and student card,
which gives you access to numerous student discounts and makes your life much cheaper and easier in Finland. The student card also works as a smartphone app (android and IOS) under the app called slice.fi.
The undertakings specified in the Universities of Applied Sciences Act will continue to be the most important responsibilities of the student union: it acts as a link between its members, promoting their social and intellectual objectives and efforts, as well as their objectives related to studies and students’ position in society. For its part, the student union prepares students for an active and critical citizenship and promotes social awareness. South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences has various bodies and steering groups that include representatives from Student Union Kaakko.
If you decide not to join the student union, there are some student benefits available with separate certificates. The Student Affairs Office will give you information on them during the orientation week..
Campuses and student housing
Apply your student housing well ahead of your arrival to Finland to ensure you have the accommodation prepared and you can start your studies on campus by the given deadline. Every campus city has different instructions for applying the student housing, follow the instructions and apply your student housing immediately after you have accepted the offered study place. Note that Xamk does not offer any accommodations for students.
At our Kotka Campus, approximately 3500 future experts in technology, social and health care, and business administration study. A new campus is being constructed in Kotka’s main port, set to be completed in 2024. The new campus facilities are designed to be flexible, allowing us to better utilize various simulation environments and laboratories.
Our research and development activities are multidisciplinary and impactful. At the Kotka Campus, we focus on areas such as manageable, secure, and user-friendly cybersecurity. We are also a leading educator in oil spill response.
Kotka is known for its parks, vibrant cultural scene, and Maritime Days, representing the spirit of a lively maritime and port city.
Every year, Kouvola Campus graduates designers, artenoms, professionals in the well-being sector, business, and technology directly meeting the needs of the workforce.
Our research and development activities are multidisciplinary and impactful. For instance, at Kouvola Campus, we focus on railway logistics, gamification, and user-centered design.
Kouvola offers hundreds of sports clubs, cultural activities, music, and opportunities for outdoor activities.
At our Mikkeli Campus, we operate with a particularly broad scope. There are approximately 4600 students, including future engineers, forest engineers, hospitality management professionals, as well as experts in social and health care, and business administration.
In our research and development activities, we focus on developing evidence-based well-being services measured in Mikkeli. We also conduct youth research aimed at equality, as well as the development of environmental safety and circular economy.
The Mikkeli campus is located about a 10-minute walk from the market square.
At our Savonlinna Campus, approximately 1500 professionals in social and health care, engineering, and safety fields are studying. The advantage of the smaller campus is the opportunity to focus on individualized study guidance and a sense of community.
Our research and development activities are multidisciplinary and impactful. In Savonlinna, you’ll find Xamk’s fiber laboratory, where we develop processes for the treatment and further processing of forest biomass and wood fiber into new fiber products.
The Savonlinna campus is located in the city center, by the shores of Lake Saimaa.
Contact Admission Services
Xamk’s Admissions Services primarily assists with matters related to applying for degree studies. You can contact us by phone or through our online form.
Mon-Fri 09.00-15.00
Degree education in Finnish:
- +358 44 702 8891
- +358 40 585 6610
Degree education in English:
- +358 40 585 6610
Contact request via online form: