Applicable studies refer to studies that provide you with the competence to successfully study towards a Master’s degree in the programme you are applying to.
Applicable studies can either be studies which are included in the degree that you use as a basis for eligibility, or these studies can be also studies that are not part of the degree. If your previous degree (the one which you use as the basis of eligibility) is from a difference scientific discipline than the Master’s Programme that you are applying to, you must show that you have conducted studies that are applicable to the scientific discipline of the Master’s Programme. Therefore, the faculty, when considering your application, can also take into account (depending on their admission criteria) the studies that you have completed outside/apart of your degree, such as in an open university or as part of another degree.
The grades of the applicable studies are usually taken into account, but the extent depends on the admission criteria of each programme. In general, high grades (usually measured by a GPA) are required. In each application round, however, applicants are compared to each other and only the best will be accepted. Because of this, the more detailed minimum grade levels differ per year and per study programme. For this reason, the University of Helsinki cannot assess the sufficiency of an applicant’s GPA or grade level beforehand.
For some Master’s Programmes, the applicable studies are described in detail in the admission criteria. This is the case if the Master’s Programme in question requires studies from a certain field. Please refer to the admission criteria of the Master’s programme of your choice for more details.
If the admission criteria of the programme you are applying to does not explicitly state which studies can be considered applicable or to give eligibility for the programme, you may try to assess the applicability of your studies yourself, for example:
No preliminary assessment on the eligibility of prior studies are made since the completed studies will be assessed in conjunction with the admission decision.