Accessibility in student admission at TAMK

Diverse admission procedures to degree education

The different admissions procedures of joint application make admission of diverse students possible. In addition to the certificate admission and joint entrance examination of universities of applied sciences, admission is possible through completion of an admission course or advance assignments and participation in an interview. The diverse admissions procedures support admission of diverse students. In addition to joint application, it is also possible to have a study place by completing open UAS studies and applying in the open path application. Upper secondary students may complete path studies alongside their upper secondary studies and that way apply for bachelor’s degree studies.

New admissions procedures to degree education are being developed continuously. In spring 2022, it was possible to apply for the Degree Programme in Network Learning and Competencies based on an admission course or advance assignments. The degree programme can in future be applied flexibly by completing an admission course. The TOKASA project of TAMK and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences enables admission to nursing education for non-Finnish-speaking people.

Geographic accessibility and individual arrangements in entrance examinations

Application to TAMK is geographically accessible: application takes place online and the bachelor-level entrance examination can be completed in almost any Finnish university of applied sciences. TAMK’s internal transfer application makes change of a field easier in cases when students notice that they have chosen a wrong field or are for some reason prevented from continuing their original studies.

Accessibility is considered in student admission by enabling individual entrance examination arrangements for applicants. The process is described in TAMK’s intranet. Applicants can find guidelines on applying for individual arrangements on the public tuni.fi website and ammattikorkeakouluun.fi site. A named special needs teacher and student counsellor who are familiar with the matter go through the applications and make decision proposals based on the information and documents provided by the applicant. Granting of individual entrance examination arrangements is guided by the student admissions consortium’s guidelines, which are available on Metropolia University of Applied Sciences’ wiki platform. The most common individual arrangement is extra time. When necessary, peaceful and separate examination rooms or other facility arrangements are allowed or an assistant may be allowed in the entrance examination.  

Accessibility in applicant communications

Application guidelines on the tuni.fi website were updated to simplify the site structure and make it easier to find information and the guidelines. The texts were also edited to have a clear and unambiguous language.

Information and guidelines are available in English for those applying to English degree programmes. The aim has been to write the English texts in a non-culture-specific manner. Ethnic diversity has been considered in photos of the application sites. The websites were built accessible.

SORA (unsuitability to study) information is presented extensively and clearly in concerned fields. Application videos, degree programme presentation videos and student stories support and complement applicant communications and guidance.

Guidance is weekly available for applicants by telephone. Applicants’ emails are answered in three days. Service is available in Finnish and English. The Studyinfo service offers comprehensive information on different higher education institutions’ degree programmes and enables comparison of alternatives.