Master's Degree Programme in Forestry

The application period opens on 7 January 2027 and closes on 21 January 2027 at 3 PM (UTC+2). Applicants must submit their application through the national Studyinfo portal at studyinfo.fi. Each applicant may complete and submit only one application form in the first joint application round.

Degree requirements 

A previous Bachelor's degree in forestry or in related field corresponding to at least 3 years of full-time academic studies from an institution for higher education is required from all Master's degree applicants. The degree must be awarded by an internationally recognised university. Applicants who have a previous Bachelor’s degree in forestry or in related field from a recognised university of applied sciences or polytechnic are also eligible.

Admission is conditional if the applicant applies to the programme with a degree that is not finished during the application period. In that case, the applicant must deliver officially certified copies of the final degree certificate and the transcript of academic records to the programme coordinator by 30 July 2027. If the applicant does not deliver their documents by the given deadline, their study right will be cancelled.

Language requirements 

Applicants must demonstrate the required level of language proficiency for admission by either (1) achieving at least the minimum required results in one of the approved language tests or (2) meeting the language proficiency criteria outlined below. These requirements apply to all applicants. No exceptions or waivers of language proficiency requirements will be given.  

(1) Applicants must complete one of the following language tests, with at least the minimum scores listed:

• TOEFL iBT
  Total score: 92, with a minimum of 22 in writing (the test was completed before January 21, 2026)
  Overall score: 4.5, with a minimum of 4.0 in each component (the test was completed on or after January 21, 2026)
• IELTS Academic
   Overall score: 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component 
• PTE Academic: 
   Total score: 68, with a minimum of 61 in writing
• Cambridge C1 Advanced
   Overall grade: C
• Cambridge C2 Proficiency
   Overall result corresponding to level C1
• National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI-test)
   Level 5 in all subtests (reading comprehension, writing, listening comprehension, and speaking). Results from different examination sessions may be combined.

TOEFL, IELTS and PTE certificates are valid for two years from the day they are issued, i.e. the language test needs to be in effect during the application period. We accept language tests that are completed from 7 January 2025 onwards. The language test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the organiser. 

Kindly note the University of Eastern Finland also accepts the following tests:

• IELTS Academic online and UKVI tests, IELTS One Skill Retake test results.
• PTE Academic online and UKVI tests.
• TOEFL iBT Home Edition tests, MyBest Scores.

OR

(2)  Applicants who hold one of the following do not have to take an English language test 

• 2. a) A language test is not required if the applicant has completed Finnish Matriculation Examination, English language (A-language, advanced syllabus) with a minimum grade of magna cum laude approbatur (M)  
• 2. b) A language test is not required if the applicant has completed their secondary education in English language in EU/EEA -countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand or in Switzerland. The applicants from EU/ETA -countries and Switzerland must prove the language of instruction. The medium of instruction must be clearly stated on the educational documents. If applicants’ documents do not explicitly mention English as the medium of instruction, applicants must provide an additional official statement issued by a representative of their educational institution confirming this. 
• 2. c) A language test is not required if the applicant has completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or higher degree in an English-taught programme in EU/EEA -countries, or in one of the following countries:
  Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South-Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
  The applicants from these countries must prove the language of instruction. The medium of instruction must be clearly stated on the educational documents. If applicants’ documents do not explicitly mention English as the medium of instruction, applicants must provide an additional official statement issued by a representative of their educational institution confirming this.
• 2. d) A language test is not required if the applicant has completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or higher degree in an English-taught programme in Australia, Canada, Ghana, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, the United Kingdom or the United States.  The applicants prove their language skills with a university degree.

The degree/programme must be taught and assessed in English (at least 50 % of the degree must be completed in English).  When language proficiency is demonstrated through the education degree, the language of instruction must be clearly indicated in the educational documents.

Online studies or studies completed on offshore campuses outside the accepted countries/area cannot be used to indicate language skills, even if the degree-awarding institution is in one of the accepted countries.

A language test is not required if the applicant has completed a degree at a Finnish university or university of applied sciences, provided that the degree includes the mandatory foreign language studies in English required by Finnish degree regulations (Government Decree on University Degrees 794/2004 or Government Decree on Degrees of Universities of Applied Sciences 1129/2014).

No other degrees or statements of language proficiency will be accepted.

More information about submitting the language test reports is available here.

Required documents 

The required enclosures need to be uploaded electronically to the application by 28 January 2027 at 3 PM (UTC+2) at the latest. UEF does not process application documents that have arrived after the given deadline.

Certificates 

• Bachelor’s degree certificate (and an official English translation of it if needed)
• An official transcript of academic records (and an official English translation of it if needed)
• English language certificate
• A certificate of name change (if applicant’s name has changed after receiving the previous degree) 

Other

• Curriculum vitae
• A 3-minute motivation video* (Applicants must submit their Studyinfo application before recording and submitting the motivation video. Videos should be recorded on an online platform.  

In addition, a copy of passport / ID is requested to be attached to the application form from non-Finnish applicants.

*In the motivation video, applicants must answer all the following questions:

1. Why do want to study in the MDP FOR programme?
   If you have already completed a Master's degree, please also explain why you wish to pursue another MSc degree through the MDP FOR programme.
   (Maximum 1 minute)
2. Why should you be selected for the MDP FOR programme?
   (Maximum 1 minute)
3. How does the MDP FOR programme relate to your experience, interests, and future goals?
   Please explain how the programme connects to your academic background, work experience, research interests, and career aspirations.
   (Maximum 1 minute)

The maximum total duration of the video is three minutes, during which all of the above questions must be addressed. The video must be recorded through the online platform and must include both clear audio and good-quality video to be considered for evaluation. Applicants must submit their Studyinfo application before recording and submitting the motivation video. A link to the online platform will be available both in the Studyinfo application and on the programme website at the beginning of the application period. The deadline for recording the video is 28 January 2027 at 3 PM (Helsinki time, UTC+2). Please note that applicants will not receive a separate invitation to submit the motivation video. The motivation video serves as a personal introduction. Applicants are encouraged to speak naturally and authentically in their own words rather than reading from a script, notes, or AI-generated text. A genuine and candid response, even if imperfect, is often more compelling than a highly polished answer that does not accurately reflect the applicant's own thoughts and experiences.

All enclosures and the motivation video are compulsory for the selection process. Without all the compulsory enclosures and the motivation video, the applicant cannot be selected for the studies. It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit all the required enclosures within the deadline.

Description of admissions criteria

In 2027, a maximum of 20 students will be selected into the programme as follows:

GROUP 1: Applicants who have Bachelor’s degree completed in Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Sustainable Forest Bioeconomy (SuFoBe) in University of Eastern Finland by 30.7.2027. Quota in group: 10

GROUP 2: All other applicants. Quota in group: 10 

If the group quota is not met, remaining places can be transferred into another selection group.
 
The granted right to study 

Applicants admitted to the programme will gain the right to complete a Master of Science (Agriculture and Forestry) degree.  

Applicants may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in the education that begins in the same academic term. Furthermore, under the one study right rule effective from 1 August 2026, students may hold only one study right leading to a Bachelor's or Master's degree at a time. Accepting a new Bachelor's or Master's level study right will automatically terminate any existing study rights at the same or a lower degree level.

Applicants cannot be granted a new right to study resulting in a Master of Science (Agriculture and Forestry) degree in Forestry (major), if they already have a valid right to study in the Master’s Degree Programme in Forestry leading to a Master of Science (Agriculture and Forestry) degree in Forestry (major) at the University of Eastern Finland.

You will begin the application process on the national Studyinfo portal. Application form is available at studyinfo.fi only when the call for applications is open (next time 7 January 2027 - 21 January 2027 at 3 pm (EET). Go to Studyinfo portal and begin the application.

You must fill in the online application and submit it with the required scanned enclosures. We will not process application documents that have arrived after the deadline.

For more information about how to apply.

Application instructions in a nutshell

• When the application period begins, fill in the online application form and make sure you have attached the required application enclosures (in pdf format). At the application state we require only scanned enclosures attached (uploaded) to the application form. Note: The documents must be high-quality scans of original documents. Paper copies are not required during the application period.

Should you have any questions about completing your application, please contact our Admissions Office, admissions[at]uef.fi, tel. +358 29 445 8990. In case you have questions concerning the application requirements, please contact Ms Marjoriitta Möttönen, email. marjoriitta.mottonen(at)uef.fi, tel. +358 (0) 50 442 3031.

Application documents will not be returned to the applicant.

Further information on application procedure at the University of Eastern Finland.

Student selection procedure

The admission processes in the Master's Degree Programme in Forestry aims at fair selection of high-quality applicants. Student selection is based on the application documents and evaluation of how the applicant’s skills and competences gained by the previous academic studies correspond to the Master's studies applied for. Meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee acceptance to the programme. 

Applicants will be ranked according to the selection criteria. The best 20 applicants (Group 1: 10 applicants and Group 2: 10 applicants) are accepted to the programme and the rest of the applicants are rejected. The programme may accept more applicants by discretion to fulfil the available study places in the programme. Applicants are not placed on the waiting list.

The applications will be graded using the following criteria: 

All eligible applications will be evaluated according to five selection criteria: 

1. Suitability and content of the previous studies to the area of forestry: 0–20 p (0=poor, 20=excellent), grading will be based on the degree certificate and transcript of academic records
2. Academic excellence: 0–30 p (0=poor, 30=excellent), grading will be based on the transcript of academic records 
3. Prestige and level of the home university: 0–5 p (0=poor, 5=excellent), grading will be based on international university rankings
4. Work experience, international experience and other projects: 0–15 p (0=poor, 15=excellent), grading will be based on the CV
5. Motivation: 0–10 p (0=poor, 10=excellent), grading will be based on the motivation video

The ranking list is made according to the total score. Whenever two or more applicants have the same total points, the one who has higher score in academic excellence will be placed first. Additional online interviews may also be used if needed.

Selection results

Results for studies starting in September 2027 will be published on 31 May 2027 at the latest. When the selection decision has been made, the results will be posted immediately to the applicants by e-mail.

Applicants must confirm their study place electronically in Studyinfo by latest on 13 July 2027 at 3 PM (UTC+3). Applicants without a Finnish personal identity code use the confirmation link sent by email. Applicants with a Finnish personal identity code must log into My Studyinfo with Finnish online banking credentials, a mobile certificate, or a certificate card. If applicants encounter any issues, applicants may request a separate confirmation form from the programme coordinator.

Conditional acceptance and document verification 

Admission is conditional if the applicant applies to UEF with 1) a degree that is not completed during the application period or if 2) the degree cannot be electronically authenticated (verified) at the time of application. In such cases, applicants must submit officially certified copies of the final degree certificate and transcript of records by the deadlines specified by the UEF. Applicants remain conditionally admitted until the required certified documents have been provided.

Electronic verification of educational documents is strongly recommended; paper documents by post are also accepted. Applicants must use the document submission methods specified by the UEF. For detailed instructions, please see the webpage Verification of official educational documents.

DEADLINES for document verification: 

Verified educational documents must be submitted to UEF by 31 May 2027. Graduating students: The final educational documents must be submitted by 30 July 2027. If the applicant does not deliver their documents by the given deadline, their study right will be cancelled.

Appeal procedure

If applicants disagree with the student selection decision, applicants may apply for a rectification of the decision after the results have been published, no later than 20 July 2027. 

Appeal instructions 

Tuition fees and waivers

Tuition fees and waivers (2027 intake)

The annual tuition fee for non-EU/EEA students is €10,000. Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland are exempt from tuition fees. UEF's tuition waiver programme is designed to provide partial support towards tuition fees. Students are expected to have sufficient personal funds to cover the remaining tuition fees and living expenses throughout their studies in Finland.

First year: Early Bird (EB) discount – 30% (€3,000) 
To qualify, students must accept their offer of admission and pay the full tuition fee or first instalment (50% of the Early Bird price), within 21 days of the publication of the admission results. UEF does not offer any other tuition waivers or discounts that can be applied to the first year of study. 

Second year: Tuition waiver – 30% (€3,000) 
Available to students who complete at least 55 ECTS credits during their first academic year. A separate application period is organized after the first year of studies for students wishing to apply for the tuition waiver.

Finnish Proficiency Tuition Waiver – €1,500/€2,500 
Students can apply for this one-time tuition waiver during their studies at UEF, based on their progress in Finnish language studies. There are separate application periods throughout the academic year.  

More detailed information about tuition fees and waivers.

Other National Fees: In addition to tuition fees, degree students are required to pay the Student Union membership fee and the Kela student healthcare fee. Please also note: a national application fee is collected from applicants from countries outside EU/EEA.

Services provided by UEF

UEF offers all students - irrespective of whether they are required to pay tuition or not - a range of services that take off some of the financial burden on the student. The cost of living in Finland is relatively high and students are expected to cover these independently and have access to sufficient funds (this will be checked at the time of applying for/renewing your residence permit).

For example, students have free access to the collections of the University Library, there are computers and a free WiFi on campus available to students, as well as a number of other supporting services designed to facilitate the everyday life of our students. And last but definitely not least, membership in the Student Union comes with a variety of leisure time activities organised for free by, for example, your field's subject association. Membership in the Student Union is mandatory for all degree-seeking students. For further information and annual updates about the exact amount of the student union fee, please see the website of the Student Union.

Founded in 1982, the School of Forest Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland is an international research and education centre, providing the highest level of expertise in forestry and related sciences. The School of Forest Sciences is an internationally renowned research and education centre which produces highly competent and responsible professionals with excellent management skills for forestry and other environmental management fields for Finland and the rest of the world. The School's situation in the City of Joensuu places it at the core of a dynamically developing national centre of expertise in the forest, wood, and environmental sciences as well as education.

The School of Forest Sciences has over 300 undergraduates and approximately 80 post-graduate students. Each autumn about 70 new forestry students begin their studies.

Studies

MSc Forestry students major in Forestry and they can specialize in A. Management and ecology of forest ecosystems or B. Forest technology and economics.

Research priorities

The research priorities in our school are:

• Effects of climate change on forests
• Forest ecology and biodiversity
• Multi-objective and participatory forest planning
• Wood science
• Wood procurement
• Forest resource inventory and GIS
• Economic evaluation of forest benefits
• Forest economy and marketing
• Forest energy and its procurement