Master's Degree Programme in Medical Physics

A previous Bachelor's degree, in science or engineering, corresponding to at least 3 year's of full time academic studies from an institution for higher education (equivalent to 180 ECTS credit units in Finnish university system) is required from all Master's degree applicants. The degree must be awarded by an internationally recognized university and should entitle the applicant to apply to Master's studies in the country where the degree has been awarded.  The degree work should have included sufficient preparatory studies in physics and mathematics. Additional studies in computer programming (especially in mathematical programming methods) and human physiology and anatomy are considered a strong asset.

If the applicant has not yet graduated, she/he can be selected on condition that she/he will be able to graduate and submit the officially certified copies of the degree certificate and final transcript of records or submit them according to country-specific document requirements by 9.8.2024, to the programme coordinator.

Applicants must demonstrate excellent skills of English language. Applicants must either (1) meet the language proficiency criteria (see below), or (2) reach the minimum required language test results to be considered eligible to the University of Eastern Finland.

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

• Bachelor’s (BSc), Master’s (MSc) or higher degree was conducted in the English language (he/she must include the statement of his/her institution stating that the medium of the instruction of the applicant's university is English), or
• previous education or higher education has been completed in English in EU/EEA -countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand or in Switzerland, or
• Secondary education was in one of the Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, or Iceland), or
• The applicant received a mark of at least Magna Cum Laude Approbatur for the English language as a part of the Finnish Matriculation Examination, or
• Exchange studies (at least 20 ECTS) were completed in English at the University of Eastern Finland, or
• A1 English, as displayed in the International Baccalaureate examination, with a minimum grade of 2 was completed.

(2) All other applicants have to take one of the following language tests

• TOEFL iBT, overall score 92, min. 22 in writing  
• IELTS (academic) overall score 6.5, min. 6.0 in writing 
• PTE (academic), overall score 62, min 54 in writing 
• C1 Advanced overall score C or 180, with min. 162 in writing  
• C2 Proficiency overall score level C1 or 180, with min. 162 in writing 
• National Certificate of Language Proficiency YKI-test: level 5 in all different subtests (reading comprehension, writing and speaking). It is possible to combine different examinations.  

Student selection procedure

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

Applicants will be ranked according to the selection criteria. The best 15 applicants are accepted to the program and the rest of the applicants are rejected. The programme may accept more applicants by discretion to fulfill the available study places in the programme.  Applicants are not placed on the waiting list. 

The applications will be graded using the following criteria: 

1. Suitability and the content of the previous studies to the area of Medical Physics: 0-5 p (0=poor, 5=excellent)  
2. Applicant's success in the previous studies in general:  0-5 p (0=poor, 5=excellent) 
3. Applicant's success in the previous studies of the suitable field of science, especially in principal areas of physics, mathematics and programming: 0-5 p (0=poor, 5=excellent) 
4. Prestige and level of the home university: 0-5p (0=poor, 5=excellent) 
5. Applicant's own explanations about their motivation to apply for studies: 0-5 p (0=poor, 5=excellent) 
6. Applicant's other merits: relevant work experience, scientific merit, other degrees received, and international experience (0=poor, 5=excellent) 

Points are assigned for each of these six elements (0–5 each, 0=poor, 5=excellent), and those eligible applicants with the most total points will be selected to progress further in the process. 

The applicant's previous background is examined based on requested attachments (statements from the referees, motivation letter and applicant's other merits) and therefore they have been requested as an attachment.  

Statements from the referees are used to complete the evaluation of point 5 (motivation of applicant), but they are not separately graded. An interview may be used in the final decisions on admission.

Application period

The application period opens on 3 January 2024 at 8:00 (EEST) and closes on 17 January 2024 at 15:00 (EEST). In 2024, a maximum of 15 students will be selected into the programme on the basis of their application documents.

The application process

The applicants apply through studyinfo.fi. Once the applicants have filled out the online application, required enclosures must be uploaded electronically to the application by 17 January 2024 at 15:00 (EEST). If necessary, additional supporting documents may be requested until 24 January 2024 at 15.00 (EEST).

UEF does not process incomplete applications and application documents that have arrived after the deadline.

More information: https://www.uef.fi/en/how-to-apply

Enclosures

The required enclosures need to be uploaded electronically to the application by 24 January 2024 at 3 pm (EEST) at the latest. UEF does not process application documents that have arrived after the deadline. 

1. The official online application form, duly filled in 
2. A scanned copy of the applicant’s passport showing personal details (not required from Finnish applicants) 
3. A scanned copy of the latest degree certificate, accompanied, if this is not in Finnish, Swedish, or English by a translation of it into English by an authorized translator 
4. A scanned copy of the applicant’s course transcript and, if this is not in Finnish, Swedish, or English, an English-language translation of this by an authorized translator. The transcript must state the number of credits, completion date, and mark achieved for each study unit, along with the scale of grading used by the university in question. 
5. A short (max. 500 words) ‘Letter of Motivation’ stating why the applicant is interested in studying in the Master’s degree programme in Medical Physics in Kuopio, Finland 
6. A scanned certificate of proficiency in the English language (see language requirements) or a scanned copy of a degree certificate attesting to the required language proficiency (if not the same as in item 3) 
7. A curriculum vitae that includes statements on work experience, scientific achievements, other degrees obtained, and any exchange studies and other international experience 
8. Scanned copies of letters of recommendation from two references. The referees must be academics (teachers or supervisors) from a university at which the applicant has studied. 
9. Possible document giving you an exemption from paying tuition fee 

Without enclosures 1-8 the applicant cannot be selected for the studies.  

For more details, please see Required documents. 

Announcement of the student selection results

Results for studies starting in September 2024 will be published on 12 April 2024 at the latest. When the selection decision has been made, the results will be posted immediately to applicants by email.

Admitted students shall inform whether they accept their study place by latest on 11 July 2024 electronically via Studyinfo portal or by submitting the confirmation form electronically to admissions@uef.fi.

According to One study place per term provision, a student may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland during one academic term. This rule applies to all higher education. For more information, please see studyinfo.fi.

For information about announcement of student selection results, please see Admission results.

An information package including information on accommodation, the residence permit and Student Union is sent by email to all the selected students. The practical guide for the new students, registration instructions, and the course information are sent by email later.

Orientation program for the new international students and the Medical Physics courses start on 2 September 2024.

Verification of original documents

We require that all admitted applicants submit their original degree certificates for verification upon arrival in Finland.

Selected students who are unable to deliver the electronically certified final diploma and transcript of records during the application period will be selected on a conditional basis. Students who accept the study place are required to provide officially certified copies of the degree certificate and final transcript of records, or submit them according to country-specific document requirements, by 9.8.2024 at the latest. If the required documents do not arrive on time or cannot be verified electronically by the deadline, the study place will be cancelled.

NB! There are country-specific document requirements in place for academic qualifications awarded in certain countries. If your degree is completed in a country that has country-specific requirements, you must submit your educational documents following the relevant country-specific instructions.

Students who are not citizens of an EU*/EEA** member state or Switzerland are liable to pay a tuition fee of € 8,000 per academic year. Find out more details at the UEF website. For details about exceptions please visit Studyinfo.

All new students admitted in 2024 are eligible to receive a partial tuition waiver. The maximum period of the tuition fee waiver is two academic years (four semesters). In order to graduate in two years, approximately 60 ECTS credits are required during each academic year. Tuition fee waivers are awarded to all selected students who have applied for the waiver. The tuition fee waiver covers the tuition fee partially (50%). 

The University of Eastern Finland will also grant  an Early Bird tuition fee deduction of 500 € to students who accept the study place and pay the tuition fees within three weeks of the date the results are published (for Master's students starting in autumn 2024 by 3.5.2024).

By Dean's decision the programme may grant a scholarship (2 500 € /student) to the two best second-year students based on the students’ study success in their first year. The scholarship is paid in one instalment after the student has registered as being present. The scholarship is paid in addition to the regular tuition waiver. 

All applicants need to complete the Student Application Form. Those applicants who are applying for a scholarship need to additionally complete the “Application for Scholarship,” which can be found at the end of the Student Application Form.

Other mandatory fee:  Membership of the Student Union. Further information is available on the website of the Student Union.

* EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

* EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.