Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Urban Sustainability Studies (Bachelor in Social Sciences)

About the course

A three-year, 180-credit social sciences degree on how cities can become more sustainable, run with the YUFE European university alliance. Year one is at UEF in Joensuu. In semesters three to five you take three 30-credit minors, at least two of them at YUFE partner universities, and you finish with a bachelor’s thesis and electives.

Entry requirements for Irish students

• UEF accepts a school qualification that makes you eligible for higher education in the country where you got it. A completed Leaving Certificate that meets Irish entry rules should count. No minimum H or O grades or subjects are set, and CAO points are not used. Confirm with UEF admissions.
• Leaving Cert students compete for the 20 places in Admission Group 1, an online interview scored from 0 to 25. You must answer every question, get at least 1 point for each one and score at least 10 overall. The other 10 places use certificate-based ranking (at least 54 certificate points), which is open only to the Finnish matriculation exam, IB, EB and DIA/Reifeprüfung.
• English: UEF accepts upper secondary schooling in an EU/EEA country with no test, as long as at least 50% of it was completed in English and your documents show this, or an official statement from your school confirms it. Ask your school for a letter. If you were at a Gaelscoil, plan on IELTS Academic (6.0 overall, 5.5 in every part), TOEFL iBT or PTE Academic (62 overall).

How to apply

1. Prepare documents (autumn 2026)Get scans of your school results and a school letter confirming you were taught in English. You also need to register as a prospective student on the YUFE Virtual Campus (virtualcampus.yufe.eu).
2. Apply on Studyinfo.fi (7-21 Jan 2027)Submit the application with all attachments, including proof of English, by 15:00 Finnish time on 21 January 2027.
3. Online interview (15-21 Feb 2027)The interview link arrives by 15 February. You need a computer or phone with a camera and microphone, a stable connection and a quiet, private room.
4. Accept and verify (spring/summer 2027)If you are still in school you get a conditional offer. Send your final Leaving Cert certificate by UEF’s document-verification deadline.

Costs

• No tuition fee for EU/EEA citizens, so Irish students pay nothing. Non-EU students pay 10,000 euro a year. EU/EEA applicants pay no application fee. All degree students pay the student union membership fee and the Kela student healthcare fee.

At a glance