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Bachelor of Social Services (blended)

Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diak) · Helsinki, Finland

100% taught in EnglishApply via Studyinfo.fi joint application, not the CAOEntrance examTuition-freeEntrance testBlended learning
Duration3.5 years
StartsAutumn 2027
EntryEntrance exam
Deadline (EU)21 Jan 2027
EU fee 2027/28No tuition fee

About the course

An English-taught bachelor’s degree in social services (210 ECTS, 3.5 years) at Diak’s Helsinki campus, taught in blended mode that combines online study with contact teaching. Graduates earn the Finnish professional title sosionomi (AMK). The programme focuses on community development work, with an emphasis on people’s participation and empowerment, and prepares students for social services work in Finland and in international settings. Diak says over 90% of graduates find work within a year. The next intake starts in autumn 2027.

Entry requirements for Irish students

  • Diak accepts a foreign school qualification that gives eligibility for higher education in the country where it was awarded, so a completed Leaving Certificate that meets Irish higher-education entry rules should count. No Finnish body sets minimum Leaving Cert grades, subjects or Higher/Ordinary levels, and CAO points are not converted. Confirm with Diak admissions.
  • Leaving Cert grades are not used for ranking. Applicants are chosen through the online International UAS Exam (23 March 2027, 20 places) or Diak’s own entrance exam, held in person at the Helsinki campus on 10 March 2027 (20 places). You can take part in both.
  • English: for Diak’s own exam you do not need an English certificate, because your English is tested in the exam (a written English section with a pass mark of 20 out of 40). For the International UAS Exam you must prove English with a recognised test or previous studies, as set out on UASinfo.fi. Finnish UAS normally accept EU schooling taught and assessed in English, but the Leaving Cert certificate does not state the language, so ask your school for a confirming letter. Gaelscoil students should expect to need IELTS or TOEFL for this route.

How to apply

  1. Apply on Studyinfo.fiApply between 7 and 21 January 2027 (the window closes at 3pm Finnish time) and choose the International UAS Exam, Diak’s own exam, or both.
  2. Upload documentsUpload your supporting documents by 28 January 2027, 3pm Finnish time. If you are taking the International UAS Exam, include proof of English.
  3. Sit the examTake Diak’s entrance exam on the Helsinki campus (10 March 2027) and/or the online International UAS Exam (23 March 2027).
  4. Accept and confirmResults are out by 31 May 2027. Pay nothing if you are an EU citizen. Send your final Leaving Cert certificate by Diak’s deadline (10 August 2027, so agree the timing with Diak in advance).
Deadline for Irish/EU applicants: Apply on Studyinfo.fi in the joint application period, from 7 January 2027 (8am Finnish time) to 21 January 2027 (3pm Finnish time). Upload supporting documents by 28 January 2027, 3pm Finnish time. This is also the deadline for requesting individual arrangements for the Diak entrance exam. Admission results are published by 31 May 2027. If you finish school in summer 2027, your offer is conditional and Diak says you must send your original final certificate by 10 August 2027. Leaving Cert results usually come out later in August, so contact admissions@diak.fi before you apply to agree how Irish applicants can meet this deadline..

Costs

  • No tuition fees for EU/EEA citizens. Non-EU/EEA students pay EUR 9,500 per academic year. Diak lists no application fee.
Leaving Cert points are not used for ranking. You must take an entrance exam, and Diak’s own exam means travelling to Helsinki on 10 March 2027. Diak’s 10 August deadline for the final certificate comes before the usual Leaving Cert results date, so raise this with admissions@diak.fi early. The amount of on-campus contact teaching in the blended mode is not published, so check it with Diak.

At a glance

CountryFinland
CityHelsinki
LanguageEnglish
Apply viaStudyinfo.fi joint application
Places40 (20 through the International UAS Exam and 20 through Diak’s own entrance exam)
EntryEntrance exam
Programme page ↗Diak: how to apply ↗Diak entrance examinations ↗International UAS Exam ↗Studyinfo: how to apply ↗← Back to all European courses

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Checked against Diak’s official admissions pages in September 2026 for the spring 2027 application, with studies starting in autumn 2027. Always confirm details with the university before applying.