Foundation Year: Business 2026
Foundation year will kickstart your learning journey!
Who is this programme for?
South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Xamk, has created this programme for qualified applicants who were not offered a place through rolling admission but still wish to begin degree studies.
During the foundation year, you will strengthen your skills, develop essential competencies and gain a solid understanding of key Business subjects to support your future degree studies.
The programme includes one academic year of courses offered by South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences.
After completing the foundation year, you may progress directly to the second year of a Business degree programme at Xamk. The ECTS credits completed during the foundation year will be transferred towards your degree.
Quick facts and entry criteria
Full time studies
- Full-time Bachelor-level studies
- Location: Kouvola, Finland
- Extent of studies: 60 ECTS/ 1 academic year
- Tuition fee: €10 700
- Early bird discount: 10%
Entry requirements
- Rolling admission: 15 November – 15 February or until the programme is filled
- Applicant meets the entry requirements for bachelor’s degree studies: a high school certificate and IELTS 5.5 or equivalent
Mode of study
- full-time onsite studies
- courses are delivered between 1st September and 31st May
- pathway programme, degree students’ benefits do not apply
Structure of the programme
During the programme, you will learn what it is like to study at a Finnish University of Applied Sciences, earn credits towards your future degree and become familiar with living in Finland. This will help you transition smoothly into full-time degree studies after the foundation year. The study modules include:
- 25 ECTS in language and digital skills
- 35 ECTS in business foundation studies
Regular degree scholarships do not apply to the foundation year. However, we want to recognise the top students in the group. To be eligible, students must meet the direct transfer criteria. Top-performing students will receive additional rewards after completing the foundation year and being accepted to continue in a degree programme at Xamk. They will also have priority when choosing which programme to continue in.
If you do not meet the required criteria, we will help you find the best possible option for continuing your studies in Finland.
Possibility to continue to our Bachelor’s programme
The students who have successfully finished the foundation year programme will be eligible to transfer to a bachelor’s degree programme at Xamk.
The conditions to enter the bachelor’s degree studies are:
- 60 ECTS obtained from the foundation year
- Grade point average of at least 3.25 (in a scale from 1-5)
- Passed language assessment at the end of the programme
- Paid tuition fee per academic year. Degree students are entitled to scholarships. The Early Bird scholarship is a 10% discount on the tuition fee of the first study year at Xamk.
Programmes
- Bachelor of Business Administration, Data Analytics (BBA), Kouvola campus – 60 ects transferrable to the degree
- Bachelor of Business Administration, Digital International Business (BBA), Kouvola campus – 60 ects transferrable to the degree
Your essential application guide
The applicants may choose to apply individually by submitting the online application and all the required documents via the online application form, or with the help of our authorized partners who will also provide extensive guidance on the application procedure, entry requirements, preparation for relocation to Finland etc.
Make sure to have the following documents prepared to be submitted as a part of the application process: opy of the passport, a copy of the relevant degree certificate, and a copy of a valid English proficiency certificate.
The students will be selected by using a rolling admission method. This means that the applications are handled shortly after they have arrived. Qualified students will be admitted to the programme until the quota for the intake has been reached. The applicants will confirm their study place by paying the tuition fee.
Please, note that if you apply with one of our agents you may be charged counselling fee for additional services such as, but not limited to, immigration consultation and visa application assistance.
The applicants have to prove their English language skills either by an internationally recognized language test or by previous studies. When using previous studies as a proof of proficiency in English language, the acceptable studies are either a higher education degree or an upper secondary degree completed in one of the following countries: an EU/EEA country, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom, or the United States. Please note that your degree must have been taught and assessed entirely in English in that country. Online degrees and degrees completed in English in other countries than the ones listed are not accepted as proof of English language skills.
IELTS Academic
Minimum requirement: Minimum of 5.5 from all bands (Test bands: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking)
IELTS Academic UKVI and IELTS Online are also accepted.
Required documents: The official IELTS score report must be uploaded to the application form. The test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the test organiser. IELTS scores are valid for three years.
TOEFL Academic (iBT)
Minimum requirement: minimum score of 46 from all bands (Test bands: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing)
TOEFL iBT Home Edition is also accepted.
Required documents: The TOEFL score report must be uploaded to the application form. In addition, the test results must be delivered to Xamk from the test organiser. TOEFL scores are valid for two years.
Order your TOEFL result to be delivered to Xamk before you submit the application in Rolling admission!
Xamk Designated Institution (DI) code: 0179
Sending Your TOEFL iBT Scores (ets.org)
PTE Academic
Minimum requirement: minimum score of 45 from all bands (Test bands: Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening)
PTE Academic Online and PTE Academic UKVI are also accepted.
Required documents: The PTE score report must be uploaded to the application form. The test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the test organiser until 15 September 2025. PTE scores are valid for two years.
Cambridge English Scale Score
Minimum requirement: total score of 169 (Test sections: Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening, and Speaking)
Required documents: The relevant certificate must be uploaded to the application form. The Statement of Results number must be provided. The test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the test organiser until 15 September 2025.
Oxford ELLT (English Language Level Test)
Minimum requirement: a minimum score of 5.0 from all bands (Test bands: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking)
The Oxford ELLT (English Language Level Test) is accepted if it is completed on or after 1 July 2023.
Required documents: The Oxford ELLT certificate must be uploaded to the application form. The Test taker number and Certificate reference number must be provided.
Higher education degree completed in English in an EU/EAA country, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom or the United States
The higher education degree must be completed in English in one of the following countries:
- any EU/EEA country,
- Australia,
- Canada,
- New Zealand,
- Switzerland,
- United Kingdom, or
- the United States.
A doctoral thesis completed in English in any country is also accepted as proof of English language skills.
The degree/programme must be taught and assessed entirely in English in the country in question. Online degrees and degrees completed in English in other countries than the ones listed above are not accepted as proof of English language skills.
The member countries of the European Union (EU) are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
European Economic Area (EEA) consists of the member countries of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
Required documents: The relevant degree certificate, transcript of records and Diploma Supplement (if available), an additional certificate on the language of the degree (if applicable)
If the language of the degree and the country of studies are not clearly stated on the degree certificate, transcript of records and/or the Diploma Supplement, an official certificate/letter issued by the educational institution or awarding body that shows the language of the degree and the country of studies is required.
For doctoral thesis in English, the evaluation of the thesis is required.
Frequently asked questions
No, however, the students who successfully accomplish the studies will be offered a study place in one of the degree programmes in English in Xamk. Please, note that since the Foundation Year does not lead to a degree itself, some of the degree students’ benefits do not apply here, e.g. Kela supported lunch discount, YTHS medical on-campus services, international mobility opportunities etc. However, those will be available once you transfer to degree studies upon completion of this programme.
Students must meet the entry requirements for direct admissions for the Bachelor’s programmes:
- 60 ECTS obtained from the foundation year
- Grade point average of at least 3.25 (in a scale from 1-5)
- Passed language assessment at the end of the programme
- Paid tuition fee per academic year. Degree students are entitled to scholarships. The Early Bird scholarship is a 10% discount on the tuition fee of the first study year at Xamk.
If these entry requirements are met, the Foundation year reward can be achieved as follows:
- additional 10% reward with grade point average 4.5;
- additional 25% for the Top student upon the completion of the programme
Absolutely, and we will provide additional guidance on this when the programme has commenced. The programme is designed to enhance the students knowledge in the main field-related subjects, which will help them pass the entrance exams to other UAS’ better.
The programme will be conducted in Kouvola. The students of this programme will have access to the same study and sports facilities as other Xamk students.
Yes, however, the best performing students will have the priority to choose preferred degree programme they want to continue in since the number of seats per programme is limited.
Certainly! We aim to provide all our students with sufficient advisory and integration services to help them become a part of the local community.
TUITION FEE REFUND POLICY FOR NON-DEGREE PROGAMMES
The tuition fee can be refunded against a written request submitted within 14 days from the date of payment, after 14 days from the payment date, the paid tuition fee may be refunded only in case of a negative decision on the residence permit application.
If you pay the tuition fee now and later get accepted to a degree programme; We will refund the paid tuition fee in total, if you get accepted to a degree leading education programme in Finland, before end of May 2026.
Please note that the fee cannot be refunded if:
- the student withdraws from the programme after 14 days from the tuition fee payment date, or
- the student withdraws the residence permit application, or
- transfers to another higher education institution, or
- gives up the study place at Xamk for some other reason during the academic year
Although we will ensure the students are provided with support to complete all the courses, there is still a chance some students may struggle with certain courses. In case if some courses are not completed, students will still receive ECTS for the completed courses, and they will remain valid in their personal study register.
Questions or inquiries about the programme
All questions regarding the application phase can be sent to pgd@xamk.fi.
Your contact person for possible partnerships is