FAQs about studying and living in Jyväskylä (Part 3) - Admission - Language proficiency

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I have received lots of questions about the language proficiency concerning application documents to Master’s Degree programs to University of Jyväskylä. So, I thought I would write down the answer here for your reference.

For the correct information to particular programs, you have to go to the program’s page to check it out. All the links to Master’s Degree programs’ pages are here www.jyu.fi/studywithus

However, the following is the general spirit of the language requirements at Master’s degree level.

- If you did not do your Bachelor’s Degree in English at all, it is 100% certain that you will have to take the English language exam to provide proof on your language proficiency.

- If you did your Bachelor’s Degree in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or United States, in other words, native-English-speaking countries, you do not have to provide language certificate.

- If you did your Bachelor’s Degree in English but not in the countries mentioned above; even if your countries  have English as one of the official languages (former colonies, for example, I did have this question sent to me before!) there is a very high chance that you are still required to provide language certificate.

However, there might be a possibility. I am not 100% sure about this, but then again, I have to remind you that every program is different in their consideration.

There are programs (international Business, for ex.) which provide very detailed description about this:

"There are five ways of proving English language proficiency: 

Accepted language test: TOEFL, IELTS (Academic), CAE, CPE, PTE. We do not accept other tests. 

- TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based) 

- IELTS score of 7 

- CPE or CAE passed at levels A, B or C 

- Pearson Test of English (PTE) (minimum score 65) 

- Secondary education conducted in English language in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or United States.- Bachelor’s degree completed entirely in English in one of the Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland), in any EU country, or in the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. 

- Master’s degree completed entirely in English in one of the Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland), in any EU country, or in the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. 

- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree certificate with English (language/literature/philology) as major subject."

And there are programs that do not provide this much detailed information. That’s why it is important that you get in touch with the program’s personnel to confirm whether or not you need to provide language certificate if you did your Bachelor’s Degree completely in English but do not fall in any category listed on the program's page. The contacts of the personnel are often listed on the programs’ pages, right corner.

- If you did not do your Bachelor’s Degree in English but somehow have had some works published in English somewhere, you still need to take your English proficiency exam, I’m afraid. 

Alright, deadline for the next academic year is very near, I hope you all have finished or even sent out your applications!

Good luck!