Nursing

Admission criteria for applicants applying with a qualification completed outside Finland (in January 2020)

There are no traditional entrance exams for any of Centria´s programmes. Instead, for the Nursing programme, applicants submit a motivation video and a motivation letter, based on which if further needed, they will be invited for a Skype interview with one of Centria´s teachers. For the other programmes, there are two options of admission. Students might choose to either submit a motivation video and a motivation letter, or secondly submit SAT results.

Information concerning the motivation video and the motivation letter is delivered to applicants via two streams. Firstly, the guidelines are already included in the very end of the application form and secondly, they are sent via email once the application is submitted. Shortly, applicants create a video which they upload to a video-sharing website of their choice and share the link with Centria via an online platform which will be announced to applicants further on via email. Concerning the motivation letter, applicants write a letter of motivation and submit it to the selected online platform as well.

Applicants can apply for all Bachelor programmes except of the Nursing programme with the SAT results. Only results from the new SAT test (taken after March 2016) are acceptable. Score reports should be ordered electronically by applicants directly from the test center and need to be delivered to Centria UAS by 3^rd of February. Reports printed or sent by the applicant him/herself are not acceptable. Centria´s designated SAT code is 7819. Centria UAS requires applicants to score a minimum of 400 points from evidence-based reading and writing and a minimum of 400 points from Mathematics. Essay results are not required.

LANGUAGE TESTS

Language tests are not required during the application process, although applicants get additional points if they submit an IELTS academic certificate with a result equal or greater than 6.0 points.

GUARANTEED ADMISSION

If an eligible applicant reaches a total score of at least 1200 points from the SAT test (and meets the minimum requirements mentioned above) and submits an IELTS academic certificate (with a result equal or greater than 6.0 points), he or she is guaranteed a study place at chosen programme.

Admission criteria for applicants applying with a qualification completed in Finland (in March 2020)

There are no traditional entrance exams for any of Centria´s programmes. Instead, for the Nursing programme, applicants submit a motivation video and a motivation letter, based on which if further needed, they will be invited for a Skype interview with one of Centria´s teachers. For all the other programmes, applicants submit a motivation video and a motivation letter.

Information concerning the motivation video and the motivation letter is delivered to applicants via two streams. Firstly, the guidelines are already included in the very end of the application form and secondly, they are sent via email once the application is submitted. Shortly, applicants create a video which they upload to a video-sharing website of their choice and share the link with Centria via an online platform which will be announced to applicants further on via email. Concerning the motivation letter, applicants write a letter of motivation and submit it to the selected online platform as well.

LANGUAGE TESTS

Language tests are not required during the application process, although applicants get additional points if they submit an IELTS academic certificate with a result equal or greater than 6.0 points.

How to apply?

There are two different application rounds for applying for Centria´s Bachelor programmes.

• If applicant is applying with a qualification completed outside Finland then he or she needs to apply in January via Centria / Direct application for Bachelor's degrees / spring 2020
• On the other hand, if applicant is applying with a qualification completed in Finland then he or she applies in March via Centria / Erillishaku / spring 2020

APPLYING WITH A QUALIFICATION COMPLETED OUTSIDE FINLAND 

The next application period for degree programmes conducted in English for applicants applying with a qualification completed outside Finland will be arranged between 8 January and 31 January, 2020. The application period ends on 31 January, 2020 at 3 pm. Finnish time (UTC +2).

Centria UAS´degree programmes are not part of the Joint application of Higher Education, Spring 2020. For this reason, it is only possible to apply via the Centria / Direct application for Bachelor's degrees / spring 2020. The application process will take place at Studyinfo.fi when the application period starts. Application process is free of charge for all applicants. Applicants can be admitted if they meet eligibility requirements, submit a valid application, attach required documents and successfully pass the entrance exam.

APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAMME VIA LINK BELOW BETWEEN 8 JANUARY AND 31 JANUARY, 2020: 

APPLYING WITH A QUALIFICATION COMPLETED IN FINLAND 

The next application period for degree programmes conducted in English for applicants applying with a qualification completed in Finland will be arranged between 18 March to 1 April, 2020.

Centria UAS´degree programmes are not part of the Joint application of Higher Education, Spring 2020. For this reason, it is only possible to apply via the Centria / Erillishaku / spring 2020. The application process will take place at Studyinfo.fi when the application period starts. Application process is free of charge for all applicants. Applicants can be admitted if they meet eligibility requirements, submit a valid application, attach required documents and successfully pass the entrance exam.

Student stories - Nursing

Interaction with the patients We are Milcah from Kenya and Huyen from Vietnam, and we are studying nursing at Centria. The nursing programme takes three and half years and it is divided into sections: studying theory, doing work placements and doing independent studies. The first year is for basic clinical skills, then nutrition, surgical nursing and medical nursing and so on. They all prepare you really well for the work placement. You are able to go to the ward with the knowledge you receive at school. We have simulations and we are really prepared before going to the ward. In the class, you will learn the basic sills: how to do wound care, how to place a catheter or a canula, or even subcutaneous, intramuscular injections. We have had practical training in elderly ward, home care, surgical ward where we took care of patients that were in surgery before they can go home, and in internal medicine ward, which is specialized in lung, kidney and liver diseases. A nice experience but a tough one was training period in palliative care unit. What is different in Finland, comparing to our home countries, is the use of tutor nurses – you get really one-on-one support. It gives them a possibility to evaluate you as a student and they will provide you the support that you need. The tutors do not put that much pressure on your shoulders, they guide you but you do not bear as much as responsibility as the other nurses. It means that you can take the chance to learn and practice at your own pace without too much responsibility. We knew Finland had one of the best educational systems before applying here. The structure is quite relaxed - you can focus on one part at the time. You do not need to learn too much theory at the same time before going to practice. After coming to Centria we understood why the Finnish educational system is so famous – yes, it is cold here and the language is difficult, but the educational aspect is so logic. You study and then you go to practice, you just need to take one step at the time. The teachers take care of you: not only of your studies but also of your wellbeing. We start learning Finnish at school, and working with Finnish patients encourage you to learn the language. It is quite a challenge, but when talking with the patients, you notice that communication is more than the words that come out - it is about the interaction with the patients, the body language. Kokkola is a small city. If you come from a congested city, this place stands out by how organized it is. You have enough space, you don’t have to push anyone to cross the street. There are loads of outdoor activities that you can do all year round. The student union of Centria, COPSA, organizes loads of activities. At Centria, you get the best school and the best friends! Milcah Kipkoech Huyen Dao Nguyen Nursing students
A work placement became my dream job! I am originally from Belgium but I studied in the degree programme in Nursing in Kokkola. I graduated from the degree programme in Nursing, and I now work as a nurse in the ER, intensive care unit and surgical ward.  When I came to Finland, it was because of love. I had a different career in Belgium, where I was a chemistry and biology teacher. I would not have been able to pursue that career here, as I didn’t speak Finnish back then. I applied to study to become a nurse because I have always been interested in the field of healthcare, as my mother is a psychologist. Our class was extremely international: there were students from Kenya, China, the USA, Finland and me, from Belgium. We studied using the PBL procedure, meaning Problem Based Learning: we were presented with a situation, a patient’s story or care plan, we had to come up with a treatment or figure out how to deal with the situation and why. It was a pleasant way to study; it was both a participative and active way of learning: we had to look for information by ourselves. At school, we learnt everything that was related to nurse’s work: how to place a cannula, how to inject drugs into muscles, and so on. We learnt the theory at school and the practice through the work placement, which we had in various places: ER, intensive care, at centre for handicapped… It taught us how to deal with people, both our counsellors and the patients taught us a lot. We learnt that each is unique, each person has an individual story and should be cared for as such. I became sure of my future career when I was a trainee in the emergency; I knew that I wanted to work there. I like the chaotic aspect! My Finnish skills have been improving thanks to the internships, even though I have also made use of my English and French skills at the central hospital here in Kokkola! Many of the Finnish students in my class were interesting in going to work abroad as nurses and become fluent in the Nursing vocabulary thanks to this programme. Centria has excellent teachers as well as a fantastic environment. What I enjoyed the most was the possibility to take part in exciting work placements. The school collaborates actively with the central hospital in Kokkola. Vincent Gleviczky, Bachelor of Healt Care

More information about studies

Lecturer Maria Björkmark
maria.bjorkmark@centria.fi
tel. +358 44 725 0568

Study Counsellor Merja Seppälä
merja.seppala@centria.fi
tel. +358 44 725 0562

More information about admission

Admissions Services
admissions@centria.fi
tel. +358 40 808 6604