Tutkinnat

Tutkinnat is a Finnish term for formal qualifications awarded when a person completes an educational or training program. In Finland, tutkinnat cover both academic degrees granted by universities and universities of applied sciences, and professional qualifications earned through the vocational education and training system. They serve as official recognition of competences and are used for access to further study and to the job market.

Types include academic degrees and vocational qualifications. Academic degrees comprise bachelor’s and master’s degrees offered by universities, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees issued by universities of applied sciences. Vocational qualifications are issued through the national vocational education and training system and include professional qualifications such as ammattitutkinto and erikoisammattitutkinto. In addition, there are national or sectoral certificates and continuing education qualifications that attest specific competences.

Process and recognition: To earn a tutkinto, a student completes a prescribed study program and passes required examinations. Degrees are typically described in European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits, and the duration varies by level and field. The Finnish system is overseen by national authorities, and institutions issue official degree certificates and transcripts. Vocational qualifications may involve on-the-job training and assessment as part of the qualification process.

International dimension: Finnish tutkinnat are designed to be comparable within the European Higher Education Area under the Bologna Process. Degree titles and transcripts are usually provided in Finnish and Swedish and often in English for international use; some professional qualifications may require licensing or recognition procedures when used abroad.