valintavaiheen

Valintavaiheen refers to the selection phase within the Finnish higher education admission process. It is the part of the process where applicants who meet the basic eligibility requirements are evaluated against predefined criteria to determine who will be offered a study place. The phase follows the initial application and eligibility checks and is used by both universities and universities of applied sciences, though the specific criteria and methods may vary by programme.

During the valintavaihe, admission decisions are based on valintaperusteet, or selection criteria, which specify how applicants are scored and ranked. Common elements include prior educational performance (for example, matriculation examination results or GPA), results from entrance examinations or aptitude tests, and programme-specific requirements such as portfolios, auditions, or interviews. Some programmes use a weighted combination of points from several sources, producing valintapisteet that determine the ranking order of applicants. In other cases, a more qualitative assessment (such as portfolio reviews or interviews) may play a larger role.

The outcome of the valintavaihe is the admission decision, often communicated as offers or conditional offers. Waiting lists may be used if there are more qualified applicants than available places. The phase also includes possibilities for appeals or clarifications regarding eligibility or scoring. Because the exact criteria and procedures differ by institution and programme, applicants are advised to consult the specific valintaperusteet for each target study programme.

In practice, the valintavaihe is a central, standardized mechanism that translates applicants’ qualifications into a ranked list to determine admission, while allowing programme-specific adaptations to reflect discipline-specific skills and competencies.