Studies
What is it like to study Social Services?
See our student Chrish's experience of studying Social Services in Metropolia.
Job opportunities and working as a Bachelor of Social Services
As a Bachelor of Social Services, you are qualified to work with various client groups. Provision of services and client work is seen through a social pedagogical framework. The work may consist of supporting clients in their home or community settings, co-ordination of services, or supportive guidance and assistance. You may work with people of all ages.
Job opportunities for Bachelor of Social Services:
- Early childhood education and care
- Child welfare
- Family work
- Guidance and education in youth work
- Social counselling in schools
- Work with adults
- Community work
- Work with the elderly
- Work with people with disabilities
- Work with people with substance abuse issues
- Work with people with mental health issues
- Preventive work against violence
- Multicultural work and work among diverse people
Bachelor of Social Services have also the opportunity to work as self-employed professionals and service providers.
By choosing certain studies that are related to early childhood education, the student has a possibility to obtain a qualification to work as a Bachelor of Social Services in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (Varhaiskasvatuksen sosionomi).
The Curriculum
The curriculum, based on a social pedagogical framework, focuses on empowering citizens, preventing marginalization, and promoting inclusion and social pluralism. Working as a Bachelor of Social Services requires multi-disciplinary education, collaborative skills, and an ability to examine and develop oneself and one's field.
As the student moves through the degree programme, they will take part in thematic learning processes such as: expanding knowledge of Social Pedagogy, collaboration with working life partners and investigative development within social services.
The curriculum of the degree programme is based on the following competences of the Bachelor of Social Services (Sosiaalialan AMK -verkosto 2023):
- Ethical competence in the social work field (Sosiaalialan eettinen osaaminen)
- Competences in social work with clients (Sosiaalialan asiakastyön osaaminen)
- Competences in social service systems (Sosiaalialan palvelujärjestelmäosaaminen)
- Critical and inclusive civic competences (Kriittinen ja osallisuutta edistävä yhteiskuntaosaaminen)
- Research, development and innovation skills (Tutkimuksellinen kehittämis- ja innovaatio-osaaminen)
Language of the studies and language awareness
Tuition is offered in English with opportunities to gain real-world Finnish as part of internships and theory courses. Finnish language will be built into the courses as the student progresses through the curriculum. Therefore, as part of the studies, graduates have a possibility to gain Finnish skills at least to a level B1 in the Finnish language in order to facilitate their employment in the Helsinki region.
Those who already master Finnish at a native level, will have the opportunity to develop their language mentoring skills.
To be employed in Finland into the social work field, professionals generally need to have a sufficiently good level of Finnish language skills.
Studying with us
The students are studying in a multicultural group. The learning methods may include individual learning, group work and project learning. As a student, one can participate in international activities in various ways at different stages of the studies.
Faculty members of the degree programme are pedagogically qualified teachers who have experience teaching in English with a language aware approach. The English tuition degree programme at Metropolia is one of the most skilled in Finland. The degree programme annually invites guest lecturers to enrich the programme. Teaching is mainly Campus-based, but to be able to study with us, one needs to have a working laptop and access to internet.
Teaching methods include for example:
- lectures
- discussions
- group work
- learning assignments
- projects
- workshops
- e-learning
- independent studies
- internships
There are job placements or internships three to four times during the studies. Job placements are in various working environments in the field of social services.
Prior to any internships, it is the student's responsibility to obtain and prove a criminal record extract as a prerequisite for admission to the internship. In the beginning of the studies, students will be guided to apply their criminal record extract from Finnish authorities.
If one moves to study in Finland from other countries, one needs to obtain an authenticated criminal record extract from the authorities in one’s country of origin. This should be as up to date as possible, less than 6 months old at the beginning of the studies.
International Activities
As a student of the degree programme one will have many opportunities to join in international activities.
The degree programme is in partnership with a number of universities and institutions of higher education in many European countries, Africa, Asia and the USA. Activities include student and staff exchanges, international projects and intensive week programmes.
A majority of the degree programme students participate in some exchange programme and complete either the second or third placement in another country.
Scholarships and tuition fees
Annual tuition fee for non-EU/EEA applicants 11 000 €.
This fee applies only to non-EU/EEA degree students.
Ask more about the Bachelor of Social Services degree programme from the Head of the Degree
Applying
- Application period-Start of studiesautumn 2025
- Day-time studies
Instructions for applying
In the spring 2025 Joint Application to higher education, you can apply to degree programmes that start in the autumn of 2025. The application period starts on the 8 January 2025 at 8 am and ends on the 22 January 2025 at 3 pm (local time in Finland).
All the information needed to apply can be found on the national Studyinfo.fi portal. At Studyinfo.fi you can find descriptions of degree programmes, application criteria, application instructions, application forms and much more.
The International UAS Exam is a joint digital entrance exam of the Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS), used for selecting students to study programmes leading to a bachelor’s degree and conducted in English. The entrance exam is completed by the applicant’s own computer remotely online.
Read more about the International UAS Exam and language requirements on the website uasinfo.fi
- Application period-Start of studiesautumn 2025
- Day-time studies
The Separate Application for International Degree Programmes is aimed at those applying on the basis of GMAT/GRE test, SAT test, the Edunation Pathway Diploma or a top-up degree for an education leading to a higher education degree in English. Application period for studies starting in autumn 2025 starts on 31 December 2024 08:00 am (local time in Finland).
Application instructions have been published on Studyinfo.fi Check the individual selection methods for each degree programme in Studyinfo.fi .
- Application period-Start of studiesspring 2025
- Day-time studies
The Application on the Basis of Finnish Higher Education Studies is aimed at those who have completed higher education studies in Finland. Studies are taken into account regardless of whether they have been completed as open studies or in education leading to a degree, or whether the right to study is valid or has expired.
Application period: 1 November 2024 8:00 am - 15 November 2024, all times refer to local time in Finland https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/finland/helsinki.
Application instructions: published at Studyinfo.fi
Useful links
More information
For more information on the application process please contact
Metropolia's Student and Admission Services:
+358 40 712 5100
admissions [at] metropolia.fi (admissions[at]metropolia[dot]fi)
Starting studies
How to start your studies in Metropolia
Welcome to study for a degree at Metropolia!
Congratulations! You have been admitted to Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and we are delighted to have you as a new member of our vibrant community of more than 16 000 students!
You have made an excellent choice - Metropolia offers you unique multidisciplinary opportunities throughout your studies with its strong connections to working life and active role in innovations built around socially significant phenomena.
We are happy to have you with us and help you with any questions you might have. Welcome to Metropolia!
The below information applies to students who have been accepted to study for a full degree at Metropolia. Make sure to complete all the steps in order to secure your study place.
Confirming a place of study requires certain formalities to be completed by the deadline. More detailed instructions below:
Non-EU/EEA students need a student residence permit. You can begin the student residence permit application online at Enterfinland.fi. Remember that you must personally visit a Finnish embassy or consulate as part of this process. Start your residence permit process as soon as possible, carefully following the immigration authorities' instructions and regulations, so that you can receive your permit in good time before your studies begin! You can find detailed information and advice on the residence permit requirements and procedures on the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) website.
Note that participating online programmes does not entitle you receiving residence permit. See more about the topic in Finnish Immigration Service websites.
All Metropolia's students who do not have a Finnish personal identity code, have to apply for it before their arrival or register at the local registry office after their arrival to Finland to apply for one.
Students who have to apply for residence permit (i.e. non-EU/non-EEA citizens) before their arrival to Finland should ask to be registered in the Finnish Population Information System when they apply for their first residence permit. This way they will receive a Finnish personal identity code at the same time as they are issued with the permit. More information on this for residence permit applicants
Other students have to apply for the personal identity code from the local registry office of the city where you are living in.
More information on Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).
More information on registration to the Finnish Population Information System
After you have received the personal identification code, remember to inform it to the Student and Admission Services.
Metropolia does not have housing services to offer. Thus, it is the student's responsibility to find an accommodation for the period of their studies. There is a lot of competition in affordable housing, so it is important to start searching for a room many months prior to arrival. More information on accommodation
All foreign students (who are not EU citizens or citizens of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland) who come to Finland for the purposes of studying are required to have a health insurance, if the studies endure longer than three months.
More information on insurances
Student financial aid is for Finnish citizens. Foreign citizens are entitled to student financial aid if they live in Finland on a permanent basis for the purpose other than studying and they have registered as permanent residents in the Finnish population register system.
- Find out where your campus is located
- If you have a smart phone you can download the free HSL mobile app to get access to the public transportation Journey Planner and tickets (e.g. for travelling from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport to your apartment or from your apartment to the campus).
- If you have a smart phone you can download the Tuudo mobile app for free to get your digital student ID and student discounts (ID and discounts are available from the first day of the studies onwards)
- Information on student life and well-being, costs and finance, study environment etc.
When you start as a new student you need to activate your user account. Activation is possible when the right to study begins. For joint application, activation is possible from 1 August.
The purpose of the activation is that you personally accept the rules of the account usage policy and start using your account. Activate your user account primarily using Mobile Certificate and Netbank User ID. Please read first the instructions in IT Services wiki.
Tuudo is a mobile app with which you can use various Metropolia web services easily on your smart phone. With Tuudo you can get VR, HSL, Matkahuolto and Kela student discounts immediately. The benefits are free for all Metropolia students.
In Tuudo you can check Metropolia, Admission Services, and student union METKA announcements, your schedule, study attainments, and cafeteria menus.
Get Tuudo on your phone from the app store for free and start using it!
During your studies, your support of well-being and health is Finnish Student Health Services (FSHS). The specialist in student health care offers you general, mental and oral health services and supports the well-being of study communities.
Our services can be used by students completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree at a university or a university of applied sciences who have registered as attending for the semester.
Master the facts! Familiarize yourself with our services and user instructions on the address fshs.fi, and the Health information resource on the address yths.fi/en/health-information-resource. You can also find information about appointments as well as current information about your service unit on the address yths.fi/en/service-units.
Start using Self! Self is the student’s own online service for health care issues at FSHS. In Self, you can manage appointment bookings, communicate via SelfChat and start a remote consultation. Log in to Self as a user immediately from the beginning of the semester and keep your contact details up to date for as long as you are a student. Read more: yths.fi/en/self-info.
The health care fee for students in higher education will be paid to Kela on your initiative (kela.fi/web/en/healthcare-fee-for-students-in-higher-education).
If you have social security coverage in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you do not have to pay the healthcare fee. However, you can to use the FSHS’s services.
Already excited about starting your studies in Metropolia and meeting new people? On this page you will find welcome letters for each degree program.
Welcome letters are information packages prepared by your future tutors. They include, for example, important dates as well as information about studying, student benefits, or student life.
Create your own profile and sign up to JobTeaser portal now and stay up to date on job vacancies, training and upcoming recruitment events promoted especially to Metropolia students. There are hundreds of job opportunities available and a lot of information to support your career planning.
JobTeaser is a career portal where you can find lot of career information in one platform.
- Open jobs and traineeships
- Working life events
- Advice & guidance
- Employer profiles
Sign up and start exploring
Sign up to JobTeaser using your @metropolia.fi email address: https://metropolia.jobteaser.com/
You can also download a Jobteaser application.
Greetings by Tutor Teachers and the Head of Degree 2024
For new students
Will be updated more near the start of the next group.