The forms of teaching cooperation between universities are increasingly diverse, in addition, there are a number of cross-institutional study agreements between Finnish higher education institutions at present. These increase the possibilities to choose studies from other universities. As a result, the Finnish universities have jointly decided to withdraw from the JOO flexible study right agreement as of 1.1.2026.
The flexible study rights (JOO) already granted to students are valid until the end of their duration. Students may also be granted new study rights under the current flexible study right agreement during the spring semester 2025. These study rights are also valid until the end of their duration.
According to the agreement, the undergraduate and postgraduate students of all the Finnish universities have the opportunity to include in their degree minor subject studies from the offering of other Finnish universities regardless of the university in which they have the right to complete their degrees.
On this page, you can find instructions for students of the University of Eastern Finland who are applying for a flexible study right (JOO) in another Finnish university. Instructions for students of other universities applying for a flexible study right in the University of Eastern Finland can be found on the Hae yliopistoon website (in Finnish).
Contact information of the approval processors by faculty
Philosophical Faculty: Tuula Nissinen, Joo.filo@uef.fi
Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology: Maarit Merimaa-Piirainen, Joo.lumet@uef.fi
Faculty of Health Sciences: Noora Hanhineva, Joo.TT@uef.fi
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies: Anni Pietarinen, Joo.yhka@uef.fi
Applying for a flexible study right
Your application is processed in both your home university and target university. You should reserve a sufficient amount of time for the JOO application process (around one-and-a-half to two months). First submit your application to your home university for approval. The application periods of the University of Eastern Finland for support processing end on 31 March (for studies beginning in the following autumn) and 30 September (for studies beginning in the following spring), and for admittance processing on 30 April (for studies beginning in the following autumn) and 31 October (for studies beginning in the following spring).
The stages of the application process:
- Prepare a study plan according to the instructions of your home university and include the JOO studies as part of your personal study plan.
- Examine the JOO study offering of the target university and include the schedule of the JOO studies you chose in your study plan.
- Examine the JOO instructions of the target university and check the application periods of the JOO studies or, in case of admissions open throughout the year, the time the studies begin.
- Submit the paper application form to your home university for approval.
- Without approval, your application will not be processed by your target university. When your home university supports your application, it approves your planned JOO studies as part of your degree.
- If you receive the right to study in the target university, register for the studies according to the instructions of the target university. You must also be an attending student in the University of Eastern Finland during your JOO studies. After completing your studies, deliver a transcript of records to your home university so that your studies can be entered in its study register.
Application form for a flexible study right JOO
University of Eastern Finland as the home university
Application for a flexible study right and its processing
University of Eastern Finland no longer accepts electronic application. As of 1 January 2015, applications are submitted on paper forms. The application periods of the University of Eastern Finland for support processing end on 31 March (for studies beginning in the following autumn) and 30 September (for studies beginning in the following spring), and for admittance processing on 30 April (for studies beginning in the following autumn) and 31 October (for studies beginning in the following spring). The student must find out the application periods of the target university, as they may vary.
Approval processing
You must submit the paper application to your own faculty’s processor (see below for the contact information). You must attach an approved personal study plan and transcript of records to the application electronically.
Criteria for approval
- The JOO studies or equivalent studies applied for must not be offered by the University of Eastern Finland.
- The JOO studies applied for must not exceed the minimum number of credits required for the student’s degree together with the student’s other studies, and they must be included in an approved personal study plan.
- Students may not apply for JOO studies during their first year of studying at the Bachelor’s stage.
- The student must have completed a minimum of 50 ECTS credits that are from studies that are a part of his or her degree, and the credits must include the basic studies of the major subject.
- At least 25 ECTS credits of the studies must have been completed during the calendar year before the application date.
- The student may apply for a flexible study right for studies not exceeding one basic study module, or around 25 ECTS credits. This number may be exceeded only for an extremely well justified reason.
- The faculty will support only one study module at a time, even if the student had applied for several study modules. In exceptional cases, individual courses may be supported.
- When approvals are being considered, students completing a bachelor’s degree have priority. An application by a student completing a postgraduate degree is supported only in exceptional cases.
- When considering its approval, the faculty may also use the employment effect of the degree as a consideration, i.e., assess how purposeful the JOO studies applied for are with regard to the degree as a whole from the perspective of the student’s employment prospects.
- The faculty may also use, for example, financial criteria as grounds for its support decision.
- The faculties of the University of Eastern Finland may have separate agreements concerning the exchange of studies with other universities outside the JOO system. These agreements are mentioned in the study guides of the faculties in question.
Duration of the approved right to study
The approval of the JOO application remains valid for no more than two (2) years from the date of approval.
Application delivery address
A paper application is delivered to your faculty’s processor.
Delivery of an approved application to the target university
The University of Eastern Finland delivers the approved paper applications to the target university and returns unapproved applications back to the applicants. The approval decision may not be appealed.
Inclusion of completed JOO studies in the degree
The student must deliver a transcript of records of the target university for the completed JOO studies to his or her own faculty in his or her home university in order to have the studies entered in the study register.