At UEF, student exchange takes place through several different exchange programmes. Host countries and universities vary between programmes: some agreements are made at the subject or departmental level, while others are university-wide.
- Subject or department-specific agreements: Exchange places are available for students of specific fields.
- University-wide agreements: Students from various fields can apply to the same host universities.
Some fields of study may have a more limited range of exchange options – so be flexible when considering your choices!
Good to know before choosing a destination
Course availability for exchange students: Host universities may offer a more limited selection of courses to exchange students than to their own degree students. The host university can independently determine which courses and fields are open to exchange students. Keep this in mind when planning your exchange.
Language of instruction: Tuition in English is increasingly available around the world, but it is not always a given. Make sure to check the language of instruction at your host university and any possible language requirements when planning your application.
Exchange programmes and regions
Here is a summary of where you can go through each programme:
| Programme | Regions |
| Erasmus+ | Europe |
| YUFE Alliance | Europe |
| Nordplus programme and Nordlys network | Nordics and Baltics |
| ISEP (ISEP Exchange) | United States, Asia, Latin America, limited options in Europe, Oceania, Africa |
| BIlateral exchange | Asia, Africa, Australia, Latin America, North America |
| North2north | Nordics, North America, limited options in the United Kingdom and Australia |
Read more about each programme in the section Exchange options (long and short-term exchanges).
Erasmus+
Erasmus+ exchanges are based on subject or department-specific agreements. Choose your host university primarily from the list of destinations available for your major subject or department. During the exchange, you should complete studies within your own field based on the host university’s offerings – as a general rule, you cannot go to your own field’s host university and study courses from another field.
You can also apply for exchange through your minor subject. In this case, you select a host university from your minor subject’s destination list and complete minor subject studies during the exchange. As a general rule, you cannot select a host university from a minor subject’s list and then complete courses from your major. If you apply through your minor, the minor must be:
- started at UEF before the exchange begins (i.e. you must have completed courses for the minor registered before the exchange starts)
- included in an approved personal study plan (PSP)
When applying through your minor subject, you are a secondary candidate for that destination – students majoring in the relevant field are always the primary candidates.
For more information about possible exceptions to the subject-specific requirement, see the Erasmus+ programme page in Kamu.
Study level in Erasmus+ exchanges: Some host universities are available for all study levels, while others are only available for specific levels. Study levels are indicated with numbers in the destination lists:
| Number | Study level |
| 1 | Bachelor’s students |
| 2 | Master’s students |
| 3 | Doctoral students |
YUFE Alliance
YUFE Alliance exchange places are available for students of all fields and all study levels. Within YUFE, you can go on exchange in two ways:
- Open YUFE: You select courses from the host university’s offerings and YUFE’s virtual campus. This requires an OpenYUFE study right.
- YUFE Minor: You complete a full 30 ECTS minor (YUFE Minor) during the exchange. This does not require an OpenYUFE study right.
As this is a university-wide programme, all host universities may not offer the same fields of study as UEF.
For more information about the YUFE Alliance and what it offers to students, visit the YUFE Alliance Kamu page.
Nordplus programme and Nordlys network
The Nordplus programme includes subject-specific networks and the Nordlys network. The programme is available for bachelor’s and master’s students. For more information about the networks, see the Nordplus programme page in Kamu.
Subject-specific networks: Available for major students of each network’s field of study. Through these networks, you can complete courses within your field at partner universities in the Nordics and Baltics.
Nordlys network: Open to students of all fields – especially those whose field does not have its own subject-specific Nordplus network. Multidisciplinary studies are available at Nordlys partner universities, though some subject-specific restrictions may apply.
ISEP
The ISEP programme is available for bachelor’s and master’s students of all fields. The programme includes many universities, especially in the United States. ISEP offers two pathways for exchange studies: ISEP Exchange, and the tuition-based ISEP Direct.
Good to know about applying: In the ISEP programme, you do not apply to one specific university. Instead, you apply to 5–10 universities with the same application, and the ISEP programme determines your final placement based on your application. Only one-semester exchanges are possible through ISEP.
Language test requirement: Many ISEP host universities require an official English language test score with your application (TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic).
See more information about the ISEP Exchange programme in Kamu. If you are interested in exchanges within Europe, we recommend exploring the Erasmus+, YUFE and Nordplus programmes first.
Bilateral exchange
Bilateral exchange takes place within the framework of bilateral agreements between UEF and foreign universities. Most bilateral exchange places are available to students of all fields, though some may be subject-specific. The majority of places are available for bachelor’s and master’s students only – options for doctoral students are very limited.
Good to know:
- Not all bilateral host universities are available for application every year. The destinations open for each application period are listed in the calls for applications published before the period opens.
- Some universities in Asia (especially in Japan) have their own exchange programmes with limited course offerings for exchange students. Not all fields offered to the university’s own degree students are automatically available to you as an exchange student.
For more information, see the Kamu page for bilateral exchange.
North2North
North2North is the mobility programme within the UArctic network. The programme’s theme is northern and arctic issues from different perspectives: for example, nature and wildlife, societies and indigenous communities of northern regions. Courses completed during your exchange should be connected to northern or arctic themes in some way.
The programme is available for students of all study levels, bachelor and master’s students are prioritized for long-term exchanges. Not all host universities are available for application every year – the destinations open for each application period are listed in the calls for applications published before the period opens.
Read more about north2north in Kamu.