Arjun Menon

Arjun wanted an engineering degree that would produce documented work experience rather than only academic credit, and had identified the Finnish applied sciences model as the closest fit.

The Finnish timeline was the obstacle. The joint application round closes in January for an August start, and Arjun made contact in late October — leaving under three months to prepare.

The selection method compounded it. Most Finnish applied sciences programmes select through an entrance examination rather than on documents alone, and no one had explained what that examination actually contained.

We worked backwards from the January closing date and set intermediate deadlines for the English test, document certification and the Studyinfo application itself.

We explained the entrance examination structure — the reasoning, mathematics and English sections, and the fact that it is sat remotely under proctoring — and pointed to the official practice materials so preparation started in November rather than after the application was submitted.

We also set expectations on the scholarship: the result arrives with the admission decision, so it could not be relied on when planning the funding evidence for the residence permit.

The application was submitted through Studyinfo in the third week of the January round. The entrance examination was sat remotely in late May, and the admission result — with a 50% tuition scholarship — was published in early June.

The residence permit application went in immediately, with funds evidence and insurance prepared in advance. A biometrics appointment was booked the same week, which mattered, because availability tightened sharply through June. Student housing was applied for on the day the offer arrived.

Arjun began the ICT degree in Tampere in August 2024 with a 50% tuition scholarship and a place in student housing, and will complete the compulsory work placement in the third year.