Laurea for athletes

In September 2025 Laurea was awarded quality label for elite athlete friendly higher education in­sti­tu­tion. Learn more about the quality label.

For applicants

You can apply for Laurea’s English-language education in the joint application process and in separate application procedures. At the Open University of Applied Sciences, you can work towards a degree by developing and supplementing your skills through individual courses. 

Read more about English-language programmes at Laurea

Before applying for studies, make sure to familiarise yourself carefully with the education options, their study modes and issues such as attendance requirements.

Degree studies

You can apply for a degree programme through joint applications or separate application procedures. Read about study modes.

Students complete their studies according to a personal study plan. The starting point for the personal study plan is always the curriculum of your degree programme, which sets the frame for building your individual learning path. As an elite athlete, you have access to flexible arrangements for your timetables for completing studies, making study arrangements and scheduling your studies.

If you are unable to complete studies during some semester, you can register as a non-attending student starting at the beginning of your second semester. You may be non-attending for a maximum of two semesters, i.e. one academic year, without having to give a specific reason. The semesters do not have to be consecutive. These independent periods of absence do not use up your study entitlement.

If you do not complete your degree during the validity of your study entitlement, you may apply for a discretionary extension period. Your application must state specific reasons for the delay of your studies and a feasible plan that will enable you to complete the studies. A precondition for granting an extension to the study entitlement is that the plan to graduate during the extension period is realistic.

Open University of Applied Sciences

Laurea’s Open University of Applied Sciences allows you to flexibly develop and supplement your competence, aim for degree studies or familiarise yourself with a new field. The studies are open to everyone, and there are no requirements for age or previous education level. The studies offered include free and paid options from nearly all education programmes at Laurea. Open UAS studies can be accredited as part of degree studies. You can also use them as the basis of applying for a degree in the separate application procedure.

See all the studies offered at Laurea Open University of Applied Sciences.

Applying for a degree based on studies completed at the Open UAS 

Once you have completed at least 60 credits in a specific field at the Open University of Applied Sciences, you can apply for a degree in a separate application process based on your Open University of Applied Sciences studies. See the eligibility criteria for the separate application process and more detailed application instructions.

Study planning and guidance

The personal study plan (PSP) is a tool for planning your studies and developing your competence. Drawing up the plan carefully allows you to identify the starting points for your studies, track the progress you make in your studies and make choices that promote the development of your competence in line with your goals. The personal study plan also helps you understand the time required for studying, which makes it easier for you to make plans to manage your studies and your athletic training.

Your tutor teacher will instruct you in the work to prepare the personal study plan. Make sure to mention your sports career right at the beginning of your studies: inform us about it in the initial survey filled in during the orientation stage of your studies and in the personal guidance discussion with your tutor teacher. This ensures that you receive the best support for the smooth progress of your studies.

At Laurea, your competence development, professional growth and career planning are supported by regular guidance and feedback. You will receive support for studying, balancing your studies with your goal-oriented competitive and elite sports, student well-being and possible special needs.

Guidance is provided in the form of cooperation, where there are many people to assist you through their different roles and professional skills. At Laurea, degree and path students get support from

• a teacher tutor
• Laurea’s Urhea contact persons Tomas Illman and Riikka Saukkola
• the Head of Student Affairs
• the study unit teachers
• student tutors
• a career services specialist
• a special needs teacher
• a counselling psychologist
• a school social worker
• a campus chaplain
• Popup Guidance
• study services
• Healthcare services of the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS; degree students only)

Read more about the guidance and well-being services available at Laurea on the student intranet (login required)

Urhea collaboration

Metropolitan Sports Academy Urhea is a collaborative network that enables elite athletes and those aiming at the top to combine their daily training, studies and the availability of support services. In the collaboration network, sports federations and clubs are responsible for the athletes’ training and educational institutions for their teaching, guidance and provision of support services. Laurea is an Urhea partner and member.

Sports Academy athletes are defined according to the national guidelines of the Finnish Olympic Committee; 

1. Athletes supported by the Finnish Olympic Committee, adult national-team athletes in team ball sports  
2. Adults and youths competing at the international level 
3. National level  

The student athletes at Laurea have an opportunity to apply for an Urhea membership. Laurea is committed to supporting Urhea students in planning and completing their studies in a way that enables taking the requirements set by sport (e.g. daily workload, competition and training camp schedules, long-term goals) into consideration in the student’s personal study plan as far as possible. The Sports Academy membership allows you to demonstrate to your teacher tutor and teachers that you are an athlete aiming for the top. When you join the Metropolitan Sports Academy Urhea, or if you are already a member, we will receive information about the start of your studies at Laurea from an Urhea elite sports coordinator.

As an Urhea member, you get to:

• use the Unisport sports facilities located around the Helsinki Metropolitan Area free of charge.
• purchase the Urhea Hall annual pass at a special price for athletes.
• purchase support services from experts (e.g. medicine, nutrition) at reduced prices through Urhea Sportti, Urhea’s service company. If you are an athlete who receives support from the Finnish Olympic Committee or your sports federation has an agreement on expert support, you have access to expert support free of charge

Recognition of competence and flexible study paths

At Laurea, you will have various opportunities for flexibly managing your goal-oriented sports and higher education studies. The smooth progress of your studies is supported by issues such as:

• individual study schedule
• identification and recognition of prior competence obtained in higher education studies completed elsewhere (accreditation)
• identification and recognition of competence acquired in sports (demonstration of competence) 
• flexible ways of acquiring competence relevant to your degree, e.g. acquiring competence in sports during studies (studification) and available cross-institutional studies
• alternative placement practices
• thesis topics related to career in sports
• opportunities for international exchange and placement 

Scholarship application period 6–17 October 2025

Students pursuing a career in elite sports who have been successful in their studies can apply for a scholarship. The scholarship amounts to approximately EUR 1,000–2,000. 

When selecting athletes supported by the scholarship, the emphasis is on the goal-oriented nature of the student's athletic training, their need for financial support and their study performance. Eligibility for the scholarship requires a cooperation agreement between the student and Laurea. The agreement is used to determine the content of communication cooperation with the student athlete.

The scholarship application period is 6–17 October 2025. 

Application form for the scholarship for elite athletes

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