If you are taking an exam as part of a Finnish matriculation examination, you can demonstrate your language proficiency through one of the following exams:

• The exam in mother tongue and literature, Swedish
• The exam in the second national language, Swedish, intermediate or advanced level
• The exam in Swedish as a second language

Depending on the programme you are applying for, the grade requirements vary.

The exam in mother tongue and literature, Swedish

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet the following requirement:

• You have passed the exam in mother tongue and literature, Swedish, with at least a passing grade, meaning at least the grade Approbatur (A).

You automatically fulfill the language requirements in this way if you took the exam in 1990 or later and meet the grade requirement. If you took the exam before 1990, you need to attach your matriculation certificate to your application. You do not need to have completed the entire matriculation examination to fulfill the language requirements in this way.

If you do not meet the grade requirements for the exam, you need to fulfill the language requirements another way.

The exam in the second national language, Swedish, intermediate or advanced level

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet the following requirement:

• You have passed the exam in the second national language, Swedish, either at the intermediate or advanced level, with at least the following grades for the specific program you are applying for, according to the table below:

You automatically fulfill the language requirements in this way if you took the exam in 1990 or later and meet the grade requirement. If you took the exam before 1990, you need to attach your matriculation certificate to your application. You do not need to have completed the entire matriculation examination to fulfill the language requirements through the means listed above.

If you do not meet the grade requirements for the exam, you need to fulfill the language requirements another way.

The exam in Swedish as a second language

The exam in Swedish as a second language replaces the exam in mother tongue and is usually taken by those who have neither Finnish nor Swedish as their mother tongue.

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet the following requirement:

• You have passed the exam in Swedish as a second language with at least a passing grade, meaning at least the grade Approbatur (A).

You automatically fulfill the language requirements in this way if you took the exam in 1990 or later and meet the grade requirement. If you took the exam before 1990, you need to attach your matriculation certificate to your application. You do not need to have completed the entire matriculation examination to fulfill the language requirements in this way.

If you do not meet the grade requirements for the exam, you need to fulfill the language requirements another way.

You can fulfill the language requirements through an international matriculation examination, provided that you have taken the exam and achieved at least the grade required below.

If you do not meet the grade requirements for the exam, you need to fulfill the language requirements another way.

European Baccalaureate (EB) Exam

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet one of the following requirements:

• In a European Baccalaureate (EB) exam taken before 2021:
  • You have passed the Swedish L1 or L2 test with at least the grade 4, or
  • You have passed the Swedish ONL test with at least the grade 8.
• In a European Baccalaureate (EB) exam taken in 2021 or later:
  • You have passed the Swedish L1 or L2 test with at least the grade 5, or
  • You have passed the Swedish ONL test with at least the grade 8.

The exam does not need to be fully completed to fulfill the language requirements. You can prove you fulfill the language requirements by uploading your exam certificate along with your application. See our information on the EB exam for a more detailed description.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet one of the following requirements:

• In an International Baccalaureate (IB) exam:
  • You have passed the Swedish A-level, A1-level, or A2-level test with at least the grade 2, or
  • You have passed the Swedish B-level test with at least the grade 5.

The exam does not need to be fully completed to fulfill the language requirements. You can prove you fulfill the language requirements by uploading your exam certificate along with your application. See our information on the IB exam for a more detailed description.

Reifeprüfung (RP) Exam or Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA) Exam

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet the following requirement:

• In a Reifeprüfung (RP) exam or Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA) exam:
  • You have passed the written Swedish mother tongue test with at least a passing grade (grade 4).

The exam does not need to be fully completed to fulfill the language requirements. You can prove you fulfill the language requirements by uploading your exam certificate along with your application. See our information on the RP/DIA exam for a more detailed description.

If you have completed upper secondary school in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway or Sweden, you may fulfill the language requirements if you meet one of the following requirements:

Sweden

• You have an upper secondary school degree from Sweden and have completed one of the following courses or studied at a folk high school:
  • The course Swedish 3, or
  • The course Swedish as a Second Language 3, or
  • Before 30.06.2013 completed the adult education course Swedish B or Swedish as a second language B, or
  • You have studied at a folk high school and received a “Intyg om behörighet till högskolestudier” where Swedish B (dated no later than 30 June 2013) or Swedish 3 or Swedish as a second language B (dated no later than 30 June 2013) / Swedish as a second language 3 is included.

Norway

• You have an upper secondary school degree from Norway and have completed one of the following:
  • Norwegian 393 årstimmar (hovedmål, sidemål och muntlig), or
  • Norwegian 14 veckotimmar (hovedmål, sidemål och muntlig), or
  • Test i norsk – høyere nivå, skriftlig (Bergenstesten) with the grade Bestått.

Denmark and the Faroe Islands

• You have an upper secondary school degree from Denmark (or the Faroe Islands) and have completed one of the following:
  • Passing grade in Dansk niveau A, or
  • Studieprøven i dansk som andetsprog.

Iceland

• You have an upper secondary school diploma from Iceland and have completed one of the following:
  • 9 einingar i isländska + 6 einingar in Swedish/Danish/Norwegian, or
  • 20 points in Icelandic (of which at least 10 need to be at level 3) + at least 1 point in Swedish/Danish/Norwegian.

The language requirements are based on the Swedish Council for Higher Education’s criteria, which are listed on antagning.se.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by attaching a degree certificate to your application in Studyinfo. You must fulfill the requirement before the general deadline. See our information about enclosures for a more detailed description of enclosures in your application.

If you will your upper secondary degree the same spring term as the application period, you can be admitted conditionally in regards to the language requirements. (Read more about conditional requirements on our page for applying as a Nordic applicant (in Swedish).)

The conditional requirement in that case is that you graduate within the deadline (see our information about enclosures for a more information) and that the degree you receive fulfill at least one of the language requirements listed above.

Your school language of instruction is the language in which you formally received your school education.

Basic education

Basic education, or comprehensive school, grades 1–9 or equivalent for the country in question.

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet one of the following requirements:

• You have a passing grade in Swedish language as your mother tongue and literature in connection with your final grades from the basic education, or
• You have a passing grade in Swedish as a second language and literature in connection with your final grades from the basic education.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by uploading your initial education certificate in your application. Please see our information on appendices for a more detailed description of appendices in the application.

Secondary education

If you have completed upper secondary school in Finland but have not completed a Finnish matriculation examination or have not completed any of the matriculation examinations that provide language qualifications, you still fulfill the language requirements if you meet one of the following requirements:

• You have a grade in Swedish as your mother tongue and literature in connection with your final grade from the upper secondary education, or
• You have a grade in Swedish as a second language and literature approved in connection with your final grade from the upper secondary education.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by uploading your upper secondary school leaving certificate in your application. Please see our information on appendices for a more detailed description of appendices in the application.

Vocational education

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet one of the following requirements:

• You have completed a vocational upper secondary degree with a passing grade in Swedish as your mother tongue and literature, or
• You have completed a vocational upper secondary degree with a passing grade in Swedish as a second language and literature, or
• You have completed a degree in further vocational qualification or in specialist vocational qualification with a passing grade in the Swedish language as your mother tongue and literature, or
• You have completed a degree in further vocational qualification or in specialist vocational qualification with a passing grade in Swedish as a second language and literature

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by uploading your vocational education and training certificate to your application. Please note that the passing grade in Swedish mentioned above must be printed on the grade in order for it to give you language qualifications. Please see our information on appendices for a more detailed description of appendices in the application.

The Kulkuri school

You fulfill the language requirements if you meet the following requirements:

1. You have completed Swedish language studies corresponding to the Kulkuri School’s curriculum for basic education.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by uploading your graduation certificate from the education in your application. Please see our information on enclosures for a more detailed description of appendices in the application.

Another education that qualifies for higher education

You are linguistically competent if you meet the following requirements:

1. You have completed a degree in Swedish other than those listed above and which qualifies you for higher education in the country in question.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by uploading the certificate (e.g. the graduation certificate) in your application. Please note that at least one of the criteria must be explicitly stated on the certificate in order to be approved. Please see our information on appendices for a more detailed description of appendices in the application.

Åbo Akademi University organises a language test in Swedish for those who have no other way of fulfilling the language criteria in Swedish for studies at Åbo Akademi University.

Spring 2025

The language test in Swedish is organised by Åbo Akademi University at the following date:

Results

You will receive a message about your results in the test by 13.05.2025. The result will be added to your application by Education Services at Åbo Akademi University, regardless of your result. If you meet or exceed the score requirement, your application will be marked as fulfilling the language requirements. You do not need to be in contact with us for your result to be counted.

Earlier tests

Åbo Akademi University’s language tests in Swedish from the years 2015–2024 are valid. The score you received in any of those tests will be counted in accordance with the score requirements, but you must indicate in your application in Studyinfo that you have taken an earlier test in order for this to be acknowledged.

Score limits

The language test is graded with up to 200 points.

You fulfill the language requirements if:

• You have done the language test with at least the following score for the programme(s) you are applying to:

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by participating in the language test and by selecting in your application in Studyinfo that you will participate in the language test or that you have done the language test earlier. If you have not indicated this in your application, you need to be in contact with us at studinfo@abo.fi.

Some other higher education institutions also organise language tests in Swedish. You fulfill the language requirements if you meet one of the following requirements:

• You have done Svenska handelshögskolan (Hanken’s) language test in Swedish and received a passing grade corresponding to at least level B2, or
• You have done Svenska social- och kommunalhögskolans (Soc&Kom’s) language test in Swedish and received a passing grade corresponding to at least level B2, or
• You have received a passing grade in a language test in Swedish organised by another higher education institution, and that test corresponds to at least level B2. You must have received and uploaded your result to your application in Studyinfo before the general deadline.

A passing grade is valid for five (5) years afterwards and needs to be valid during at least the whole application period.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by selecting in your application that you will participate in one of these tests or that you have previously done one of the tests. We cooperate with Hanken and Soc&Kom and will be in touch with them to receive your results. In other cases you have to have done the test and received proof of this, as well as uploaded that proof to your application in Studyinfo before the general deadline. See our information about enclosures for a more detailed description of enclosures in your application.

If you take the Tisus test in Swedish for university studies, you fulfill the language requirements if:

• You have done the Tisus test and received a passing grade within all areas. You must have received and uploaded your result to your application in Studyinfo before the general deadline.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by attaching a proof of the test results to your application in Studyinfo. You must have done the test as well as received the results and uploaded them to your application before the general deadline. See our information about enclosures for a more detailed description of enclosures in your application.

Read more about the National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) and the Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates (VKT). You can also read about the Comparability between National language proficiency certificates and Civil service language proficiency certificates.

You fulfill the language requirements if:

• You have done the National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) in Swedish with at least grade 4 in all subtests (speaking; listening comprehension; writing; reading comprehension), or
• You have done the Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates (VKT) in Swedish at the skill level Good in the subtests for oral and written skills, or
• You have done both the National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) and the Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates (VKT) in Swedish so that one of the following is true:
  • The subtests for writing and reading comprehension within the National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) passed with at least grade 4 and the subtest for using Swedish orally within the Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates (VKT) passed with the skill level Good, or
  • The subtests for speaking and listening comprehension within the National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) passed with at least grade 4 and the subtest for written Swedish within the Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates (VKT) passed with the skill level Good.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by attaching a proof of the test results to your application in Studyinfo. You must have done the test as well as received the results and uploaded them to your application before the general deadline. See our information about enclosures for a more detailed description of enclosures in your application.

You fulfill the language requirements if:

• You have done a thesis written in Swedish at at least a bachelor level at a Finnish or foreign higher education institution, or
• You have at least 60 credits (ECTS) in the academic subject of the Swedish language (or similar) at a Finnish or foreign higher education institution, or
• You have done an approved maturity test (mognadsprov; kypsyysnäyte) in Swedish at a Finnish or foreign higher education institution, or
• You have received a degree from a Finnish higher education institution in which you have done one of the following:
  • A language test which certifies at least good proficiency in both oral and written capabilities in the Swedish language as the second national language, or
  • Language studies which certifies at least good proficiency in both oral and written capabilities in the Swedish language as the second national language.

You prove you fulfill the language requirements in this way by attaching a degree certificate to your application in Studyinfo. You must fulfill the requirement before the general deadline. See our information about enclosures for a more detailed description of enclosures in your application.

If you are applying to a master’s degree programme in Swedish and will receive the degree which fulfills the general requirements for applying to the master level (e.g. a bachelor’s degree) the same spring term as the application period, you can be admitted conditionally in regards to the language requirements. (Read more about conditional requirements on our page for applying to the master’s programmes.) The conditional requirement in that case is that you graduate within the deadline (see our information about enclosures for a more information) and that the degree you receive fulfill at least one of the language requirements listed above.

However, if you already have a degree which fulfills the requirement for applying to the master level, you will need to fulfill the language requirements with that degree or by fulfilling another requirement listed on this page. This means that you cannot be conditionally admitted in that case.