Kvarken University
Higher education in the Kvarken region
Interested in joining over 70,000 higher education students in the stunning Kvarken region? Here, you can explore the diverse study opportunities and find a list of all the main higher education institutions on both sides of the Kvarken.
Over 70,000 people study in the Kvarken
With its diverse and high-quality study opportunities, the Kvarken region has attracted higher education students from across the globe. At Umeå University alone, there are almost 40,000 students who have enrolled in dozens of different study programmes.
Higher education is offered in many locations in the Kvarken, with Vaasa having the most students in Finland and Umeå in Sweden. You can study in English, Swedish, and Finnish – many schools provide international programmes that are fully in English.
Explore the main higher education institutions
Underneath you can find a list of the main higher education institutions in the Kvarken region. Some of the included institutions do not have their own campus in the region despite offering education there, but not all of these institutions are listed. It is also good to note that programmes offered may vary every semester.
This page is coordinated by the Kvarken Council. If you have any questions, want us to add something, or find errors, please contact our Communications Manager Johanna Häggman. You can find her contact information here or further down this page.
Finland
University of Vaasa
The University of Vaasa is an international, business-oriented, and multidisciplinary research university focusing on sustainable business, energy, and society. With over 5,000 students, it is the biggest university in Ostrobothnia.
The university’s Bachelor programmes are in Finnish, but several of its Master’s programmes are taught in English. These programmes are in the fields of economics and business, smart energy, computing sciences, and industrial management. International students can also apply for a right to study for a doctoral degree.
Vaasa University of Applied Sciences
Technological expertise, internationality, and working-life partnerships are at the core of Vaasa University of Applied Sciences’ (VAMK) operations. In education, VAMK focuses on energy efficient technology, business expertise in export, as well as modern health care and social welfare services. The university has about 4,000 degree students.
Although the majority of VAMK’s degree programmes have Finnish as their language of instruction, the university also offers multiple English-language Bachelor and Master’s degree programmes in the fields of business and technology.
Novia University of Applied Sciences
Novia offers education in various fields ranging from business and bioeconomy to technology, health, and arts. English-language degree programmes are available in all these fields. In Vaasa, you can study business, technology and seafaring, as well as health and welfare.
Hanken School of Economics
Hanken School of Economics has over 110 years of experience in education and research in economics and business administration. Founded in Helsinki, the university also started education in Vaasa in 1980. There, it has approximately 500 students.
Hanken’s main language of instruction is Swedish. However, at Hanken’s Vaasa location, you can also study in the English-language Marketing and Management Master’s degree programme. You can also apply for a PhD programme in Business and Economics.
Åbo Akademi
The university’s instruction languages are Swedish and English. On its Vaasa campus, Åbo Akademi offers English-language Master’s programmes in fields like health sciences, technology, and teaching.
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world in international rankings. In Vaasa, the university’s Faculty of Law has offered bilingual education since 1991. About 150 people study at the Vaasa campus for a Bachelor or Master of Laws degree. Both Finnish and Swedish are used equally as instruction languages.
Centria University of Applied Sciences
Centria University of Applied Sciences offers several fields of study on three different campuses in Ostrobothnia – Kokkola, Pietarsaari, and Ylivieska. It is Central Ostrobothnia’s largest provider of higher education with its 4,500 students.
The languages of instruction include both Finnish and English. English-language Bachelor and Master’s degree programmes are available in health care, business, and engineering.
Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius
Chydenius offers Master’s programmes in both Finnish and English. You can also participate in a PhD program.
Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences
Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SeAMK) is a multidisciplinary UAS that emphasises entrepreneurship and working life orientation. SeAMK has around 5,000 degree students and is the biggest provider of higher education in South Ostrobothnia. Its languages of instruction are Finnish and English.
For international students, SeAMK offers multiple English-language Bachelor’s programmes in engineering, international business, and nursing. The Master’s programme in International Business Management is also taught fully in English.
The University Consortium of Seinäjoki
UCS offers both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree education in Seinäjoki mainly in Finnish. The fields of study vary from – for example – industrial management and social sciences to economics. English-language programmes are also available for international students.
Sweden
Umeå University
Umeå University is the flagship institution of higher education in northern Sweden. Its instruction languages are both Swedish and English – Umeå University provides more than 40 programmes and 450 courses entirely in English. On top of Umeå, the university has campuses in Skellefteå and Örnsköldsvik in Västernorrland. In total, the university has almost 40,000 students.
English-language Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes are available in various fields, such as medicine, science and technology, social sciences, arts and humanities, as well as educational sciences. International students can also apply for a doctoral position.
Mid Sweden University
Mid Sweden University’s other campus is located in Sundsvall. Its languages of instruction are Swedish and English. International programmes include both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in fields like engineering, chemistry, biology, and business. International students can also apply for a doctoral degree.
Luleå University of Technology
In Västerbotten, the university has a campus in Skellefteå. There, international students can study for a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree in fields like computer science and engineering. You can also apply for a PhD.
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is a leading international university providing research and education within the sciences for sustainable life. Languages of instruction include Swedish and English.
One of the university’s principal sites is located in Umeå, where it has 500 students. There, SLU shares campus with Umeå University. At SLU Umeå international students can study for a Master of Science degree and major in forestry science or biology.
Futuregames
The school offers future-proof higher vocational education programmes in English. In Skellefteå and Umeå, you can study game programming and design among other things.
Yrkeshögskolan Skellefteå
Yrkeshögskolan Mitt
Yrkeshögskolan Höga Kusten
Heta Utbildningar
At Heta, the language of instruction is Swedish. You can study to become, for example, a maintenance or an operating engineer in the energy field.
Other institutions
In Sweden’s Västerbotten and Västernorrland, there are also other institutions that offer higher vocational education. These institutions do not usually have their own campuses in the region and may provide shorter courses or a few longer education programmes. The language of instruction is usually Swedish.
If you want to find out more about these institutions, please visit their websites:
- Chas Academy
- Dragon Skolan
- Edugarde
- FEI
- Folkuniversitet
- Forslundagymnasiet
- Hantverkslärling
- Hermods
- Högskolan Väst
- IHM Business School
- ITH
- KUI
- KYH Yrkeshögskola
- Lernia
- Mälardalens universitet
- NBI/Handelsakademin
- One Academy
- Sollefteå kommun YH
- TCC Academy
- Teknikhögskolan
- TUC Yrkeshögskola
- Vilhelmina Lärcentrum
- Yh Akademin
- Yrkeshögskolan SKY
