Entrance Examinations Abroad for Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences

Please check before hand, whether the polytechnic/UAS arranges entrance examinations outside Finland. It is also important to find out, whether the polytechnics/UAS arranges entrance examinations for the degree programme you are applying to abroad.

The decision on whether or not entrance examinations are arranged outside Finland rests always on the polytechnic/UAS in question. Neither the Finnish National Board of Education nor the Embassies of Finland can or will influence on the decision of the polytechnic/UAS.

The polytechnics/UAS that have examinations abroad do not arrange them in every country. Please check from the polytechnic/UAS admissions office whether entrance examinations are arranged in your country or not. Alternatively look below the comprehensive list or click here for further details:

• Arcada UAS (DP in International Business and DP in Plastics Technology): Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Central Ostrobothnia UAS: Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam, Ghana
• HAMK UAS: Estonia, Germany, Poland, Russia, Turkey, China, Vietnam, Canada, Brazil
• JAMK UAS: Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Degree Programmes in Logistics Engineering and Nursing also in Ghana.
• Kajaani UAS: Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Ghana and Russia (St. Petersburg)
• Kemi-Tornio UAS: Russia (Murmansk), Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania.
• Lahti UAS: Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Laurea UAS (DP in Tourism, DP in Business Management, DP in Business Information Technology): Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Mikkeli UAS: Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and Russia (St. Petersburg)
• Novia UAS (only DP in Integrated Coastal Zone Management): Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and Ghana.
• Oulu UAS: Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Degree programmes in Business Information Technology and Information Technology also in Ghana.
• PIRAMK UAS (only DP in Tourism): Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam
• RAMK UAS: In European countries, Russia and USA, Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Saimaa UAS : Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and Russia (St. Petersburg)
• Satakunta UAS (only in the field of business): Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and Ghana
• Savonia UAS: Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Seinäjoki UAS: Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Ghana . Degree Programme in Nursing also in Kosovo. Possibly also in some other Eastern European countries.
• Turku UAS (DP in International Business and DP in Information Technology): Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Ghana, Kenya and Namibia
• Vaasa UAS: (DP in International Business and DP in Information Technology): Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and Ghana.

Scholarships for Postgraduate, MBA, and PhD Studies in the USA

MBAs are a very big investment. An MBA from a big school can easily cost $100,000 in fees and living expenses, even without the opportunity cost of no salary for 2 years.

There are a number of ways you can pay for the MBA, the main ones being grants and scholarships, loans and employer sponsorship.

There are a number of grants and scholarships available in the US, and a good source of information on these is the admission departments of the business schools themselves. Most scholarships have a lengthy application process so be sure to start looking at your funding options well in advance of being accepted. This is especially true if you are looking at studying outside of your home country.

The main loans available for MBA students are the Federal Stafford Loan, William D Ford Federal Direct loans and Federal Perkins loans.

Though few and far between, there are some universities in the US that provide financial aid and student scholarships to international students. However, you should keep the following points in mind:

• The grant is limited and the pool of candidates is enormous.
• It is often more readily available to Graduate rather than Undergraduate students,
• Competition for international student scholarships and aid is fierce
• Schools are very choosy about picking the right candidates
• Good grades are extremely crucial in securing an international scholarship.

Note: To avoid disappointment, you may like to consider schools that have scholarships and the course of your choice.

Scholarships Available

Following are the organizations that provide international student scholarships and financial aid:

The Fulbright Grant: Fulbright grants are available for international students in graduate school. The flagship international educational program sponsored by the United States Government, the Fulbright Program (http://www.iie.org/Template.cfm?section=Fulbright) provides grants for Graduate Students, Scholars, Professionals, Teachers and Administrators

Rotary International: This organization provides limited international student scholarships.

AAUW: This organization provides fellowships for international women graduate students.

American Councils for International Education: The councils provide international student grants and fellowships to international students from the former Soviet republics.

Presidential Award: This is for non-resident and International graduate students who have met graduate school requirements.

International Presidential Scholarship and International University Scholarship: This award covers tuition reimbursement to qualified undergraduate domestic and international students.

Sources & Related Links:

• International Education Financial Aid (IEFA): This site provides a searchable database that contains various sources of aid available to international students. It is a free service.

• International Student Loans: This site offers loans to international students, so long as the international student loan is co-signed by an American citizen.

• Cornell University Graduate School Fellowship Notebook: This University contains a list of funding and international student scholarships available to graduate international students.

• Scholarships in India: This site provides information on scholarships for Indian students.

Tuition-free International Project Management Course in Finland

Entry requirements: You are eligible to apply if you have completed Bachelor’s or equivalent qualification studies in Finland or at least 3 years of studies at higher education level in any field and you have a good command of English.

Relevant working experience and good computer skills (use of Ms Office tools) will be an asset and will be considered in application selection procedure.

Application deadline: 30 March, 2009

Application procedure: Application must be posted via regular mail along with the required documentation.

The basis for the students’ selection is the application form duly completed and signed and enclosed documentation required in application form. Application will be considered only if the applicant meets the entry requirements.

The following criteria will be evaluated: education, justification for studies in IPM, relevant working experience, proof of English language skills, computer skills.

For further information on the program and the application form, please Click Here.

Scholarships for Postgraduate, MBA, and PhD Studies in the UK

There is almost no financial aid for an MBA in the UK. Some universities may give students with good or exceptional backgrounds, a part tuition fee waiver but there exist several scholarships or part tuition waiver for undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programme. Please read below among various scholarship opportunities available for international students in UK.

Scholarships managed by British Council

1. British Chevening Scholarship: This is the UK government’s flagship scholarship scheme. Their principal goal is to present a chance for self-motivated students and professionals who wish to study in the UK in research or postgraduate courses. Their aims is to push students and professionals to study in the UK so that once they are back to their home country, they would contribute to future work.

The scheme offers two kinds of programmes:

• Long term (open) scholarships: This is open for courses at any UK institution and are planned for candidates who have already applied for one-year postgraduate study at the institution of their choice.
• Short term (professional) scholarships: Designed for working professionals who would like to pursue short-term training to expand their knowledge and skills. Applicants under this scheme need not apply directly to UK institutions; they only need to make a Chevening application.

      Please click here for further information on the scholarships.

2. Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships: A yearly plan made accessible to all Commonwealth countries by the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission. The scheme offers scholarships over a range of subjects including medicine, engineering and technology, pure and applied science, agriculture, humanities and social sciences. Please click here for further information on the scholarships.

3. Charles Wallace India Trust Awards: The Charles Wallace India Trust provides awards for postgraduate studies, research and fellowships in the UK. The awards deem primarily on the arts and humanities and the organization provides up to 50 grants annually for Indians.

Each year, awards are offered in six areas namely; visual and performing arts, architectural and materials conservation, museum studies and curatorship, English Studies, humanities, and journalism

4. The De Souza Trust, Goa – Scholarship: Aims to provide opportunities to study or train in the UK, to young men and women of Goan origin (or those who have been living and working in Goa for the past ten years), who have demonstrated academic excellence and extra-curricular achievements. Please click here for further information on the scholarships.

5. Scottish International Scholarships: Scholarships are offered to foreign nationals who wish to study a Master’s programme of not more than 12 months based in a Scottish higher education institution. Priority for the following subject areas: science and technology, creative industries (including arts, design and culture). Please click here for further information on the scholarships.

Other Scholarships

1. Ford Foundation Visiting Fellowship: It is particularly planned to support candidates from social groups that have been marginalized and need systematic way in to higher education. Please click here for further information.

2. The Rhodes Scholarships: Up to six fully covered scholarships offered at Oxford, for pure and applied sciences, law or medicine. Please click here for further information.

3. The Skoll Scholarship Programme: Five fully-funded annual MBA scholarships within the Said Business School, University of Oxford, UK. Please click here for further information.

4. The Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards: Awards for outstanding graduate students from India, China, Hong Kong, Russia and the developing world to pursue PhDs in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, social sciences and technology. Please click here for further information.

5. Oxford and Cambridge Society of India: Scholarships awarded for study at the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge. Please click here for further information.

6. Felix Scholarships: Offers up to six scholarships each for Indian graduates at University of Oxford, University of Reading, and School of Oriental and African Studies every year. Please click on the universities for further information.

Scholarships for Postgraduate, MBA, and PhD Studies in Australia

Financial aid for studies in Australia is very difficult. You will have to arrange your own funds and if your parents have that kind of money - go ahead. Some universities may give students with good or exceptional backgrounds, a part tuition fee waiver. There are not very many scholarship options available most especially for MBA in the Australia. Almost all students who go for an MBA in Australia fund the related expenses on their own. A Majority of international students in Australia are full-fee paying students. There is strong contest for the international student scholarships in Australia.

International students can apply for scholarships presented by the education institutions and many other organizations. Scholarships cover a number of educational sectors with vocational and technical education, student exchanges, undergraduate and postgraduate study and research.

Australian Government scholarships are not accessible for international students undertaking English language training in Australia but there are several English language training scholarships offered by Australian institutions:

1. Australian Scholarships: Australian Scholarships is a scheme of the Australian Government that brings as one and expands present scholarship programmes in the Asia-Pacific region managed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Australian Scholarships also introduces a new AusAID managed programme - Australian Leadership Awards.

Please click here for further information.

2. Endeavour Programme: The Endeavour Programme brings together under one roof the entire division of Education, Employment and Workplace Relation’s (DEEWR) international education scholarships. The Endeavour Programme showcases the distinction of Australia’s education, science and training sectors by bringing exceptional students, researchers and professionals to Australia to take on short or long term study, research and professional development in an extensive array of disciplines. It also encourages Australians to do the same when outside their own country.

Please click here for further information.

3. Australian Leadership Awards: The Australian Leadership Awards (ALAs) focus on developing cream of the crop who can power social and economic policy reform and development outcomes in both their own countries and in the Asia-Pacific region. ALAs extend support for scholarships for post-graduate studies in Australia and short-term fellowship opportunities in specialized research, study or professional attachments through participating Australian organizations.

Please click here for further information.

4. Australian Development Scholarships: Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) aspire to add to the continuing expansion needs of Australia’s partner countries to endorse good control, fiscal augmentation and individual development. ADS award people with the needed skills and comprehension to impel transform and influence the growth outcomes of their own country, during obtaining tertiary qualifications at participating Australian institutions.

Please click here for further information.