The University of Tampere (UTA) was founded in 1925 as a Civic College in Helsinki, Finland. Later renamed the School of Social Sciences, it relocated to Tampere in 1960 and became the University of Tampere in 1966.

The University has six faculties: the Faculty of Communication Sciences, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Management, the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, the Faculty of Natural Sciences, and the Faculty of Social Sciences.

The number of international students at the University has grown in recent years to about 500, partly due to the University’s engagement with exchange programmes such as Erasmus. Every international student is assigned a personal ‘student tutor’ prior to arrival to help with practical issues and assist with settling in at the University.

One of the unique features of studying as an undergraduate or postgraduate exchange student in Finland is the national ‘JOO Agreement’, which allows all registered students of Finnish universities to undertake minor subject studies at any other Finnish University free of charge. Students are encouraged to study a subject unavailable to them at their home university that can be included in their degree programme.

The University’s main campus is located close to the city centre. The University’s Kauppi campus, which is home to the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, is about 2.5 kilometres east of the centre, close to the University Hospital.

Tampere is the third largest city in Finland. With a population of more than 220,000, Tampere is the most populous inland city in the Nordic countries. Due to its high student population – almost 40,000 in Tampere overall – the city has a fast‑paced yet safe atmosphere, with an abundance of culture and nightlife.

Students visiting Tampere can also take advantage of the natural environment surrounding the university, including the many lakes and forests.

Each year, the university awards approximately 1,000 master’s degrees and one hundred doctoral degrees.