Language Centre's frequently asked questions
Language Centre's curriculum and transitional provisions
Credit transfer for communication and language studies
Finnish as a Second Language (S2) studies and the amendments to the Aliens Act as of 8 January 2026
Language Centre's curriculum and transitional provisions
Where can I see all the courses that are offered by the Language Centre in English and are included in the current curriculum?
All the Language Centre’s courses, which are taught in English and included in the current curriculum can be found in the Student’s Guide's page Curriculum, teaching schedules and teaching modes of the Language Centre as a PDF file and links leading to the curriculum section in the Student's guide.
My existing degree structure includes the course KKSU2 - Finnish elementary course 2 (which carries 3 credits), but now I have to complete the course LANG.SUV.002 - Finnish 2 (which carries 2 credits). How can I earn the remaining one credit towards my degree?
As a rule, the communication and language courses that you have completed earlier will be equivalent to the communication and language courses included in the current curriculum, although the number of credits carried by the courses may slightly vary. It does not matter if the scope of your mandatory communication and language studies falls slightly short because of this reason. However, you must attend other courses to ensure that you earn the required number of credits to complete your degree.
Course registration
When do I register for the Language Centre's teaching?
You can check the Language Centre's enrolment periods on the page Course registration at the Language Centre. Please note that enrolment for the Language Centre's courses usually ends earlier than the enrolment for the faculties' own teaching. Although the registration period is long, it is advisable to register as soon as possible after the registration period has begun. In this way, the Language Centre can immediately get an idea of the number of people registering and react to any need for changes in time.
I tried to register for a course, but Sisu claims that I do not meet the "Course is included in the primary study plan" requirement, even though the course appears in my primary study plan.
This problem can be caused by having a different version of the course in your study plan versus your registration. Please go to the Student's guide > Course registration. Scroll down to the section titled Problems with enrolling for a course to read more about the possible scenarios that may cause this problem and find instructions for resolving them.
I registered for a course well in advance but was not accepted. Why is this? What are the criteria for course admission?
Students are not admitted in the order of enrolment, but the selections are confirmed in accordance with the selection criteria after the enrolment period has ended. Please read the selection criteria on the page Course registration at the Language Centre.
It is possible that there were not enough places for all the candidates, or your preferred groups did not have enough places for all. Some groups of the implementation might still have places left and you can still try to register during the late registration period.
To view the course admission criteria, please see the page Course registration at the Language Centre.
The late registration period will open after the registrations have been confirmed. During the late registration period, students can register for vacant places.
I got a place in the group, but I can't make it to the 1st class. What should I do?
The student must be present at the first teaching session or send a message to the teacher before the first teaching session if they are unable to attend. Otherwise, the place will be given to another student.
I didn't get a place in the teaching and I want to stay in the queue. What should I do?
There is no waiting list for teaching, but you can register for possible cancellations in Sisu during late registration. Late registration opens with implementations after the selections have been confirmed, and it is mainly open until the Sunday of the first week of teaching. If you sign up for the implementation later, please contact the group's teacher by email afterwards so that you can get all the necessary information for participation (e.g. Zoom link and access to Moodle).
Cancelling your registration
I can't participate in the course and I want to cancel my registration. What should I do?
If you decide not to participate in the teaching after you have received a place, please inform the teacher as soon as possible. Cancel your registration or withdraw from the course in Sisu yourself. You can cancel your registration for a course unit if the course unit has not yet started or if the course unit has started and has an additional period for cancellation. If it is no longer possible to cancel the registration, there should instead be an option to withdraw from the course. Read the instructions on the page Sisu instructions: Cancelling registration.
Credit transfer for communication and language studies
Is there a way to substitute the course LANG.SUV.001 Finnish 1 (3 ECTS), which is a mandatory course based on my degree structure?
For detailed instructions, please go to the page Credit transfer for communication and language studies by substitution.
Alumni studies
I have graduated from Tampere University. Can I apply for alumni studies and take Finnish as a second language (S2) courses as an alumni?
For information about Alumni studies, please go to the page Alumni studies, Right to study reserved for alumni.
It is possible to apply for an alumni right to study for the following Finnish as a second language (S2) courses organised by the Language Centre:
LANG.SUV.007 Finnish 7
LANG.SUV.008 Finnish 8
LANG.SUV.009 Finnish for Working Life
LANG.SUV.010 Communication for Finnish 1
LANG.SUV.011 Communication for Finnish 2
Admission is conditional on the student fulfilling the prerequisites for the course and that there is room in the teaching groups. To meet the prerequisite requirements, your language proficiency must be at the appropriate CEFR level.
Currently it is not possible for alumni to study lower-level Finnish language courses (Finnish 1 - Finnish 6) or other communication and language courses at the Language Centre.
If your language skills are not yet sufficient for courses Finnish 7 – Communication for Finnish 2, you may continue studying elsewhere and apply for the alumni study right once your language proficiency has reached the appropriate CEFR level.
I have completed Suomi 1 and Suomi 2 courses as part of my degree. Is it possible to continue my Finnish language studies as an alumni?
Please read the response to the previous question.
Finnish as a Second Language (S2) studies and the amendments to the Aliens Act as of 8 January 2026
After 8 January 2026, a person who has completed a higher education degree in Finland and is applying for a permanent residence permit may demonstrate developing‑level Finnish language skills with 15 ECTS credits of Finnish language studies completed at a Finnish higher education institution. Below you will find a collection of questions and answers concerning the above‑mentioned studies, based on information received from Migri in March 2026.
Always check the most up‑to‑date instructions on applying for a residence permit and the relevant requirements on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service (hereafter Migri). If anything is unclear, please contact Migri directly.
Where can I complete the S2 studies required by Migri?
You can complete the studies in Finnish higher education institutions (universities, universities of applied sciences, open university, or open university of applied sciences).
Do all 15 ECTS credits need to be completed at the same higher education institution?
No, the studies do not need to be completed at the same institution.
Do all 15 ECTS credits need to be included in a degree?
No, the studies do not need to be part of a degree; they may also consist of separate courses.
How does Migri receive information about the studies I have completed?
Migri checks completed S2 studies through the national KOSKI service (the Finnish National Agency for Education’s centralized system for study rights and study records). Therefore, the completed courses do not need to appear on the Tampere University transcript.
What level of studies can be included in the 15 ECTS credits?
You can demonstrate the required “developing” level with at least 15 ECTS credits of Finnish language studies completed at a Finnish higher education institution. The “developing” level corresponds to the CEFR level A2.
I have completed two courses, both at CEFR level A2.1. Can the completed courses be at the same level?
We recommend that you take courses at your own level so that you move from one level to the next. The same course, or a course with the same content, cannot be completed multiple times. The course description usually indicates the starting and target proficiency levels, and it is advisable to follow this information.