Frequently Asked Questions about the Open UAS

Open University of Applied Sciences (Open UAS) offers a flexible chance to pursue higher education studies, such as updating your skills, exploring a new field, or earning credits. Open UAS studies are open for everyone regardless of your background. In Open UAS, you study according to the curricula of SeAMK’s degree programmes: the objectives, contents, assessment methods, requirements, and instructors are the same. As an Open UAS student, you usually study in the same group as degree students, following the schedule of the degree programme. Studying at Open UAS is mostly fee-based.

Studying at Open UAS does not lead to a degree. Open UAS studies are part-time and do not entitle you to benefits such as student financial aid, student loans, or student discounts.

• Individual courses are selected from various fields at SeAMK. The offerings include both online and in-person courses. Some of our individual courses are conducted in English language.
• In nonstop online studies, starting your studies is flexible, and you can join at a time that suits you. Nonstop studies are completed independently online. Some of our nonstop studies are conducted in English language.
• POLKU Pathway Studies offer the opportunity to complete the first-year studies before applying for a place as a degree student.
• Study modules offer an opportunity to develop and deepen your skills according to your own needs. Study modules range from 10 to 60 ECTS credits and consist of several individual courses. Currently we are offering study modules only in Finnish.

You can find all of the Open UAS studies in our  Continuous learning online store.

In the online store, you can search for the courses you want using the search bar or the  “Realization search” button at the top. On the homepage of the online store, you will find courses grouped by study mode and field of study.

Open UAS studies are open to everyone. They are well-suited for you if, for example:

• You want to explore higher education
• You are considering a career change
• You want to develop yourself further
• You want to enhance the skills required in the workforce
• You want to make use of your gap year between studies
• You want to speed up the completion of your studies
• You are planning to apply for a degree programme later on.

The scope of studies is measured in ECTS credits (CR). One credit corresponds to 27 hours of student workload.

Yes, Open UAS studies can be completed alongside work. SeAMK offers flexible study opportunities that are well-suited for working individuals. For example, you can choose online courses that you can complete independently at your own pace, or blended learning courses, where in-person classes are held in the evenings and weekends. This allows for a flexible combination of studies and work.

Explore the course offerings in SeAMK’s Continuous learning online store and add the studies that interest you to your basket. Please be aware that not all studies are conducted in English even though the title may be visible in English. Check the teaching language on the course information. After selecting the studies, click the “Enrol in all” button to fill in the enrolment form. Enrolment requires strong authentication and acceptance of the cancellation terms.

In the case of study modules and POLKU Pathway studies, explore the course offerings on SeAMK’s Open UAS website and select the studies that interest you. You can find the enrolment form alongside the description of each study module and POLKU Pathway studies.

In some cases, the enrolment form will ask for attachments. Please submit the required attachments immediately upon enrolment (e.g., a certificate of higher education degree for master’s level studies).

After a successful enrolment, you will receive instructions via email on registering your SeAMK user ID, logging into the Moodle online learning platform, and other important study-related matters. Remember to check your email regularly and also check the spam folder!

Students are mainly admitted to the courses in the order of enrolment. If the course has prerequisite requirements or recommendations related to prior knowledge, they will be mentioned in the course description.

A higher education degree is required for master’s level studies. Please attach a certificate of your higher education degree to your enrolment.

If you wish to cancel your enrolment, please notify us at jatkuva.oppiminen@seamk.fi. In your message, mention the course for which you wish to cancel your participation.

Please note our cancellation policy: Cancellation terms | SeAMK.fi

The rejection may be due to reasons such as the study fee not being paid or the required attachments not submitted on time. If you have any questions regarding the rejection or potential re-enrolment, please contact us at jatkuva.oppiminen@seamk.fi.

If the course becomes full and a waiting list procedure is in place, you still have the opportunity to receive a study place. If a place becomes available before the enrolment period ends, you will receive a confirmation email before the course starts. Make sure to check your email!

Studies with a study fee

• The participation fee for Open UAS is determined by the scope of the course. At SeAMK’s Open UAS, the cost of one credit in bachelor’s level studies is 12 euros. In master’s evel studies, the cost of one credit is 15 euros.
• The pricing for Open UAS study modules is determined on a per-product basis (12-15 euros/credit).
• The fee for a POLKU student is 300 €. Master level POLKU studet fee is 150 €.
• In addition to the actual tuition fees, completing the studies may have other reasonable costs for the student (e.g., study materials). Any additional costs will be outlined in the course descriptions.

Free of charge studies

• SeAMK’s individual Open UAS courses and study modules of fewer than 60 credits are free of charge for unemployed and laid-off individuals. Unemployment or layoff must be verified at the time of enrolment. Those interested in studies should check in advance how the studies might affect unemployment benefits. Further information on support issues can be found on the Työmarkkinatori website.
• Individual Open UAS courses are offered free of charge to SeAMK graduates (SeAMK Alumni) for up to two years after graduation. The graduation date will be checked in the Peppi system after enrolment.
• Individual Open UAS courses are free of charge for SeAMK Seniors (retired SeAMK staff).
• Open UAS may have ongoing campaigns during which enrolment in certain courses defined by the campaign is free of charge. Information about such campaigns will be announced separately.

When you enrol in individual courses through the online store, you can pay for the course immediately upon registration, provided no administrative processing is required. If administrative processing is needed, you will receive a payment link by email after your enrolment has been approved. Once you receive the payment link, you have 2 days to complete the payment. For study modules and path studies, SeAMK will send you an invoice for your studies at the start of the courses.

For individual courses, your enrolment will be considered cancelled if you do not make the payment within the specified time. In this case, you will receive an email notifying you of the rejection. If you have any questions regarding the rejection or re-enrolment, please contact us at jatkuva.oppiminen@seamk.fi.

For study modules and POLKU Pathway studies, you will receive an invoice once you have confirmed your place in the course and started your studies.

Please note that study fees are collectable.

To study (e.g., in the online learning environment Moodle and SeAMK’s email), you will need a SeAMK user ID. After your enrolment is accepted, you will receive instructions by email on how to register your SeAMK user ID.

The registration can generally be completed 7 days before the start of the course. If the course has already started (e.g., nonstop courses), you can register your user  ID within 2-3 days. If you already have a valid user ID, your access rights will continue automatically.

Register your SeAMK user account in the registration service according to the instructions you receive, using your online banking credentials or mobile certificate. Make sure to save the information related to your account.

If you are unable to activate your user account, please contact SeAMK IT support Jelppari (tel. +358 20 124 5064, jelppari@epedu.fi).

To begin your studies, you must first register your SeAMK user ID according to the instructions you received via email, and log in to SeAMK’s Moodle learning platform using your user ID. Moodle is the online learning platform used for most of the courses at SeAMK. You can log into Moodle at https://moodle.seamk.fi/. When logging in, select the option “Login with SeAMK credentials (Microsoft 365).” The SeAMK courses you have been accepted into will appear under the “My Course List” button by the course start date at the latest. If the course is not visible, please check your SeAMK email. Any communication related to your studies will be sent to your @seamk.fi email address, so make sure to check it regularly.

If you cannot find the course in Moodle and have not received the starting instructions via email, please contact the course teacher.

Please note that nonstop online courses can be started independently in Moodle.

SeAMK’s Open UAS studies may include face-to-face teaching, scheduled online teaching, or the studies can be completed independently online at your own pace. You can find the instructions for completing the studies in SeAMK’s Continuous Learning online store and in the course descriptions. After enrolment, you will receive further information from logging in to the Moodle learning platform or directly to your SeAMK email.

Using the course code, you can also check the course details and teaching schedules on SeAMK’s Timetable Tool (Lukkarikone).

In case of problems, you can always contact jatkuva.oppiminen@seamk.fi.

For technical issues, such as user ID or SeAMK email, or problems with systems required for studies, you can contact SeAMK’s IT support, Jelppari, at 020 124 5064, jelppari@epedu.fi.

The course teacher will guide you with matters related to the content and completion of the course.

During the studies, you will need basic computer skills and a computer with an internet connection.

If desired, students can also install the Microsoft 365 package on their home computer. The package includes all Office software, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The software will be available for the entire duration of your studies. Learn more about installing the Office package on Jelppari’s website.

If you need assistance with devices or software, SeAMK’s Jelppari provides help guides and IT support contact details.

After your enrolment is accepted, you will be granted a time-limited and content-specific study right. The duration of the study right in Open UAS is determined based on the length of the studies you have enrolled to. The study right for individual courses begins 10 days before the course starts. The study right ends when the studies are completed or at the end of the semester when the studies conclude.

In Open UAS, you can register for as many courses as you want – you will receive a new study right, or your previous study right will be extended according to the new courses.

You will receive an assessment of your coursework from the course teacher within one month (excluding holiday periods) after the proper completion of the course.

You can see your assessment and download an electronic study certificate or transcript of records from the Peppi student information system during your studies.

You can also view your completed studies in the My Studyinfo service.

You can download an electronic study certificate or transcript of records from the Peppi student information system during your studies.

You can also view your completed studies in the My Studyinfo service.

If you need a separate/paper transcript of records, you can request it from SeAMK Continuous Learning Services at jatkuva.oppiminen@seamk.fi.

Students completing study modules will receive a separate certificate once all the courses included in the module have been successfully completed.

Open UAS studies are part-time and do not entitle you to student financial aid, student loans, or student discounts.

As an Open UAS student, you can get lunch at the staff price in SeAMK’s Sodexo restaurants by showing a contract card, which you can obtain from SeAMK Continuous Learning Services. You can ask for the card from jatkuva.oppiminen@seamk.fi. The contract card is valid for the duration of your study rights.

You can check out SAMO student benefits for Open UAS students on the SAMO website.

Open UAS students are served by the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences Library. You can find more information on the SeAMK Library website.

You cannot complete an entire degree at Open UAS. However, if you later become a degree student at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, the studies completed at Open UAS may be recognized as part of the degree program, where applicable.

You can not complete a degree in Open UAS, but Open UAS studies can serve as a pathway towards degree studies. SeAMK’s Application with Open UAS Studies is intended for students who have completed a certain number of applicable studies (such as POLKU Pathway studies or study modules and individual courses) in Open UAS and wish to apply for degree studies.

For example, Open UAS POLKU Pathway studies are designed for students aiming to become degree students in SeAMK. In POLKU Pathway studies, you can complete the first-year courses of your chosen degree program at Open UAS before applying to become a degree student. Read more about pathway studies: POLKU Pathway Studies at SeAMK | SeAMK.fi