University of Helsinki
International student interest in the Master’s program in Geology and Geophysics has continued to grow since its establishment in 2017, with a 35% increase in the number of applications for autumn 2021 compared to a year ago.
Each winter international students apply for up to 10 study spots in the Geology and Geophysics Master’s program. As shown in the figure below, the number of applicants fluctuates from year to year, but has grown significantly over the past five years. For the academic year starting in autumn 2021 we received the largest number of applications yet, with a total of 88 international students applying for study places in our program. This is an increase of 35% from the previous year and the largest number of applications within the Faculty of Science for a program with a quota of only 10 international students per year.
In addition, 91% of our applicants were from outside the EU/EEAS, which was the highest percentage in the university. This is both good and bad news. The good news is that it is a clear indication of our program’s appeal across the globe. We regularly see applicants from North and South America, Asia, and Africa in our annual calls, which is excellent. Unfortunately, applicants from outside the EU must also pay tuition fees that may prevent some of them from being able to join the program. The tuition is quite reasonable compared to fee-based degree programs in North America and the U.K., and we may be able to assist some students in joining the program via scholarships. That said, it remains to be seen how many of the applicants will ultimately accept their study place.
Assessment of the applicants and decisions on who to offer will be the task of the degree program board members in the coming months. Let’s hope to see our international student population follow the trend in applications and continue to grow!
More information on the UH Winter call statistics can be found HERE.
Contributor: David Whipp