Savonia University of Applied Sciences

About Savonia University of Applied Sciences

What students think about Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Sudipta Chatterjee-Paukkonen



At Savonia, if you can dream it, you can do it.

Yes, I can say it confidently because Savonia did help me achieve my dreams. For any student, local or foreigner, getting a good job after graduating from college is the only dream, especially in the foreign land. At Savonia, I did not just receive great education but also excellent travel and work opportunities. In addition, I found such admirable teachers who were always supportive and helpful in every possible way. I am Sudipta Chatterjee from India and a 2013 Business graduate from Savonia UAS.

On my graduation, along with my Bachelor’s degree certificate I received an offer to work for Savonia as a project planner. During my work, I was able to utilize my knowledge of international business and communication skills that I gained during my studies at Savonia. The work helped me realize how well I was prepared by Savonia to face the outside world once I graduate. What could have been a better start of a career for a fresher like me?

Now when I look back, choosing to study at Savonia was the best decision ever. Currently, I work as a student advisor at Savonia and simultaneously pursue Master’s degree in International Business at the University of Eastern Finland, thanks to Savonia now I can handle more than one thing at a time :-)

Marina Kovalchuk



New thinking and unconventional approaches to work have always been my main inspirations in life. When I came from Russia to Kuopio to learn about international business, I had a vision of Savonia UAS as a place where students were taught to be innovative not only in technology but in marketing as well. And I was not mistaken. Studying business at Savonia together with people from different cultures and countries and under the guidance of passionate professionals - our teachers - made me acquainted with the various facets of trade I had never heard about before! We were brought up to be the qualified and open-minded people able to provide smart solutions to the global marketplace; able to facilitate this up-to-date global shift from the economy of extraction to the economy of creation.

My BBA obtained at Savonia in 2013 encouraged me to go further and develop my career in the challenging field of academic marketing research. Knowledge and skills are important, no doubt. But probably the most crucial lesson I have learnt at Savonia is that your reputation and image of a business person start already at school. Studying is just the imitation of working reality, but your groupmates are the future experts of various industries, and your professional network is actually rooted from these team-work assignments and tasks you accomplish during the studies. Today you are sitting together at the desk struggling with balance sheets, and tomorrow you are changing the world! Thus, I have learnt that being diligent and reliable, co-operative and committed to any work you put your signature under - these are, finally, the requisites of long-term and sustainable success. Since 2014, I am a Master's student at MDP in International Business and Sales Management at University of Eastern Finland.

Barbara Juhász-Kiss



When I visited Finland for the very first time, I was only 22. I had still ongoing university studies in Hungary, I came only for a personal reason and I had no intention to study or apply to the university. But life gave me the opportunity to come back and stay in Kuopio much longer than I supposed to in 2011. I couldn’t find any full time job in Kuopio in English; therefor applying to Savonia University of Applied Sciences seemed to be the best decision. Since I realized this was the best decision of my life.

I got so much during this 3 and a half year that I couldn’t wish for more: knowledge, friends, personal, professional and cultural opportunities. I got involved actively in Savonia’s student life as an international tutor, I got classmates and friends from all around the world by being student of International Business class. The flat hierarchy of Savonia UAS made the studies easy going and more fun. The expectations were reasonably high but clear and achievable. All Savonia staff was always for the students, always helpful and always flexible.

If I should highlight one, most memorable thing from Savonia, is our exchange trip opportunity to China. During that one month period I got lifelong friends, experiences and memories that helped to find my place and decide what I want from life.

Thanks to the study method in Savonia and the mandatory 5 months internship period, in 2013 I had to find a place which personally and professionally also suits my expectations. I got an offer from a Hungarian PR Agency, Open Communications Ltd. to work for them for 5 months as a paid PR trainee. I was actually happy to come home with all my international experience and see how much I can implement my knowledge to real life work here, in my home country. Seems Savonia taught me well as since June 2013 I am working for Open Communications; after the 5 months trainee period they’ve asked me to stay as a full time worker in PR Assistant position. After a year, in 2014, I’ve got promoted to Junior PR Consultant and just a couple of days ago, as another year passed by I’ve got promoted again, so now I am working as a PR Consultant. Most of my projects are related to P&G corporate and brand issues, new product launches, CSR projects, corporate collaborations etc.

To sum up the years I’ve spent in Savonia and the time since: Savonia is a place of opportunities you just have to find the right one for yourself and seize it.

Location of Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Savonia University of Applied Sciences main campus location is shown on the map below:

Scholarships at Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Universities of applied sciences and universities will start charging a tuition fee from Bachelor’s or Master’s level students studying in languages other than Finnish or Swedish. EU/EEA area and Swiss citizens are not subject to the charge.

The legislation concerning tuition fees came into effect 1.1.2016. According to the legislation, Universities of Applied Sciences are obliged to charge tuition fees for those students who are not citizens of countries of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) and starting their degree studies 1.8.2017 and onwards. The amount of the fee can vary between higher education institutions. The legislation concerns degree programmes taught in English. The goal is to both advance the Higher Education Institutions’ opportunities for education export and also expand their funding base. The introduction of tuition fees puts greater emphasis on educational quality as a competitive factor.

The Board of Directors of Savonia University of Applied Sciences has made a decision on 23.5.2016 to introduce tuition fees for non- EU/EEA students. The tuition fees apply to students starting their studies on 1 August 2017 or later. The tuition fee is charged for each academic year and it must be paid by 31 August.

The fees are:

• for Bachelor studies 5000 euros per academic year
• for Master studies 6000 euros per academic year

All non-EU/EEA students of Savonia University of Applied Sciences may apply for a scholarship after they have been admitted to fee-charging Bachelor or Master degree programmes and they have enrolled themselves as present. In the first academic year the scholarship covers 70% of the tuition fee; in the following academic years the scholarship covers 50% of the tuition fee.

To qualify for the scholarship after the first academic year, students must earn at least 55 credits of studies detailed in their personal study plan per academic year.

Accommodation Information for Students

Rooms and apartments are situated in the Puijonlaakso area about 1,5 km from the School of Engineering and Technology, and not far away from the School of Business. Most apartments are designed for two to three students who share a kitchen and a bathroom. There are also apartments for couples and families. All rooms are rented without furniture.

KUOPAS (Kuopio Student Housing Company)

KUOPAS provides accommodation for students and their families (spouses and children) in the Kuopio area. Kuopas has 40 apartment buildings around the town situated 0.5 - 10 km from the city center. Please notice that a monthly bus ticket costs about 50 euros, which you might have to add to the living costs.

Study Abroad Information

Internationality is an integral part of the University of Applied Sciences and Savonia, accordingly, it has a significant role in the strengthening and internationalising of the multicultural know-how of the region and economic life. Savonia UAS has higher education partners in over 30 countries. Consequently, active and dynamic student and expert exchange is part of our everyday life, as well as working together with other universities of applied sciences in international projects. In our English fields of studies, our students represent over 20 different nationalities.

Fast Facts about Savonia University of Applied Sciences

• Year institution founded: 1992
• Total enrolled: 6000

Library staff can offer assistance with using the library services. The library also offers more formal teaching of information skills for students during their studies, mainly concentrating on the library’s electronic resources.

Useful Links

• International students
• How to apply
• International scholarship
• Contact

Download a brochure from Savonia University of Applied Sciences