Atmospheric Science, Life Sciences, Computer Science
Founded in 1640, the University of Helsinki is the oldest and largest university in Finland. It is a leading multidisciplinary research university, consistently ranked among the top 100 in the world, with a strong science faculty.
The University of Helsinki is the largest and oldest university in Finland, with about 31,000 students and 8,000 staff, and around one student in ten from abroad. It has four campuses: City Centre for humanities, law and social sciences, Kumpula for the natural sciences and computer science, Meilahti for medicine, and Viikki for bioscience and agriculture. The central library, Kaisa House, opened in 2012 in the middle of Helsinki and has become a popular study space for the whole city.
It was founded in 1640 as the Royal Academy of Turku and moved to Helsinki in 1828, a year after a great fire destroyed much of the old capital in the south-west. The chemist Artturi Virtanen, who received the 1945 Nobel Prize for work on fodder preservation, taught here. Linus Torvalds was a computer science student at Helsinki when he started writing the Linux kernel in 1991, and the department where he studied is part of the Kumpula campus.
Research is particularly strong in atmospheric science, where the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research runs measuring stations such as the forest station at Hyytiälä. Life sciences, computer science, physics and forest science also have large groups, and the Helsinki Institute of Physics takes part in experiments at CERN. The university is a member of the League of European Research Universities and works with many companies in the Helsinki region.
Tuition is free for students from the EU and EEA, while non-EU students pay fees in English-taught degree programmes, and the university offers scholarships to some of them. Finnish and Swedish are the languages of most bachelor programmes, and a growing number of master’s programmes are taught in English. Applications for English-taught programmes are normally made in January through the national admissions portal.
Helsinki is expensive by Finnish standards, but student housing foundations offer rooms at lower rents, and public transport discounts for students are generous. About 200,000 people have graduated from the university.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Chemistry, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Life Sciences, Physics, Statistics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
A member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and has partnerships with over 500 universities globally. Strong collaboration with research institutes and the public sector.
Research:
Internationally recognized research in atmospheric science, cancer research, and algorithmics. The university hosts several Centres of Excellence and has a strategic focus on data science and sustainability.
Famous Alumnis:
Linus Torvalds, Lars Ahlfors, Artturi Ilmari Virtanen, Bengt Holmström
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
8000
Current students***:
31000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
200000
Pros
Top-ranked research university with a long history of academic excellence, wide range of programs, vibrant international community in the capital city.
Cons
Very large university, which can lead to bureaucracy and large class sizes; highly competitive entry for all programs.
Best For
Individuals seeking a prestigious, research-driven education at a comprehensive, world-class university.
Think of University of Turku when chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics is the priority: it is slightly smaller, at about 21,900 students against roughly 31,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Among national alternatives, University of Oulu stands out for its focus on chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics, and it covers telecommunications and materials as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 13,000 students against roughly 31,000 here.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of AI and machine learning can consider Tampere University, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers optics and signal processing as well.
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences works in much the same fields, chiefly data analytics, and it is smaller, enrolling about 16,500 students against roughly 31,000 here, and is also a public institution.
LUT University follows much the same lines as this university, with chemistry, ecology and sustainability and data analytics as common ground, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers industrial design and mechanical engineering as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Looking internationally, Umeå University in Sweden is where chemistry, statistics and ecology and sustainability get a comparable treatment; it has almost the same size, at about 34,000 students, and is also a public institution.
University of Innsbruck in Austria pursues a similar profile in chemistry, statistics and ecology and sustainability, and it has almost the same size, at about 28,106 students, and is also a public institution.
If this university is on your list for chemistry, physics and life sciences, Trinity College Dublin in Ireland deserves a comparison, because it covers nanotechnologies and mathematics as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 19,750 students against roughly 31,000 here.
Stockholm University, in Sweden, takes a similar route through chemistry, statistics and ecology and sustainability; it covers astroscience and marine science as well, and has almost the same size, at about 33,000 students.
Aarhus University brings a Denmark setting to the same core fields, chemistry, physics and life sciences, and it covers astroscience and agriculture as well, and is slightly larger, at about 38,000 students against roughly 31,000 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Helsinki?
The central address is Fabianinkatu 33 in Helsinki. The university has four campuses: City Centre, Kumpula, Meilahti and Viikki.
How large is it?
About 31,000 students and 8,000 staff.
When was it founded?
In 1640 as the Royal Academy of Turku. It moved to Helsinki in 1828.
What is it known for?
Atmospheric science, life sciences, computer science, physics, forest science and the humanities.
Did Linux start at Helsinki?
Linus Torvalds was a computer science student at the university when he began writing the Linux kernel in 1991.
Is tuition free?
Yes for students from the EU and EEA. Students from other countries pay tuition fees in English-taught degree programmes, and some scholarships are available.
In which languages are courses taught?
Finnish and Swedish for most bachelor programmes, and English for a growing number of master's programmes.
When do you apply?
Applications for English-taught programmes are normally made in January through the national admissions portal.
Which research networks does it belong to?
The League of European Research Universities, among others.
Is Helsinki expensive for students?
It is expensive by Finnish standards, but student housing foundations offer lower rents and public transport discounts are generous.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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