University of Lapland

© Lapin yliopisto Rovaniemi

The University of Lapland (Finn. Lapin yliopisto) is an international and multidisciplinary institution.

About the University

Research and teaching focus on tourism, art, design, law, education and social sciences. The university supports the economy and society in Finland's north through its research, educational and artistic programs. In particular, the multidisciplinary Arctic Centre conducts internationally recognized and pioneering research projects concerning the interaction between humans and the Arctic environment, and presents the results to audiences through regular exhibitions.

One in four Finnish lawyers and one in three university graduates in art and design, as well as almost ten percent of social science educators, have graduated from the University of Lapland.

Language of study:

The language of study is English.

About the place

The University of Lapland is located in Rovaniemi.

Rovaniemi is the capital and economic center of Lapland, Finland's northernmost province. Located close to the Arctic Circle, the city is situated between the mountains Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara. Officially mentioned for the first time in 1453, it existed in the form of several small villages whose inhabitants lived from agriculture, fishing and hunting. While the exploitation of Lapland's mineral resources in the 19th century accelerated Rovaniemi's development, gold fever attracted thousands of people.

Due to the beautiful and unspoiled nature with its numerous recreational areas, tourism is nowadays an important economic factor. Therefore, a large number of hotels and restaurants are located in and around Rovaniemi's center. Among the most famous sights are the Jätkänkynttilä Bridge and the Arktikum House, a museum about the polar regions of Finland and the world. Lapland is also known as the land of the Northern Lights. More than 200 of them can be seen every year, while in the south of Finland there are at most 20. About 10,000 of Rovaniemi's approximately 63,000 inhabitants are students.
The city hosts not only the University of Lapland, but also the Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences. The latter includes institutes for information technology, economics, forestry and sports science, among others.

Semester dates

Winter semester

Beginning of September until end of December

Summer semester

Beginning of January until end of May