Applying for exchange is a two-stage process:

1. LUT internal application round
2. The students selected in stage 1 apply to the receiving university.

LUT does not require a language certificate but some receiving universities do – the receiving university will guide applicants on the matter. Universities occasionally change their requirements – check the up-to-date requirements on each university's website. You can also consult old data from 2022 here.

• European universities: most common cases are
  • LUT Language Certificate or
  • no certificate required.
• Rest of the world have differing policies:
  • no certificate
  • LUT Language Certificate or
  • a fee-paying certificate (IELTS or TOEFL).

The most common requirement is the B2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), or in rarer cases the C1 level.

Depending on the university, a certificate might be needed for another language besides English, if the intent is to take courses in that language. For example, if you intend to take courses taught in French, a French proficiency certificate might be required from you.

LUT Language Certificate

The LUT Language Certificate (which is free of charge) is based on a short interview. You will be assessed based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The certificates are coordinated by Anneli Rinnevalli from the LUT Language Centre.

TOEFL and IELTS 

Some non-European universities require a TOEFL or IELTS certificate. These are organized outside LUT and require a test fee (in 2022: TOEFL 265 €, IELTS 300 €). The fee is paid by the applicant.