Language requirements for doctoral programmes, valid for studies starting before 1 August 2025
The Doctoral Programme in Language Studies has it's own language requirements, as stated in the admissions criteria of the programme. Additionally, some of the programmes have faculty-specific additions to the general requirements, please see information on those in the programme’s admission requirements.
English language tests
| Test name | Minimum test result for Doctoral programmes at Tampere University |
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall with no section below 5.5 |
| TOEFL iBT | 92 overall with no section below 20 |
| PTE Academic | 62 overall with no section in Communicative Skills below 54 |
| C1 Advanced* | C |
| C2 Proficiency* | C1 |
| National Certificate of Language Proficiency in English (YKI-tutkinto) | Proficiency level 5 |
*The previous CAE and CPE have been renamed as C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency
Please upload your language test result to the online application and, if needed, share the results to Tampere University (instructions below).
As Tampere University will confirm the official language scores through an online system of the language testing agency, test results must remain valid at least until the day when the application is submitted.
Make sure that you book a language test well in advance. There might not be many test dates available or they may be fully booked.
Accepted language tests and detailed instructions
Previous studies
It is possible to be exempted from submitting a language test score if you have completed a higher education degree taught in English in Finland or an other EU/EEA country, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States. You must have resided in the country while studying. Please note that degrees completed in English in countries other than the ones listed above will not be accepted. Applicants who have received a university degree from a higher education institution located in one of the countries listed above, but have completed the studies on a satellite campus that is not located in one of the countries listed above, will not be eligible for exemption from the English language requirement. Applicants who have completed a university degree entirely online will not be eligible for exemption from the English language requirement.
If you request an exemption from submitting a language test based on previous studies completed in English, the officially certified copies of your degree certificate and transcript of records you submit as documentation to confirm your eligibility for doctoral studies also confirm your English language proficiency. Please note that if you apply for an exemption from submitting a language test score on the basis of previous studies that are other than the studies on the basis of which you apply to the doctoral programme, you must submit certified copies of these documents by post as well (and translation unless issued in English, Finnish or Swedish). Please note that the country-specific requirements concern these documents as well, if applicable.