The writing of a maturity test is based on the Government Decree on Polytechnics (1129/2014) and Section 8 therein: “For the degree, the student must write a maturity test in the field of his/her thesis that demonstrates familiarity with the field and command of the Finnish or Swedish language. The university of applied sciences makes the decision on the maturity test where the student is not required to possess the language skills referred to in Section 7(1).
Section 7(1) does not apply to students who have completed their school education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, or abroad. In such cases, the university of applied sciences will decide on the language requirements.”
In its Degree Regulations (Section 19), JAMK has outlined that “a student who has completed his/her school education abroad or in a language other than Finnish (Swedish) can either take the maturity test in Finnish (Swedish) or demonstrate his/her familiarity with the field through an assignment written in the language of instruction of the degree programme.”
The language of school education referred to in the regulations means the language of comprehensive or upper secondary school.
As such, those who attended comprehensive or upper secondary school in Finnish (Swedish) must write their maturity test in Finnish (Swedish) regardless of the language of their degree programme at JAMK. For others, the language of the degree programme is their language of studies. The Head of Department of the Language Centre may exempt a student from the language requirements of the maturity test due to the student’s native language.