Helsinki School of Business, (or HELBUS) is a private university in Helsinki, Finland where you can earn bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees in business at an accelerated pace whilst studying in an international environment. The degrees are awarded by the University of Northampton, a prestigious British university and a partner of HELBUS. The staff and students come from many different nations and all courses are taught in English.
Helsinki School of Business is for everyone – no matter what your educational background is.
Founded in 2012, HELBUS is a fairly new university with a modern approach to education. Through their partnership with the University of Northampton, UK, you can get a high-quality degree from a UK university but live and study in the country with the cleanest air in the world – Finland!
Check out this article: Moving to Finland to Study – What to Expect?
WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE HELBUS
- The focus is on business – no pointless courses
- 92 % of students were satisfied with the overall quality of the program (2017)
- Degrees will be awarded by the University of Northampton, UK
- The best parts of Finnish and UK education combined
- 95 % employability rate of its graduates for the last five years
- Instructors are very international coming from 20 different countries, and over 75% hold a doctoral degree
- HELBUS received accreditation from Pearson, the largest accrediting organization in the UK, in 2013
- Small class size, effective and personal tutoring
- Located in the center of the capital city Helsinki with amble business opportunities to embrace.
Find more information about the application process.
I applied to HELBUS because I wanted to avoid studying for entrance exams and to begin my studies as soon as possible. Having read a little of international business in high school, when I heard about HELBUS I knew that this was the school where I wanted to continue my education.
Demi Palanki – HELBUS student
WHO IS HELBUS PERFECT FOR?
- Want to pursue a career in business or in entrepreneurship
- Want a future job in international business
- Want to study in a multicultural environment
- Want to challenge yourself and achieve personal goals
- Want to start studying right away and get a degree quickly
- Want an excellent bachelor’s or master’s degree which combines the strengths in both Finnish and British education
CONTENT OF STUDIES
- Bachelor’s degree in Business and Management (BA Hons)
- The first 2 years = 120 ECTS (240 UK credits)
- Final year = 60 ECTS (120 UK credits)
- TOP-UP Program
- 8 months = 60 ECTS
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- 3 terms (12 months) = 90 ECTS
Bachelor’s degree in Business and Management (BA Hons)
The curriculum at Helsinki School of Business has been designed to provide you with the knowledge and experience you need to be able to succeed in international business. Therefore, you will develop a strong foundation in diverse areas of business and management, such as marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, human resource management and organizational behavior
| YEAR 1 | YEAR 2 | YEAR 3 |
| Business and the Business Environment | Launching a New Venture | Accounting and Finance for Managers |
| Marketing Essentials | Organizational Behaviour | Business Communication |
| Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management | Research Project Parts I & II | Business Project |
| Human Resource Management | Pitching and Negotiation Skills | Principles of Marketing Management |
| Management and Operations | Developing Individuals, Teams and Organisations | Strategic Human Resource Management |
| Innovation and Commercialisation | International Marketing | Strategic Management |
| Management Accounting | Sales Management | |
| Managing a Successful Business Project |
Find more details about the courses here.
Apply for bachelor’s in Business and Management
HELBUS retains the right to change the modules
TOP-UP Program
If you have two years of business studies completed at your home university, you could be eligible to apply for HELBUS’ TOP-UP program. You would study the final year of your business studies at HELBUS and earn a bachelor’s degree in Business and Management from the University of Northampton. The aim of this program is to strengthen and deepen the skills and learning that the students have acquired in key areas of business and management in their earlier studies.
Modules in the TOP-UP program:
- Marketing Management
- Finance and Accounting
- Strategic Management
- Strategic Human Resource Management
- Business Communication
Find more information on the TOP-UP Program here.
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
The overall purpose of the pre-experience MBA-program is to develop master’s-level knowledge and skills in business and management subjects and to enhance the utility and employability of the first degree. It aims to prepare individuals for employment in a management role with a sound understanding of business/organizational contexts.
| FALL TERM | SPRING TERM | SUMMER TERM |
| Critical Issues in Business | Managing Operations and the Supply Chain | International Business Negotiation |
| Management and Organisational Behaviour | The Entrepreneurship Report | Business Research Project |
| Competitive Strategy and Innovation | Financial Decision Making | |
| Strategic Marketing | Business Research Project |
Find more information on Master studies here.
Apply for master’s in Business Adminstration
HELBUS retains the right to change the modules
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor’s program
- English language proficiency in IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 60–78, or equivalent
- Secondary education certificate
- Existing university degree from a field other than business
- Transcript of records
- Personal statement
- Passport
TOP-UP Program
- English language proficiency in IELTS: 6.0 or TOEFL 60-78, or equivalent
- Copy of secondary school certificate
- Transcript of records from a university showing 2 years of business studies
- Passport
- Personal statement
- Academic reference letter. A professional reference letter is also recommended.
Master’s program
- English language proficiency in IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 79–93, or equivalent
- Secondary education cerificate
- Bachelor’s degree
- Transcript of records
- CV
- Personal statement
- Reference letter
- Passport
TUITION FEE
- Bachelor’s: 9 410€ / year
- TOP-UP Program: 9 410€ / full program
- Master’s: 15 000€ / full program
Read more on the payment requirements here under “Tuition fees”.
I have always wanted to pursue a career in international business and have just accepted an offer to start at Nordea Luxembourg in a master’s program in international wealth management. Throughout my undergraduate studies, HELBUS’ flexible and supportive environment allowed me to easily balance my school commitments alongside working part-time
Pontus Huttunen – former HELBUS student
AFTER GRADUATION
Helsinki School of Business prepares students for the transition to their future careers in a unique way. The study curriculum that provides a strong practical skills base in addition to the requisite theoretical knowledge and understanding necessary to achieve success in global business.
Having studied the bachelor’s degree in English, students then graduate well-equipped to use English in the real-world business environment and have a strong grasp of business terminology. HELBUS students have a good track record of employability, with many achieving a flying start in their careers already after the second year of studies.
You can specialize in management, where you help companies create and execute strategies to reach their goals with the help of individuals and teams. If you study finance, you could help companies find ways to finance their investments or invest their funds in productive assets. Studying human resource management will give you the understanding and tools to recruit the right people into the company and improve the teamwork mechanisms and organizational structure in the company. Studying marketing will enable you to identify the needs of clients, resulting in product development and appropriate communication to the target market.
Afterwards, you may end up working in Finland or abroad, in the service, trade, industrial, or entertainment sector, in a small or large company, or perhaps in your own start-up.
Read Hunter Deligeersang’s interview on how studying in Finland “was something that you can’t really experience elsewhere”.
Check here what to do in your spare time at Helsinki, Finland’s capital city.
