Language selection - new bachelor's students

As a student at the Bachelor in Business programme, you will study the national languages: Swedish and/or Finnish. Read more about the language studies here.

N.B.! The information on this page only concerns students at Hanken Bachelor in Business!

All students within the Bachelor in Business programme complete a minimum of 18 ECTS of language studies. Everyone studies English and in addition to that there is different language requirements depending on your school education.

Language requirements for students who have completed their previous school education in Finnish or Swedish in Finland

If you have received your previous school education in Finnish or Swedish in Finland (diploma from lower secondary and/or upper secondary education) you will study English (3 ECTS), Finnish (min. 5 ECTS), Swedish (min. 5 ECTS) and an additional foreign language (5 ECTS).

Studies in English

During your first year, you will take the mandatory course Introduction to Business Communication (3 ECTS). This course is mandatory for all Bachelor in Business students.

Studies in Finnish and Swedish

If you have received your previous school education in Swedish or Finnish in Finland (diploma from lower secondary and/or upper secondary education), you must fulfil the requirements for language proficiency in Finnish and Swedish in accordance with the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003). The following requirements must be fulfilled in conjunction with your degree at Hanken: excellent skills in the language of your previous school education, and at least satisfactory skills in the other national language.

You will study a minimum of 5 ECTS each of Swedish and Finnish as part of your bachelor's degree. Depending on your level, you may be required to study more than 5 ECTS in one or both languages, in order to reach the level required by the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003).

You can read more about the language proficiency requirements on the page for national languages in the bachelor's degree.

If you have completed your previous school education in Finnish in Finland, you will participate in a mandatory Swedish language test during the Orientation Days. This test will determine your Swedish starting level, and indicate which courses you should take in order to reach the required level.

Studies in an additional foreign language for students who have completed their school education in Swedish or Finnish in Finland

The additional language can be a language that you have already studied before and now want to continue at a higher level, or a beginner's course in one of Hanken's languages. Choose the level of the language according to your prior knowledge (see the table below) on the form you have received by email no later than 31.7.2025.

LANGUAGE	PRIOR KNOWLEDGE	COURSE NAME
FRENCH	No prior knowledge, basic course	French I
	French for 1-2 years in school	French II
	French for 3 or more years in school or in matriculation examination	French III
SPANISH	No prior knowledge, basic course	Spanish I
	Spanish for 1-2 years in school	Spanish II
	Spanish for 3 or more years in school or in matriculation examination	Spanish III
GERMAN	No prior knowledge, basic course	German I
	German for 1-2 years in school	German II
	German as for 3 or more years in school or in matriculation examination	German III
	NB! The final group division for German will be made after a diagnostic test in German during the orientation week!

Students who have completed their previous school education outside of Finland or in another language than Finnish/Swedish

Studies in English

During your first year, you will take the mandatory course Introduction to Business Communication (3 ECTS). This course is mandatory for all Bachelor in Business students.

Studies in Finnish or Swedish

If you have received your previous school education outside of Finland or in another language than Swedish or Finnish in Finland (diploma from lower secondary and/or upper secondary education), you will study at least one of Finland's national languages: Swedish or Finnish, in addition to the mandatory course in English.

You will study a minimum of 15 ECTS of either Swedish or Finnish. You may also take additional credits in the other language, but you must complete at least 15 ECTS in either Swedish or Finnish.

You will choose which language to study at the latest during the Orientation Days. Please familiarise yourself with the Finnish department's pages and Swedish department's pages ahead of the Orientation Days, so that you are ready to make an informed decision.