Apply to Machine Intelligence and Data Science

There are a few vacant study places in the master's degree programme in Machine Intelligence and Data Science.

The additional application to MIND is aimed at you who have

• a suitable educational background
• two years of work experience gained after bachelor's degree
• sufficient English language skills.

Application will open 23 July 2026 at 9 a.m. and close on 5 August 2026 at 3 p.m. (Finnish time). Applicant is to upload required attachments to application by 10 August 2026 at 12.00 (noon). A direct link to the application form will be available here when application is open.

Learn more about the content of the programme on our MIND page. Note that students coming from outside the EU/EEA have to pay tuition fees and an application fee. Read more about fees and Arcada's early-bird offer on our Tuition fees page.

Eligibility

Before starting your master's application process to Arcada, please make sure that you are an eligible applicant, i.e. that you have a suitable educational background and two years of work experience. All applicants must also meet the English language proficiency requirement.

Educational background

To be eligible to apply to MIND, you must have a suitable bachelor's degree. Recommended degrees are in information technology, computer science, natural sciences or business (with a minor in IT or CS) or a similar field (for example electrical engineering) deemed to include sufficient technical skills and scientific rigour.

Applicants with a bachelor's degree in a field not mentioned above can apply, but assessment of eligibility will be made by programme representatives case by case.

Two years of work experience

All applicants must also have a minimum of two years (24 months) of relevant work experience gained after the completion of the bachelor's degree to meet the eligibility criteria.

Work experience is only counted from the date of the bachelor's degree diploma/certificate, and needs to be proven by a work certificate. CVs are not accepted on their own. Work experience gained before or during your bachelor studies cannot be counted towards the work experience minimum requirement. An exception is only made for applicants who have completed a Finnish vocational college diploma or higher vocational diploma (opistotutkinto tai ammatillisen korkea-asteen tutkinto) before the completion of their higher education degree, as they may also take into account work experience gained before the higher education degree. Work experience can be counted up to 31 July 2026.

Part-time work is converted to full-time work so that 150 hours or 20 full-time working days (a minimum of seven hours per day) are equal to a month. The work experience does not have to be continuous or from the same employer. Practical training or on-the-job learning is not counted as work experience if it forms a part of the degree used for applying.

Work certificates need to be attached to application in studyinfo by 10 August 2026 by 12:00 (noon) (UTC+2). 

English language proficiency

English language proficiency can be proven with a completed an upper secondary degree or a higher education degree i.e. at least a bachelor's degree level degree in English at an institution located in the following countries: an EU or EEA country, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, South Africa or the United States, excluding online degrees and offshore campuses.

English language proficiency can also be proven with a completed higher education degree i.e. at least a bachelor's degree completed at a university or university of applied sciences in the EU/EEA.

In all other cases you must demonstrate your proficiency in English through one of the language tests (including the minimum score requirements) mentioned below. The language test results are valid for two years from the test date if not otherwise specified and your test result must be valid on the first day of the application period.

The general deadline for language certificates is 10 August 2026 by 12:00 (noon) (UTC+2).

• Cambridge ESOL’s tests 
  • B2 First; minimum score 170
  • International IGCSE: First language English; Syllabus 0500 and 0990
  • C1 Advanced; minimum score level C
  • C2 Proficiency;minimum score level C
• Pearson Test of English Academic or Academic online:
  • minimum score 58
• IELTS  Academic or IELTS online :
  • one skill retake test is accepted
  • minimum overall band score 6.0 (writing score minimum 5.5)
• TOEFL iBT/iBT Home Edition/iBT Paper Edition/iBT Enhancements
  • minimum score 80 (writing score minimum 20)
    If you are taking the test on or after 21 January the minimum total score is 4 (writing score minimum 4)
• Oxford ELLT Global :
  • from 1 July 2023 onwards: minimi score 6.0 (Test sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking)
  • Use the code SUMMER20 for a 20% discount on the test fee.
• SAT test 
  • Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: Minimum score 600
  • Send your SAT to Arcada using the code 7151
• Gre test 
  • Analytical writing 4,0
  • Send your GRE test to Arcada using the code 2523.

Arcada strives to accept electronic copies of language certificates submitted directly from the testing organisation. Please request your score report to be submitted to Arcada when you register for the Cambridge, Pearson or TOEFL tests. Also, IELTS test takers can request the result to be sent to Arcada directly but as results can be verified online, a copy of the test result attached to the application form is accepted. 

Language certificates must be Arcada at hand and verifiable in the respective test database by 10 August 2026. 

Student selection process through online interview

Students are selected to the programme based on a group interview, which is set to take place online on 13 August 2026. Applicants are recommended to already reserve the whole day in their calendar, as the invitations to the interview will be sent out as late as 10-12 August 2026. The timetable for 13 August is dependent on the number of applications. The actual interview requires no preparation from the applicant other than ensuring access to the required technical equipment (headset with microphone and a webcam) and a stable internet connection. The actual interview will take about 30 minutes. 

Arcada reserves the right to make changes. 

Accepting study place offer, tuition fees and early bird discount

When you have been offered a study place at Arcada and have decided to accept it, you have to confirm your acceptance of the study place as instructed in the e-mail. It is also mandatory to register for the academic year.

A student may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland during one academic semester. This rule applies to all higher education (Bachelor's, Master's, Licentiate and Doctoral degrees). Please read more about the one study place per term provision here

The deadline for accepting a study place in the additional application will be 7 days from admission.

You also need to register for the academic year according to the instructions sent to you. Registrations as either present or absent is to be done in the same place as the acceptance of the study place offer. You can register as absent only for the first academic year with a valid reason.

Information on the tuition fees at Arcada is available on our Tuition fees and scholarships page. If you are a fee-paying student, please note that you cannot register for the academic year or receive a study certificate until you have paid the tuition fee.

Please note that the early bird offer on the tuition fee for fee-paying students is valid for 7 days. Thus, if the study place is accepted within 7 days, the student can make use of the early bird offer. Tuition fee payment by the deadline must be proven with a receipt sent to the admissions services.