Apply to Business Management and Transformation

The application to BMT is aimed at you who have

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

The application is open 7–21 January 2026 and studies begin in August 2026. There is a total of 35 study places.

Use the quick links on this page to navigate smoothly between the different sections.

Learn more about the content of the programme on our BMT 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.

Full-time or part-time studies?

BMT is offered both as a full-time and part-time option. You can apply to one of the options or to both of them. The application process is the same for both options. As the part time option may not qualify for residence permit to Finland, applicants who need a residence permit to Finland are recommended to apply to the full time option only. In case either option fails to attract a sufficient number of applicants, available study place can be shifted between the two options.

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 BMT, you must have a suitable bachelor's degree. Recommended degrees are in business or other suitable or related fields, with an understanding of the business context.  

Applicants with a bachelor's degree not related to business 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 by 28 January 2026. 

English language proficiency

A language test is not required when you have 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.

A language test is also not required when you have completed a 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.

• 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)
• Oxford ELLT Global :
  • from 1 July 2023 onwards: minimi score 6.0 (Test sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking)
• SAT
  • Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: Minimum score 600
  • Send your SAT to Arcada using the code 7151
• GRE
  • 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 28 January 2026.

Student selection process

Selection of students is based on points awarded for educational background and points for a video task that the applicant is to upload to their application. Only applicants who meet the requirements of having a bachelor’s degree, two years of relevant work experience, English language proficiency, and who have submitted the mandatory video task can be assessed for points for previous education.

Assessment of educational background

An assessment and grading of the suitability of the applicant’s bachelor degree will be made for all applicants. Thus, 10 points can be awarded for an applicant with a bachelor's degree in business, finance, economics and similar, and these applicants are considered eligible in terms of the educational background.  

Applicants applying with a bachelor's degree in another field than business, finance, marketing or similar will not be awarded points, but will be assessed for eligibility in terms of having an understanding of the business field.

Video task

In addition to points for educational assessment, the selection of students is made through a video task worth 90 points. Detailed instructions for the video task will be published on Studyinfo and on this page on 7 December 2025 at the latest. The video task is to be uploaded to the application in Studyinfo no later than 28 January 2026 at 3 p.m. (UTC+2).

Students are ranked and admitted based on the total points for previous education and video task. Results will be announced at the end of April 2026 at the earliest.