Programme description
Read more about the programme at Master's programme in International Business and Entrepreneurship.
Admission criteria
- Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration
Completed in a University
Kauppatieteiden kandidaatti
Having completed a Master of Science Degree in Economics and/or Business Administration or equivalent at the time of applying or, completing it before starting the LUT Master's studies makes you ineligible to apply.
- Bachelor of Business Administration
Completed in a University of Applied Sciences
Tradenomi (AMK)
Having completed a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (Tradenomi YAMK) still makes you eligible to apply but only when applying with the Bachelor's Degree.
- Bachelor's Degree in a field other than Business Administration or Economics
Completed in a University
Having completed a Master's Degree in a field other than Economics and Business Administration still makes you eligible to apply but only when applying with the Bachelor's Degree.
A minimum of 24 ECTS credits of studies completed in Business Administration required.
- Bachelor's Degree in a field other than Business Administration
Completed in a University of Applied Sciences
Having completed a Master's Degree in a field other than Economics and Business Administration still makes you eligible to apply but only when applying with the Bachelor's Degree.
A minimum of 24 ECTS credits of studies completed in Business Administration required.
An accepted GMAT Exam or GRE General Test result required.
The required GMAT Exam or GRE General result can be compensated by one of the following:
- you have been awarded a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Business Administration by a Finnish University of Applied Sciences
- you have been awarded a Bachelor's Degree in any field of study by a Finnish University
- you have been awarded a Master's Degree in a field other than Economics or Business Administration by a Finnish University
- The related degree must have been awarded by the end of the application period.
The Admissions Committee for the programme always reserves a right to decide whether the degree and the completed studies provide the applicant with eligibility to apply to the programme.
- Bachelor of Science in Economics and/or Business Administration
Completed in a university - all countries
Having completed a Master's Degree in Economics and/or Business Administration or equivalent at the time of applying or, completing it before starting the LUT studies makes you ineligible to apply.
A minimum of 80 ECTS credits of studies in Business Administration must be included in the degree.
Equivalent degrees with different titles also accepted as long as the required studies are included.
- Bachelor of Business Administration
Completed in a University of Applied Sciences - EU/EEA countries or Switzerland
Having completed a Master's Degree in Business Administration still makes you eligible to apply but only when applying with a Bachelor's Degree.
A minimum of 80 ECTS credits of studies in Business Administration must be included in the degree.
- Bachelor's Degree in a field other than Business Administration or Economics
Completed in a University - All countries
Having completed a Master's Degree in a field other than Business Administration or Economics still makes you eligible to apply but only when applying with the Bachelor's Degree.
A minimum of 24 ECTS credits of studies completed in Business Administration required.
An accepted GMAT Exam or GRE General Test result required.
The required GMAT Exam or GRE General result can be compensated by one of the following:
- you have been awarded a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Business Administration by a Finnish University of Applied Sciences
- you have been awarded a Bachelor's Degree in any field of study by a Finnish University
- you have been awarded a Master's Degree in a field other than Economics or Business Administration by a Finnish University
- The related degree must have been awarded by the end of the application period.
Overall requirements for the Bachelor's Degree
- An equivalent degree to a corresponding Finnish Bachelor's Degree by the number of academic years and ECTS credits.
- Degree providing you with eligibility to apply to university level Master's studies in the country where the degree was awarded in.
Requirements for the degree-awarding university
The university having awarded you the degree you are applying with must be
- An official and recognized part of the national education system
- Listed on the World Higher Education Database WHED by International Association of Universities
The Admissions Committee for the programme always reserves a right to decide whether the degree and the completed studies provide the applicant with eligibility to apply to the programme.
To be eligible to apply to the programme, you must have completed
- a minimum of 24 ECTS credits of studies in International Business, International Marketing, Entrepreneurship or International Management
by the application deadline.
If you have not listed the required studies as requested on your application form, your application will remain an incomplete one and will not be forwarded to academic evaluation.
These studies must be completed in one or two of the following groups of universities:
- a University, all countries
- a University of Applied Sciences, EU/EEA countries and Switzerland
You must list your courses in English in ECTS credits on your application form - also when they have been completed in Finnish - plus, upload an official Transcript of Records in English for your studies.
The names of the courses you list in English on the application form must be identical with the names of the courses on the Transcript of Records in English.
The Admissions Committee for the programme reserves a right to decide whether the completed studies provide the applicant with eligibility to apply to the programme.
Requirements for the programme-related studies
What to do if there are no credits available for the completed courses?
To be eligible to apply, the arithmetic GPA of the degree you have to apply with must be
- a minimum of 3.00 on the scale of 1.00 - 5.00.
First, LUT University checks and verifies the arithmetic GPA. If the original grading scale is not on a scale of 1.00 - 5.00, LUT University will convert the arithmetic GPA to this scale during the evaluation process. Finally, the arithmetic GPA is evaluated with two decimals.
The arithmetic GPA evaluated in the LUT selection process is
- an arithmetic average of grades for all individual courses and the grade of the Final Thesis included in the degree you must apply with
- that are completed at the time of applying
- that have been evaluated on a numerical, verbal or letter-based grading scale
- that are listed on the official Transcript of Records
What is excluded from the arithmetic GPA?
- Courses evaluated with "pass" or "fail"
- Courses evaluated with a grade corresponding to a fail grade
- Large modules, unless the individual courses in the module are not evaluated separately.
- Courses without a related study unit such as ECTS credit, credit, credit hour etc.
- Courses completed outside the degree
- Courses completed outside the degree that have been credited or compensated, unless the degree-awarding university having graded them on a numerical, verbal or letter-based grading scale.
You must prove your proficiency in English with one of the following:
- one of the accepted language tests
- a degree in higher education completed in English in an EU/EEA country or in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom or the United States of America
- a degree in higher education completed in Finnish or in Swedish in Finland
More information: How to prove your proficiency in English
In Regular Admission, one of these tests is required for programmes in Business Administration when applying with the following degrees:
- Degrees completed in Finland
- Bachelor's or Master's Degree in a field other than Business Administration
Completed in a University of Applied Sciences
- Bachelor's or Master's Degree in a field other than Business Administration
- Degrees completed outside of Finland - all countries
- Bachelor's or Master's Degree in a field other than Business Administration
Completed in a University
- Bachelor's or Master's Degree in a field other than Business Administration
The required GMAT Exam or GRE General result can be compensated by one of the following:
- you have been awarded a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Business Administration by a Finnish University of Applied Sciences
- you have been awarded a Bachelor's Degree in any field of study by a Finnish University
- you have been awarded a Master's Degree in a field other than Economics or Business Administration by a Finnish University
The related degree must have been awarded by the end of the application period.
MINIMUM REQUIRED SCORES
- GMAT (Focus Edition)
- Total score 515
- GMAT Exam (10th Edition)
- Total score 550
- GRE General Test
- Verbal Reasoning 152 + Quantitative Reasoning 152 + Analytical Writing 3.0
We also accept GMAT Online Exam and GRE General Test at Home.
HOW TO SEND YOUR SCORE REPORTS?
GMAT Exam
- LUT only accepts electronic GMAT Score Reports made available in their Score Report Database to
- Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT
- Before taking your GMAT test, you may select up to 5 GMAT-accepting programmes/institutes to receive your Official Score Report
- You may also send extra score reports for extra cost
Further information: GMAT Test: Sending Your Scores.
GRE General Test
- LUT University only accepts electronic GRE Test Score Reports that are made available in their Score Report Database to
- Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT - institutional code 2382
- Before taking your GRE test, you may select up to 4 GRE-accepting insititutes to receive your scores.
- You may also send extra score reports for extra cost.
Further information: GRE Test: Sending Your Scores.
VALIDITY FOR THE TESTS
- The result for these tests must be valid on the date of submitting the application.
- The result for all these tests is valid for 5 years from the date of taking the test.
Application process
Before starting your application process, have a look at the basics on applying at
- Applying to Master's Programmes through Regular Admission
>> Application process
where all the important information regarding to applying in general is given.
You must list the programme-related studies on your application form in ECTS credits by each course under the related field of study and indicate the total ECTS credits for all the listed courses.
In case of your courses not originally listed in ECTS credits on your Transcript of Records, you are responsible for converting the original study units (credits, credit hours etc.) to ECTS credits according to the following conversion.
When listing the required programme-related studies on your application form, you must be able to upload a Transcript of Records for the studies you have listed.
The Transcript of Records must include the total number of credits for the related degree.
What to do if there are no credits available for the completed courses?
How to get the conversion factor?
Studies on Bachelor's level
- Divide 180 ECTS credits (= total credits for a LUT Bachelor’s Degree) by the total number of all the original study units (credits, credit hours etc.) you have completed for the Bachelor’s degree that you are applying with
- As a result you will get a factor for the following conversion.
Studies on Master's level
- Divide 120 ECTS credits (= total credits for a LUT Master’s Degree) by the total number of all the original study units (credits, credit hours etc.) for the Master’s degree from which you are listing the programme-related studies as additional studies not included in the degree you are applying with
- As a result you will get a factor for the following conversion.
How to convert your study units to ECTS credits?
- Multiply the original number of study unit (credits, credit hours etc.) for your courses with the factor explained above
- As a result you will have your courses in ECTS credits
Case example
The total study units completed for your Bachelor’s Degree are 120 credits and you need to convert a course with 2 credits to ECTS credits.
- Divide 180 ECTS credits by 120 credits >> the conversion factor is 1.5
- Multiply 2 credits with the factor 1.5 >> your course is equal to 3 ECTS credits.
Do not round up the result for the converted ECTS credits:
If the result is 3.84 ECTS credits, you must also list the course with exactly 3.84 ECTS credits.
- Degree Certificate for the Bachelor's Degree
+ an official translation when required
Upload a scan for the original/s. - Transcript of Records for the Bachelor's Degree
+ an official translation when required
Upload a scan for the original.
If your Bachelor's Degree is a combination of two different degrees, upload one combined scan/document in which you have included both the original Transcripts of Records.
The total number of study units (ECTS credits, credits, credit hours etc.) completed for the degree must be included on the Transcript of Records - if not, an official document about the completed study units certified by the university must be provided.
What to do if there are no credits available for the completed courses? - Language Test result when required
Upload a scan for the test result or a screenshot from your test account.
The result is always electronically verified from the test database. - Letter of Motivation (max. 500 words)
- Additional educational documents when required
+ official translations when required
Upload a scan for the original/s.
When proving your proficiency in English with another degree apart from the one you are applying with.
When having completed programme-specifically required university-level studies not included in the degree you are applying with. - GMAT Exam or GRE General Test when required
When applying to this programme with a degree in a field other than Business Administration:
Completed in a Finnish University of Applied Sciences
Completed in a University outside of Finland
Upload a scan for the test result or a screenshot from your test account.
The result is always electronically verified from the test database.
Minimum required scores:
GMAT Exam (Focus Edition): 515
GMAT Examm (10th Edition): 550
GRE General Test: Verbal Reasoning 152 + Quantitative Reasoning 152 + Analytical Writing 3.0
We also accept GMAT Online Exam and GRE General Test at Home. - Passport or ID card with nationality
Upload a scan for the document or card. - Finnish Residence Permit Card
Upload a scan for the card if having one.
What is an unfinished Bachelor's Degree?
- You have not yet graduated = you have not been awarded your Degree Certificate or the Provisional Degree Certificate
Having completed all your studies does not mean that you have graduated unless not having been awarded the Degree Certificate or the Provisional Degree Certificate.
If not being able to upload your Degree Certificate or the Provisional Degree Certificate by the supplementary deadline, you must identify your status on the application form as "not yet graduated".
When applying
- Indicate the estimated date of graduation on your Application Form
- No official statement for the date required from the home university
- Upload your latest Transcript of Records to your Online Application Form
- plus the official translation (when required)
- The Transcript of Records must include the name of the degree to be awarded.
- If not included, an additional statement issued by the awarding university about the name of the degree must be uploaded to your Online Application Form.
If admitted
If admitted, you must be able to
- Graduate by 31 August 2025
- Provide us with the following documents by 31 August 2025 at 15:00 (UTC+3)
- Scan for your original Degree Certificate
- Scan for your original Transcript of Records
- Provide us with the following documents by 5 September 2025 at 15:00 (UTC+3)
- Scans for the official translations in English for both the documents (when applicable)
- Official translations required, if the original documents are not issued in English, Finnish or Swedish.
The documents must be provided according to the given instructions despite of the country the degree was awarded in.
If not being able to meet with both the requirements by the given deadlines, your right to study in the programme will automatically be cancelled and you will lose your place without a possibility to claim it back.
Evaluation
Before the academic evaluation begins, the admission committee checks the programme-specific requirements and the applicants meeting the requirements will move forward to academic evaluation, which is done in two subsequent stages.
Stage 1: Educational background
The applicant's educational background will be evaluated based on the required information given on the application form and the required application documents.
Stage 2: Interview
A limited number of applicants are invited to an interview in the order of the highest points for stage 1.
Final selection
The final selection will be completed among the interviewed applicants based on
- Total points for the stages 1 and 2
Only a limited number of applicants will be admitted.
Admission Group 1
- Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration
Completed in a university in Finland (kauppatieteiden kandidaatti) - Bachelor of Science Economics/Business Administration
Completed in a university worldwide - 45% of the admitted students come from this group
Admission Group 2
- Bachelor of Business Administration
Completed in a university of applied sciences in Finland (tradenomi) - Bachelor of Business Administration
Completed in a university of applied sciences in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland - 45% of the admitted students come from this group
Admission Group 3
- Bachelor's Degree in a field other than Business Administration
Completed in a university in Finland - Bachelor's Degree in a field other than Business Administration
Completed in a university of applied sciences in Finland - Bachelor's Degree in a field other than Business Administration
Completed in a university worldwide - 10% of the admitted students come from this group
If seats still available in any of the three Admission Groups after all eligible applicants having been considered for admission, the available seats can be completed with eligible applicants from the other Admission Groups.
Academic Success, max. 5 points
Arithmetic GPA for the degree you must apply with:
- 3.00 - 3.49 = 1 points
- 3.50 - 3.99 = 3 points
- 4.00 - 5.00 = 5 points
The arithmetic GPA evaluated in the LUT selection process is
- an arithmetic average of grades for all individual courses included in the degree you have to apply with that
- are completed at the time of applying
- have been evaluated on a numeric grading scale
- are listed on the official Transcript of Records
Only in cases where some individual courses are combined into a bigger module on the Transcript of Records including only one total grade for all the courses included in the module and with no individual evaluation for the included courses available, the combined total grade will be included in the arithmetic GPA.
Grade for the Final Thesis is included in the arithmetic GPA while failed grades are excluded from it.
Courses without a related study unit such as ECTS credit, credit, credit hour etc. are excluded from the arithmetic GPA even if the course having been evaluated on a numeric grading scale.
Courses completed outside the degree as well as courses included in the degree that have been credited or compensated are excluded from the arithmetic GPA unless the degree-awarding university having graded them on a numeric grading scale.
All the courses included in the arithmetic GPA must be listed on the official Transcript of Records for the degree you must be applying with.
The arithmetic GPA will be first checked and verified by LUT University and in case of the original grading scale not having been on a scale of 1.00 - 5.00, the arithmetic GPA will be converted by LUT University on this scale during the evaluation process. Finally, the arithmetic GPA with two decimals will be evaluated.
Letter of Motivation, max. 10 points
Your motivation will be assessed based on a Letter of Motivation (max. 500 words).
International experience = 0-3 points
- no experience = 0 points
- 1-3 months = 1 point
- 3-6 months = 2 points
- 6 months - = 3 points
Overall contents = 0-7 points
The applicant must follow the practices of scientific writing: documents related to the application process such as Letter of Motivation must be written by the applicant. It must not present other people's ideas, information, words or other material without a sufficient reference. Artificial intelligence is not a source of scientific text. The applicant must ensure that the source entries are correct.
Academic Success, max. 5 points
Arithmetic GPA for the degree you must apply with:
- 3.00 - 3.49 = 1 points
- 3.50 - 3.99 = 3 points
- 4.00 - 5.00 = 5 points
The arithmetic GPA evaluated in the LUT selection process is
- an arithmetic average of grades for all individual courses included in the degree you have to apply with that
- are completed at the time of applying
- have been evaluated on a numeric grading scale
- are listed on the official Transcript of Records
Only in cases where some individual courses are combined into a bigger module on the Transcript of Records including only one total grade for all the courses included in the module and with no individual evaluation for the included courses available, the combined total grade will be included in the arithmetic GPA.
Grade for the Final Thesis is included in the arithmetic GPA while failed grades are excluded from it.
Courses without a related study unit such as ECTS credit, credit, credit hour etc. are excluded from the arithmetic GPA even if the course having been evaluated on a numeric grading scale.
Courses completed outside the degree as well as courses included in the degree that have been credited or compensated are excluded from the arithmetic GPA unless the degree-awarding university having graded them on a numeric grading scale.
All the courses included in the arithmetic GPA must be listed on the official Transcript of Records for the degree you must be applying with.
The arithmetic GPA will be first checked and verified by LUT University and in case of the original grading scale not having been on a scale of 1.00 - 5.00, the arithmetic GPA will be converted by LUT University on this scale during the evaluation process. Finally, the arithmetic GPA with two decimals will be evaluated.
Letter of Motivation, max. 10 points
Your motivation will be assessed based on a Letter of Motivation (max. 500 words).
International experience = 0-3 points
- no experience = 0 points
- 1-3 months = 1 point
- 3-6 months = 2 points
- 6 months - = 3 points
Overall contents = 0-7 points
The applicant must follow the practices of scientific writing: documents related to the application process such as Letter of Motivation must be written by the applicant. It must not present other people's ideas, information, words or other material without a sufficient reference. Artificial intelligence is not a source of scientific text. The applicant must ensure that the source entries are correct.
Studies in Methodology, max. 1 point
- 1 point = a minimum of 6 ECTS credits of university level studies completed in Methodology
These studies must be completed in a university, while studies completed in a University of Applied Sciences are not accepted.
Studies in Methodology in a field other than Business Administration are accepted as well.
The studies must include both qualitative and quantitative studies.
The minimum grade for these studies must be at least 3 on a scale from 1 to 5.
A limited number of applicants from all three Admission Groups are invited to an interview in the order of the highest total points for stage 1.
The interview is evaluated as follows:
- Motivation and entrepreneurship = 0-7 points
- Practical communication skills in English = 0-7 points
- Case study = 0-6 points
Case Study for the Interview
Applicants invited to the interview will receive a case study related to International Business and Entrepreneurship by email approximately a week before the interview.
The completed case study will act as part of the evaluation for competence and practical communication skills in English.