Applying for student Exchange will become easier Q&A
We thank you for the feedback we received regarding changes to exchange selection (bulletin published on April 3rd: Applying for student Exchange will become easier). Detailed criteria will be published on September 16th, but below is some background information along with related questions and answers.
The preparation for the selection process began over a year ago, and during this spring, we have consulted, among others, the University of Helsinki Student Union to gain student perspectives, and the University of Helsinki's legal services to ensure the legality of the process as well as equal treatment of applicants in the future too. Many of our partner universities have successfully transitioned to this selection method, and we have gained valuable insights from their experiences.
Q: Why is the motivation letter no longer used in the selection process?
A: In the current procedure, the application has been reviewed as an entirety, and the motivation letter has been just one part of it. The evaluation of motivation letters can be quite subjective, and the influence of artificial intelligence on these letters has increased in recent years. We cannot always verify whether the student has written the letter themselves. The style of the letters has also varied between faculties, making comparisons difficult. Applying for exchange has often been considered challenging, and the motivation letter has caused unnecessary stress for many applicants. Some applications have even been left incomplete or not submitted at all because of it.
Q: Could the motivation letter previously compensate for poor academic performance?
A: The motivation letter has been used mainly to compare two otherwise equally qualified applicants. Therefore, it has been very unlikely for someone with poor academic performance to be selected to a very popular destination, even if their motivation was exceptional. According to our experience, motivation has been uniformly good among all applicants to popular destinations, making it difficult for applicants to stand out based on motivation alone.
Q: Why is GPA no longer used for comparing applicants?
A: Previously, GPA played a significant role in selections, although in reality comparing GPAs across different faculties is challenging. Moreover, various life situations cannot be adequately considered when GPA is emphasized. Some faculties have recently abandoned numerical grading altogether, making it impossible to compare applicants from these faculties to others. Since GPA no longer affects selection (as long as the destination university's GPA requirement is met), we can also remove previously self-imposed GPA requirements. Example: Certain destinations have always been so competitive that practically no one with a GPA below 3 was selected. The University of Helsinki's GPA requirement (3) guided students to apply to destinations where they had a chance of being selected. Now, even those whose academic performance has been poor for one reason or another, have a chance to be selected for such destinations. It's important to note that we have had to consider the average of all grades on the transcript (we still must do so for destinations with a partner-imposed GPA requirement). Therefore, a highly motivated student who previously received poor grades, for example, in open university courses, has suffered in comparison, even if their grades for their current degree were excellent. On the other hand, years of hard work and a GPA over 4.5 have not guaranteed selection to a top-priority destination either.
Q: Does GPA matter at all anymore?
A: Many of our partner universities have their own GPA requirements, and we can only select students who meet the partner's minimum requirement (both at the application and nomination stages) for such destinations. Requirements typically range between 3 and 3.8. We have also many destinations without a GPA requirement, so it's possible to go on exchange with a GPA below 3.
Q: Can I somehow improve my chances of being selected?
A: Especially for destinations outside Europe, there are requirements set by the destination universities, such as GPA, language skills, and the level of studies. By choosing a destination where you find suitable courses for your degree, meet the language requirement and any GPA threshold, and plan your studies so that graduation is not delayed, you can participate in the draw for that destination. If there are more applicants than places for a destination, exchange places are drawn among eligible applicants. Not all destinations have the same level of competition, and no draw is needed if there is enough space for all applicants to that destination. In such cases, all interested students are placed in the destination according to their own priority order.
Q: Does it matter where I apply to if all places are drawn?
A: Destination-specific motivation remains an important factor because students choose the destinations (up to four application destinations) they apply to and can only be placed in those. The priority order of destinations is considered, meaning we primarily aim to place applicants in their top-priority destinations. Only places for destinations with more applicants than places are drawn. If you are not selected for the destinations you applied for, we offer alternative suitable destinations if you have expressed interest in hearing about alternative destinations.
We will publish new eligibility criteria and selection principles immediately after the autumn supplementary application round ends, on September 16th. At that time, we will provide more information about the new application process. We are still happy to receive feedback (studentexchange@helsinki.fi) and will take it into consideration as far as possible, when refining the new application criteria.