Practical training included in Bachelor's degree in Social Services and Health Care  

You can apply for state aid towards training from the Regional State Administrative Agency for the costs of organising practical training that promotes vocational skills included in the Bachelor's degree in Social Services and Health Care. The processing and payment of compensation has been centralised to the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland.

Certain operators and organisations can apply for compensation; you can find a list of them on this page. You can apply for compensation every six months afterwards. The applicant applies for all training compensation for the six-month period with one application.

On this page, you can find instructions for applying for compensation.

Conditions for receiving compensation

Provisions on Bachelor's degrees are laid down in the Universities of Applied Sciences Act  and in the Government Decree on Universities of Applied Sciences, the appendix of which specifies which Bachelor’s degree in Social Services and Health Care and the degree titles included.

  • Prosthetist-Orthotist (Bachelor’s degree) 210 ETCS
  • Bioanalyst (Bachelor’s degree) 210 ETCS
  • Paramedic (Bachelor’s degree) 240 ETCS
  • Physiotherapist (Bachelor’s degree) 210 ETCS
  • Gerontological social worker (Bachelor’s degree) 210 ETCS
  • Dental Technician (Bachelor’s degree) 210 ETCS
  • Foot Therapist (Bachelor’s degree) 210 ETCS
  • Rehabilitation Counsellor (Bachelor's degree) 210 ETCS
  • Midwife (Bachelor’s degree) 270 ETCS
  • Naprapath (Bachelor’s degree) 240 ETCS
  • Osteopath (Bachelor's degree) 240 ETCS
  • Optometrist (Bachelor’s degree) 210 ETCS
  • Radiographer (Bachelor’s degree) 210 ETCS
  • Nurse (Bachelor's degree) 210 ETCS
  • Social Services (Bachelor's degree) 210 ETCS
  • Oral Hygienist (Bachelor's degree) 210 ETCS
  • Public Health Nurse (Bachelor's degree) 240 ETCS
  • Occupational Therapist (Bachelor's degree) 210 ETCS.

In addition,the university of applied sciences’ degree titles listed below include the degree requirements of a nurse and a Bachelor of Social Services, on the basis of which a qualification holder is entitled to work as a licensed professional. Compensation may also be paid for training related to these degree titles:

  • Health Care (Bachelor's degree), Diaconal Health Care (240 ECTS)
  • Social Services (Bachelor's degree), Diaconal work (210 ETCS)
  • Social Services (Bachelor's degree), Christian Early Childhood Education (210 ETCS)
  • Social Services (Bachelor's degree), Christian Youth Work (210 ETCS).

Compensation for training included in these degree titles is applied for by filling in the sections Health Care (Bachelor's degree) and Social Services (Bachelor's degree) in the form. 

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health decree lays down more detailed provisions on the amount of the compensation paid for training that promotes professional skills included in Bachelor's degrees in social and health care, the grounds for payment, and other procedures related to applying for and paying compensation.

The payment of the compensation is based on an agreement between the applicant and the university of applied sciences and on the actual training weeks in accordance with the agreement. The applicant's right to compensation is based on the Health Care Act and the Social Welfare Act. The applicant and the university of applied sciences entitled to the compensation must confirm the information on the implementation of the training weeks and guidance before submitting the application. 

The compensation may also be based on a framework agreement between the applicant who is entitled to the compensation and the university of applied sciences on training promoting vocational skills in social and health care degrees.

Parties that may apply for central government aid towards training for the costs of organising practical training that promotes vocational skills included in the Bachelor's degree in Social Services and Health Care include:

  • wellbeing services counties
  • HUS Group
  • City of Helsinki 
  • local authorities and strategic partnerships
  • state mental hospitals
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland 
  • parishes and joint parishes of the church 
  • private units in the Soteri register providing social welfare and health care services
  • private units in the Soteri register providing early childhood education and care services.

Seeking reimbursement

Regional State Administrative Agencies’ decisions are not open to appeal, but they can be challenged. The deadline for challenging a decision is 30 days from the receipt of the decision. Instructions for challenging decisions are appended to every decision.

Send the request for compensation and the supporting documents to the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland's registry by email ([email protected]) or by mail (P.O. Box 4, 13035 AVI). 

As a training provider, you are responsible for ensuring that a request sent by post is received by the deadline.

We make decisions on requests for compensation during the year in which they are submitted. If necessary, we will request additional information related to your application. We will pay the compensation once we have made a decision.

Apply for compensation afterwards for a six-month period within the application period. The invoicing periods and application periods are as follows:

  • invoicing period 1 January–30 June and application period 1 July–30 September.
  • invoicing period 1 July–31 December and application period 1 January–31 March.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their request reaches the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland by the deadline. We will not process applications received after the deadline.

Apply for compensation Use the application for compensation for training promoting vocational skills included in the Bachelor's Degree in Social Services and Health Care form. You find the form at the bottom of this page.

Save the form (up-to-dated version) first on your device, fill in the required information and sign. 

Add attachments to the application by university of applied sciences

  • Attached forms; Confirmation by the university of applied sciences of the accuracy of the information and the implementation of guidance 
  • Agreements between the eligible applicant and the university of applied sciences.

Apply for compensation after training every six months and compile all compensation for the invoicing period in one application. If the training lasts for several months, apply for the entire amount of compensation within during the six-month period in which the training ends.

Points to take into consideration

The applicant is responsible for 

  • the accuracy of the information contained in the application 
  • that the information on the grounds for the training compensation is correct
  • that the guidance has been implemented in accordance with the current agreement.  

As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that the application is received by the competent authority, the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland, by the deadline. We will not process applications received after the deadline.  

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