Kiteen evankelinen kansanopisto > Education > Information and Communication Technology

Information and Communication Technology

For you, who:

  • Want to work on the field of data processing
  • Want to work as an IT-support person of a company or as a programmer
  • Want to learn Finnish language so well that you can work and perform competence demonstrations in a Finnish workplace (at least level B1 defined by Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)
  • Are 20 years old and you have secondary level education or you are 25 years old and have experience on computers

About Further Vocational Qualification in Information and Communication Technology:

QUALIFICATION TITLE: DATANOME (Further Vocational Qualification in Information and Communication Technology)
LEVEL OF EDUCATION: ISCED 3

People who have further vocational qualification in information and communication technology work in versatile information and communication technology companies and organizations as well as in the companies offering their professional expertise and support service.

Content

Compulsory unit

  • Working in ICT environment (30 competence points)

Three modules eg. from the following study modules based on your personalized plan and collaborative projects:

  • Working as a systems specialist, 40 cp
  • Working as an IT application specialist, 40 cp
  • Planning and implementation of digital service user experience, 40 cp
  • Software design and software development project management, 40 cp
  • Software testing, 40 cp

Duration and organization of the studies

The estimated length of the studies is 2,5 years. If you have good basic knowledge and work experience in the field, you can graduate faster.

Summer break between June – August.

Every student will have an individual competence development plan (HOKS), where the number of contact lessons and distance learning as well as the competence demonstrations are agreed on. At the beginning of the studies, there will be basic studies in information technology which are useful in many fields. The ICT-related topics become more difficult gradually. Learning and guidance take place in workplaces, schools, or via the network. In order to graduate from further vocational studies, the student will have to participate in on-the-job learning periods and pass the competence tests.

Because the vocational education is in the Finnish language and the competence demonstrations are to be held in Finnish, there will be an ICT and Finnish online course for the selected students BEFORE they come to Finland from March to June 2025. The online course consists of basic Finnish language and culture as well as basics of ICT. Students study 2x60min per week. Most probably, the online lessons will be twice a week at 15:00 Finnish time. In addition to lectures, online course includes online learning assignments and requires good motivation and available time from the student. The goal is that every ICT student starting in August 2025 knows the Finnish language basics and has an understanding of the ICT field in Finland so that integrating into Finland and starting ICT studies is easier.

In addition, there will be Finnish language studies during the first year if the student does not have good Finnish language skills. Each student should acquire level B1.1 in Finnish language to be able to pass the on-the-job exams required for the datanome diploma.

Accommodation

Kitee Evangelical Folk High School is situated in the center of Kitee. All the town services are quite near. You can lodge at the school dormitory in double rooms. We help students with families to find a flat in the town.

Costs

To complete the whole qualification you need to pass four study units.

(1) If the student has good skills in the Finnish language, the tuition fee is 5 €/study unit including teaching, teaching materials, lunch, and coffee on school days

(2) Preparatory training for competence-based qualification (Further Vocational Qualification in Information and Communication Technology) combined with Finnish language studies:

  • 700 € /online Finnish language and ICT course before coming to Finland (March 2025-June 2025) (NOTE: If you have a diploma showing that you know the Finnish language at level A2.2 you do not have to attend this course. We will refund half of the course fee if Migri issues a negative decision on your residence permit application.)
  • 3762 €/year (including teaching, teaching materials, lunch, and coffee)
  • 5841 €/year (including teaching, teaching materials, accommodation, and food three times a day).
  • Note: Meals are available only on weekdays; there is no dinner on Fridays and no breakfast on Mondays.

The tuition fees are charged by the study unit (1) or six months in advance (2), and the online Finnish language course before it starts.

Application

The next group will start in August 2025. The application period for the group starting in August 2025 is from October 20th to December 13th 2024. Due to limited spots, we will be selecting new students based on the following procedure:

We will organize a four-week online course “Introduction to ICT” during 6.1. – 16.2.2025. The course includes the following topics:

  • What is a computer?
  • Categories of computers
  • Elements of an information system
  • Computer applications in society
  • Role of ICT in operations of organisations
  • Basic use of MS Office programs
  • My own skills and goals as an ICT professional

Due to the high number of applicants, we are offering two identical courses, each with a capacity of 50 students, for a total of 100 participants. Each course has a scope of 2 student weeks, equivalent to approximately 80 hours of workload. Each course includes four online lectures, each lasting around 2 hours (The online lectures will mostly be held on Tuesdays at 2 pm and 4 pm Finnish time.)  Additionally, students are required to complete and submit weekly assignments through the Google Classroom virtual learning environment. These assignments will be graded, and the scores will contribute to determining which students perform best in the course.

We will select 15 students from the online course to start studying in Finland in the autumn 2025 group. The top performers from each course will be selected for an interview, which will determine the final selection. We are interested in finding out the student’s motivation to move to Finland, and study ICT field.

Admission to the course is on a first-come, first-served basis, and students who pay the fee first will secure their spot. Payment links will be sent out once students have submitted certificates proving their eligibility. The fee must be paid by credit card through the Stripe program.

After passing the course, you will receive an official certificate for the course.

To start studying in Finland, you need a residence permit/study visa in Finland. You should start applying for it immediately after the approval decision because the permitting process can be slow. Please note that this is a vocational qualification focused on practical work, not so much on theory. If you already have a higher education degree and work experience in the IT field, this could be a reason for your residence permit to Finland to be denied. In such cases, we recommend applying directly to a university to continue your career in a logical progression.

Through this selection process, we ensure that we receive the best possible students for the training and that the selected have the necessary skills and motivation to complete the program.

Application process as a picture:

Note: we will send an info email to all who have filled in the application during this year.

Further information

Further Vocational Qualification in Information and Communication Technology is a good basis for post-graduate studies in Finland regardless of the field of studies. Any completed study unit can be accredited in many other Finnish vocational qualification studies.

With a study visa, you can also work in Finland part-time.

According to the feedback from the previous students, the positive sides of studying in Kiteen Kansanopisto are friendly and safe study surroundings, inexpensive accommodation, and excellent food.

Alisa Kuzmina (Finnish, Russian) alisa.kuzmina@kiteenkansanopisto.fi

Eeva Nygren (Finnish, English), tel. +358 40 507 7872 or eeva.nygren@kiteenkansanopisto.fi

Further Vocational Qualification in Information and Communication Technology

Apply now!