Institutions of higher education are designated universities by Finnish legislation. Only these universities have the right to confer the degrees in the categories alempi korkeakoulututkinto/lägre högskoleexamen (Bachelor's degree) and ylempi korkeakoulututkinto/högre högskoleexamen (Master's degree) and doctoral degrees.
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Map of Finland
In addition to the universities, Finland has another, separate system of tertiary education, the ammattikorkeakoulu/yrkeshögskola, which is variously translated as polytechnic or as a University of Applied Sciences (see a list of polytechnics in Finland). The polytechnics have the right to confer degrees in categories ammattikorkeakoulututkinto/yrkeshögskoleexamen and ylempi ammattikorkeakoulututkinto/högre yrkeshögskoleexamen. In international usage, these degrees are classified as bachelor's and master's degrees.
Multidisciplinary universities
The Finnish universities are (sorted by the year of establishment):
Specialised universities
In Finland, there are also some institutions of higher education that have full university status, but which specialise in certain academic fields:
The National Defence University is not considered a university by Finnish law, although it has the authority to award bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees and to pursue free research, and its rector is a member of the Council of Finnish University rectors. The practical effect of this distinction is minor, and most notable in the administrative organisation of the university, which is military instead of civilian.