Finland

Professional title for a Practicing Psychologist:

Psychologist is the most common title (includes all clinical as well as counseling or consulting areas).

Criteria, Regulations and Procedures to obtain a License:

Under Finnish law, licensing is granted to the following professions: physician, dentist, pharmacist, psychologist, speech therapist, dietician, dispenser, nurse, midwife, public health nurse, physiotherapist, medical laboratory technologist, radiographer, dental hygienist, occupational therapist, optician and dental technician (17 titles in total). The practice of these professions is restricted to licensed professionals only.

Licensing is granted, upon application, by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (https://www.valvira.fi/web/en/healthcare/professional_practice_rights). The laws regulating these standards can be found here: https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/1994/en19940559.

Procedure: When you get your Master’s degree in Psychology from the Finnish university, you grant licensing from Valvira. The Finnish degree guarantees that you get it, because the degree has very high standards. The high quality of the education rests on cooperation with the six Finnish departments/sections of psychology through the Psykonet Network: http://www.psykonet.fi/english. Master’s degree in Psychology consists of a minimum 300 ECTS, including 30 ECTS clinical practice. The practice part of studies is very important, and Valvira especially calls for that. If you study abroad, you must seek licensing from Valvira, before you can practice as a psychologist in Finland, and the licensing requires that your studies correspond to the studies here in Finland. If they don’t, Valvira can demand some complementary studies or practical training.

Licensing body: The Finnish Psychological Association, but this does not offer official psychologist licensing. The licensing organization is called Valvira, National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (https://www.valvira.fi/web/en/front-page).

Any Supplemental Resources regarding procedures for Licensure:

Valvira grants the licensing, and the demands are very strict.

Reciprocity of Licenses:

No, only persons to whom Valvira has granted the right to practice may work as licensed health care professionals.

Temporary/Short-Term Licenses (which are often needed for psychologists doing humanitarian work in foreign countries):

No, Valvira does not allow short-term licenses.