Apply for the Special Forces Qualification Course

On this page you can get information on the Special Forces Qualification Course of the Defence Forces and its application procedure. Arranged at the Utti Jaeger Regiment, the Special Forces Qualification Course provides you with the type of training that is interesting, versatile, and challenging. Completing the course will qualify you to apply for Special Jaeger Non-Commissioned Officer posts.

• Applying for Special Forces Qualification Course 
• Competitive tests
• Fixed-term post of contractual military personnel
• Admission criteria
• Application and annexes     
• Notifications relating to applying
• Additional information
• After Special Force Course completion to an NCO post?

At the end of this page, you will find information on the physical fitness tests included in the competitive examination. 

Applying for Special Forces Qualification Course

The Special Forces Qualification Course invites applicants with reserve non-commissioned officer or reserve officer training who have completed the conscript service part of their liability for military service by the start of the Special Forces Qualification Course.

Interesting and challenging, this training will involve, among other, military reconnaissance and combat missions in the field and in urban terrain. Versatile training in movement methods will comprise training in military parachuting, waterway training, as well as army helicopter and vehicle training.

On a yearly basis, you may submit your application during 1.9. - 30.11. For now, the digital application form remains out of use. So, please fill in the paper form and send it with its annexes by post in due time. 

The Special Forces Qualification Course invites applicants with reserve non-commissioned officer or reserve officer training who have completed the conscript service part of the liability for military service and are under the age of 30. For specific reasons, also over 30-year-olds may qualify for the course.

Additionally, applications are welcome from conscripts whose conscript service is completed before the start of the Special Forces Qualification Course. Every year, the Special Forces Qualification Course starts in July and runs for 12 months in total.

Competitive tests

Selections for the special force training are made based on competitive tests. The pre-selection is based on applications, after which the successful candidates are invited to a two-phase set of competitive tests. The first phase of the tests takes two days and is held in January. At the first phase of the tests, the main effort focuses on testing the candidates’ physical fitness (for information on components and cumulative points, please see the end of this page).

The candidates who successfully pass the first phase are invited to the second phase that is held at the turn of March-April. Note that the second phase of the competitive tests of the Special Force Course can only be attended twice. At the second phase of the competitive tests, the applicants are, among other, expected to:

• sustain motivation for completing all the issued tasks in the best possible way
• act on own initiative and be willing to learn and actively develop oneself
• be rational and able to operate sensibly also while in a stressful situation
• physically capable to complete Special Jaeger training
• commit to a section’s common objectives and setting the section’s advantage before that of one’s own
• have good inter-personal skills to work in a section
• sustain one’s own operating capability under all circumstances
• master a Soldier’s basic skills
• march tens of kilometres in combat load
• have reasonable skiing and orienteering skills.

The phases of the competitive tests equal an on-order duty for service personnel and conscripts, and a voluntary refresher training exercise for the reservists of the Finnish Defence Forces.

The persons selected for the course will be notified on their qualifying approximately two months before the Special Forces Qualification Course is scheduled to start in late July.

Fixed-term post of contractual military personnel

In the Finnish Defence Forces, the persons selected for the Special Forces Qualification Course will hold a fixed-term post of contractual military personnel, salaried for the full 12-month training period, but they will remain responsible for paying for their own accommodation and meals.

• Salary c. EUR 2,000/month (incl. the salary + add-ons)
• Working hours 114 h 45 min/three-week period
• Paid annual leave earned altogether 2 days/month.

Admission criteria for Special Forces Qualification Course

• Completed conscript service by the start of the Special Forces Qualification Course
  • Note that you may submit the application and its annexes plus attend the two-phased competitive tests already while in conscript service
• Reserve officer or reserve non-commissioned officer training
• Good state of health, fitness for service class A
• Eye sight at least 1,0 in both eyes without glasses
• Flawless colour vision, normal fields of vision, normal hearing
• Good physical condition, able to swim at least 200 metres, reasonable skiing skills
• The result of a 12-minute running test at least 3,000 metres
  • Must have completed the test during the application year, at the earliest on 1 June
  • Own report of the result as filled in the application form is enough
  • The running test result may be a disqualifying factor during the pre-selections
• Suitable lifestyle (no criminal record)
• Under the age of 30 at service start
• For specific reasons, an over 30-year-old may qualify
  • Considering previous training, experience, and other possible special skills (language proficiency, conducted studies, work experience, etc.)
• Driver’s license (B).

Disqualifying factors include severe skin conditions or allergies with prescription medication, unkempt teeth, dentures, less than year-old fractures of limbs, or severe injuries sustained in joints.

Application and annexes for Special Forces Qualification Course

• During 1.9. – 30.11., fill in, print out, and send by post the paper form hakemus Puolustuvoimien erikoisjoukkokurssille [Application to the Special Forces Qualification Course of the FDF, in Finnish or Swedish only]
  • Add the 12-minute running test result and its completion date to the form’s sub-section ‘Lisätietoja’ [additional information]
  • Prepare the below listed annexes to submit by post with the application form
• Annex 1: Lääkärinlausunto terveydentilasta  [Medical certificate on state of health] (issued in the application year)
• Annex 2: Perusmuotoisen turvallisuusselvityksen liite "Koulutus ja palvelussuhteet" [Annex to basic-level security clearance “Education and work experience”, in Finnish only]
• Annex 3: Copy of certificate for completed conscript service (or drop-out)
• Annex 4: Copy of certificate for Reserve Officer Course or for NCO Course (or drop-out)
• Annex 5: Copy of driver’s license

The applications for contractual military personnel training of the Special Forces Qualification Course of the Finnish Defence Forces must arrive at the Utti Jaeger Regiment by 30 November. Note that your application will fail to be considered if it arrives late or lacks any of the above listed annexes.

Please send the application form with its annexes by post to:

Hakemus / Erikoisjoukkokurssi
Utin jääkärirykmentti
PL 5
45411 UTTI

Notifications relating to applying

The Utti Jaeger Regiment will issue the following notifications digitally at the e-mail address that you provided:

• by the end of the application year
  • announcement to those selected to the first phase of the competitive tests
  • announcement to those not invited to the competitive tests
• during February
  • announcement to those selected to the second phase of the competitive tests
  • announcement to those who are not selected to the second phase of the competitive tests
• during April
  • announcement to those accepted to the Special Forces Qualification Course
  • announcement to those not accepted for the Special Forces Qualification Course.

If you do not receive the notifications in your e-mail inbox, please contact the Selections Assistant. Double-check also the spam filter on your e-mail in case the messages are redirected there.

For further information

• By e-mail: [email protected] 
• By phone: Selections Assistant 0299 417 265
  • Contacts on weekdays at 08-11 and 12-15.

After Special Forces Qualification Course completion to a fixed-term NCO post?

Having completed the Special Forces Qualification Course of the Finnish Defence Forces, the course graduates qualify for, and a part will be hired to, the post of a fixed-term non-commissioned officer.

Representing the most capable element in the Special Forces, Special Jaeger NCOs will continue to undergo training throughout their service. The set tasks also allow service abroad both in training exercises and crisis management operations.