The need for the Universitystart project is based on the promotion and safeguarding of equality in education. Concerns have emerged about the transition of young people from secondary education to higher education and from there to work smoothly. An acute and growing need for guidance has been identified in North Karelia, especially for those young people who do not have post-secondary education or vocational education. These young people are, for example, those who have passed the matriculation examination and who have not found their own field of study or have not completed further studies. Some of them have not yet found further education according to their own interests and strengths or their own goals are unrealistic. There are currently over 1,000 young people in North Karelia who have only upper secondary education and the number grows by about 100 young people each year. The average age of Finnish higher education students is 24 years. Nearly 70 % of new matriculation pupils are excluded from education and nearly 40 % of students postpone their entry for further studies by more than two years. The number of job seekers under the age of 30 having completed the baccalaureate alone has decreased nationwide (March 2017), but the figure is increasing in North Karelia. The project has been prepared in cooperation with the University of Eastern Finland, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, TE services, Ohjaamo 2.0 and Kohtaamo projects and the open university. The project is primarily aimed at those young people who have completed the matriculation examination in Northern Karelia. the project aims to develop a guidance and coaching model for young people with upper secondary education who are planning higher education but who have not received a place to study or whose study path is not clear. The aim is to produce low-threshold service tools that can be transferred to secondary schools and other guidance actors to guide university searches together with the provincial guidance actors. In addition, the aim is to streamline the training of young people in sectors where they need realistic employment, which will provide enterprises and other actors in the province with a workforce adapted to their needs. The project consists of three sets of measures. 1. Coaching for young people, 2. Co-development of the steering model and 3. Working life cooperation in the articulation phase of education. The measures of the project will be carried out in cooperation between Karelia and UEF. Measures for young people will be implemented through individual and group guidance, drawing on the expertise of project actors and existing digital and technological tools. The measures for target groups consist of activation, analysis and operation phases. During the activation phase, target groups will be reached and informed about the project’s activities in workshops and information sessions. The analysis phase aims at identifying young people’s interest and strengths and exploring sub-options through expert lectures, career stories and job visits. During the operational phase, young people receive support and guidance to strengthen their sub-selection and their knowledge of working life, and to pre-empt the selection test independently of the field. The project takes into account the holistic well-being of young people and the challenges of learning as part of the guidance process. The timing of the measures will be such that the participation of the young person in the project preparation will support the preparation of the next joint application for higher education institutions. Coaching packages begin annually in autumn and spring. For the Steering Actors target group, the project organises trainings and workshops where coaching control methods and tools are jointly formulated according to the needs of the group of actors. During the project, the measures will be developed to meet the needs of young people through evaluation and feedback. The project will result in a career guidance model for the preparation of higher education studies. As a result of the training, the first postgraduate study place is correctly selected. The project develops young people’s learning and working life skills and knowledge of working life in a diverse way. The project will develop transferable tools to secondary schools to guide university searches. Cooperation between existing steering bodies and networks will be strengthened. The career guidance package of higher education institutions will be completed and the competence of the guidance actors will evolve to meet the changing needs of the future. The project promotes preparedness for changes in the selection procedures of higher education institutions and for the service needs created by the forthcoming regional reform.