• Studying Economics
• Studying and living in Finland
• Studying Art and Design
• Studying Technology
• Admissions
• After admission
• JOO Studies and internal mobility
• Cross-disciplinary degree programs and minor studies
• Internationalization and studying abroad
• Open university
• Other study possibilities
• Student life
  • Housing
  • Financing your studies
  • Healthcare and wellbeing
  • Student Union AUS
  • Studying at Aalto University
  • Free time and sports
• What does Aalto education give you?

Studying at Aalto University

At the heart of the Aalto University is a student-centred culture that encourages people to passionately learn new things. The Schools of Aalto Unviersity, the School of Economics, the School of Art and Design and and the School if Science and Technology, provide education at bachelor, master, and doctorate level, as well as opportunities for continuing education and open university. The Aalto University also provides Cross-disciplinary studies and opportunities to study at the different Schools.

Credit system

According the new degree structure, which takes place in all schools of the Aalto University, studies are allotted credits according to the amount of work required; the average number of hours demanded by one academic year of studies, 1600 hours, is equivalent to 60 credits. The Bachelor’s degree consists of 180 credits (ECTS) and the the Master’s degree is 120 credits (ECTS).

The extent of the courses and degree programmes are given in credits equivalent to 1 ECTS credit, literal translation opintopiste if it is a course according to the new degree regulations and in credits marked as old credit (ocr) equivalent to 1.5 ECTS credit, literal translation opintoviikko if it is according to the old degree regulations.

The Finnish name for credit (opintoviikko) means literally "study week". One credit refers to 40 hours work, including lectures and other forms of instruction, exercises, seminars and independent work at home and in the library. The scope of a course can be 1–15 credits depending on the content of the course.

Grading system

To be able to get credits from a course, students need to take the examination and pass it with good grades. The grading scale for the courses held at the Aalto University is:

• 5 excellent
• 4 very good
• 3 good
• 2 very satisfactory
• 1 satisfactory
• 0 failed

If you receive the grade 0, you have not passed the examination and you must take it again. If you receive 1, you have passed the test with the lowest grade. If your grade is 5, you have achieved the best grade.

The final grade of the course can be based either on the final examination only or it can be based on a combination of the final examination and course work. The grade requirements are explained at the beginning of the course.

Language

Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish.  Finnish is the mother tongue of 92%, whereas Swedish is the native language of about 5.5%. In the Lapland, Northern Finland, an indigenous population speaks Sámi as their first language.

You do not need to speak Finnish or Swedish to get by in Finland or at the Aalto University; a vast majority of Finns speak English fluently, and a good number of the Aalto’s programs and classes are taught in English. 

However, the Aalto University does encourage its foreign students to learn one of the official languages.  The Aalto University offers a number of beginner Finnish and Swedish language courses to its international students.  Learning the local language is a good way to gain a deeper insight into Finnish culture, and even help you adjust and adapt more in Finland.