Bachelor's degree 

You are eligible to apply to a master's programme if you hold a bachelor’s degree.

The bachelor's degree must:

1. be equivalent to 180 ECTS credits or three years of full-time study;
2. give eligibility to apply for master’s degree studies at a university in the awarding country; and
3. be awarded by a higher education institution recognised as part of the official national education system of the country. The institution must be accredited as a degree-granting higher education institution by the country where it is located or by a relevant international organisation (such as UNESCO).

You cannot apply on the basis of a previous master's degree. Only bachelor’s degrees give eligibility for master’s programmes at Aalto University.

An exception to this is a ‘long-cycle’ master's degree that has been granted without a bachelor’s degree. Such a degree can be, for instance, a degree awarded in Finland prior to the adoption of the two-cycle degree system in 2008 or a licentiate of medicine degree.

Other eligibility for higher education (only in the field of art and design)

In the field of art and design, if you do not have a higher education degree you may apply on the basis of sufficient knowledge and skills, gained by means of other studies and/or work experience, that correspond to a relevant bachelor's degree.

If you apply on the basis of sufficient knowledge and skills, you must provide evidence of these skills with work and/or study certificates. See Other eligibility for higher education for document instructions and application requirements.

Please note that if you have completed (or will complete by 31 July 2026) a bachelor's degree that makes you eligible to apply to a master’s programme, you cannot apply based on Other eligibility for higher education.

Additional degree can be included in your application

In addition to the degree granting eligibility to apply (i.e. bachelor's degree), you can include one other higher education degree (e.g., master's degree) in the section Other Higher Education Degree on your application form.

If you choose to include another higher education degree, you must upload the required application documents related to this degree to your application form. For further information, see Application and the required application documents.

Supplementary studies

Admitted students may be assigned supplementary studies.

Only applications that are complete and fulfil the general eligibility criteria will be evaluated by the study option.

Study options indicate their evaluation criteria on their webpages. Please note that study options may have their own eligibility criteria, for example, requiring prior studies in a relevant field. 

Check your study option's requirements and evaluation criteria on the study option's webpage.

Study option staff will not comment on the relevance of prior studies in advance. Read the evaluation criteria carefully and assess whether you meet the criteria.

Read both the general eligibility criteria on this page and your study option's evaluation criteria on the study option’s page.

You can apply to a master’s programme with an incomplete bachelor’s degree, if you graduate by 31 July 2026. If you are accepted to the University, you must deliver a certified copy of your degree certificate by 14 August 2026 at 15.00/3pm (UTC +3).

If you do not graduate or fail to deliver your degree certificate by the deadline, your conditional admission offer will be cancelled.

If you are applying with a degree still in progress, please check your faculty’s or school’s graduation schedule to ensure you can meet the 31 July 2026 deadline.

Only completed studies, for which an official transcript of records has been uploaded to your application form by 9 January 2026, 15.00/3pm (UTC +2), will be considered in the evaluation. Updated transcripts, or studies completed after this deadline, will not be considered.

For the study options of the School of Business, a degree earned by completing an American-type, internationally accredited university-level MBA programme can also be considered relevant.

Please note that if you have obtained a Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration) degree from a university in Finland, you are not eligible to apply to study options at the School of Business.

Admission groups in the field of business and economics and GMAT/GRE

Applicants to the School of Business study options are divided into two admission groups based on the degree that grants them eligibility to apply to the master’s programme.

1. ADMISSION GROUP 1: Bachelor’s degree from a university in Finland
   Finnish universities are listed on the webpage of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
2. ADMISSION GROUP 2: Bachelor’s degree from a university of applied sciences in Finland or from a higher education institution outside Finland 

In Admission Group 2, all applicants are required to have taken either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Records Examination (GRE), except for the study option of Yritysjuridiikka (taught in Finnish). 

For information on taking the tests and submitting the test scores, as well as the deadlines, see the webpage on GMAT/GRE

One study right rule

If you have a study right at a Finnish higher education institution, please note the amendment to the Universities Act and the new one study right rule.

Under the amended Universities Act (42 a §), your study rights at the same or lower level will be terminated if you accept a new study right leading to a degree.

Previous study rights remain valid until the new study right begins and are terminated on the preceding day. The study right granted in Aalto University’s master’s admissions begins on 1 August.

This rule applies only to study rights at higher education institutions in Finland.

Read more about the one study right rule on Studyinfo (studyinfo.fi). 

If you are already an Aalto University student, first find out about the possibilities of changing your major or programme internally. Do not fill in the external master's admission application form if you can transfer or change major internally. You should not, as a rule, apply in the master’s admissions to the study options of your current Aalto school or programme. It may also be possible to continue studies in a programme at another Aalto school. Check the rules for changing your major / programme or continuing from bachelor's programme to a master's programme in the Student Guide (choose the programme first). If you are not sure whether you need to apply in the master’s admissions, please contact your Aalto school's study advisor or planning officer.

Aalto University students cannot be granted a right to pursue a degree in a study option from which they already have earned a degree or for which they have a valid right to pursue a degree.

Also make sure to read the section above, “Do you have a study right at a Finnish higher education institution?”, which explains the amendment to the Universities Act and the new One study right rule (studyinfo.fi).

1. Read the application instructions, the general eligibility criteria, the evaluation criteria of your chosen study option and the instructions for the required documents carefully.
2. Prepare your application documents in advance. Obtain official translations (if required). For document instructions, see the Application and obligatory application documents section below.
3. If you are required to submit a language test score, book and take a language test well in advance so that your official test scores arrive at Aalto University before the deadline.
   For information on language tests, see Language requirements in Master's admissions.
4. If you are required to take a GMAT or GRE test, book and take the test well in advance so that your official test scores arrive at Aalto University before the deadline.

You can find all Aalto University study options on the Study options page.

You may apply to a maximum of two study options, which you must rank in order of preference on your application form. You can change your choice of study options and their order of preference only during the application period. Once the application period has closed, you cannot change your choice of study options or their order of preference.

Preference order means that if you are admitted to your first preference option, your second study option will be automatically cancelled.

In addition, you can apply to Erasmus Mundus, Nordic Master or other master’s programmes organised through international cooperation, which have different application periods and procedures (for more information, see the programmes’ webpages).

If you apply in several admissions and receive an offer of admission to more than one degree programme beginning in the same term, you can only accept one offer of admission. The ’one study place per term in higher education’ rule applies to all degree programmes at universities and universities of applied sciences in Finland.

You can find the application form in the national Studyinfo.fi service during the application period.

You can fill in the application form only during the application period, from 1 December 2025 at 9.00 to 2 January 2026 at 15.00/3pm (UTC +2).

• You may submit only one application form. Do not fill in several forms.
• You may apply to a maximum of two study options with your application form. Rank your study options in order of preference on your application form.
• You cannot save your application form as a draft; but you can edit it during the application period.
• Application form: Aalto University's Master's Admission 2026 (studyinfo.fi)

Editing your application form after submitting your application

• You can edit your application during the application period and upload attachments before the document deadline.
• If you edit your application form or upload attachments, save the changes by clicking "Save modifications".
• Your application is incomplete until you have uploaded all the required documents.

Accessing your application after submitting it:

1. You can access your application through the link in your confirmation email that you will receive from Studyinfo after submitting your application form. If you do not receive the email within one day of submitting your application and you have checked all your email folders (including spam), contact Admission Services (admissions@aalto.fi).

   The link to your application in your confirmation email is valid for 14 days; if it expires, you can click on the expired link and order a new one. The link is for single use only; once you have used the link, you can order a new link by clicking on the link in the latest email you have received. Check all email folders, including spam, if you do not receive the email to your inbox.

2. If you have a Finnish personal identity code and Finnish online banking credentials (e-identification must be enabled) or mobile certificate, you can access your application by logging into My Studyinfo ("Applications and accepting an offer of admission" section).

Applicants who are not citizens of the European Union (EU), or the European Economic Area (EEA) member states, or Switzerland must pay a €100 application fee to apply for higher education in Finland. 

Citizens of EU or EEA member states and Switzerland are exempt from the fee. In addition, certain types of Finnish residence permits provide an exemption from the fee. Detailed information on the application fee, exemptions and payment instructions is available on the Studyinfo webpage: Application Fee.

If you have a document that exempts you from the application fee, you must upload it to your application form.

The fee is collected by the Finnish National Agency for Education in connection with filling out the application form in the Studyinfo.fi service. Payment must be made within seven days of submitting your application; the fee cannot be paid late. Unpaid applications will not be processed.

The application fee is statutory and non-negotiable; no waivers are available.

Please note that paying the fee does not guarantee admission to the university. 

If you have questions about application fees after reviewing the application fee page, please contact the National Agency for Education at applicationfee@oph.fi.

The required application documents are listed in the section Application and obligatory application documents.

Submit your application form during the application period, and upload all required documents to your application form by the document deadline.

• Carefully scan each original document in the correct orientation so that a horizontal document is displayed horizontally, and a vertical document is displayed vertically.
• Save each file in PDF format and name it as instructed (e.g. Transcript-lastname-firstname).
• Upload high-quality scans of your original documents to the corresponding sections of the application form. Upload each document as a separate file.
• Application documents include the obligatory documents listed on this page and documents required by your study option listed on your study option's webpage. If you apply to two study options, upload the documents required by each study option separately for both study options. For example, if both study options require a motivation letter, prepare and upload a separate letter for each study option. 

If a required application document is missing after the document deadline, the application will be rejected as incomplete. The applicant is responsible for submitting the documents in the required manner and meeting the deadline.

• Apply and submit all documents as early as possible.
• Do not leave submitting the application form or uploading the documents to the last day.

Please note that, at the application stage, electronic copies of the original documents suffice. After admission results, the admitted applicants are required to submit certified (attested) copies of their educational documents by the given deadline. For more information, see section 9.

Only applications that are complete and fulfil the general eligibility requirements proceed to the study options for evaluation.

Each study option evaluates and ranks applications that are complete and meet the general eligibility criteria, based on its own selection criteria. The study-option-specific evaluation criteria are indicated on the webpages of the study options.

The study option evaluation criteria may include, for example, the relevance of previous studies, academic performance, motivation, and, in the fields of art and design and architecture, a portfolio.

The applications are compared to each other, and the highest‑ranked applicants are admitted. Since the number of study places is restricted, not all eligible applicants will receive an offer of admission. Study options are not required to fill all available places.

No status updates on individual applications will be given while evaluation is in progress.

Fields of art and design and architecture: two-stage evaluation process

Study options in the fields of art, design and architecture may have a two-stage evaluation process. This means that some applicants are invited to participate in the second stage following the first round of evaluation. If the admissions process has only one stage, this is indicated on the study option's webpage.

In the first stage, selection committees evaluate the application documents. The applicants are notified by email of whether their application made it to the second stage or was rejected. The results of the first stage are sent to applicants no later than 16 March 2026. The second stage consists of an interview. The interview may be conducted remotely.

In addition, applicants may be asked to submit more work samples or complete further entrance examination assignments. Any additional work samples, entrance examination assignments, and time of the interview will be communicated simultaneously to all applicants who made it to the second stage.

The date of the second stage varies by study option; the time and place will be specified in the invitation to the second stage.

Interviews may also be held for study options in the fields of business and economics and science and technology. The possibility of an interview is indicated on the webpages of the study options.

The admissions results will be published on 8 April 2026 at the earliest. The applicants will receive an email notification once the results are published. 

If you apply to two study options, you can only be admitted to one of them. You cannot change your order of preference of the study options after the application period.

You can find more information including explanations of the reasons for rejection in the master's admissions on the Master's admissions results information page.

Waiting list

If an accepted applicant does not accept their admission offer by the deadline, the study place will be offered to the applicant highest on the waiting list of that study option, if such a list exists. Applicants can be admitted off the waiting list until 11 June 2026. You can find more information about the waiting list procedure on the Master's admissions results page.

Feedback on evaluation

If you wish to receive feedback about the evaluation of your application, please contact the Aalto School of your study option after the final admission results have been published. The contact details for each study option will be updated to the Master's admissions results page before the results are published.

Requesting rectification of the admission decision

It is possible to submit a written request for rectification within 14 days of the publication of the results. The written rectification request procedure allows applicants to appeal against the admission decision on the grounds of an error in the decision-making and to have an erroneous decision corrected. 

An admission decision may only be rectified if Aalto University has made an error in the admission procedure and the error in question entitles the applicant to have the admission decision rectified. 

The procedure is not for requesting feedback or additional information on the admissions results. If you wish to have feedback, contact your study option (see feedback section above).

Read carefully: Instructions for requesting rectification. Read the frequently asked questions on the page before writing your request for rectification.

Successful applicants must accept their offer of admission by the given deadline. Accepting (or declining) an offer of admission is binding and it cannot be changed afterwards.

More information and instructions to admitted applicants: Information for new master's students.

If you have any questions about accepting the offer of admission and starting your studies, please contact the school responsible for the study option or send an email to studentservices@aalto.fi.

One study place per term provision

If you apply in several admissions and receive offers to more than one degree programme beginning in the same term, you may accept only one offer of admission at a higher education institution in Finland. The one study place per term provision applies to all degree-granting higher education programmes, whether applying through: joint application procedures, separate admissions procedures, or applying to doctoral education (to earn a licentiate or doctoral degree).

If you are admitted to more than one degree programme in different admissions, you may only accept one admission offer. You cannot cancel the acceptance of a study place.

One study right rule

If you already have a study right at a Finnish higher education institution, please note the new one study right rule. If you accept a new study right leading to a degree, your study rights at the same or lower level will be terminated (Universities Act, 42 a §).

Previous study rights remain valid until the new study right begins and are terminated on the preceding day. The study right granted through Aalto University’s master’s admissions begins on 1 August.

This rule applies only to study rights at higher education institutions in Finland.

Read more about the one study right rule on Studyinfo (studyinfo.fi). 

Admitted applicants are required to submit officially certified (attested) educational documents by the given deadline. If you are required to submit certified documents, it is stated in your admission letter.

• For applicants admitted between 8 to 12 April, the deadline for the officially certified educational documents to be received by Admission Services is 13 May 2026 15.00/3pm (UTC +3).
• For applicants admitted between 13 April to 11 June, the deadline is 14 August 2026 15.00/3pm (UTC +3).

The documents must be received by the deadline. The deadline cannot be extended.

• Read the instructions for certified documents after admission results.
• Admitted applicants must note the country-specific document requirements.
  There is a country-specific document requirement also for studies completed in Finland.

Applicants are conditionally admitted until the certified documents have been received.
If the certified documents, or the documents required according to the country-specific document requirements, are not received in the required manner by the given deadline, the conditional study right will be cancelled.

We strongly recommend submitting the certified documents as soon as you receive your admission offer; postal or courier service delivery takes time.

Certified documents will be compared to the electronic application documents you uploaded on your application form at the application phase.

Upload a high-quality scanned copy of your original Bachelor’s degree certificate in PDF format. Name the file according to format: Degree-certificate-lastname-firstname.

The degree certificate must include the student's name, the name of the degree, the name of the degree awarding institution, and the date the degree was awarded.

Note that only a diploma supplement is not accepted, a degree certificate is required. 

Provisional degree certificate

If there is a delay in issuing the final degree certificate, a provisional (temporary) degree certificate can be accepted, provided that you have graduated and completed all degree requirements. The provisional degree certificate must include the same details as the final degree certificate: the student's name, the name of the degree, the name of the degree awarding institution, and the date the degree was awarded. A statement of completion of the studies is not sufficient. The graduation (award) date must be no later than 31 July 2026.

Is your degree still incomplete?

If your degree is unfinished at the time of application, leave the degree certificate upload field blank. Your degree must be completed and officially awarded by 31 July 2026.

• Upload a high-quality scanned copy of your original, official Bachelor's degree transcript of study records in PDF format.
• Name the file according to format: Transcript-lastname-firstname.

What "official" means

Your transcript must be issued by the university’s official authority (e.g., Academic Registrar’s Office, Examinations Office, or equivalent). Typically, an official transcript of records is signed and, where applicable, stamped by the issuing institution (e.g. controller of examinations, secretary, registrar, dean, or equivalent). An official, digitally signed electronic transcript in PDF format issued by the awarding university is also acceptable.

Unofficial documents, including screenshots from student information systems, e.g., My Studyinfo or similar platforms, and links to such services, are not accepted. Original official transcripts are generally easy to obtain from your institution's student services department.

Content requirements

Your transcript of records must include the individual courses you have taken, the grades and credits awarded, and the course completion dates. If grades are not shown, upload an additional official document from your university listing the grades for each course. If your institution does not award grades, upload an official explanation of the evaluation system.

Diploma Supplement

You may submit a Diploma Supplement instead of a transcript of records if it includes all required details: individual courses, grades, credits, and course completion dates.

Studies completed at other institutions

If your degree includes studies completed at another higher education institution (e.g. transfer studies), you must submit the required details for those studies (individual courses, grades, credits, completion date of courses). You must submit an official transcript from that institution, unless the information is already included in your main transcript.

This requirement also applies to top-up degrees. You must submit transcripts of records including the required information for the entire duration of all studies on which the top-up degree is based. The combined studies must be equivalent to 180 ECTS credits or three years of full-time study.

Aalto University students

If you are an Aalto University student, you can download your official electronic transcript of records (PDF) from Sisu: My profile > Completed credits. Upload the official electronic transcript of records to your application form in Studyinfo.

If your original degree certificate or transcript of records is in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish, you must submit an official translation of the document (in addition to the documents in the original language).

Upload high-quality scanned copies of the authorised translations into English, Finnish or Swedish in PDF format. Name the file according to format: Translation-transcript-lastname.

What is an authorised translation

The translation is official if it has been produced by either the higher education institution that awarded the degree or by a certified/authorised translator. Translations by a certified translator must bear the translator’s stamp and signature.

If you are looking for a translator in Finland, you can check the Finnish National Agency for Education (www.oph.fi/en) register of authorised translators based in Finland. We accept authorised translations from any country.

Diploma Supplement as a translation

A Diploma Supplement cannot replace a degree certificate; a degree certificate is required. 
A Diploma Supplement in English can be submitted as the translation of the degree certificate, if it includes the student's name, the name of the degree, the name of the institution awarding the degree, and the date the degree was awarded.

You may submit a Diploma Supplement instead of a transcript of records if it includes all required details: individual courses, grades, credits, and course completion dates.

More information about the Diploma Supplement is available on the European Commission website.

If you have, in addition to a Bachelor's degree, another higher education degree you wish to be considered in the admissions, upload high-quality scanned copies of your degree certificate and official transcript of records.

If the original documents are not in English, Finnish, or Swedish, upload high-quality scanned copies of authorised translations into one of these languages. Authorised translations must be issued by the awarding institution or a certified/authorised translator and must bear the translator’s stamp and signature.

Unofficial documents, including screenshots from a student information system, My Studyinfo or similar platforms, and links to such services, are not accepted. All educational documents must be submitted as high-quality scans of the original official documents.

Upload the documents in PDF format to the "Other Higher Education Degree" section of the application form.

Who must submit

This document requirement is obligatory for all other applicants except the following:
- Finnish citizens
- applicants who have included their Finnish personal identity code to their application form and whose personal and citizenship details are up to date in the Finnish Population Information System

What to upload

Upload a high-quality PDF copy of either:
- the personal information page of your valid passport (upload this page only), or
- an official government-issued photo identification card that shows your citizenship.

Name the file according to format: Passport-lastname-firstname. 

Upload the document to the "Application fee and tuition fee" section of the application form. Finnish citizens do not see this section; their data is retrieved from the population information system.

If your passport or ID card has expired

An expired passport or official government‑issued photo ID is acceptable if it expired within 12 months of the first day of the application period. If it expired earlier, you must renew your passport/ID.

If name details are different in educational documents and passport/ID

If your name has changed since your studies and differs on your passport and your educational documents, you must submit official proof of the name change. Upload a copy of an official document issued by a public authority, such as a marriage certificate for a change of family name.

If you have a Finnish personal identity code, it is sufficient that the same code appears on both your study documents and your passport. If your personal identity code has changed, or does not appear e.g., on your transcript of records, upload an official document confirming your name change issued by a governing body.

If official identification card is not in English, Finnish or Swedish

If your official identification card is issued in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish, you must upload a translation of the document. You may translate it yourself, but the translation must be accurate.

You must demonstrate proficiency in the language of instruction of your chosen study option.

See the accepted methods to demonstrate your language proficiency and instructions for submitting language test scores on the Language requirements in Master's admissions page.

Test scores must be submitted to Aalto University as instructed on the webpage.

All study options in art and design and architecture require a portfolio in PDF-format.
Maximum file size in the application form is 1 GB. Smaller file sizes (under 100 MB) are recommended.
Name the file according to format: Portfolio-lastname-firstname.

If your portfolio includes password-protected video links, include the password(s) in your portfolio. Ensure all links are accessible for the full duration of the evaluation. Refer to your study option's webpage for detailed portfolio instructions. No additional guidance will be provided.

If you apply to two study options that require a portfolio, upload the portfolio separately for each study option in the "Documents required by the study option" section of the application form. There are two upload sections: one for your first study option and another for your possible second study option.

Study options in business and economics require GMAT or GRE test scores in admission group 2. See the admission groups, minimum score requirements and instructions for submitting the scores on the GMAT and GRE test page.

Official GMAT and GRE score reports must be sent electronically to Aalto University directly by the test administrator.

Test reporting codes:

• GMAT program code: C1N-9F-85 (MSc Degree Programs)
• GRE reporting code: 7364

The study option Machine Learning, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (Macadamia) in the field of technology and engineering requires GRE test scores in admission group 2. 

See the Macadamia webpage for further information on their GRE test requirements and admission groups. 

Official GRE test score report must be sent to Aalto University electronically from the test administrator with the Aalto University reporting code 7364.

If you are exempted from application fees and/or tuition fees based on your residence permit, submit high-quality scanned copies of both the front and back sides of your residence permit card in Finland in PDF format. Name the file according to format: Residence-permit-lastname-firstname.

Validity requirements

Application fee exemption: 
your residence permit must be valid during the application period.

Tuition fee exemption: 
your residence permit must be valid on 1 August 2026 (the start of the academic year). 
If your residence permit expires before August, you are considered liable for tuition fees at the time of applying. If you receive a new exempting document after the application period, submit a copy to the university as soon as possible.

Do not submit a copy of a residence permit that does not exempt you from the application fee. See the list of exempting residence permit types on the Studyinfo application fee page.

For details on tuition fee liability and exemptions at Aalto University, see tuition fees page.

Study options usually require study-option-specific documents, e.g. motivation letter, CV, certificates of employment, references. Check the exact documents required by your study option on the webpage of the study option.

Upload only the documents required by your study option. Do not submit extra/unrequested documents (e.g., references if not required). Unrequested documents will not be reviewed and may delay processing.

Upload each document separately in PDF format to the correct section of your application form. 
There are two upload sections: one for your first study option and another for your possible second study option. If you apply to only one study option, do not upload any documents to the second study option section.

Evaluators can only see the obligatory documents and the documents uploaded to the section corresponding to their study option (first or second) so carefully upload the correct documents for each study option. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure each document is uploaded to the correct section.

Name the file(s) according to format: Name of document-lastname-firstname (e.g. CV-lastname-firstname).

The maximum file size in the application form is 1 GB. Smaller file sizes (under 100 MB) are recommended.

Failure to submit the documents required by the study option (with the exception of a portfolio) does not affect general eligibility, but it affects the evaluation by the study option and may cause rejection.

All instructions for the documents required by the study option are provided on the study option's webpage and additional guidance is not typically provided. Interpretation of the instructions is at the applicants’ discretion. If you have questions about the documents required by the study option, contact the study option directly (not Admission Services). Contact details are on the webpage of the study option.

Admitted applicants must submit certified (attested) educational documents by the given deadline. 

Please note the country-specific document requirements. There is a country-specific document requirement also for studies completed in Finland. Check whether you need to submit your documents in accordance with the country-specific document requirements.

If the country-specific requirements do not apply to you, submit your documents according to these guidelines: instructions for certified documents.

Admission is conditional until the certified documents have been received. The conditional study right will be cancelled if the certified documents are not received in the required manner by the deadline.

The certified documents will be compared to the electronic documents you uploaded on your application form at the application phase.

Most non-EU/EEA citizens are required to pay tuition fees for master’s degree studies.

Citizens of the EU/EEA countries or Switzerland do not pay tuition fees.

Exemptions based on residence permit type in Finland

Students who hold one of the following documents issued by the Finnish Immigration Service do not have to pay tuition fees, provided the document is valid at the start of the academic year (1 August):

• permanent residence permit in Finland, type P on the residence permit card
• continuous residence permit in Finland granted on grounds other than studying, type A on the residence permit card, if the following cases do not concern you:
  - If your first residence permit in Finland was granted for studying, you must pay tuition fees, even if you later obtained a continuous residence permit (type A) on other grounds.
  - If you have a continuous residence permit (type A) based on family ties in Finland, and your family member originally came to Finland on a residence permit granted for studying, you are also required to pay tuition fees. 
  - If your continuous residence permit (type A) is granted for studying, you are required to pay tuition fees.
  
  If your continuous residence permit (type A) is based on family ties in Finland, and your family member is a Finnish citizen or holds a permanent residence permit in Finland, you are exempt from tuition fees.
• EU residence permit card in Finland for third-country nationals with long-term EU resident status, type P-EU
• residence card in Finland of a family member of an EU citizen
• EU Blue Card in Finland
• Brexit residence permit card, type SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of residence under the withdrawal agreement, or P SEU-sopimuksen 50 artikla = Right of permanent residence under the withdrawal agreement
• residence permit based on temporary protection in Finland, as referred to in the Aliens Act. The permit must be valid at the beginning of the study right and not revoked.

The fee-exempting residence permit must be valid at the beginning of the academic year (1 August 2026) for you to be exempted from tuition fees for that academic year. If your residence permit expires before August, you are considered liable for tuition fees at the time of applying. If you receive an exempting document after the application period, submit a copy to the university as soon as possible.

If you are exempted from tuition fees on the grounds of your residence permit, upload copies of both the front and back sides of your residence permit card to your application form. 

More information about determining fee liability and exemptions is available on Studyinfo (studyinfo.fi).

More information on residence permit card types is available on the Finnish Immigration Service (migri.fi) website.

How much is the tuition fee?

Aalto University's tuition fees vary by field of study. Tuition fees are: 

*At the moment, Aalto University has the following multidisciplinary master's programmes: Creative Sustainability, International Design Business Management and Urban Studies and Planning.

The normative duration of master's degree studies is two academic years.

Read more about tuition fees at: Scholarships and Tuition Fees.

Aalto University Excellence Scholarship

Aalto University offers a very limited number of scholarships to fee-paying students. Aalto University Excellence Scholarships are granted in the form of a tuition fee waiver.

The scholarships can be awarded to the best applicants admitted to the programmes. Applicants are ranked according to the evaluation criteria that are given on the study options' webpages. Programmes may decide not to grant any scholarships.

The Aalto University Excellence Scholarships do not cover living costs. Students need to cover all living expenses (at least 800 euros per month) from their own financial resources. Please consider your finances before applying. Information about living costs in Finland is available on the Financial matters page.

How to apply for a scholarship?

If you are from outside the EU/EEA countries or Switzerland and you are liable to pay tuition fees, you can apply for the Aalto University Excellence Scholarship on your master’s programme application form during the application period. To apply for a scholarship, you simply need to answer "yes" to the application form question "do you apply for scholarship". You cannot apply for a scholarship before or after the application period.

Only students who are liable to pay tuition fees are eligible to apply for Aalto University Excellence Scholarship, i.e. a tuition fee waiver.

The scholarship decisions and the admission decisions are given together. According to the Universities Act, scholarship decisions cannot be appealed.

For more information about scholarships, see: Scholarships and Tuition Fees.