• When starting the process, first contact your professor(s) and express your need to get your master's thesis started. Professors might already know suitable projects. Make sure you fulfil the prerequisites to start the thesis process. Plan your final studies so that you can stay on schedule with your thesis. Remember to always ensure that your professor approves of your plans before confirming anything regarding the thesis. 
• Be active! Start thinking about a suitable topic and doing research well ahead. The thesis can be written either for a company or the university, or even abroad. 
• If you have any company connections, do not hesitate to contact them. It is often easier to hire someone you already know. Follow job advertisements, they might be looking for a master's thesis worker directly or offer a project, for which you can inquire about the possibility of combining a master's thesis to. Write a good general application and CV and tune them to match the position or the company you are applying for. Don't send an open and general application, they do not work very often! If there are no thesis positions available, contact the companies you are interested in directly, and ask about different possibilities they might have to offer. Suggest topics you find interesting and worth looking into.
• When a company expresses interest in having you as a diploma worker, contact your professor for further arrangements. As the negotiations with the company proceed, it is good to keep the professor informed on the matter, since you need your professor's approval on the suitability and scope of your topic. 
• The initial meeting for your thesis is VERY important. It is a meeting between you, the professor and the company representative. Ask for advice for planning it from your supervisor. Before starting your thesis work you need to agree about the schedule, goals, financing and other practical matters, such as the location of your workplace and use of equipment.

The Aalto Thesis Programme is a multidisciplinary, project-based and work-life oriented possibility to enhance your professional competences during the thesis process! In the programme, 2–4 students from different fields form a team for a 6-month project to solve a work-life partner’s real and complex challenge through their Master’s theses. Application is open for each Project individually, and the selected students receive a grant to support the thesis work.

Sign up for Aalto Thesis mailing list to be the first one to hear about new projects!

More information about the programme: Aalto Thesis: for the student

Working at a company

If a student writes the thesis for a company, the student agrees on the salary of the work with the company themselves. Depending of the thesis, the company pays a compensation to the department (testing costs etc.). Please note that it is always recommended to invite a professor (or another representative of the department) to the negotiations.

Working at Aalto University

Financing can be arranged via a research project (or with a scholarship procured by the department). In this case, the topic is determined according to the needs of the project, and the salary according to collective agreements. Projects can be inquired from professors or researchers.

Grants

Thesis work can also be funded with a grant. In this case, a company donates the funds through the Foundation for Aalto University Science and TechnologyThe financing is tax-free to you and the company. The thesisgrant can only be given to a person who is a bachelor of science and has been directly approved to the master's programme. When you do your thesis work on a grant, you do not have an employment relationship, which means that you are not tied to working hours or a workplace, and you have no other obligations than to complete your thesis. This means that will not receive any healthcare or other benefits. Naturally you are still able to use services offered to students.

No funding

You can also write your master's thesis without funding. The topic needs to be discussed with your supervisor and not be related to a company.

During the master’s thesis project, the student works independently but receives support from a supervisor and one or two advisors. Ultimately, the student is responsible for the successful completion of the master’s thesis project.

Thesis supervisor

The master’s thesis supervisor must be a professor at Aalto University, as defined in Section 16 of the Aalto University Bylaws. With the approval of the professor in charge of the student's major, a professor from another Aalto school can also act as the supervisor. In special cases, and by decision of the Dean, the thesis supervisor may also be a university lecturer or senior university lecturer of the school (not a docent). At the School of Chemical Engineering, master’s theses may be supervised by adjunct professors, professors of practice, FiDiPro professors, as well as senior university lecturers (with permission from the Dean).

The supervisor ensures that the thesis meets all aims and requirements set by the School of Chemical Engineering. In the final evaluation statement, the supervisor evaluates the thesis and suggests a grade.

Thesis advisor

The thesis work requires one or two advisors. The thesis advisor is an expert in the field of the thesis topic and holds at least a master’s degree. If the thesis project involves cooperation with a partner, such as a private company or other organization, the advisor typically represents the cooperating partner. The thesis advisor may also be an Aalto University researcher or doctoral student specializing in the field of the thesis.

The advisor’s tasks include giving practical advice during the thesis project and instructing the student on writing the thesis report. However, the advisor is not responsible for grading the master’s thesis. As the advisor typically instructs the student’s work on a daily basis, they have a good idea of the student’s performance at the workplace. Therefore, the supervisor will often ask the advisor’s opinion on the student’s performance during the master’s thesis project. As each thesis project is unique, the roles are not defined in more detail in this document. Nevertheless, it is necessary to discuss and define the division of duties between the student, the advisor(s), and the supervisor at the start of the thesis project. Additionally, it should be agreed upon how the student will communicate the progress of the work to the advisor(s) and the supervisor.

Neither the supervisor nor the advisors may be related to the student or be biased in any other way. The selection of the thesis supervisor and advisor must be done in compliance with the Aalto University policy on disqualification.

Before starting your master's thesis, you need your professor's approval on the scope and suitability of your topic. After this, a starting meeting is arranged, to which the supervisor, advisor and possibly a company representative are invited. In this meeting, the schedule, objectives, funding and other practicalities can be discussed and agreed upon. Set an appointment with the supervisor for the starting meeting.

The degree programme committee of the School of Chemical Engineering approves the topic and the language of the master’s thesis and appoints a thesis supervisor and one or two thesis advisors. Before submitting the application, you need to:

• be enrolled as an attending student
• have your BSc degree approved
• have your personal study plan (HOPS) for your master’s degree studies approved. Apply for approval for all the modules with the note "Approval required". Contact your Planning Officer by email if you need approval for your study plan. 
• have completed possible complementary studies you might have been assigned when admitted to the study programme

Please note that if the thesis supervisor is not from the School of Chemical Engineering, the professor in charge of the major has to confirm that the topic of the thesis relates to your advanced studies.

Submitting the application

• Submit your master’s thesis topic application through this form in the eAge system.
• The form includes the details of the thesis supervisor and thesis advisor(s), and the language of the master’s thesis (see below for details on the language). Deadlines and meeting times for the Degree Programme Committee can be found in the study administration schedule.
• As part of the application in eAge, you will need to attach a document stating that your supervising professor has approved the topic of your thesis. You can either use a free-form document such as a screenshot of an email discussion or the CHEM Master's thesis topic template. When using the template, remember that all parties have to sign it. This can be done at the kick-off meeting. It is very important that the approval clearly states the name of the student writing the master's thesis, the name of the supervising professor, and the thesis topic itself. 
• The topic of the master’s thesis remains valid for one year as of the date of approval. You should not mention company or brand names in the title, or use any abbreviations except standard abbreviations.
• Minor revisions to the topic are allowed after its approval but substantial changes require submitting a new application. All revisions and changes to the topic must be agreed upon with the thesis supervisor. The title of the master’s thesis may be formulated to suit the topic; it does not have to be exactly as it was in the application. The title of the thesis should be as clear and concise as possible.
• The topic for the master’s thesis project and the completed master’s thesis cannot be approved at the same Degree Programme Committee meeting, unless the topic is renewed due to expiration or changes.

The master's thesis must be written in either Finnish, Swedish, or English. The language used in the thesis determines the language of the student's degree certificate. If the thesis is written in Finnish or Swedish, the degree certificate will be issued in the same language. An English-language translation of the certificate will also be provided. However, if the thesis is written in English, the degree certificate will be issued in both English and either Finnish or Swedish

When the supervisor agrees that the topic is suitable for a master’s thesis project, the student writes a research proposal in cooperation with the supervisor and the advisor(s).

The research proposal defines, for instance, the following:

•     background, the theoretical framework and research problems
•     objective of the thesis (main objective, interim objectives)
•     research methods
•     timetable and possible budget
•     analysis, synthesis and conclusions

It is often best to frame the main objective of the thesis in the form of a question. The research problem and questions should specify what the work aims to answer. The research proposal should also include some interim goals, such as completing the literature review and analysis sections. The research proposal will be reviewed in the kick-off meeting with the supervisor and thesis advisor(s).

The deadline for the master's thesis should be agreed upon by the student and the thesis supervisor, and it should be no later than one year from the topic approval date.

The school may also host master's thesis seminars that are often associated with the early stages of the thesis process, including research proposal presentations. These seminars provide an opportunity for students to receive feedback and guidance from other participants at the beginning of the process.

Workload

When the thesis supervisor and the thesis advisor(s) have approved the research proposal for the master’s thesis, the actual execution of the thesis work starts. The total number of hours to be spent on the master’s thesis is about 800, which is usually about five months. Due to special circumstances, such as student’s personal reasons, other concurrent studies, or the character of the experimental methods, the execution phase may be extended. However, this needs to be agreed upon between the student, supervisor, and advisor(s), preferably already in the kick-off meeting.

Moreover, even if the duration of the master’s thesis project is extended, the student’s total workload shall not exceed 800 hours. At the start of the master’s thesis project, students are recommended to focus on the written material so that the earlier research on the topic may best be put to use to support the research. The original research proposal may be revised slightly as the study progresses.

Supervisor and advisor involvement

The student and the thesis supervisor usually maintain frequent contact at the beginning and end of the research, while contact with the thesis advisor(s) should be frequent throughout the thesis project. The thesis supervisor's primary responsibility is to ensure that the thesis topic is appropriate and that the research proposal provides a framework for successful execution. If questions arise regarding the progress of the work, the student can always contact the thesis supervisor. The thesis advisor(s) typically comments on the student's work periodically throughout the thesis project, and the student and advisor(s) can agree on commenting on the thesis manuscript, or parts of it, whenever convenient.

The advisor(s) should read the manuscript and provide feedback, particularly in light of the goals set by the target organization they represent. Based on the advisor(s) comments and suggestions, the student will work on the manuscript. Once the quality of the manuscript is at the level the student and advisor(s) feel to be suitable, the supervisor will thoroughly examine the thesis manuscript and provide feedback on the corrections and changes needed. At this stage, it is also good practice to discuss the learning outcomes and the evaluation criteria of the thesis. The student must reserve enough time for the examination process, and the supervisor should have 2-3 weeks for reading, correcting, and commenting on the manuscript.

Comments and modifications of the manuscript

When the student has made the corrections and changes suggested by the thesis supervisor, the thesis is resubmitted to the supervisor for approval. The student should work carefully with the manuscript, responding diligently to all of the supervisor's comments, and aiming to produce a final version of the thesis for review to avoid multiple correction rounds. Once the supervisor approves the corrections, they will give the student permission to submit the thesis for evaluation and publication.

Because all thesis projects, as well as students, advisors, and supervisors, are unique, it is important to note that the process with the thesis manuscript can differ from the process described above. However, it is a good practice to agree upon the practicalities and deadlines with the thesis manuscript at the beginning of the master's thesis project.

The master’s thesis process includes a presentation of the finished thesis at a time agreed upon with the thesis supervisor. The presentation, or event of similar kind to showcase the thesis, must be held before submitting the application for approval and evaluation of the master’s thesis.

The master’s thesis author must write a maturity test to demonstrate conversance with the field of the thesis, and the test must be written before the approval of the master's thesis. As of August 1 2021 the abstract of the thesis is always approved as the maturity test for Master’s degree at the School of Chemical Engineering. The thesis supervisor approved the contents of the maturity test. 

Students,who have been educated in Finnish or Swedish and have not demonstrated their language proficiency previously in a maturity test for a Bachelor's degree, shall write the maturity test in the language in which they have been educated at the primary and secondary levels (Finnish or Swedish). The language of the maturity test may be failed if it does not meet the degree requirements. Students are to reserve about 14 days for the language check from the date of receipt of the text by the Language Centre. The maturity test is graded on a pass/fail basis, and its grade does not affect the grade of the master’s thesis. A failed maturity test may be retaken. International students do not need to submit their maturity test for language check. 

If the student is not required to demonstrate language proficiency in Finnish or Swedish, the maturity test may be written in the language that was approved for the master’s thesis. The requirement of a maturity test also applies to international students, who usually write their maturity tests in English. 

The correct layout and font settings give a text a clean, easily legible and correctable form. The guideline for written reports can be used for help (NB. the guidelines are not written specifically for theses and e.g. do not mention the preface).

•     Use an easily legible basic font such as Calibri or Arial.
•     Use a single column and line spacing 1.5 and justify the text.
•     Set the left margin to 3.5 cm and others to 3 cm.
•     Place the page numbering in the bottom margin and start numbering on the introduction page. In the index, align the headings to the left and the page numbers   to the right. All numbers are written in Arabic numerals unless instructed otherwise.
•     The title is written in font size 16, bolded and justified. The main heading for each chapter is written in font size 14, sub-headings in size 12 and the body text in size 12 (Calibri) or 11 (Arial). In chapter headings, use spacing 36 above the heading and 24 below it. In sub-headings, use the spacing 24 above the heading and spacing 12 after it.
•     You may start a new chapter either in the middle of a page or on a new page. Do not start sub-headings on a new page. The heading of a chapter cannot be on a different page than the following text.
•     Always leave a blank line between paragraphs and start the text from the start of the line. Figures, tables, schemes and equations are separated from the text with one blank line on each side.

Title page

Abstract

Preface

Table of Contents

List of the symbols and abbreviations

•     The list of symbols and abbreviations explains those abbreviations, symbols and terms which are not common knowledge. The used symbols and abbreviations must be explained when they are mentioned for the first time even if the symbol and abbreviation list was provided.

Introduction

•     Background for the research question: motivation, focus, aims, hypotheses.

Literature review

•     Should support solving the research question: understanding the system, learning from others and their research methodologies. Should also be critical and analytical.

Experimental

•     Exact description of the experimental methods applied (to be repeated by anyone else).

Results and discussion

•     Exact and concise presentation, with focus on the main results (not individual observations).
•     Error analysis and reliability of the results, connections to earlier literature.

Conclusions

    Relative to the research question
    Claims on novelty and suggestions for further research

References

Appendices

All master's theses made at the the Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering are stored in electronic format in the publication archive maintained by the Aalto University Learning Centre. For electronic archiving, a copy of the thesis must be submitted in pdf/A format. Please note that only an electronic version of the thesis is needed. Read more about converting a file to PDF/A format. 

The abstract and so-called meta data of all theses will be published in the Aaltodoc database. The metadata includes the name of the author, the thesis title (and its translations if required), the name of thesis supervisor and advisor as well as key words. All approved theses will be archived in full text in the Aaltodoc publication archive. You can access the Aaltodoc archive at https://aaltodoc.aalto.fiIf you grant permission for publishing, the full thesis text will also be published. The permission to publish is given on the electronic thesis approval application form. If you wish, you can postpone the date of publishing by maximum one (1) year from the date of the thesis approval, i.e. the date of the committee meeting. Hence, you can delay the publishing for reasons related to other publications, patent applications or corporate secrets, for example. Please note, however, that regardless of any delay in the electronic publication, the thesis becomes a public document immediately after its approval and will as such be available as a electronic copy at the Aalto University Learning Centre to anyone interested.

If you choose not to give permission for electronic publishing, the full text of your master's thesis will only be available offline in the Aalto University internal network, currently at some Aalto University Learning Centre workstations.

The master’s thesis report is a public document which shall be available at the school (Degree Regulations of the Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering). Issues related to the copyright of the master’s thesis report are resolved in accordance with the general copyright legislation, and inventions made during the master’s thesis process are solved in accordance with valid patent legislation.

The master’s thesis report is a public document usually not covered by confidentiality provisions; hence, information, which is not seen as covered by the principle of openness and cannot be regarded public, must not be included in the master’s thesis report. The thesis may, however, include information about trade or business secrets, patentable inventions etc. In such cases, the author of the thesis and the thesis advisor(s) must agree upon the details included in the master’s thesis.

Aalto University has made a contract template to be used when students agree upon making a master’s thesis with an external collaboration organisation. It should particularly be noted that the contract is always made between the student and the external organisation and it should be communicated to the thesis supervisor. The contract includes, for instance, provisions on the copyrights of the thesis.

Study and educational projects – contracts with organisations outside Aalto University

When evaluating the thesis, these general principles apply:

1.     Officially, the Degree Programme Committee approves the thesis grade, based on an evaluation report and grade proposal given by the thesis supervisor.
2.     The evaluation covers the student’s entire work during the whole thesis project; hence, it is not sufficient to only evaluate the thesis report.
3.     The student’s development during the master’s thesis project is evaluated in the light of the learning outcomes, which are reflected in the evaluation criteria.
4.     Only aspects, which are dependent on the student, can have an effect on the evaluation and grading. This means, for example, that if the thesis is delayed due to unexpected reasons, which the student cannot control (e.g. production stoppage at a factory, delayed service for broken laboratory equipment), the delay must not affect the thesis grade.
5.     The thesis report is a document produced by the student; hence, the advisors’ and the supervisor’s role is only to instruct the student on how to improve the quality of the text, not to rewrite the report. The legibility and quality of the student’s written communication is one of the evaluation criteria for the thesis. Based on this, it is not justified to require that an external professional proofreads the thesis manuscript before its evaluation.

The learning outcomes of the thesis, as well as the evaluation criteria and the minimum criteria for each grade, shall be presented at the kick-off meeting of the master’s thesis project. The thesis supervisor is responsible of ensuring that the thesis advisor is aware of the evaluation criteria of Aalto master’s theses, particularly in cases where the student performs their work outside Aalto University.

The evaluation and approval of a completed master's thesis is applied for with an electronic form through eAgePlease note that the thesis you upload in the eAge-system should be the same as the version you return to your supervisor for evaluation.

You should have a valid and approved study plan in SISU when you apply for approval of your thesis. Contact your Planning Officer by email if you need approval for your study plan. 

After the submission of the thesis, the supervisor has to give their evaluation report within four weeks. With this in mind, students should consider carefully into which of the Degree Programme Committee meetings they are submitting their thesis for approval.

Meeting dates

The thesis supervisor’s evaluation report shall follow the Master's thesis evaluation guidelines, including a written statement on the thesis with a proposal for a grade. The supervisor submits this examiner’s report to the Degree Programme Committee. When preparing the report, the supervisor requests statement(s) from the thesis advisor(s). It is also highly recommended that the supervisor, advisor(s), and the student have a meeting on the evaluation, where the supervisor justifies the given grade, based on the evaluation criteria. In cases where the supervisor has proposed the grade ‘excellent’ (5), ‘passable’ (1), or ‘fail’, the Degree Programme Committee shall, when possible, consult a university professor, adjunct professor, professor of practice, FiDiPro professor or senior university lecturer with expertise in the research field when deciding on the grade. Having familiarized itself with the examiner’s report and any additional statements, the Degree Programme Committee shall decide on the approval of the thesis and on its grading. If the Degree Programme Committee does not approve the thesis nor grades it, the application is returned to the student.

Students who fail to submit the master’s thesis for examination by the deadline shall submit a new thesis topic application to the school. Since a delay in the writing process may lower the grade, students are advised against delaying the thesis writing by taking up other commitments before the thesis is ready.

Statement template for the thesis supervisor in English and Finnish.

Students dissatisfied with the grade of their thesis may appeal against the decision in writing to the Aalto University Academic Appeals Board within 14 days of receiving the notification of the decision. The appeal shall arrive at the university before the closing time of the Registry (at 15.00) on the deadline date.

If the student is notified of the decision by an electronic message (by e-mail), the notification is deemed to have been received by the student on the third (3) day after mailing it, unless proven otherwise. If the student is notified of the decision by mail, the notification is deemed to have been received by the student on the seventh (7) day after mailing unless proven otherwise.

The appeal is addressed to the Aalto University Academic Appeals Board:
The Aalto University Academic Appeals Board, Registry, P.O. Box 11000, FI-00076 AALTO
[email protected] 

The appeal must specify the following:

1.     student name and contact information (address, e-mail address and telephone number)
2.     information of when the student was notified of the decision
3.     decision (incl. name of thesis and name of person responsible for grading)
4.     the change sought with the appeal
5.     grounds for the appeal (copies of documents on which the student bases their appeal, if not already submitted to Aalto University)

Please note that you have to submit the final version of your thesis to the eAge system.

If the contents of your thesis, such as the text or a table, is found erroneous after the thesis has been approved, the errors can be corrected on a separate errata pagehttp://tieteentermipankki.fi/wiki/Tekstuaalitieteet:errataOnce your thesis has been approved, it cannot be altered or resubmitted to the eAge system. Instead, any errors found in it are collected on an errata page, which lists the page numbers of the errors and gives a corrected version of the text or item. The errata is attached to the thesis metatext in the Aaltodoc publication archiveaaltodoc.aalto.fi

Please follow the instructions below.

•     Write the errata and save it in PDF/A format (not PDF/A-3).
•     You can download a Word-format errata template from Aaltodoc.
•     The errata must include the following details: the thesis author and thesis title, page number of the error and a corrected version of the text or item.
•     Please send the errata page to your thesis supervisor to obtain their approval for it.

        - If you cannot reach your supervisor, send the errata to the learning services of your school.
        - send the supervisor’s approval to [email protected] 

•     Append your approved errata page to the metadata of your thesis on Aaltodoc in accordance with the instructions given on Aaltodoc.

        - If prompted, log into Aaltodoc using your Aalto username and password; you will find the link in the top right corner of the page.
        - If you no longer have a valid Aalto username and password, request a one-time login link from [email protected]
        - Append the errata page to your thesis in Aaltodoc using the form on Aaltodoc.
        - Log out.

•     The errata page is now be visible on Aaltodoc together with your thesis.

CHEM thesis info on 8 December 2021

I will do an unpaid MSc thesis. Do you know the requirements for permission to work in the lab for the non-contract work. Thank you.
 At Aalto, agree with your supervising professor & HR, you need to complete the laboratory safety course for staff members.

I'll do unpaid thesis in another university, I'm from EIT project, Aalto is my second-year university, the university who gives me a position is my first-year university, I want to ask the process
You need to obey the rules from both universities. You may contact the planning officer of your programme.

Who can be a supervisor and how should I ask to be one?
Aalto professor.
You may contact first the professors of your own major/programme (head of the major, other professors teaching courses in your major/programme).

How many advisors can one have, is there a limit?
One supervisor (Aalto professor, in some exceptional cases lecturer) and 1-2 advisors

How long can the thesis work take without it affecting the grade? i.e. if it is already agreed that the thesis would take one year in the beginning (starting first slowly due to courses), is it ok?
This "slower" schedule needs to be agreed well with everybody involved.

How is the thesis work different if working with a company?
The requirements of the thesis are equal no matter where you do it.

Do you have any tips on where to find a thesis position? I don't really have contacts in my field (biotech) and have a hard time finding open jobs
Ville's tip during the event: Look for old master's thesis (relevant to your major/interest) and the instructors there.
Also the summer job contacts are important.

What happens if the thesis is not finished in the time agreed in the contract?
It is quite common that the work contract ends before the thesis is finalized and approved.

Is there anything you can do if you don't know what you should be doing and the advisors are not active?
You may contact your supervising professor or planning officer of your major/programme.

How much time should be preserved for the literature part? I heard one month is typically preserved but manytimes more time is needed in reality?
Usually one month.

If you do a thesis for a company, how do you find a supervisor from the school? Does the supervisor help with the thesis or should you have another supervisor from the company or both? How does confidentiality stuff work with the thesis?
 A good option is to go to talk with the head of the major or other relevant professor from the major. For example if one of the courses is relevant to the possible topic in the company, you may start with the professor of that certain course.

Is it possible to apply to complete your thesis in a foreign institution or university? If so, are there any specific criteria you have to fulfill, and is there a schedule for the application process?
It is possible. The thesis must follow Aalto requirements & processes.

Is it possible to write the thesis for a foreign company, while conducting the research abroad? If so, would it be necessary to apply for a supervisor or a thesis advisor in Aalto?
You always need to have a supervisor from Aalto.

If a company wishes to "order" a thesis from Aalto, how does the payment to the thesis worker work (I've understood that then the salary would come in the form of a grant?)
There is a Foundation that can be used for this: https://www.aalto.fi/en/foundation-for-aalto-university-science-and-technology
Is it true that once you start the project from school side (apply for the topic), you have strictly 6 months time to do the thesis before your grade will start to decrease? So, if the project in for example VTT is estimated to last 6 - 9 months, there is no point to apply before 3 months into the work...?
It depends on the case. Please, agree the schedule with the supervisor in the beginning of the process.

How to find the relevant person in the company to contact?
Open thesis positions, advisors of earlier thesis...

When does School of Chemical Engineering hold the Master Thesis oral presentations seminars or where can I see the dates? Does it has to be done before applying for approval of Thesis? How can I sign myself up for one?
There are no specific oral presentation seminars at CHEM. Each student agrees the presentation of the thesis with the supervisor. This presentation should to be given before applying for the approval of the thesis.

Do you have to strictly wait for the DPC approval of your topic or can you start before that if the topic is agreed on with supervisor and advisor?
You do not need to wait for the approval of the degree programme commitee, but the topic needs to be agreed with your supervisor and it is recommended to apply for the approval of the thesis in time.

Can you do changes to HOPS after starting to write thesis in case of there are still some courses to complete?
Yes you can.  You should have the updated HOPS (personal study plan) when applying for topic approval and the FINAL version of HOPS accepted when applying for the degree.

If the thesis work lasts less than six months, does it affect the final evaluation?
No.

Who does the evaluation?
The official grade is decided by the degree programme committee. The proposal of the grade comes from the supervisor.

Is there a possibility to get enxtensions in the previously agreed work time due to e.g. personal health reasons without the evaluation suffering from this?
Yes. Communicate with your supervisor.

Is it possible to agree on the topic, supervisor and advisor 1 year before writing the thesis?
You may start looking for the position and discuss on the topic early, but it is recommended that you agree on the topic and details when you are ready to start the thesis in following months and your studies are in suitable stage.

What is the official graduation date in papers after I have submit the thesis? Is it the Degree Program Committee meeting day, or the day when I submit the thesis on eAge? Something else?
Something else:
The graduation date will be the application deadline for submitting the thesis for evaluation AND applying for graduation. 

How much earlier does the thesis topic has to be submitted before it being processed by the degree program committee?
See the Admistration schedule and key dates: https://www.aalto.fi/en/programmes/masters-programme-in-chemical-biochemical-and-materials-engineering/graduation

If I want to do material modeling, how large the work load is acceptable, or could publication replace thesis?
To be agreed with your supervisor.

Do you have to have the supervisor confirmed before applying for topic approval?
Yes! The supervisor needs to be included in the process from the very beginning.

Can I start working with my thesis, before getting the topic confirmed?
You need to agree on the topic with the supervisor, but the topic doesn't need to be approved by the degree programme committee before starting.

Do you have to hold the oral presentation before submitting for evaluation of the thesis?
Yes.

If I want to graduate in July, when is my latest apply time?
31.7.2023