BIZ Graduation Grant scholarship for master’s students graduating within normative study time

During the academic year 2025–2026, Aalto University School of Business will introduce a new scholarship opportunity, BIZ Graduation Grant, for master’s students who graduate within the normative study time.

The scholarship will be granted to all master’s students who finish their studies and graduate after the 1st of August 2025, within the normative study time or earlier.

The scholarship amount is EUR 800, and it can be granted only once. The instructions for the application will be sent by email to all eligible students after graduation. The application period is only once per academic term. Late applications are not accepted.

Students eligible for the scholarship are:

1. Students who have used a maximum of 10 academic terms to finish BSc in Business or Economics and MSc degree programmes at Aalto University School of Business.
2. Students who have used a maximum of 4 academic terms to finish the MSc degree programme at Aalto University School of Business.
3. CEMS MIM students who have used a maximum of 11 academic terms to finish BSc in Business or Economics and MSc degree programmes at Aalto University School of Business OR CEMS MIM students who have used a maximum of 5 academic terms to finish the MSc degree programme at Aalto University School of Business.

Students can be regarded as eligible in only one category. CEMS MIM students are always regarded as category 3.

For students who have received their study right through open university studies, the normative study time will be counted from the term the study right has started at Aalto.

For students who have transferred their study right from another university to Aalto, the normative study time will be counted from the term the study right has started at the former university.
 

The dean of the School of Business wants to encourage students to graduate with excellent grades in the target time set for their degree. To this end, the school publishes a Dean’s List in a special event every October. Students on the Dean’s List will receive an incentive scholarship of 1000 euros and a certificate of award.  

To make it to the Dean’s List, students must finish their degree within the target time set for the degree and rate among the top 3% in academic performance among the students who began their studies in the same year. Students do not need to apply for inclusion on the list: the school checks the eligibility of all its graduates at the end of each academic year. 

Academic performance is determined on the basis of the weighted average grade of all the studies towards the degree.  

The target time (or the normative duration of studies) is  

• no more than 10 academic terms as an attending student for those pursuing both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at the Aalto University School of Business. 
• no more than 4 academic terms as an attending student for those pursuing only a master’s degree at the Aalto University School of Business. 
• no more than 6 academic terms as an attending student for those pursuing only a bachelor’s degree at the Aalto University School of Business. 

The target time does not include terms that the student has been enrolled as a non-attending student.

The instructions below apply only to students who already have a right to study in a master’s programme. If you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will apply for a right to study in a master’s programme when you are finishing your bachelor’s degree.

You can apply for a change of a master’s programme on reasonable grounds. Your eligibility for changing to another programme depends on whether you were admitted through a separate master’s level admissions procedure to pursue only a master’s degree or earned a bachelor’s degree at the Aalto University School of Business first and then continued your studies towards the master's degree.

Students with a bachelor’s degree from the Aalto University School of Business

• You can apply only to a master’s programme to which you are eligible on the basis of your bachelor’s degree programme. Depending on your background, see the page for Kauppatieteiden kandidaattiohjelma, Bachelor's Programme in Economics or Bachelor's Programme in International Business.
• Changing to another master’s programme also requires that your programme of choice has available student places and is willing to admit you as a student. The programme may reject applicants in cases where, for instance, they have failed to demonstrate adequate progress of studies or academic performance in their current degree studies.

Students admitted directly to a specific degree programme through a separate admissions procedure

If you were admitted directly to a master’s programme, you cannot change to another degree programme.

Before sending the application, please make a new PSP/HOPS (BSc+MSc) in Sisu.

• Choose the master's programme to which you are applying.
• Add the completed courses to the PSP in the way that you plan to include them in the degree if the programme change is accepted. You have to include the completed courses in your plan.
• Name the PSP for example "PSP Changing Master's programme from ISM to Accounting". Do not mark it as your primary study plan yet.
• Do not send the modules for approval at this point.
• If the application is approved you can change the new PSP as your primary plan.

The application is an informal motivational letter (e.g. email) where you state your reasons for applying for masters' programme change. Please add the following information on your application:

• Your name and student number
• Starting year
• Your current master's programme
• The master's programme to which you want to change
• Motivation for the change

Email your application to studentservices@aalto.fi. A decision is usually made within two to three weeks of the arrival of the application. During rush and vacation times the process might take longer.