The personal study plan describes the study path you intend to follow in order to complete your degree. Your study plan includes all the courses you are planning to take in each academic year and semester.

The degree structure (=curriculum) of your Master’s programme forms the basis for your study plan.  In most cases there is also room for individual choices, especially when it comes to elective studies.

The study plan is created and updated in SISU – Student Information System.
The study plan is a living document. You can update it during your studies.

1. Get to know your master programme's degree requirements and curriculum. More information: Curriculum
2. Log in to Sisu by using your Aalto username and password.
3. Instructions, tutorials and support for using Sisu system can be found from Sisu Help. 
4. Create a study plan and choose the correct education option as a template based on your major. Select also:
   Master’s degree (when you have completed bachelor’s degree outside Aalto University)
   Bachelor + Master (when you have completed bachelor’s degree completed in Aalto University)
   Bachelor + Master (when you have not yet completed bachelor’s degree at Aalto University but would like to create study plan for the master's studies already)

5. Set the study plan a primary study plan. Note that you can have several study plans but only one can be the primary one.

6. Approval of your study plan. Some parts of the study plan are automatically approved if your selections follow the curriculum of your major. 
   Elective studies need always separate approval but do not have to be approved after every update. Please get the study plan approved at least
   - When you apply thesis topic approval
   - When you apply for graduation

   Note: If you have modified your study plan in Free edit mode, remember to apply for approval already when you are in Free edit mode. 

7. Create a timeline for your studies!
   In this way you can check how much studies you are planning to take, and you can spread the studies more evenly for the duration of your studies.   

8. Your degree certificate will be based on your study plan – So check that your study plan is correct before applying for graduation.

The student advisors are students at the School of Engineering who can help you with various questions related to your studies including information about courses and exams, IT systems (Sisu, MyCourses), transcripts of records and other documents, practicalities related to Master’s thesis and graduation etc. Study advisors specialized in international affairs help foreign students and those interested in international exchange studies. You can meet the student advisors during their opening hours, no reservation needed. More detailed information can be found under programme's conctact page.
 

The planning officer, study coordinator and study affairs secretary take care of the study affairs of the programme. You can always turn to them in questions related to planning your studies, credit transfer, graduation and degree certificates, study right extension and other applications. Please see Contact for more information.

In the beginning of your studies at the School of Engineering you are assigned an academic advisor. Academic advisor is a school professor, lecturer, university teacher or other professional. In the master’s phase,  student's and supervisor's interests (a specific industry or expertise) are as close to each other as possible. If you completed your Bachelor's at Aalto and had an adviser in your Bachelor's studies, your adviser will propably change when you start your Master's studies.
The advisor is a person with whom you  can discuss your study-related goals as well as matters related to research and the field. As the academic advisor is an iron professional in their field, you can get useful tips related to job searching, marketing your own skills, networking and career planning!

In the master's phase, the student and the supervisor meet only when the need for advising, or discussion arises. You have a more active role in arranging meetings and it is encouraged that you confirm already at the beginning of studies how and where to reach the advisor when the need arises. Appointments can be arranged in a way that suits you; video call, phone call, or live meeting.

You can find your academic advisor in MyStudies. If you do not have academic advisor in MyStudies you can contact your programmes planning officer (after orientation week).

Responsibilities of the advisee:

• Contact the academic advisor when the need for guidance, good tips, or reviewing study or future related plans arises
• Recognize and understand the goals of your degree and your degree program
• Monitor the progress of your own studies and keep your study plan in sisu.aalto.fi up to date
• You will get more information about academic advising in your programme during orientation week.

Students have to register for courses in Sisu (see instructions Registration for courses in Sisu). Registration opens generally 28 days before the beginning of the course. The ending dates have variation. See Sisu for the exact dates.  In some cases, the registration may close seven days before the beginning of the teaching period. This may be necessary for practical reasons or if the number of participants needs to be limited. To ensure the access to the course,  it is recommended to register before teaching period starts even if the registration might close later. It is recommended that a student who has registered for a course but is not able to complete it cancels their registration.

The extent of the courses is measured in credits (cr) and is based on a workload where one credit equals 27 hours of work. One year of full-time studies corresponds to 60 credits.

Courses are evaluated on the basis of one of two grading scales:

1. a scale of 0(fail)/1(passable)/2(satisfactory)/3(good)/4(very good)/5(excellent) where 5 is the highest grade; or
2. a fail/pass scale.

However the proficiency in the second national language (Finnish/Swedish) for a bachelor’s or master’s degree is graded using the following scale: fail/satisfactory/good.

If the course comprises of separate assignments, the teacher must inform students of their effect on grading at latest in the beginning of the course.
The most common assessment method is a written examination. Other assessment methods such as oral exams, portfolio, learning diary, demonstration, presentation, exercises, written tasks and project assignments can also be used. Please see more information on examinations below.

Teachers are responsible for checking and grading the examinations and/or other course work within one month from the exam date.

Registration for a course is at the same time registration for the course examination. Registration shall be done separately for examinations or assessments not included in the registration for the course. The registration period for such examinations begins 60 days prior to the examination in question and ends seven days beforehand. Only students who have registered as instructed for the examination have a right to be graded and receive the credits. Only examination registrants may enter the examination hall or online examination site.

If the assessment of a course includes a written or oral examination, a minimum of two possibilities for taking the examination must be arranged each year. To that end, the university organizes evaluation periods, which are confirmed annually together with the academic calendar. Additional opportunities for taking examinations may be provided at the discretion of the teacher. Examinations of extensive courses may consist of two or more parts.

Examinations typically last three hours. Examinees are allowed to arrive up to 30 minutes after the  official  commencement of the examination and they  may  leave  the  examination  hall  with  the permission  of  the invigilators no sooner than 35 minutes after the official commencement.

Accessibility is considered when making arrangements for examinations. Students in need of alternative arrangements for disability or health reasons must contact the examination organizer within the registration period.

For more information, please see Aalto University Examination Guidelines.

According to Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004), student shall demonstrate proficiency in Finnish and Swedish language that is required of central government staff in bilingual public organisations under subsection 1 of section 6 of the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003) andt hat is necessary for their own field; and proficiency in at least one foreign language that enablesstudents to monitor progress in their own field and operate in an international setting.

Students with Finnish Bachelor's degree

Compulsory language studies are included as part of the Finnish Bachelor’s degree for students who have studied in Finland and whose language of education is Finnish or Swedish. If the language studies have not been completed in the student’s Bachelor’s degree, the student must take 2 ECTS in the second national language and 3 ECTS in one foreign language, including both oral and written proficiency.

All other students

Students who have received their pre-university education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, or received their education abroad, are required to complete only 3 ECTS in one foreign language, including both oral and written proficiency. Relevant courses (marked with ‘o’ and ‘w’) are offered by the Aalto University Language Center. There students who have received their education abroad and  who already have excellent command of English (e.g. English as their first language) may choose 3 credits of Finnish or Swedish courses instead, hence not covering the requirement of oral/written proficiency but meeting the language requirement of the degree. If this applies to you, please contact your school’s Learning Services for further advice, as different schools have different procedures for validating this exemption.

Language studies are included in students’ elective studies and are agreed in the personal study plan (HOPS).

Please find more information about language courses and information about learning languages from the Language Centre of Aalto University.

Practical training is recommended to master students at the School of Engineering.
You can include 1-5 cr of practical training to master’s degree (elective studies). Two weeks of full time work (37,5 – 40 h / week) equals 1 credit point (max 10 weeks=5 cr).

The practical training consists of a work placement in a suitable company or other work community. The tasks should be typical for the later M.Sc work profiles. You are responsible to find the practical training placement by yourself.

On the MyCourses pages of the course ENG-E1010 Practical Training you can find more specific information about the course.

As an Aalto University degree student, you can complete studies also outside your own field of study. Some of the studies require an application while other studies are open for all Aalto students. You can complete either individual courses or a minor outside your own field of study.

• Aalto University course catalogue
• Aalto University Minors Guide
• University Wide Studies
• Courses at ARTS which are available to all Aalto students

The Language Centre  provides all Aalto University students the communication and language studies mentioned in the degree regulations. Its goal is to give all students strong language and communication skills in order to succeed in both studies and working life

For international students Language Centre offers teaching in

• English from an advanced level (minimum CEFR B2)
• Finnish and Swedish from the beginners' level
• Intercultural communication
• Speech communication

The Language Centre provides the Aalto University students with individual learning services and support in English and Swedish. Its goal is to support the students' learning processes and offer language services to help students develop their skills in specific areas. 

Aalto University offers summer studies in all its fields: business, art and technology. Language studies are also offered. Summer period is May through August.

Read more about possibility to study at summer time here.

Cross-institutional studies mean that you can complete studies at another Finnish Higher Education Institution. If your programme belongs to a cross-institutional study network, you can take courses at another Finnish Higher Education Institution that belongs to the same network. Aalto University has several cross-institutional networks, and for some of the agreed courses in network, you can now enroll through the cross-institutional study functionalities in Sisu.

Read more instructions and see the list of cross-institutional study networks here.
 

Aalto University is part of the network university FITech ( Finnish Institute of Technology). FITech provides students the opportunity to include courses from other universities into their degrees.

Degree students at Aalto University have the possibility to study at another FITech university. FITech universities are Aalto University, LUT University, Tampere University, University of Jyväskylä, University of Vaasa, University of Oulu, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi.

Read more about FITech studies here: FITech network university

UniPID is a network of Finnish universities that supports interdisciplinary studies and research, as well as societal impact and partnerships of universities related to global sustainable development.

Read more about UniPID network studies and reasearch here.

You will find further information on internship opportunities and grants for Aalto University students on the Aalto JobTeaser (aalto login).

You can find the model schedule for master's studies in the ENG Master's Thesis Guide. 

Here are all the possible deadlines for thesis approval and graduation requests. 

* Deadline 31.7.2026: If you are applying for MSc thesis approval and evaluation on deadline 31st of July, contact your thesis supervisor well before mid-June to agree on the schedules during summer holiday season. Also, check that your personal study plan is up-to-date. Contact your programme coordinator or planning officer in any unclear situations.

** Deadline 31.12.2026: Notice the holiday season. Contact your thesis supervisor well before Christmas (24.12.2026).

For all questions related to master's studies, please contact masterstudies-eng@aalto.fi / jointmasters-eng@aalto.fi (for Joint Masters). To help ensure a quick response, remember to include your name, student number, and study programme in your message.

Advanced Energy Solutions, please select the contact based on your major:

Programme Coordinators

Take care that the completed thesis has been submitted for approval and evaluation in mystudies.aalto.fi (see detailed instructions).

To be able to apply for graduation, you must be enrolled as attending for the current semester.

You cannot graduate as a non-attending or passive student (if your study status is either of these, please contact your programme staff).

Submit a graduation application in Sisu immediately after turning in your last study attainment (e.g., a thesis). This does not have to be recorded in Sisu to apply for graduation.

Please respond to the TEK Graduate Survey which will take about 20 minutes.

With this survey, Aalto University collects feedback on the studies, study content and employment of new Master's degree graduates. To develop study programmes and university activities in the future, and monitor employment and salary levels of graduates,it is crucial we hear the voice of students.

Instructions to Sisu https://www.aalto.fi/en/applications-instructions-and-guidelines/request-for-graduation

Keep following your Aalto email as you will receive an email to notify you when your certificate is ready. The email contains a link through which you can download your degree certificate.

After receiving your degree certificate, you will also receive an invitation to the next Graduation Ceremony in a separate email.

Students who, in the course of their studies towards either the bachelor’s or master’s degree, have shown excellent knowledge of the field as well as exceptional maturity and sense of judgment in the thesis may have this recognised in their degree certificate with the phrase ‘completed with honours’. The decision regarding awarding a degree with honours rests with the school.

In the field of technology a degree may be awarded with honours if the weighted average grade of the studies (with the thesis) included in the degree is at least 4.00 and if the thesis grade is 4 or 5.

In the field of economics and business administration a degree may be awarded with honours if the weighted average grade of the studies (with the thesis) included in the degree is at least 4.50.

If the thesis included in the degree has been graded on a grading scale other than the scale from 0 to 5, the thesis will be taken into calculation in accordance with provisions that were in force before this regulation entered into force.

Language versions of the commendations:

(su) Tutkinto on suoritettu erinomaisesti.

(sv) Examen har avlagts med utmärkta insikter.

(en) The degree was completed with honours.

This decision will enter into force concerning the degrees awarded in the field of technology and in the fields of economics and business administration as of 1 December 2021.

If you graduate in the beginning of a term (autumn or spring), and you can change your enrolment status from attendance to non-attendance in OILI before the enrolment period ends, you can apply for a membership fee refund from Student Union AYY.

If you graduate later during the autumn term and have paid for the entire academic year, you can apply for a refund of the spring term’s membership fee. Read more on AYY website: https://www.ayy.fi/en/membership-and-student-card/membership-fee.

Your study right at Aalto University ends on your graduation date. Because the digital student cards deploy a real-time system in verifying your student status, you cannot use your digital student card after you have graduated.

If you have a plastic student card, it is valid until the end of your AYY membership period. However, if you have a plastic student card and you apply for reimbursement of the membership fee, you must visit Starting Point with your student card. Starting Point will record the change of your status and remove the academic year tag on your student card.

Further information: https://www.ayy.fi/en/membership-and-student-card/student-card-and-frank-app

• When your right to study ends, remove all the software that the university has provided for home use, unless otherwise stated in the license agreement of the software.
• Return all borrowed study material and equipment.
• Return all keys and access badges.
• The right to access Aalto University IT services remain valid for two months after your graduation. The validity of the access rights may be extended beyond two months only for exceptional reasons.
• Remember to make a copy of the files in your university-provided home directory (network drive) and cloud services (e.g., Google Drive) for yourself. The files in your home directory will be removed once your access rights expire.
• Any messages sent to a closed Aalto email account will not be delivered. If you have used your Aalto University email address to create user accounts for other services (for example Apple ID or Dropbox), please remember to replace the Aalto address with your personal email address in those services.

Please note that you may be bound by a confidentiality obligation even after you graduate, if you have, for instance, gained access to secret information while in a position of trust at the university.

IT Service Desk contact information and service hours

National career monitoring survey is conducted by Career Services of Finnish Universities. The target group in the master's survey is alumni who graduated five years ago. In the doctoral survey, alumni who graduated three years ago.

Please take the time to respond when you receive the survey after graduation. Your response is highly appreciated! It will provide current information from working life that can be utilized in developing teaching and research. Additionally, students who are still deciding on their studies and job opportunities value the information gained from the career paths of graduates.

For more information: https://www.aalto.fi/en/collaboration/aalto-university-graduates-in-working-life

When you graduate, you become an alum of Aalto University and an important part of Aalto’s global alumni network. You become an alum already when you graduate with your bachelor’s degree, even if your studies at Aalto continue.

Aalto University graduates' degree and contact information is saved automatically in the alumni register (CRM) after graduation. Remember to update your contact information. Please note that your Aalto e-mail address will expire 2 months after graduation.

By updating your contact information, you stay connected and receive the latest news from the Aalto community, along with event invitations and information about opportunities for self-development.

Stay active and continue to develop yourself

Join the Aalto Alumni Community on LinkedIn to connect with fellow alumni, seek advice and benefit from a global network of professionals.

Later in your career, you can also give back by sharing your own expertise as an alum. You can find more ways to develop yourself, participate and network: alumni.aalto.fi.

Welcome to our alumni community!

Aalto University Alumni Engagement

alumni@aalto.fi