Normative duration of studies and applying for a study right extension
The normative duration of studies is three years for a bachelor's degree, and two years for a master’s degree. If you were admitted to a master’s degree, you have four years to complete the degree. If you were admitted to both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, you have a total of seven years to complete both degrees.
The duration of studies is counted from the time the you enrol as present (attending) at the university. Students have a right to certain absences that do not expend their duration of studies. Absence refers to time when the student has enrolled as non-attending.
If you have not completed your degree within this target schedule, but still want to complete it, you may apply for an extension to your right to study.
Before applying for an extension to your right to study, please familiarise yourself with:
- Aalto University policy on extension to duration of studies
- the general instructions for applying for an extension
- the instructions of the School of Science for applying an extension.
Aalto University policy on extension to duration of studies
Aalto University policy on extension to duration of studies
Application for extension to the right to study
Application for extension to the right to study
Applying for extension to the right to study in the School of Science
If you have not completed your degree within the maximum duration of study, but wish to do so, you must apply for extension to your right to study. You receive a letter from the school approximately one year before your right to study expires. The letter gives instructions and the deadline for applying. The earliest time you can apply is the beginning of that term when the right to study expires.
Applications are dealt with twice a year. The application must be submitted
- by 15.11. if the right to study expires 31.12.
- by 15.5. if the right to study expires 31.7.
Please apply for an extension of study right only when you have the possibility and intention to study and finish your degree.
An extension of study right is not granted just in case. You should apply only when you are certain that you cannot finish your studies by the end of your study right (either by 31 July or 31 December).
Fill in an application for extension in Sisu.
- Update your primary study plan in Sisu. Request approval for any parts of the study plan that need it.
- Make a timetable for completing the missing courses in the Timeline sheet in Sisu. The study plan must be goal-oriented and feasible.
- As soon as the status of your study plan is Selections done, navigate back to the notification box on the Sisu front page to apply for the extension.
Send the required attachments mentioned below to [email protected]. Use the following email subject line “SCI, your name, attachment to application for extension”.
- Documentation of the reasons for the delay in your studies. NB! Working will not be taken into account.
- If you have previously been granted an extension of your right to study, please provide an account on how you used the granted extension.
- If you have statutory absences (military service, maternity or paternity leave, parental leave), please provide certificates for these absences.
- If you are studying in a master's programme and are currently working on your master's thesis, send a thesis plan with a timetable. Ask your thesis supervisor for a statement evaluating the progress and timetable for completing your thesis.
- If the reason for delayed studies is illness, submit a medical certificate. Such documents should be fairly recent. Documents which are several years old are usually not taken into account. Send all confidential material to [email protected].
Secure email
- If you are using an email address other than your aalto.fi address, do this: first, sign in to the portal at https://securemail.aalto.fi. Then follow the instructions in the portal to send your attachments to this address: [email protected].
- Use the following email subject line: ‘[Your school: ARTS, BIZ, CHEM, ELEC, ENG, SCI], [your name], attachment to application for extension’.
- Please find the instructions for encrypted email at https://www.aalto.fi/en/cyber-security/deltagon-for-aalto-community.
You may be granted an extension if you can be expected to complete your studies within a reasonable time. The number of courses not completed is considered in relation to the planned time of graduation. Circumstances that may be considered as grounds for an extension include illness, difficult personal circumstances, extracurricular societal activities, student exchange or internship abroad and systematic sports training. If you have been granted an extension before, your progress during that time plays an important part in the decision.
The extension is granted by the dean.
The extension remains the same even if you enrol as absent during the extension. The absences not counted towards the overall duration of study mentioned above do not automatically mean a longer extension. They are, however, taken into account if you apply for another extension.