International Student Barometer (ISB)
ISB survey at Aalto in 2026
Aalto University is taking part in the International Student Barometer (ISB) in 2026. The ISB survey at Aalto will be conducted between 18 November 2026 and 15 December 2026. Finnish universities regularly take part in the ISB survey and consider it an important feedback channel for improvements in student experience from orientation to graduation and beyond.
An invitation to the survey will be sent by email to all Aalto’s international degree students and exchange students, including joint degree and doctoral students. In total, the survey offers a chance to give feedback for well over 4000 international students at Aalto.
Students who complete the survey can choose to take part in a separate prize draw organised by Aalto for a chance to win great prizes. The winners will be contacted in the spring term 2027.
The survey results arrive in early March 2027 and will provide information on international students’ study experience and satisfaction on the application process, arrival, learning experience, support services, accommodation, inclusivity, use of artificial intelligence, any particular concerns and living experience in Finland.
Results from the survey will be made available on confidential basis for Aalto academic and administrative staff who deal with international student feedback and service development. As a staff member, you can request access to the results from: toni.kaila@aalto.fi and etel.niemela@aalto.fi.
The results provide valuable information for improving the overall international student experience and for developing services, for both current and future international students at Aalto University. On the basis of the 2022 ISB results, Aalto has:
- set up new ways to support international students, such as the International Student Peer Advice service,
- improved the orientation and arrival experience, highlighting the specific wishes of international students related to tutorial support, communications and practicalities of arrival and post-graduation transition to professional life,
- created the International Student Guide to support students throughout their studies and stay, and
- carefully reviewed and made accessible the information supporting students who arrive with families, including tips for students' close relatives on how to support the student during their studies.
Previous ISB surveys at Aalto have been conducted in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2022 – you can find more information below under previous ISB surveys at Aalto.
For any questions on the ISB 2026 at Aalto, please contact toni.kaila@aalto.fi or etel.niemela@aalto.fi.
Previous ISB surveys at Aalto
International Student Barometer surveys have been conducted at Aalto in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2022.
Previous improvements at Aalto on the basis of the ISB feedback have included for example:
- Aalto International Talent Program is a group mentoring initiative that brings together Aalto’s international students and companies who are looking for talent. The programme helps Master’s and Doctoral students to connect with company representatives and learn about Finnish working life. Aalto International Talent Program has been organized annually since 2020, and hundreds of students have already benefited from the programme.
- Aalto Career Design Lab is a learning and collaboration space that supports students, alumni and other lifewide learners to shape meaningful and sustainable careers for themselves. Career Design Lab has multiple services for international students, such as alumni mentoring, career design courses and trainings, career coaching and job fairs. Companies are also invited to connect with Aalto’s students and alumni through different career design concepts. Career Design Lab was launched in 2021 and it continues to develop its services.
As an international student, by answering the ISB 2026 survey and sharing your views on your studies and experiences at Aalto, you can make a significant impact on the future of Aalto students. Thank you for your participation – every answer is valuable!
In addition, national results from the selected previous surveys can be found on the Finnish National Agency for Education website: