Transcripts and Translations of Degree Certificates

A student who graduates from an English programme and who writes their thesis in English receives their original degree certificate in English and Finnish or Swedish. A student who graduates from a Finnish programme, or who graduates from an English programme but who writes their thesis in Finnish, will receive the original degree certificate in Finnish or Swedish along with an English translation. School of Business graduates receive their degree certificate in Finnish and English, or a Finnish original and an English translation.

Along with the degree certificate comes a Diploma Supplement. It is designed for international use and provides more detailed information in English about your degree.  Additionally, you can order a study transcript (transcript of records) in Finnish, Swedish or English by contacting Starting Point at studentservices@aalto.fi. 

You can obtain a new original of your electronic degree certificate, if necessary. To do so, contact the Starting Point.

CERTIFIED COPY OF THE ELECTRONIC DEGREE CERTIFICATE

You can request a certified paper copy of your electronic degree certificate from the Starting Point, studentservices@aalto.fi. 

Remember to include the following information in your message:

• Your full name, your student number, and the degree for which you are requesting a copy. 

Starting Point does not furnish uncertified paper copies of degree certificates. You can print regular copies yourself. 

APOSTILLE CERTIFICATE

For an Apostille certificate, you will need either an original paper version of your degree certificate (if one exists) or a certified paper copy. Apostille certificates are not directly obtainable from electronic degree certificates. First you must order a certified paper copy of your electronic degree certificate from the Starting Point, studentservices@aalto.fi.  

After receiving the certified copy, proceed by following the instructions on the Digital and Population Data Services Agency website.  

General information about apostille certificates 

You will need a notary public to confirm the competence of the Finnish authority or comparable party (a physician, an authorised translator) that supplied your document (i.e. electronic degree certificate), as this may be required by foreign authorities. The apostille is intended to simplify the process of legalising (i.e. certifying the authenticity of) documents that will be used in a foreign state that is a party to the Apostille Convention. 

There is a fee for apostille certification.

When might I need an apostille certificate? 

A graduate needs an apostille when they have to prove the official competence of the signer of a document. You may obtain an apostille only for documents that have been issued by a public authority or a comparable party (for example, Aalto University, an authorised translator or a licenced physician). Apostilles may be needed only in certain countries abroad. Apostilles are usually not needed in Nordic countries or in the EU to confirm general documents concerning birth, death, name, marriage, place of residence or citizenship. 

LEGALISATION OF A FINNISH DOCUMENT FOR USE ABROAD 

You can legalise (i.e. certify) a Finnish document at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, if necessary for a foreign authority. The purpose is to authenticate the signature and the position of authority of the signatory. This is done in English.

Each document to be legalised must bear the official’s original signature as well as their name in block letters. Though they are digitally verifiable, electronic degree certificates as such cannot be legalised

A fee is charged for legalisation. Further information: Ministry for Foreign Affairs

COPIES OF A PAPER DEGREE CERTIFICATE, IF THE ORIGINAL IS DAMAGED OR LOST

Before the change to electronic degree certificates, a paper degree certificate along with its translation were made in duplicate: one for the graduate and one for the Aalto University archives. If a paper degree certificate is lost or damaged, no new original certificate will be issued, but it is possible to obtain a certified copy from the archives. 

The certified copy may be obtained only in exceptional cases, such as the original being lost or damaged, and only in the same language as the original (i.e. not a translation). You can order a copy from archive@aalto.fi.

Please mention the following details in your message:

• Your full name
• Your birthdate and student number
• The degree for which you are requesting a copy
• The language version you need (Finnish/Swedish or English)
• Whether you need a scanned copy, a certified paper copy, or an electronically certified copy.
• Your mailing address, if you want a paper copy; otherwise, the copy will be sent via email. 

Depending on the year of your graduation, there may no duplicate copy of your certificate available.  On request, we can draft an informal certificate to certify your graduation. For this kind of certificate, you must send a message to studentservices@aalto.fi. Include in your message the details mentioned above.

If you still have an original paper degree certificate, you must have it notarised by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Further information: Notarisation of a copy of a document | Digital and Population Data Services Agency. 

If an international educational institution requests that copies of your degree certificate be sent directly by Aalto University, please contact studentservices@aalto.fi.

TRANSLATIONS

If your degree certificate was issued only in Finnish and you need an English translation or other language translation, you must arrange the translation yourself. Aalto University does not offer these kinds of translation services. We recommend using an authorised translator.

Electronic degree certificates always include an English version, i.e. the original is in English or an English translation is included. 

Along with the degree certificate, you will receive a Diploma Supplement appendix providing detailed information about your degree in English.