European Mining Course, Master of Science (Technology)
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European Mining Course Webinar for applicants
In the webinar, you will get to hear and ask questions about the European Minig Course - a triple degree Master's programme.
Description
The safe, environmentally sustainable, and cost-efficient supply of raw materials is essential for a prosperous global society. This industrial sector must meet the challenges today and in the future with the help of research and development.
As the minerals industry grows, the need also grows for new personnel with expertise in mining and the processing and recycling of minerals. The requirements of future specialists and leaders in the mining and mineral industry call for robust knowledge and skills in many fields of engineering – for example, engineers must be able to account for the environmental impacts of mine projects in the planning and production stages. The European Mining Course (EMC) aims to train experts who possess these skills as well as the abilities required for working in an international and multidisciplinary environment.
The purpose of the programme is to generate future decisionmakers and game-changers in the field of mineral resources and associated engineering trade. The programme is based on the expertise of the participating universities within Resource Engineering. The focus is to provide state-of-the-art education by means of economically and environmentally sustainable systems and technologies.
Language of instruction
The language of instruction of the programme is English.
Tuition fees and scholarships
See detailed information on the programme web page.
Structure of studies
European Mining Course (EMC) is a two-year full-time Master's programme leading into triple degree. The programme is organised in international cooperation between three of Europe's leading universities in mining and resource engineering: Aalto University (School of Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering Finland), Montanuniversität Leoben (MUL, Austria) and RWTH Aachen University (Germany). The programme is built on the strengths and the complementary areas of expertise of these universities in earth science studies and research.
During the two-year EMC master's programme, students study together at all the three universities, one semester (30 ECTS) at each. The final semester is reserved for Master’s thesis which can be completed at any of the three universities or in the industry, but under supervision of all the three universities. You may find the specific curriculum information here.
EMC courses are designed to give students a broad education. The programme offers a unique curriculum that includes courses in mining technology, mineral processing, recycling, business and economics, management, and safety matters. Excursions and visits are arranged in association with industry partners to accompany lectures. Assignments and case studies are based on real data and worked on in teams.
Specialisations
This Master’s programme is a study package which all the students complete together. The Master’s thesis includes a possibility of industrial placement and offers a great opportunity to specialize in a chosen topic within the field.
Internationalisation
Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad each year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through studies, but also multiple free time events, activities and celebrations around the campus. Programme administrators, active student tutors and student support services work rigorously to help international students integrate into the Nordic culture and welcome them at home in Finland.
The European Mining Course targets students both from the three member universities and from all over the world. It is an international joint degree programme with integrated, mandatory geographical mobility. This means that all students will study at the three European universities and in three different countries. Upon fulfilment of all degree requirements, students receive three degree certificates, one from each university.
Further study opportunities
Graduates of the programme are awarded Master of Science (Technology) degree by Aalto University which grants them a great foundation for doctoral level studies at Aalto University or internationally. In addition, similar degrees are awarded by Montanuniversität Leoben and RWTH Aachen University, widening the further study and career opportunities internationally.
Career opportunities
Given the worldwide demand for professionals in mining and minerals engineering and management, graduates of EMC have promising career opportunities. Graduates are employed in industry, government organisations and research institutions. They hold key positions ranging from research, teaching and consultancy to management, design, project engineering and control. Their experience from working in an international group and environment make them attractive candidates for international companies around the world. The programme has a strong support from industry and wide and active alumni network.
Research focus
The EMC students get to work among the leading experts of the field, such as:
- Aalto University: prof. Mikael Rinne (School of Engineering) and prof. Rodrigo Serna (School of Chemical Engineering)
- RWTH Aachen: prof. Bernd Lottermoser
- Montauniversität Leoben: prof. Nikolaus Sifferlinger
Co-operation with other parties
The European Mining Course has a long history that dates back to 1996 and evolving over the years. Throughout the years, the programme has remained a tight collaboration of the partner universities with a strong support from industry. The EMC alumni network has grown over the years to over 800 members. To support the education of Master’s level students in the field of mineral engineering, The Federation of European Mineral Programs (FEMP) (FEMP) was established in 1999 with a network of 35 companies and institutions in 12 countries on 3 continents. Even today, FEMP keeps supporting the EMC students by granting scholarships and offering connections to the industrial partners.
Admission 2025
The admission to European Mining Course is organised once a year. The application period for studies beginning in the autumn of 2025 runs from 16 December 2024 to 28 February 2025 (3 pm, GMT +2).
Admission Timeline
16 December 2024 at 9.00 (9 am, UTC +2) | Application period starts and online application form opens |
28 February 2025 at 15.00 (3 pm, UTC +2) | Application period ends and online application form closes |
7 March 2025 at 15.00 (3 pm, UTC +2) | Deadline for application documents to be uploaded to application form |
15 April 2025 | Admissions results are published |
29 April 2025 (within 14 days of releasing admission results) | Deadline for accepting the offer of admission (study place) |
31 July 2025 | Deadline to graduate for applicants who applied with an incomplete degree |
15 August 2025 at 15.00 (3 pm, UTC +3) | Deadline for a certified, physical copies of application documents to arrive at School of Engineering Learning Services for conditionally admitted applicants |
25 August 2025 | Studies begin with the orientation week at Aalto University |
Who can apply?
Applications must be complete and fulfil general eligibility criteria to pass to EMC selection committee for academic evaluation.
To fulfil the general eligibility criteria the application must include:
- documents of a degree granting eligibility to master level education;
- an accepted proof of language proficiency; and
- all the required application documents by the deadline.
The application to EMC is independent from other applications to Master's programmes at Aalto University. This means that the application form is for EMC only and does not limit your possibilities to apply to other programmes.
You are eligible to apply in master's admissions if you have a bachelor’s degree.
The bachelor's degree must:
- be equivalent to 180 ECTS credits or three years of full-time study;
- give eligibility to apply for master’s degree studies at a university in the awarding country; and
- be awarded by a higher education institution recognised as part of the official national education system of the country, accredited as a degree-granting higher education institution by the country where it is located or by a relevant international organisation (such as UNESCO).
You cannot apply on the basis of a previous master's degree. Only bachelor’s degrees give eligibility for master’s programmes at Aalto University.
An exception to this is a ‘long-cycle’ master's degree that has been granted without a bachelor’s degree. Such a degree can be, for instance, a degree awarded in Finland prior to the adoption of the two-cycle degree system in 2008 or a licentiate of medicine degree.
Additional degree can be included in your application
In addition to the degree granting eligibility to apply (i.e. bachelor's degree), you can include one other higher education degree (e.g., master's degree) in the section Other Higher Education Degree on your application form.
If you choose to include another higher education degree, you must upload the required application documents related to this degree to your application form. For further information, see Application and the required application documents.
You can apply to EMC with an incomplete bachelor’s degree, provided that you will graduate by 31 July 2025. If you are accepted to the programme, you must deliver a certified copy of your degree certificate by 15 August 2025 at 15.00/3pm (UTC +3).
In case you are not able to graduate or fail to deliver your degree certificate by the deadline, your conditionally granted study right will be cancelled.
When applying with an incomplete degree, please be aware of the graduation schedules of your own faculty or school to ensure that you will graduate by 31 July 2025.
Only completed studies for which an official transcript of records has been uploaded to the application form by the deadline (7 March 2025, 15.00/3pm UTC +2) will be taken into account in the evaluation. Updated transcripts or any studies completed after this deadline cannot be taken into consideration.
The European Mining Course only admits students with external admission. The same application procedure and requirements apply to the students of the EMC partner universities as well as to all other applicants globally.
Aalto University students cannot be granted a right to pursue a degree in a study option from which they already have earned a degree or for which they have a valid right to pursue a degree. If you have been admitted to Aalto University on Bachelor level, you have also a right to continue to Master's level studies. However, you may have only one valid study right at Aalto University towards a given degree (e.g. Master of Science / diplomi-insinööri / diplomingenjör). If you are currently a student in any school of technology at Aalto University and you accept the admission offer to EMC, your old study right will be cancelled.
How to apply
The application period for studies beginning in the autumn of 2025 runs from 16 December 2024 to 28 February 2025 at 15.00 (GMT +2).
The application consists of:
- an application form,
- a set of required application documents; and
- additional, EMC-specific application documents.
Fill in the online application form in the Studyinfo.fi system during the application period. You can edit your application form within the application period. Application period ends 28 February 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). Late applications are not considered.
All application documents must be uploaded to your application form before 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). The deadline cannot be extended. Documents submitted after the deadline will not be considered in any circumstances; the final deadline is the same for all applicants.
Admission Services reviews your application and the required documents for the general eligibility requirements. Only eligible applications proceed for the academic evaluation. Incomplete applications will be rejected.
- Read the application instructions, the general eligibility criteria, the evaluation criteria of the study option and the required documents carefully. For further information, you are welcome to join our webinar on 16 January or a local information event at one of the EMC universities. Contact the local programme coordinator for details.
- Prepare your application documents in advance. Obtain official translations (if required). For document instructions, see theInstructions for application documents section below.
- If you are required to submit a language test score, book and take a language test well in advance so that your official test scores arrive at Aalto University before the deadline.
For information on language tests, see Language requirements.
The application form and links to it are available only during the application period. One applicant can have only one application form, do not fill in several forms.
- Link to the Application form will be added here when the application period begins
Once you have submitted your online application form, you will receive an automatic confirmation email with a request to submit the required application documents. Your application is incomplete until the required documents have been uploaded to the application system.
The deadline for the application documents is 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). All documents have to be uploaded to the online application form before the deadline. Documents received after the deadline are not considered. If an obligatory application document is not submitted as required by the deadline, the application will be rejected as incomplete. We recommend uploading all the documents as early as possible.
Obligatory documents
If you are missing any of these documents your application will not pass to academic evaluation. The documents must be uploaded to the application form (in PDF format) by the deadline.
- Scanned colour copy of the original Bachelor’s degree certificate (This document requirement does not apply to applicants with an incomplete degree. If your degree is unfinished at the application phase, leave the upload attachment section for degree certificate blank. The degree must be completed by 31 July 2025.)
- Scanned colour copy of the original official transcript of study records.
- If your degree certificate and the official transcript of records are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, scanned colour copies of authorised translations.
- Copy of a valid passport or an official government-issued identification card with photo and information on citizenship. Upload a copy of the personal information page of the passport only (not all pages).
- Proof of English language proficiency. See the accepted language tests, other accepted methods of demonstrating English language skills and document instructions below.
- If you are exempted from the tuition fee of Aalto University based on your residence permit, submit copies of both the front and back sides of your residence permit card in Finland. See the residence permit types that exempt from tuition fees at Scholarships and Tuition Fees page of Aalto University. The fee-exempting residence permit must be valid at the beginning of the academic year i.e., 1 August 2025. Read more about scholarships and fees in European Minining Course below in Scholarship and Fees.
- Motivation letter. The motivation letter should be written in English. The maximum length of the motivation letter is about 4000 characters. The motivation letter should describe why you are applying to the study-option and why you would be a good candidate for the study option.
- Curriculum Vitae.
Optional documents
The following documents will be an additional asset for you in the academic evaluation but they do not affect your eligibility. They must also be uploaded to the application form by the deadline (7 March 2025, 3 pm, UTC +2). The application will pass to academic evaluation also without them, provided all compulsory documents have been attached. Please read the Instructions for application documents and the Evaluation criteria for more details.
- A personal motivation video
- Document(s) to prove your knowledge in one of the official languages of the European Union, other than English.
See details below inInstructions for application documents.
Instructions for application documents
Carefully scan the original documents in colour and save the files in PDF format.
Scan the documents in the correct orientation so that a horizontal document is displayed horizontally, and a vertical document is displayed vertically. Make sure that the scanned document is readable. If you use the camera of your mobile phone, we recommend taking the photo close to a window with sufficient daylight.
Name the files as instructed (e.g. Transcript-lastname-firstname).
Upload the documents separately to the correct sections provided for each document on your application form.
The degree certificate must include the name of the student, the name of the degree, the name of the institution awarding the degree, and the date the degree was awarded.
Provisional degree certificate
In the case there is delay before the final degree certificate is issued to graduates, provisional degree certificate can be accepted. Provisional (or temporary) degree certificate can be issued to a student who has graduated by successfully completing all the studies included in the degree. The provisional degree certificate must include same information than the degree certificate would, that is the name of the student, the name of the degree, the name of the institution awarding the degree, and the date the degree was awarded. A statement of completion of the studies is insufficient. The date of graduation must be by 31 July 2025.
Diploma supplements
A diploma supplement cannot be submitted instead of a degree certificate. A degree certificate is required.
A diploma supplement in English can be submitted as a translation of a degree certificate, if it contains the name of the student, the name of the degree, the name of the institution awarding the degree, and the date the degree was awarded.
You can also submit a diploma supplement instead of a transcript of records if it contains the information required of a transcript of records (individual courses, grades, credits and the date of completion of courses).
You can find more information on diploma supplement on the European Commission webpage.
Transcript of records must be official. The transcript of records must include the individual courses you have taken, the grades and credits awarded, and the date of completion. Original transcripts are generally easy to obtain from student service department of your home institution. The transcript of records must be uploaded to your application form in PDF format.
If your transcript of records does not include the grades for each course, submit an official document issued by your university that lists your grades for each course. If your institution does not award grades for courses, submit an official document issued by your university that explains the evaluation system.
If your degree contains studies completed in some other higher education institution (e.g. transfer studies), the required information must be submitted also of those studies (individual courses, grades, credits, date of completion of courses). If this information is not in your transcript of records, submit a transcript of records issued by the institution where the studies were taken at.
This requirement applies to top-up -degrees as well. You must submit transcripts of records including the required information for the whole duration of all studies that your top-up -degree is based on. Studies must be equivalent to 180 ECTS credits or three years of full-time study.
Official Aalto University transcripts for Aalto students
If you are an Aalto University student, you can download an official transcript of records in PDF format from the Sisu information system. In Sisu, go to My profile and Completed credits tab. Upload the official electronic transcript of records to your application form in Studyinfo.
The documents must be in Finnish, Swedish or English. If the original degree certificate or transcript of records was written in another language, you must submit an official translation of the document.
The translation is official if it has been done by the higher education institution that awarded the degree or by a certified translator (authorised translator). The translations must have the certified translator’s stamp and signature.
The Finnish National Agency for Education (www.oph.fi/en) maintains a register of authorised translators who are based in Finland.
A Diploma supplement in English can be submitted instead of a translation of a degree certificate, if it contains the name of the degree, the name of the institution awarding the degree, the date of awarding the degree, and the name of the student. For more information, please see above (Diploma supplement).
A copy of a valid passport or an official government-issued identification card with photo that includes information on citizenship is an obligatory application document.
Driver’s license does not have information on citizenship and is therefore not accepted.
If passport or identification card has expired
If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code, a valid passport or an official government-issued identification card is required.
If you have a Finnish personal identity code, but do not have a valid passport/ID card, you can upload a copy of an expired passport/ID card or driver’s license to your application form. Your information can be checked from the Finnish Population Register with your Finnish personal ID number.
If name details are different in study documents and passport
If your name has changed after your studies and your name in the passport does not match your study documents, an official proof of name change is required. Submit a copy of an official document of your name change issued by a governing body. This can be, for example, a marriage certificate if your family name has changed in marriage.
If you have a Finnish personal identity code, it is sufficient to have the same code on the study documents and your passport. If your personal identity code has changed or it does not show for example on your transcript of study records, you need to submit a copy of an official document of your name change issued by a governing body.
If official identification card is issued in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish
If your official identification card is issued in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish, you must submit a translation of the document. You can translate the document yourself. The translation must be accurate.
You may highlight your motivation to study in EMC with a personal motivation video. This is not mandatory but will be considered as additional asset in the evaluation. The motivation video can be free format. The maximum length is 1 minute and the maximum file size is 1 GB. The video must be uploaded to the application form as all other application documents.
Knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union, other than English, is seen as an additional asset in the academic evaluation.
The language skills must be demonstrated with an official certificate (e.g. transcript of records showing the studied language courses, a language test certificate, secondary school diploma, or a document indicating the native language).
The document must be uploaded to the application form as all other application documents. The EMC selection committee cannot draw any assumptions of the language skills based on the applicant's nationality or country of residence.
Copies of study certificates (Bachelor’s degree certificate and transcripts of records) must be certified to be true copies of the original documents by the issuing university or a notary public. Each page must have the certifying official’s original signature, printed name, ink stamp and date. Copies of officially certified copies are not accepted, thecertifying official’s ink stamps and signatures must be original. A multiple-page certified copy must be certified on the front side of every page. In addition, some country-specific policies for certification of the documents may apply. Please read the complete instructions here.
The deadline for the officially certified study certificates is 15 August 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +3).
Language requirements
The language of instruction in EMC is English. You must demonstrate your proficiency in English with an accepted proof of language proficiency. See the accepted methods to demonstrate your language proficiency in English below.
No methods other than those listed below are accepted to demonstrate English language skills.
Applications without the required proof of language proficiency will be rejected.
Minimum score requirements
- IELTS Academic: overall score 6.5, and writing score 6.0.
Aalto University also accepts IELTS Online (Academic), IELTS Indicator (Academic) and IELTS UKVI Academic test.
Only IELTS Academic tests are accepted. General-level tests are not accepted.
If you have taken several tests, the best official score that is still valid and received by Aalto University by the deadline will be considered. You cannot combine scores from different test dates.
Period of validity of test results
IELTS test results are valid for two years from the date of the test.
For 2025 admissions, test results are valid if the test was taken on or after 16 December 2022.
Submitting the IELTS scores
The official IELTS test scores must be received by Aalto University Admission Services by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2).
- Upload a PDF copy of your IELTS test report to your application form (to "Language proficiency" section), if you have already received the report. Name the file according to the format: IELTS-lastname-firstname.
- On your application form, enter your Test Report Form (TRF) number. If you have taken the IELTS Indicator test, enter your IELTS Indicator Score ID. Enter these numbers very carefully. The numbers are required for verifying the scores.*
- Share your electronic test report to Aalto University via the test administrator's IELTS Results Service e-delivery.
- When booking the test, choose Aalto University as the Recognising Organisation to make your score available to Aalto University. The department is "Admission Services".
- If you have already taken the test, contact your test centre and request the test administrator to send your electronic test report to Aalto University. See the instructions for sharing your IELTS test report form electronically on the test administrator website.
Your scores will be verified electronically.
* You can edit your application form only during the application period from 16 December 2024 to 28 February 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). If you receive your TRF number after 28 February 2025, send it by email to [email protected] and request that the TRF number be added to your application form. Your email must be received by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). Use "EMC admissions IELTS TRF number" as the subject line.
More information about language test
- test administrator: IELTS (ielts.org)
Minimum score requirements
- TOEFL iBT (Internet-based Test): 92, and 22 for Writing
Aalto University also accepts TOEFL iBT® Home Edition test.
Only TOEFL iBT tests are accepted. For example TOEFL Essentials or TOEFL ITP tests are not accepted.
If you have taken several tests, the best official score that is still valid and received by Aalto University by the deadline will be considered. You cannot combine scores from different test dates, e.g. TOEFL MyBest scores is not accepted.
Period of validity of test results
TOEFL test results are valid for two years from the date of the test.
For 2025 admissions, test results are valid if the test was taken on or after 16 December 2022.
Note that the test administrator ETS does not send expired TOEFL results.
Submitting the TOEFL scores
The official language test scores must be received by Aalto University Admission Services by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2) directly from the test administrator. Only official test scores sent by the test administrator are accepted.
- Request your official score report to be sent from the test administrator to Aalto University reporting code 7364 (Score Report Recipient) well in advance of the deadline.
A department code is not required (or you can choose any department). Aalto University will receive all results sent with the reporting code 7364. - Enter your TOEFL iBT Appointment number on your application form (to "Language proficiency" section of the form). The number has 16 digits (e.g. 0000 0000 xxxx xxxx).*
- Upload a PDF copy of your TOEFL test report to your application form, if you have already received the report. Name the file according to the format: TOEFL-lastname-firstname.
The scores must be received electronically directly from the test administrator by the deadline. Score reports sent by applicants will not be accepted. It takes about 1 to 2 weeks from sending the score report request for the scores to be received by the University. Aalto University receives the scores via ETS® Data Manager service. Contact the test administrator if you have questions about score delivery times.
* You can edit your application form only during the application period 16 December 2024 to 28 February 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). If you receive your TOEFL iBT Appointment number after 28 February 2025, send it by email to [email protected] and request that the number be added to your application form. Your email must be received by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). Use "EMC admissions TOEFL iBT Appointment number" as the subject line.
More information about language test
- test administrator: TOEFL (ets.org)
Minimum score requirements
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE A): 62, and 54 for Writing
Aalto University also accepts Pearson Test of English Academic Online (PTE Academic Online) and Pearson Test of English Academic UKVI tests.
Period of validity of test results
PTE test results are valid for two years from the date of the test.
For 2025 admissions, test results are valid if the test was taken on or after 16 December 2022.
If you have taken several tests, the best official score that is still valid and received by Aalto University by the deadline will be considered. You cannot combine scores from different test dates.
Submitting the PTE scores
The official language test scores must be received by Aalto University Admission Services by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2) directly from the test administrator. Only official test scores sent through the test administrator's electronic service are accepted.
- Log in to your PTE account and send your results to Aalto University in the test administrator’s electronic service.
- Enter your Score Report Code on your application form (to "Language proficiency" section).*
The Score Report Code can be found at the top of the report under your name. It contains 10 characters that are letters and numbers. - Upload a PDF copy of your PTE A test report to your application form, if you have already received the report. Name the file according to the format: PTE A-lastname-firstname.
* You can edit your application form only during the application period from 16 December 2024 to 28 February 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). If you receive your Score Report Code after 28 February 2025, send it by email to [email protected] and request that the code be added to your application form. Your email must be received by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). Use "EMC admissions PTE Score Report Code" as the subject line.
More information about language test
- test administrator: PTE Academic (pearsonpte.com)
Minimum score requirements
- C1 Advanced: A,B or C
- C2 Proficiency: A,B,C or Level C1
No Cambridge language tests other than C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English, CAE) and C2 Proficiency (formerly known as Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English, CPE) are accepted.
Period of validity of test results
For C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, electronically verifiable tests taken after 2005 are accepted.
Submitting the C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency scores
The official language test scores must be received by Aalto University Admission Services by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2).
- Upload a PDF copy of your C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency results report to your application form (to "Language proficiency" section).
Name the file according to the format: Nameofthetest-lastname-firstname. - Enter your test taker's ID number (e.g. ABC1234567), and Reference Number (e.g. 173YU0034522) or Statement of Results Number or Verification Number to your application form. The name of the number varies depending on the year the test was taken.*
- Log into the language test administrator's service and share your test results to Aalto University.
Your scores will be verified electronically.
* You can edit your application form only during the application period from 16 December 2024 to 28 February 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). If you receive your test ID and verification numbers after 28 February 2025, send them by email to [email protected] and request that the numbers be added to your application form. Your email must be received by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). Use "EMC admissions Cambridge ID number" as the subject line.
More information about language test
- C1 Advanced (cambridgeesol.org)
- C2 Proficiency (cambridgeesol.org)
Minimum score requirements
- C1 Advanced: A,B or C
- C2 Proficiency: A,B,C or Level C1
No Cambridge language tests other than C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English, CAE) and C2 Proficiency (formerly known as Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English, CPE) are accepted.
Period of validity of test results
For C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, electronically verifiable tests taken after 2005 are accepted.
Submitting the C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency scores
The official language test scores must be received by Aalto University Admission Services by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2).
- Upload a PDF copy of your C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency results report to your application form (to "Language proficiency" section).
Name the file according to the format: Nameofthetest-lastname-firstname. - Enter your test taker's ID number (e.g. ABC1234567), and Reference Number (e.g. 173YU0034522) or Statement of Results Number or Verification Number to your application form. The name of the number varies depending on the year the test was taken.*
- Log into the language test administrator's service and share your test results to Aalto University.
Your scores will be verified electronically.
* You can edit your application form only during the application period from 28 November to 28 February 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). If you receive your test ID and verification numbers after 28 February 2025, send them by email to [email protected] and request that the numbers be added to your application form. Your email must be received by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2). Use "EMC admissions Cambridge ID number" as the subject line.
More information about language test
- C1 Advanced (cambridgeesol.org)
- C2 Proficiency (cambridgeesol.org)
English proficiency can be demonstrated with an English-medium bachelor’s, master’s, licentiate or doctoral degree in one of the following countries through studies that require residence in the country in question:
a European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA) country, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.
A minimum of one half of the degree must be completed in English in a country listed above and in a higher education institution that meets the requirements for exemption from taking an English language test. Take good note of this requirement if your degree includes many transfer credits or you have an international double or joint degree.
The degree demonstrating language skills must be at least a three-year bachelor’s degree, at least a one-year master’s degree, or a licentiate or doctoral degree.
The awarding higher education institution must be a recognised part of the official national education system of the country listed above. That is, it must be accredited as a degree-granting higher education institution by the country where it is located or by a relevant international organisation (such as UNESCO).
Note the requirement of residing in the country while studying. A degree completed at an offshore campus outside the countries listed above is not sufficient to demonstrate your language skills even if the degree is awarded by a university which has their main location in one of the listed countries.
The language of the degree must be stated unambiguously on the degree certificate or its appendix, or on the transcript of records or other official document issued by the awarding institution (excluding Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States).
If the studies include several instruction languages, the document must clearly indicate the amount of studies taken in English. For example, it is not sufficient if the document only states that the language of instruction is English and French.
Documents
If the proof of proficiency in English is the same higher education degree granting you eligibility to master level education, do not upload any documents to the "Language proficiency" section of the application form. The degree documents are uploaded to the section "Degree granting eligibility to apply". The same study documents do not need to be uploaded twice. On the application form, tick "university degree completed in English" in a listed country to "Language proficiency".
Required documents if your degree is complete
Please note that these documents are only required if the degree demonstrating your English proficiency is different from your degree granting eligibility to apply.
Upload to the application form:
- A scanned colour copy of the original degree certificate in PDF format.
Name the file according to the format: Degree-certificate-lastname-firstname. - A scanned colour copy of the original official transcript of study records in PDF format.
Name the file according to the format: Transcript-lastname-firstname. - If the language of the degree is not stated unambiguously on the degree certificate or transcript of records, an official document of the language of instruction issued by the awarding institution (excluding Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States).
The documents must be uploaded to the application form by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2).
Required documents if your degree is incomplete
Please note that these documents are only required if the degree demonstrating your English proficiency is different from your degree granting eligibility to apply.
If your degree is still incomplete during the application period, upload to the application form:
- A scanned colour copy of the original official transcript of study records in PDF format.
Name the file according to format: Transcript-lastname-firstname. - If the language of the degree is not stated unambiguously on the transcript of records, an official document of the language of instruction issued by the awarding institution (excluding Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States).
The documents must be uploaded to the application form by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2).
The degree must be completed and you must graduate by 31 July 2025. A certified copy of the degree certificate must be submitted by 15 August 2025 at 15.00 (3 pm, UTC +3).
Certified hard copy documents after admission results
After the publication of admission results, admitted applicants must submit certified (attested) hard copy documents by the given deadline. You can find the detailed instructions here.
English proficiency can be demonstrated with secondary education degree completed in English in:
an EU/EEA country, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States while residing in that country.
A minimum of one half of the degree must have been completed in English in a country listed above to be exempted from taking an English language test.
Required documents
- Upload to the application form (to "Language proficiency" section) a scanned colour copy of your secondary-school final certificate in PDF format. Name the file according to the format: Secondary education-lastname-firstname.
- If the degree is completed in an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or South Africa, English as the language of instruction must be stated unambiguously on the certificate. For those countries, if the language of instruction is not indicated on the certificate, upload an official document issued by the institution clearly stating the language of instruction.
The documents must be uploaded to the application form by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2).
Certified hard copy documents after admission results
After the publication of admission results, admitted applicants must submit certified (attested) hard copy documents by the given deadline.
An English language test is not required if you have earned or will earn a higher education degree at one of the European Mining Course partner universities (Aalto University, RWTH Aachen University, or Montanuniversität Leoben).
A minimum of one half of the degree must be completed at this university. Make sure to note this requirement if your degree includes many transfer credits or if it is an international double or joint degree.
Upload to the application form:
- Scanned copy of the original degree certificate
- Scanned copy of the original official transcript of study records
The documents must be uploaded to the online application form by 7 March 2025 15.00 (UTC +2)
If your degree is still incomplete at the application phase, the degree must be completed and you must graduate by 31 July 2025. A copy of the degree certificate must be submitted according to the instructions by 15 August 2025 at 15.00 (3 pm, UTC +3).
English proficiency can be demonstrated with exchange studies at Aalto University, RWTH Aachen University, or Montanuniversität Leoben.
Required document
Upload to the application form (to "Language proficiency" section):
- a copy of a transcript of records from Aalto University / RWTH Aachen University / Montanuniversität Leoben or certificate of student status from one of these universities in PDF format.
Name the file according to the format: Exchange studies-lastname-firstname.
The program must be an official student exchange program (e.g. Erasmus) of Aalto University / RWTH Aachen University / Montanuniversität Leoben in which exchange studies are full-time and last for at least one autumn or spring term.
The document must be uploaded to the application form by 7 March 2025 at 15.00 (UTC +2).
Scholarships and fees
European Mining Course students follow the local tuition fee and possible scholarship policy of each university where they physically study. Aalto Excellence scholarships and FEMP scholarships can be applied with the EMC application form and they are awarded at the admission. Erasmus+ mobility scholarships are available for all students for the semesters at RWTH Aachen and Montanuniversität Leoben. They can be applied after the first semester at Aalto.
Erasmus+ and FEMP scholarships are intended to cover some of your living expenses but not all of them. You must be prepared to support your living in all the EMC contries for the programme duration.
Aalto | RWTH | MUL | |
---|---|---|---|
Mandatory fees | |||
Student union fee | 30 to 33 EUR / semester (attending) | - | 24.70 EUR / semester |
Tuition fee | EU/EEA students 0 EUR; non-EU/EEA students 8 500 EUR / semester | 0 EUR | EU/EEA students app. 363.36 EUR / semester; non-EU/EEA students app. 726.72 EUR / semester |
Other mandatory fees | Student healthcare fee 36.80 EUR / semester (attending) | Social contribution fee 300 EUR for attending semesters; 9 EUR for non-attending semesters | - |
Scholarships | |||
Aalto University Excellence scholarship | 100 % tuition fee waiver for top non-EU/EEA students | ||
Erasmus+ mobility scholarship | - | app. 400 EUR / month | app. 400 EUR / month |
FEMP scholarship | 2000 EUR/year | - | 2000 EUR/year |
Note that some of these fees only apply to the semesters which you physically study at the respective universities and some for all the four semesters.
The fees presented above are the ones for academic year 2024-2025 and they are subject to annual changes.
- AALTO: The membership of the student union is mandatory and payment of the fee is a pre-condition to enroll as attending. You must enroll as attending at least on your 1st and 4th semester, because this is when you actively study at Aalto. Enrolment as attending on the 4th semester is mandatory irrespective of location, because the Master’s thesis is always supervised and submitted to Aalto. Enrolment as attending is mandatory also when you receive a mobility scholarship granted by Aalto University, for example, on the 2nd semester at Aachen. The fee amount is subject to annual changes. More information of the annual enrolment and student union membership fees is available here.
- RWTH: No student union fees
- MUL: The student union fee must be paid for all the four semesters when you are enrolled in the programme. The amount is subject to annual changes. More information on MUL page.
- AALTO: Finland has tuition fees for citizens of countries other than those of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. The fee is 17 000 EUR per academic year (8 500 EUR per semester). With certain residence status, some non-EU/EEA students may be exempted the tuition fee. Others are eligible for scholarships (see more information below). Covering the tuition fee with scholarship, exemption, or payment is a pre-condition to enroll as attending. The tuition fee applies to your 1st semester and, if you choose to do your Master’s thesis at Aalto, to the 4th semester and possible further semesters until you graduate. Only the fee for the 1st semester must be paid before enrolment for the 1st academic year. More information here.
- RWTH: No tuition fees
- MUL: The tuition fee applies to your 3rd semester and, if you choose to do your Master's thesis at MUL, to the 4th semester. Regular students from non-EU/EEA countries who have a residence permit other than that for students pay the fees of EU/EEA students. Regular students who are citizens of the least developed countries are generally exempted the tuition fee and only pay the students' union membership fee. This applies to students from Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Yemen, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Kiribati, the Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic), Laos (Democratic People's Republic), Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, the Maldives, Mali, Mauretania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, the Solomon Islands, Zambia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania (United Republic), Timor-Leste, Togo, Chad, Tuvalu, Uganda, Central African Republic. More information here.
- AALTO: The student healthcare fee is a mandatory access fee to healthcare services. It must be covered always when you enroll as attending. However, EU students who are covered with social security in another EU country may apply for exemption. Further information at https://www.kela.fi/healthcare-fee-for-students-in-higher-education.
- RWTH: Students of RWTH Aachen University do not pay tuition fees – nevertheless you have to pay a semester fee every semester for re-registration. The amount of the fees depends on whether students are present in Aachen during the semester or at one of the other universities.
- MUL: No other mandatory fees
Aalto University offers a small number of scholarships to fee-paying non-EU/EEA students. Aalto University Excellence Scholarships are granted in the form of a tuition fee waiver.
Scholarships can be awarded to the best applicants admitted to the programmes. Applicants are ranked according to the Evaluation Criteria below.
Aalto University scholarships do not cover living costs. Students need to cover all living expenses (at least 800 euros per month) from their own financial resources. Please consider your finances before submitting an application.
European Mining Course students follow the local tuition fee and possible scholarship policy of each university where they physically study. For this reason, the Aalto University Excellence scholarship is granted for two semesters: for the 1st semester at Aalto University, and conditionally for the 4th semester, if you decide to complete your Master's thesis at Aalto.
More information at https://www.aalto.fi/en/international-students/tuition-fees-and-scholarships.
- AALTO: As Aalto is the first institution for all students, no mobility scholarships can applied for the 1st semester.
- RWTH: During your studies, you will receive instructions to apply for a mobility scholarships for your 2nd semester at RWTH Aachen. The scholarship is awarded by Aalto. More information will be provided to the enrolled students.
- MUL: During your studies, you will receive instructions to apply for a mobility scholarships for your 3rd semester at MUL. The scholarship is awarded by RWTH Aachen. More information wille be provided to the enrolled students.
Federation of European Mining Programmes (FEMP) supports EMC students with scholarships, helps with industrial connections, and gathers together the hundreds of EMC alumni.
The FEMP scholarship for intake 2025 is 2 000 EUR per year (4 000 EUR in total for the 2-year programme). The scholarship is paid in two annual instalments to the scholarship holder’s European bank account.
All enrolled students can be awarded this scholarship. The scholarship is to be applied on the EMC application form. After admission, scholarship holders must sign a scholarship contract with FEMP. The condition of the scholarship is to follow the EMC curriculum and graduate at all three EMC partner universities. More information of available scholarships will be provided to enrolled students. Read about FEMP on FEMP page.
EMC students are expected to cover the costs related to residence permit or visa, travel, housing, possible health insurance, and other living costs by themselves. The Erasmus+ or FEMP scholarships contribute to the living costs but are not sufficient to cover all of them. You must be prepared to support your living in all the EMC contries for the programme duration.
Cost of living
To obtain a residence permit in Finland, you must be able to prove the sufficient means to support your living. Currently, this is 800 EUR per month. The cost of living in Germany and Austria is approximately the same. For this reason, 800 EUR per month is the minimum what we recommend the students to have for their use. Further information about cost of living in Finland is available here.
Governmental study allowance
If you are benefiting from a study allowance in your home country, you may be eligible for the same allownace when you study abroad. Further information about study allowance abroad for Finnish students is available on KELA website.
External scholarships available globally
EMC students are also encouraged to look for funding from external sources. Aalto University provides an extensive list of organizations who provide such scholarships for different nationalities.
Scholarships for Aalto University students
Many foundations offer small support for students with different criteria, such as home municipality or field of studies. Read more about them on this page.
Evaluation criteria
Only the applicants who meet the general eligibility criteria for master's studies (see General eligibility) and who have submitted all the obligatory application documents are evaluated and ranked according to the evaluation criteria listed here.
The best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation of all the criteria below. The programme does not have a minimum quota to be fulfilled, and not all eligible applicants will necessarily be admitted.
What we look for in an applicant | A high‐quality Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or in Sciences such as in Geosciences, in Mining Engineering, in Resource Engineering, in Civil Engineering, in Geology in Earth Sciences, in Environmental Engineering, in Chemical Engineering, in Metallurgical Engineering or in Process Engineering. |
What is evaluated? | Contents and scope of previous studies compared to demands/ contents of European Mining Course |
Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s), course descriptions |
What we look for in an applicant? | The applicant’s previous degree will be evaluated based on the international reputation and academic quality of the university and the programme. |
What is evaluated? | Recognition and quality of the applicant's previous institution |
Method of demonstrating competence | The quality of the university is checked based on national and international rankings. |
What we look for in an applicant | Academic performance will be evaluated on the basis of the Grade Point Average (GPA) and results in key courses. The grades will be evaluated in relation to how demanding the studies have been. The time spent on the previous studies will also be taken into account.There is no fixed minimum GPA to the programme. |
What is evaluated? | Grades of the previous degree(s) |
Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s), course descriptions |
What we look for in an applicant? |
The applicant should be motivated to study in EMC and committed to full-time studies with a plan to complete the Master’s degree in two years. We are looking for applicants who are able to express clearly the reasons for applying to EMC and describe why they would be good candidates. The applicant must show commitment to studying at all three EMC universities. Knowledge of one of the official languages of EU, other than English, is seen as additional asset. Applicants with a previous Master’s degree of comparable quality and content in the fields of the European Mining Course or who intend to complete one, or who have a valid study right in this application target will not be accepted to the programme except for special reasons, which the applicant must explain in the application. The Master’s programme should provide genuinely new knowledge and further the career of the applicant. |
What is evaluated? | Applicant’s further applicability to the study option, motivation and commitment for studies |
Method of demonstrating competence | Applications as a whole including the mandatory motivation letter, optional motivation video (max. 1 minute), and optional proof of knowledge of an EU language other than English. The language skills must be demonstrated with an official certificate (e.g. transcript of records showing the studied language courses, a language test certificate, secondary school diploma, or other document indicating the native language). Detailed information in Instructions for application documents. |
What we look for in an applicant? |
Applicants will benefit of the following:
|
What is evaluated? | Work experience and learning gained otherwise or demonstration of skills such as publications, contests, non-formal learning etc. |
Method of demonstrating competence | Curriculum vitae |
Admission results
The admissions results will be published on 15 April 2025. The applicants will receive an email notification once the results are published. Admitted applicants will receive an official electronic acceptance letter by email.
The admitted applicant must accept the admission offer at the latest by the given deadline. Instructions are sent by email. The admission offer will be cancelled if the applicant does not accept the admission offer by the deadline.
It is possible to submit a written request to rectify the admission decision within 14 days of the publication of the results. The purpose of the written rectification request procedure is to allow applicants to appeal against the admission decision on the grounds of a possible error in the decision-making, and thereby have an erroneous decision corrected. An admission decision may only be rectified if Aalto University has made an error in the admission procedure and the error in question entitles the applicant to have the admission decision rectified. The procedure is not for requesting feedback or additional information on the admissions results.
Your request for rectification has to contain the following information:
- the study option that the rectification request concerns
- the decision you wish to have rectified
- a description of how you want the university to rectify its decision
- the grounds for your rectification request
- your contact information (full name, email address)
- written authorisation to your representative (if you use a representative)
Decisions on scholarships are final and cannot be appealed against.
All requests for rectification of admission decisions must be delivered to the University Registry within 14 days from the publication of admission results, either to the Registry’s email address [email protected] or by post to its postal address: Aalto University, Registry, P.O. Box 11000, 00076 Aalto, Finland.
According to the ‘one student place per term in higher education’ policy, applicants who are offered admission to more than one degree programme beginning in the same academic term at a Finnish university or university of applied sciences may only accept one offer of admission. The policy applies to all degree-granting higher education programmes, whether applying through: joint application procedures, separate admissions procedures, or applying to doctoral education (to earn a licentiate or doctoral degree).
If you are offered admission to more than one degree programme in different admissions for studies starting in autumn 2025, you can only accept one of them. It is not possible to switch to another study place. The acceptance of a study place is binding.
Contact information
Aalto University School of Engineering
Learning Services
Mikael Rinne
Professor, programme director
Aalto University, Admission Services
For enquiries regarding the application process, obligatory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services at
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