The application/registration period for most courses starts every spring. The sooner you register, the better your chances of securing a place. We use rolling registration; the registration is closed once the course is full. 

In 2024, the application period is open from February 1st to May 31st. 

If you need a visa, we recommend that you apply 

• by April 15th if the course starts in July
• by May 15th if the course starts in August

You must have completed a high school, vocational degree or equivalent by the time the course starts. However, you do not have to be a degree student at a university to participate in our courses.

Additionally, all summer school course students must be 18 years or older, as it is the legal age in Finland.

Yes, you can apply unless the course information indicates otherwise. Aalto University Summer School is a great way to update your knowledge base and be inspired by new experiences!

Yes, you can, but please make sure to not to choose two courses with same schedule.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a common scholarship scheme for Aalto University Summer School. If the course has a scholarship and/or reduced price for prioritized groups, there is more information on the course page. 

If you are a student at one of our Partner Universities, your university may be able to offer you a travel grant. If this applies to you, please get in touch with your international office.

Aalto degree students do not pay tuition fees at summer school. 

If you are an incoming Aalto University student for autumn 2024, you are considered a degree student from August 1st and may attend courses that begin in August without a tuition fee.

Important reminders for Aalto degree students

• Remember that the undergraduate courses offered by Aalto University Summer School are not in Sisu and cannot be included in Aalto degree studies. 
• Register for graduate courses in Sisu only after applying through the summer school system and being accepted to a course.
• Check the Open University, Student Guide or your own school's information channels for summer courses aimed at degree students. 

Please describe any special needs (e.g. regarding arrival, disabilities, etc.) you may have in your application form or by email as early as possible. We will do our best to meet your needs.

Most of our courses take place in July and August. Custom programs for visiting groups can be organised all year.

Aalto University Summer School courses are held on Aalto University Otaniemi campus in Espoo unless otherwise indicated on the course page. 

The campus is connected to Helsinki by metro (10 min) and to the airport by metro+train or bus (45-60 min). Some accommodation is available in Otaniemi, but there is more variety and availability in other parts of Espoo and Helsinki.

The language of instruction in all of the fee-based courses is English. If you are not proficient in English, you may not get a passing grade. You need to understand spoken and written English, and you need to be able to express your thoughts in English in order to truly participate in the course. 

Many of the courses have about 30-40 participants. The participants will be a mix of people from European countries and e.g. Australia, the USA, China and India. We welcome participants from all over the world!

Yes, your own laptop or tablet is needed in all courses. You can use the campus wifi free of charge to do coursework.

You will get an official digital Aalto University certificate at the end of the course.

Code of Conduct sets out the ethical principles and legal compliance policies that govern what we do and expect from each other in all aspects of university life. All students and instructors at Aalto University Summer School are expected to follow it.

We have created an information package on budgeting.

The need for a visa depends on your nationality. In addition to the European Union, many citizens can travel visa-free to Finland. You can check the need for one from Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If you need a visa, we recommend that you apply for it as soon as you have paid your course fee.

Summer School page on visa application and budgeting

Once you have been accepted to a course and paid the full course fee, we will send you an invitation letter to attach your visa application.

Yes, if you do not reside in Finland. Be sure to purchase travel insurance from your permanent place of residence before you travel. 

If you are an EU/EEA citizen or resident, you may take advantage of the European Health Insurance Card, which you must get before travelling. Please be aware of its limitations, e.g. not covering private healthcare costs.

Our campus is very international, and you will also find that many local people speak English, so you have no problem getting around by just using English on and outside the campus. The variety of accents may be diverse, though! It is always nice to be able to say something in the local language, so we encourage you to learn some Finnish. And don’t forget – if you are a Swedish speaker, Swedish is the other official language of Finland.

Aalto University offers guest wifi free of charge. Almost all forms of accommodation, cafés and public buildings have free wireless connections, too.

Custom Programs are, by definition, highly customisable and can be organised all year round at any time of the semester as on-campus or online offerings.

If you want to create a brand-new custom program with us, we recommend starting the process at least three months before the arrival date of the participants so that there is enough time for visa application, for example. Repeating previous programs requires approximately two months.

Example timelines for planning a program:

• program in January → planning starts in October
• program in February → planning starts in November
• program in June → planning starts in February/March

Depending on the agreements on customisation, the programs include:

• Daily lectures and workshops on the chosen topics
• Optional case project to complete and present in groups or individually
• Extracurricular activities organised by Aalto University Custom Programs

We recommend a program length from 1 to 2 weeks, but we are always open to discussing different alternatives that would suit you best.

This depends on the requested study content of the course, available faculty and classrooms. 

If you want to create a brand-new custom program with us, we recommend starting the process at least three months before the arrival date of the participants so that there is enough time for visa application, for example. Repeating previous programs requires approximately two months.

Example timelines for planning a program:

• program in January → planning starts in October 
• program in February → planning starts in November 
• program in June → planning starts in February/March

Students can attend lectures or work on assignments for their home university while attending a program at Aalto University. However, remember that the visits are usually planned to be full-day in terms of lectures, assignments and student excursions. We also request to consider teaching at the home university from the time zone perspective.

Yes, it can. This can be agreed upon when planning the program with the program coordinators at Aalto University Summer School. However, please remember that too many focus points limit the depth of each topic.

Yes, all participating students receive an official Aalto University certificate at the end of the course. 

Yes, we are happy to share a list of suitable accommodation alternatives close to the Aalto University campus and in Helsinki.