General information about studies

Degrees

In accordance with the European standards for higher education, at Aalto University, the extent of first-cycle university degrees (bachelor's level) is 180 ECTS credits and the extent of second-cycle university degrees (master's level) is 120 ECTS credits.

University degrees are two-tiered: first, students complete a first-cycle university degree (bachelor's degree), after which they can carry on to study for a second-cycle university degree (master's degree). 

When an applicant applies in bachelor's admissions for a study right in a bachelor’s degree programme and is admitted, he or she also gains a right to complete a master's degree. Bachelor's degree is completed before beginning the master's degree studies.

Applicants who already have a Bachelor's degree can apply in the separate Master’s admissions for a study right in a master’s degree programme.

Bachelor's degrees that can be completed at Aalto University are

• Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration
• Bachelor of Arts and
• Bachelor of Science in Technology

and master's degrees are

• Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration
• Master of Arts
• Master of Science in Technology
• Master of Science in Architecture and
• Master of Science in Landscape Architecture (only in Finnish).

Further information on Aalto University study options

Further information on applying to bachelor's studies

Further information on applying to master's studies

Further information on Doctoral Programmes

Normative duration of studies

The normative duration of studies for lower and higher university degrees is set in accordance with the Universities Act 558/2009. A student is expected to complete a bachelor’s degree comprising 180 ECTS credits in three academic years and a higher university degree (master’s degree) comprising 120 ECTS credits in two academic years.

Teaching is planned and organised in a way that makes it possible for a student to achieve the normative duration of studies as decreed by law. The university supports students in their studies, for example, by offering study guidance as well as other services.

The completion of both a lower and a higher university degree may be delayed by two years in comparison with the combined estimated duration, i.e. studies may last seven academic years. For a student studying for only a lower university degree, the delay may be one academic year whereas a student studying for only a higher university degree is allowed to take two years longer than the normative duration to complete the degree.

There are certain absences that are not included in the duration of studies, such as leave due to voluntary military service or conscription, or maternity, paternity or parental leave.

If it seems that a student will not be able to complete the degree in the allotted seven or four years, he or she should apply for an extension to the right to study. In this case, the student should present a goal-oriented and feasible plan for completing the studies.

On the basis of the proposal, the university will assess whether it will be possible for the student to complete the studies in a reasonable time, taking into consideration the number and extent of the student’s completed, valid studies and studies still missing, as well as any prior decisions on extending the duration of studies.

Decisions on granting an extension to the duration of studies are always made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the student’s circumstances.

Language of teaching and degrees

The languages of teaching and degrees at the Aalto University School of Business are Finnish and English.

The languages of teaching and degrees at the Aalto University School of Engineering, the Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering, the Aalto University School of Science, the Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering, and the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture are Finnish, Swedish and English.

The university may also decide to use other teaching and degree languages than those mentioned above.

Principle of one study place

According to the ‘one student place per term in higher education’ policy (Universities Act 558/2009), 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, you can only accept one of the offered study places. It is not possible to cancel the acceptance of a study place. Even if the student postpones the commencement of studies, or interrupts his/her studies, s/he cannot accept another study place for a degree programme starting in the same academic term.

If you are currently an Aalto University student, please note that at Aalto University, a student may have only one valid study right towards a given degree. If an Aalto University student accepts a new study right in a programme leading to the same degree at Aalto, the old study right will be cancelled.