Degree completion times

Graduate on schedule

You are required to complete your studies within the completion time set for the degree you are pursuing. You have two academic years to complete a higher education degree (Master's degree), and you may receive up to two extra years to complete it upon application. If you are required to pay a tuition fee and have received a scholarship for your studies, please note that scholarships are available for a period of two years only.

The completion time set for the degree you are pursuing covers all studies to be included in the degree: studies in your major subject and minor subject(s), as well as methods studies and language studies. If you decide to include a student exchange or a traineeship in your studies, the normal degree completion time applies. The normative duration of studies is based on the Universities Act, and it applies to all degree students admitted on or after 1 August 2005.

Degree completion time and intermission

You may register as non-attending for the maximum duration of two terms. Or, if you first enrolled in your current degree programme before 1 August 2015, you may register as non-attending for up to four terms. This approved intermission period is not counted in your degree completion time. Please note that if you do not complete your registration as non-attending for any given term, this time is counted in your degree completion time.

The following reasons qualify for approved intermission

(not counted in the degree completion time)

• Maternity, paternity or parental leave
• Intermission of up to one academic year (two terms) for other reasons, during which time your registration status is non-attending
• Intermission of up to two academic years (four terms) for other reasons, during which time your registration status is non-attending. Applies to students who first enrolled in their current degree programme before 1 August 2015.

Applying for an intermission:

1. Get proof of any periods of intermission you are entitled to by law.
2. Send the relevant documents to the Student Services and complete your registration as non-attending. If your degree completion deadline is approaching and you would like to apply for an intermission, please note that if your degree completion deadline is 31 July, you must submit the application by 30 April, at the latest.
   

Do you need extra time to complete your degree?

Are your studies taking longer than planned for one reason or another? Did you know that you can apply for extra time to complete your degree? To qualify for extra time in which to complete your degree you are required to present a demonstrably feasible graduation plan.

You may apply for 1 to 4 additional terms with a single application. If you still need more time to complete your degree, you will need to submit a new application. Check back in Peppi system to keep up to date with your degree completion deadline.

If you are required to pay a tuition fee and have received a scholarship for your studies, please note that scholarships are available for a period of two years only. If you need an extension to your study period, extensions may be granted upon application, but please note that you will be financially responsible for the full tuition fees of the extension period you choose to apply for as well as all other expenses associated with your study.

Extension to maximum period of study

An extension to maximum period of study may be granted upon application, provided that your plan for completing your degree – which you are required to present along with your application – is demonstrably feasible. Your application for an extension will be considered in light of the number of credits completed so far, the number of credits remaining to complete your current degree, as well as any previous applications for an extension you may have made. The duration of the extension beyond the maximum period of study that may be granted also depends on individual circumstances such as:

• illness or some other difficult personal situation
• societal engagement in a role that requires a considerable contribution of the student’s time and effort outside study hours
• participation in an international student or trainee exchange programme
• being a student with the status of an active elite athlete.
  

Take these steps to apply for an extension

1. Fill out the application form for extension of time to complete a degree and submit the following documents along with your application:
   
• a detailed list of the remaining credits toward the degree you are pursuing
• a schedule for completing the abovementioned credits and the entire degree
• a statement indicating the reasons why you have not been able to make normal progress with your studies. Include any relevant documents (e.g. a medical certificate)
2. Return the form and the attachments to the Head of Study Affairs of your faculty by 30 April if your right to complete the degree expires on 31 July, or by 30 October if your right to complete the degree expires on 31 December.
3. You will receive the decision by email within about a month of submitting your application.

Extension granted

If you are granted an extension, you are required to complete your registration for the academic year by the registration deadline.

You are encouraged to familiarize yourself with and make use of our guidance services. We will support you to successfully complete your degree.

Register for the academic year >

Extension denied

If you have completed only a few credits and have presented no sufficient proof to indicate why you have been unable to make normal progress with your studies, your application for an extension will not necessarily be accepted. If you already have applied for and been granted an extension once or more often, additional extensions will not be granted if your progress has been clearly slower than what has been set out in your previous plan(s) for completing the degree, and you have not presented an acceptable reason for the lack of progress.

Appealing against a decision

If your application has been denied, you may initiate an appeal by filing a request for rectification addressed to the relevant faculty. The request for rectification is to be submitted within 14 days of receiving the decision, the date of receipt excluded.

The faculty's decision rejecting an appeal may be appealed against by submitting a written appeal to the Administrative Court of Northern Finland within 30 days of notification of the faculty's decision.

Reactivating your study right

If you have lost your right to study due to having missed the deadline for applying for an extension to complete your degree, you may apply for reactivation.

How to apply for reactivation:

• Fill out the application form for reactivating the study right, and include a list of the remaining credits toward your degree along with your planned degree completion schedule.
• Submit the completed form.
• You will receive the decision by email within about a month of submitting the application.
  

Decisions

Once your right to study has been reactivated, you are required to pay the following fees: the re-enrolment fee (35 EUR), the Student Union membership fee, and the full tuition fee. Also, please make sure that you complete your registration for the academic year by the registration deadline.

If the faculty finds that your plan for completing the degree is not feasible, your right to study will not necessarily be re-activated.

Appealing against a decision

If your application has been denied, you may initiate an appeal by filing a request for rectification addressed to the relevant faculty. The request for rectification is to be submitted within 14 days of receiving the decision, the date of receipt excluded.

The faculty's decision rejecting an appeal may be appealed against by submitting a written appeal to the Administrative Court of Northern Finland within 30 days of notification of the faculty's decision.

If you decide to withdraw from university before having completed your degree, you are required to notify the university of this by completing and submitting the Notice of forfeiting the study right form to the Student Services.

After having received the completed form, we will enter the information into your academic records and notify your faculty accordingly. Your right to study will cease on the date of notification.