Master’s Admissions – Frequently Asked Questions

Programmes offered
Aalto University provides education in three fields of study: art and design, business and economics, and technology and engineering.
You can find all Aalto University study options on the Study options page. You can filter your search results by field of education, level of degree and language of instruction.
You may apply to a maximum of two study options in our master’s admissions.
Please find more information about your programme in the Aalto University Student Guide. On the programme's page you can find information on courses and curriculum, dates and contact information.
If you have any questions about the studies in the programme, please contact the Student Services at studentservices@aalto.fi.
Unfortunately, Aalto University does not offer any distance learning or online degree programmes. All studies leading to a bachelor's or master's degree require attendance at the university in Finland. Degree studies are full-time studies.
For non-degree studies, please see Aalto University Open University webpage for course selection, instructions for registration and payments.
Should you have any questions about open university studies, please contact the Open University at avoin@aalto.fi.
Applying
- Carefully read and follow the instructions for applying.
- Pay attention to all the requirements:
- the general requirements listed at Applying to master’s programmes page and
- the programme-specific requirements on the page of your chosen study option. You can find the study option webpages at: Study options. - Read the Language requirements. Take a language test well in advance of the document deadline if required.
- If you are required to take a GMAT or GRE test, book and take the test well in advance so that your official test scores arrive at Aalto University before the deadline.
- Fill in an online application form during the application period. Answer the questions on your application form carefully and precisely.
- Follow the application and document deadlines.
Please keep in mind: to be fair towards all applicants, we do not make any exceptions to the eligibility requirements or deadlines.
To be eligible to apply you need to:
- Have a bachelor’s degree. If your degree is currently unfinished, you can apply if you will graduate by 31 July. You can find additional degree requirements on the Applying to master’s programmes page (see "General eligibility – degree granting eligibility to apply").
- Meet the language requirements and submit the necessary certificates.
- Submit all required application documents and ensure they are attached to the correct sections of your application form.
- On top of these, there are some programme-specific requirements. Each study option provides their specific evaluation criteria on its webpage. Some study options have specific eligibility criteria, such as requirements for prior studies in a relevant field. Please read the eligibility and evaluation criteria of your chosen study option on its webpage.
Unfortunately, the eligibility of applicants cannot be pre-assessed due to the high number of applicants.
Please see the general eligibility criteria (see: "Who can apply? Eligibility in Master's admissions") and the programme-specific requirements on the webpage of your study option and assess whether you meet the criteria.
Application documents
Your educational documents must be official. Official means that your documents have been issued by a representative of the Academic Registrar's Office, the Examinations Office, or an equivalent office that issues official documentation of records at your university. Most often, this means that your transcript of records has been signed and, where appropriate, stamped by the issuing institution (e.g. controller of examination, secretary, registrar, dean or the equivalent).
Unofficial documents such as screenshots from a student information system are not accepted. Educational documents must be official.
Please read more information on our Document requirements (see: "Application and obligatory application documents").
Admission Services will send you an email once they have checked your application and the uploaded documents. This will take time due to the high number of applications, please be patient.
Please note that it is your responsibility to follow the instructions and upload the right documents to the correct sections on the application form. If an obligatory application document is missing from your application after the document deadline, your application will be rejected as incomplete.
You should upload your study-option-specific documents to your application form.
The instructions are: Upload the documents to your online application form in PDF format. Name the file(s) according to format: Name of the document-lastname-firstname (e.g. Reference-lastname-firstname.pdf).
However, if your referee insists on submitting the reference directly ºÚÁÏÍø University, please contact your study option to inquire whether this is possible. It is nevertheless preferable for all documents to be submitted by the applicant through the application system. You can find contact details for each study option at the end of its webpage, which you can access through the Study options page.
If your name has changed after your studies and your name in the passport does not match your educational documents, an official proof of name change is required. Please 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 after 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 records, you need to submit a copy of an official document of your name change issued by a governing body.
You do not need to convert your GPA. Some of our programmes have set a minimum GPA requirement for bachelor’s degrees completed in Finland. Finnish degrees use a 1 to 5 grading scale. There are no fixed minimum requirements for degrees completed outside Finland, though success in previous studies is considered in the academic evaluation. Most programmes expect good or excellent academic performance.
The programmes will assess academic performance as part of their academic evaluation of applications.
If your degree contains studies completed at different institutions, for example top-up studies or transfer studies, you must upload educational documents also of those studies. Your studies must be equivalent to 180 ECTS credits or three years of full-time study and educational documents must be submitted for the whole duration of all studies that your degree is based on.
If you gained direct access to an advanced level in your degree, you must upload educational documents covering your previous studies on the basis of which you were admitted to the degree programme.
The study options of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture have given their portfolio instructions in the study-option-specific requirements on each study option’s webpage. To ensure fair treatment of all applicants, Admission Services or the study options cannot give any additional instructions. Applicants are responsible for interpreting the provided guidelines themselves.
Unfortunately, you cannot be exempted from the test requirement if you apply for a study option that requires a GMAT or GRE test in the admission group that you belong to based on your bachelor's degree.
Applications in admission group 2 without official GMAT/GRE test scores will not be considered.
For detailed information about the School of Business admission groups, minimum score requirements and how to submit your scores, please see: GMAT and GRE test.
For information on the GRE test requirements of the study option Machine Learning, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (Macadamia) in the field of technology and engineering, please see: Macadamia webpage.
English language requirements
All applicants must demonstrate that they meet the language proficiency requirements set by the university.
There are several ways to meet the English requirement:
- by certain university or upper secondary studies; or
- by a successful result on an approved English test.
Please read carefully the Language requirements and how to submit proof of language proficiency.
Only the methods listed on the above webpage to demonstrate English proficiency are accepted.
Any alternative tests, studies in English in a country not listed on the webpage, or statements regarding language skills issued by teachers will not be accepted.
Kindly note that there are no exceptions to the language requirements. Applications without the required proof of language proficiency will be rejected.
Application fee
Applicants who are not citizens of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) member states, or Switzerland, and do not have a certain type of residence permit that is listed as an exempting document on the page must pay a €100 application fee to apply for higher education in Finland.
We understand that the fee may be difficult for some applicants to afford, however, it is mandated by law in Finland and no waivers are available.
The fee is collected by the Finnish National Agency for Education in the Studyinfo.fi service.
Please note that paying the fee does not guarantee admission to the university.
Payment must be made within seven days after submitting your online application form. The fee cannot be paid after the due date.
Your application will not be processed if the fee is not paid by the deadline, as payment is a prerequisite for processing. Late payment, even with all necessary application documents submitted, will result in your application not being processed.
You can find detailed information regarding the application fee and payment instructions on the Studyinfo webpage: .
If you have any questions about the fee after reviewing the above application fee page, please contact the Finnish National Agency for Education at applicationfee@oph.fi.
No, the application fee covers the processing of your application and is not related to the admission results.
Admission results
Please find information and instructions for admitted applicants at: Information for new master’s students.
If you are conditionally admitted, it means that you need to do something to be officially admitted.
If your admission offer is conditional, you can enrol at the university only after the condition has been fulfilled and the admission is not conditional anymore.
Note that you may be subject to several conditions. The conditions are stated in your admission email.
Admissions conditions may include one or more of the following:
- If you applied with an incomplete degree, your admission is conditional until the Admission Services has received a certified copy of your degree certificate. Read the general instructions for submitting certified documents and the country-specific document requirements.
- If you are required to submit certified copies of your educational documents, your admission to the university is conditional. Read the general instructions for submitting certified documents and the country-specific document requirements.
- Students who are liable to pay the tuition fee must pay their fee before enrolling. Your tuition fee must be received in full by the university before enrolment is possible. Please see the instructions for paying the tuition fee. If you have any questions related to tuition fees, please contact tuitionfees@aalto.fi.
In your first year of studies you can enrol as a non-attending student (i.e. defer the start of your studies) only for reasons referred to in the Universities Act (Yliopistolaki 558/2009, Section 39), that is, if you are:
- in active service referred to in accordance with the Conscription Act (1438/2007), the Non-Military Service Act (1446/2007) or the Act on Voluntary Military Service for Women (194/1995).
Note that this is valid only for service performed for the state of Finland; - on maternity, paternity or parental leave; or
- unable to start your studies due to a medical condition or injury.
If you do not have a reason specified in the Universities Act for enrolment as a non-attending student, you must enrol as an attending student.
You must enrol to the university by the end of the enrolment period. After that you will forfeit your right to study.
If you do not want to accept your offer of admission, please decline the offer with the link that was sent to your email or in the My Studyinfo service. Declining the admission offer is important so that the study place can be offered to an applicant on the waiting list without delay.
Declining a study place is a binding decision that cannot be reversed.
After acceptance
Questions and answers about residence permits and student housing.
If you are not a citizen of a country in the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), you are normally required to have a residence permit in Finland.
You can find information about immigration and residence permits on the Finnish Immigration Service website at: .
Non-EU/EEA applicants who are admitted should apply for a student's residence permit in Finland immediately after accepting their admission offer. The application process takes time and it is important to start the process as soon as you have accepted your admission offer. Even if your admission offer is conditional, you do not need to meet all the admissions conditions before applying for the residence permit; you can proceed with the application once you have accepted the offer. Please be aware that the university does not have any authority over immigration matters and cannot influence or expedite the residence permit process.
You need to have a valid residence permit before arriving in Finland and starting your studies.
Please see the income requirement on the Finnish Immigration Service website: .
Non-EU/EEA citizens need a residence permit to pursue a degree in Finland. You must have sufficient funds for living in Finland during the entire period of validity of your residence permit. Students must have at least 9,600 EUR in their bank account when applying for a residence permit. In addition, you need to have the funds to pay the tuition fee. Kindly always refer to the for the most current instructions and requirements.
The university does not have authority in immigration matters and therefore cannot assist with questions related to residence permits.
You can find information about immigration and residence permits for family members on the Finnish Immigration Service website: .
Please note that a family member moving to Finland must have sufficient financial resources to be issued a residence permit.
A family member who is moving to Finland together with you can apply for a residence permit at the same time with you or later. You can find more information on the Finnish Immigration Service page .
Aalto University does not own student apartments and students are responsible for seeking housing themselves. Students can rent from student housing providers or the private market.
Student housing is provided by the (AYY) or the (HOAS).
For more information on finding accommodation, please see Housing for students webpage.
Financing the studies
Aalto University offers a very limited number of scholarships to outstanding applicants who are liable to tuition fees. Aalto University Excellence Scholarships are merit-based and are granted on a competitive basis to the highest-achieving applicants based on the programme's evaluation criteria. Please note that these scholarships are highly competitive. Programmes may decide not to grant any scholarships.
Non-EU/EEA applicants who are liable to tuition fees can apply for the Aalto University Excellence Scholarship as part of their application form for admission.
The scholarship decision is given at the same time with the admission decision.
Aalto University Excellence Scholarships are awarded as tuition fee waivers. The scholarships do not cover living costs. Students need to cover all living expenses (at least 800 euros per month) and other study related costs from their own financial resources.
For more information about scholarships, see: Scholarships and Tuition Fees.
You can read more information about living costs in Finland at: Financial matters.
Aalto University does not offer university-wide scholarships to cover living costs. Aalto University Excellence scholarships do not cover living costs. Students need to cover all living expenses (at least 800 euros per month) from their own financial resources. You can read more information about living costs in Finland at: Financial matters.
For more information about scholarships, see: Scholarships and Tuition Fees.
Scholarship must be applied during the application period. You cannot apply for a scholarship after the application period. You cannot get a scholarship if you did not apply for it during the application period.
If you applied for a scholarship and were not awarded one, unfortunately, you will not be able to receive a scholarship, as no reserve list system is in place for scholarships.
Also, applicants admitted from the waiting list cannot get a scholarship as these have been allocated to the top applicants of the study option. Programmes may also decide not to award any scholarships.
For more information about scholarships, please see: Scholarships and Tuition Fees.
Please note that finding a part-time job in Finland can be very difficult and you should not count on getting a job to finance your studies.
If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country, you can work in Finland without any work permit or restrictions on hours. However, please consider that all Aalto University programmes require full-time studies on campus.
If you are from outside of the EU/EEA countries, you have the right to work part-time (maximum 30 hours a week on average) with the student’s residence status. Non-EU/EEA citizens are required to have at least 9,600 EUR in their bank account when applying for a residence permit to cover living expenses for the first year, and are, therefore, expected to acquire funds to support themselves before moving to Finland.
Other questions
Unfortunately, transferring your current university study right ºÚÁÏÍø University is not possible. If you wish to pursue a master’s degree at our university, you will need to apply as a new student in our master’s admissions.
If you are admitted to the university, it may be possible to transfer some of your previous credits toward your degree at Aalto University. For further details on credit transfers after admission, please refer to the next question and answer below.
Aalto University degree students can apply for credit transfer if they have completed studies at other higher education institutions or have other prior learning that is relevant to their degree. You can apply for credit transfer only after the start of your study right.
Please note that no pre-assessments can be made before your application for credit transfer.
For more information, please see: Aalto University policy on credit transfer.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to apply after the application period has ended. If you missed the application deadline, admission to the university is not possible. To obtain a study place, you will need to apply during the application period and be admitted through the admissions process.
The master's admissions application period is once a year for studies starting in autumn.
You are certainly welcome to visit the campus! Guided campus tours are led by student ambassadors, and during these tours, you will gain insights into the studies and student life at Aalto University. If you would like to explore Aalto University campus and learn more about our study programmes, please fill out a visiting form.
To book your tour, simply fill out the registration form by specifying your preferred date and time. You can also specify your preferred study area when registering.
If you prefer to visit the campus on your own, the outdoor areas and many campus buildings are open for exploration. You can find campus maps and information about the buildings at: Campus maps and opening hours.
We also recommend checking out .
For questions about master's admissions, please contact the Admission Services at admissions@aalto.fi.
For questions regarding your study programme, please see your study option’s webpage for contact information. The contact information is at the end of each study option's page.
For general questions regarding studies at Aalto University, you can contact the Student Services at studentservices@aalto.fi.