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Changes to be made in 2026 to student file retention after expiry of right to study
Changes will be made to the retention period of student files and emails stored in personal cloud storage spaces after the expiry of the right to study. The changes are planned to take effect in early 2026.
When the student’s right to study at Aalto expires, their emails as well as the files stored in their university-provided personal cloud storage spaces, such as Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox, will be deleted.
When the student’s right to study at Aalto expires, their emails as well as the files stored in their university-provided personal cloud storage spaces, such as Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox, will be deleted.
News published on 19 August 2025
Updated on 5 November 2025: clarification on the retroactive termination of study rights and the calculation period.
As before, students will continue to have access to their email and files for two (2) months after after their study rights expire, after which their Aalto user ID will be closed and access to email and any personal files stored in the university-provided storage spaces will be terminated.
An Aalto account remains active as long as a person has valid study rights or an employment or visitor agreement entitling them to an Aalto account.
Starting from early 2026, emails and files will be deleted four (4) months after the expiry of the student’s Aalto user ID. This change will also apply to all Aalto accounts that have already been closed earlier.
NOTE: Once the files and emails have been deleted, they cannot be restored even if the student regains their study right. As the owner of the files, each student has a responsibility to ensure that they store all the necessary files and emails elsewhere before their Aalto user ID closes.
NOTE: The expiry of the right to study may be backdated for students who fail to enroll as attending or non-attending within the enrolment deadline. Similarly, the expiration of study rights due to graduation may be backdated. In such cases, the four (4) months’ grace period will begin on the day marked as the date of expiry of the right to study, not the date of record.
What does this mean for me?
Remember to enrol as an attending or non-attending student in order to ensure the validity of your Aalto user ID.
Be aware of the expiry date of your right to study, and save the files you will need to access later to a convenient location.
Why are the files deleted after the right to study expires?
Legislation and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) require that any personal data not be stored unnecessarily and that a plan is in place for data storage and deletion. In addition, retention of unnecessary information generates costs for the university and is not in line with the values of sustainable development.
Any questions?
Should you have any questions, please contact IT Service Desk (servicedesk@aalto.fi).
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