Graduation

1. Register as an attending student for the term in which you intend to submit your graduation request. 
2. Make sure that all the studies you have completed as well as their grades appear correctly in your study plan. If you notice missing or erroneous information, please contact Student Services. 
3. Please note that credits for studies that you completed no more than ten years ago can be incorporated into a degree.
4. Submit a graduation request in Sisu. A notification will appear in Sisu when you have completed all required studies and graduation is possible. For detailed instructions on how to submit a graduation request, please see the page Sisu instructions: Graduation request. Please also see this page for your faculty’s instructions, if any, for completing the additional information field.  
5. When you submit your graduation request, Sisu will automatically send your study modules to Student Services for compilation. You do not need to apply separately for their compilation.
6. Your date of graduation is the date on which you submit a graduation request in Sisu or the following weekday. If some of your studies (e.g., your thesis) will be recorded after you submit your graduation request, the date on which you completed your final credits will be indicated as your graduation date. Student Services reviews all graduation requests and will contact you if you must provide more information or amend your study plan. A notification will appear in Sisu when your graduation request has been approved. When the degree certificate is ready, a separate email message will be sent to your helsinki.fi address.

In exceptional cases, you can apply for graduation through the relevant degree programme code when you have completed all studies, but the final credits have not yet been recorded. This may be necessary, for example, if your right to study is about to expire or if, for other compelling reasons (e.g., student loan compensation), your graduation date must fall in the month when you completed your final credits. See the instructions: Graduation request through a degree programme code (only in exceptional cases).

If you did not remember to submit a graduation request before the expiry of your right to study, you must first apply for an extension to the right to study and then register as an attending student. To apply for an extension, please complete the form available at If your right to study expires.

Most faculties have no specific schedule for awarding degree certificates.  

The language of the certificate is either Finnish or Swedish. Remember to indicate the language in which you wish to receive your certificate in the information field of your graduation request. If your degree language is English, you will receive an English-language certificate in addition to the Finnish- or Swedish-language certificate.  

Certificates are delivered in approximately two to three weeks from the submission of the request for the certificate. During peak times in May–June and December as well as in holiday periods, the delivery may take longer.  

Collecting a certificate 

You can collect your degree certificate from your faculty’s Student Services. If necessary, the certificate can also be sent by post to the address you provided in your request for the certificate. Please note that the coronavirus situation may prevent you from collecting your certificate. You can ask your faculty’s Student Services to send your certificate to you by post.

Copies and translations of degree certificates

You can request an official copy of your degree certificate in its original language. You can order this copy, subject to a fee, from your faculty’s Student Services. Further information on copies and translations of degree certificates.

Your right to complete a degree expires on the date of graduation, after which you can no longer complete studies at the University of Helsinki, unless you hold another valid right to study. 

If you have been registered only for the autumn term and graduate during the term, you can no longer register for the next spring term after graduating. 

Further information on studying after graduation 

Your right to complete a degree expires on the date of graduation, but you will remain a member of the Student Union for as long as your registration for attendance is valid (until 31 December or 31 July). You are free to take advantage of all student benefits as long as your membership is valid. NB! If you are using a digital student card, it will expire within one month of the graduation date. 

Refund of the spring term Student Union membership fee 

If you have paid your membership fee for the entire academic year but will graduate during the autumn term, you can apply for a refund of the spring term fee from the Student Union. Decisions on refunds are made by the Student Union. If you apply for a refund of the spring term fee, you will no longer be able to enjoy the student benefits in the spring.

If you are yet to register as an alumnus or alumna, go ahead and do so right now! All former and current students of the University of Helsinki are alumni. Further information on alumni activities is available here.