Graduation request and graduation

1. Register for attendance for the term in which you will submit your graduation request for the relevant right to study.
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. Please note that the University of Helsinki has limited the number of completed credits that the degree certificate will indicate. See the instructions: Scope and structure of the degree
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Graduating with a bachelor's degree? Answer the national student feedback survey.
8. If you are liable to pay tuition fees, please see on the Tuition fees page how the submission date of your thesis and graduation request affects whether you need to pay for tuition the next term or not.

The submission, assessment and approval of master’s theses follow pre-determined schedules. The assessment schedule also affects your graduation timetable. Check the schedules well in advance, especially if you aim to graduate by the end of a specific term. Check the assessment schedules on the page Thesis and maturity test in master's and licentiate programmes.

If the master’s thesis is the final part of your studies to be completed, you can submit your graduation request on the day you submit your thesis for assessment. This date will then be recorded as your graduation date. In this case, you can submit your graduation request through the relevant degree programme code. See instructions: Graduation request through a degree programme code.
 

Your date of graduation is the date on which you submit a graduation request in Sisu or the following weekday. 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.

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., tuition fees or 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.

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.

Degree certificates comprise three parts: in addition to the certificate, they contain a transcript detailing the studies included in the degree and a diploma supplement for international use that provides information on the university and the completed degree, its level and its status in the Finnish education system. Degree certificates are issued not only in Finnish or Swedish, but always also in English. 

Graduation requests are processed in approximately two to three weeks of their submission. During peak times in May–June and December as well as during holiday periods, the processing may take longer. You will receive a message in your helsinki.fi email address and your secondary email address when your degree certificate is ready for downloading. 

NB! If you have submitted both your master’s thesis for assessment and the graduation request on the same date, please note that the request will not be processed until your thesis has been approved. The assessment of a master’s thesis takes four weeks. After the thesis is approved, the graduation request will be processed in about two or three weeks. During the summer, the assessment of theses and, hence, the processing of graduation requests, may require a longer period of time. 

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.

As of 18 March 2025, digital degree certificates has been introduced at the University of Helsinki.

Read more about the upcoming changes and check answers to the most frequently asked questions.

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. 

Once or twice each academic year, the faculties organise a graduation ceremony with speeches, music and toasts raised in honour of the new degree holders. Read more about graduation ceremonies.

Faculties also regularly organise solemn conferment ceremonies, which offer master’s and/or doctoral graduates the opportunity to celebrate their achievement together. Read more about conferment ceremonies.

Your right to study ends on your day of graduation, but your access rights to University systems and email are valid until the end of term, even if you graduate in the middle of the term.

• If you graduate in the spring term, your access rights and email address are valid until September 30.
• If you graduate in the autumn term, your access rights and email address are valid until January 1.

When you continue from bachelor's to master's, the validity period of your access rights and email is continued automatically.

More information on the validity of your access rights is available on the IT-Helpdesk website.

Even if you graduate in the middle of the term, you will remain a member of the Student Union and are free to take advantage of all student benefits for as long as your registration for attendance is valid.

• If you graduate in the spring term, your membership is valid until July 31.
• If you graduate in the autumn term, your membership is valid until December 31 (or, if you are enrolled for the entire academic year, until July 31).

Your digital student card expires one month after the date of graduation. A physical student card is valid according to the academic year sticker. If you have not had a physical student card and would like to order one before graduation, you should do it at least one month before graduation.

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.

The right to use Finnish Student Healthcare Services (FSHS) is valid until the end of the term during which you graduate.

The Finnish Bachelor’s Graduate Survey is a national student feedback survey that examines students’ satisfaction with their university and studying experience. When you submit a graduation request in Sisu, you are asked to complete the survey – please take a moment of your time to respond for the benefit of future undergraduate students! If you don’t have the time to respond when submitting your graduation request, you can find the survey later through the enclosed link. However, we do hope you respond immediately.

The findings are used by institutions to improve education, learning and guidance. The goal is that all graduating bachelor degree students fill out the questionnaire. Thanks in advance for your participation!

If you have not yet joined the alumni community, go ahead and do so right now! All University of Helsinki graduates and exchange students are alumni.

Joining the Helsinki Alumni community is completely free, and members get access to exclusive alumni benefits and opportunities to develop their skills after graduation.

• Learn more about alumni activities
• Join Helsinki Alumni (link opens the registration form)

The Career Services is offering you for example career-related workshops, events, career counselling and job search support up to about one year after graduation. You can also continue to use the JobTeaser career portal, and the self-study materials for career planning and job search are yours to use whenever you need them!