Individual arrangements support studies

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Individual arrangements support your learning when studying is hindered, for example, by a long-term illness, disability or impediment. If you need individual arrangements, please contact the University as soon as possible. There must be sufficient and verified grounds as well as a genuine need for such arrangements. Always use a secure email connection when communicating about individual arrangements. For detailed instructions on how to encrypt your email, see the IT Helpdesk website.

These instructions are targeted at all students of the University of Helsinki. Sections that do not apply to persons completing open university courses have been separately indicated.

What are individual arrangements?

Individual arrangements constitute individual support for learning, which you may need because of a long-term illness, disability or impediment. The arrangements can be based on, for example, the following elements hindering your studies and their progress:

  • learning disorder (eg. dyslexia)
  • mental health issues
  • musculoskeletal disorder
  • nervousness and anxiety
  • neuropsychiatric disorder (eg. ADHD, autism spectrum)
  • neurological disease (eg. migraine, MS disease, narcolepsy)
  • sensory impairment.

Individual arrangements can also be granted on a fixed-term basis when the condition caused by injury or illness is temporary, for example, due to an accident. Individual arrangements are not granted in cases of typical short-term illnesses (such as influenza, norovirus, common cold).

Individual arrangements are practical arrangements pertaining to teaching, supervision and guidance, and examinations. The content and implementation of the arrangements depend on your individual needs and circumstances. Possible arrangements include:

  • Additional time in examinations or for returning assignments 
  • Permission to use a computer in examinations
  • A quiet or separate examination room
  • Alternative methods of completing studies. 

The purpose of these arrangements is to support you in achieving the objectives and learning outcomes set for your degree and courses. These can include practising communication and interaction skills, making it impossible to complete courses independently through written assignments alone. It is important that you develop these skills as part of your studies, in which individual arrangements can support you. Individual arrangements can vary from one course to another.

Individual arrangements do not affect assessment: your skills are always assessed according to the same criteria. You can be exempted from any compulsory degree components for extremely pressing reasons only (e.g., deaf individuals completing listening comprehension examinations in language courses). In the first instance, alternative completion methods are always agreed. 

Usually, one or more course implementations (e.g., lectures, an examination or a seminar) are offered during each academic year. The aim of various implementation options is to increase the accessibility of studies and reduce the need for individual arrangements. If the methods of completing a course are not accessible to you, you can apply for individual arrangements.

What to do if I need individual arrangements

The earlier you initiate communication on the individual arrangements you need before the relevant courses or examinations, the better. To obtain the right to individual arrangements, you need a certificate from a doctor or relevant specialist, such as a psychologist, speech therapist or physiotherapist. Certificates on difficulties in reading or writing can also be provided by special needs teachers.

Specialist certificates must indicate the following:

  • Person to whom the certificate applies (your name and personal identity code)
  • Grounds for individual arrangements: the illness, disability or impediment in question and its effect on your studies
  • Specialist certificates should also indicate the concrete arrangements you could benefit from.

If you need individual arrangements for a specific course, you can agree on the matter directly with the teacher. Please reach out to the teacher well in advance before the beginning of the course. Teachers have the right to request a specialist certificate or a recommendation provided to you by the University, indicating the need for individual arrangements. Teachers cannot take copies of your specialist certificates. If you need individual arrangements on a recurring basis, please apply to the University for a recommendation in accordance with the instructions in the following section.

If you are unsure whether you are entitled to individual arrangements, or you do not wish to present specialist certificates to teachers, you can contact an accessibility contact person: specialneeds@helsinki.fi.s. If necessary, you can book an appointment with the accessibility contact person on site or online. In the meeting, you will explore together what arrangements would benefit you in your studies. 

Please note that only the helsinki.fi address can be used to send a message to the address ending in s. You can read about other options for secure emails on the IT-Helpdesk website.

The accessibility contact person can also help you draw up a study plan that lays down a study pace as well as course completion methods and an order of completion appropriate to your circumstances. Individual arrangements do not allow course completion in an exceptional order if the learning outcomes of your degree require completion in a specific order.

Individual arrangements can also be made for examinations. In the case of examinations organised in connection with teaching, you can agree on any arrangements with the teacher. In such cases too, the need for individual arrangements must be demonstrated with a specialist certificate. In the case of examinations not organised by the teacher, support for individual arrangements is provided by the University’s Examination Services. For more details, read about individual arrangements for examinations.

If you need aids provided by the healthcare services, a personal assistant or a guide dog, you can use them in teaching situations without a separate recommendation or certificate. However, such a certificate is required if you need a small group space or a separate examination room and use the equipment or have a personal assistant or guide dog present. In such cases, please write to specialneeds@helsinki.fi.s.

What to do after receiving a recommendation

This section does not apply to persons completing open university courses.

Once you have received a recommendation for individual arrangements in studies, follow the instructions below. 

  1. Courses or examinations organised by teachers: 

    Present the recommendation provided to you to the teacher (either via encrypted email or by meeting the teacher in person) well in advance of teaching to enable the necessary arrangements. At the beginning of the course, agree on individual arrangements for the examination with the teacher. If necessary, the teacher can direct you to submit a request for additional time by writing to specialneeds@helsinki.fi.s.

    When permitted by course learning outcomes, teachers can also propose alternative methods of completion. 

  2. Other examinations (eg. general examination or Examinarium examination):

    Before attending your first examination, send the recommendation you have received to specialneeds@helsinki.fi.s.

    The next time you take an examination, read instructions on Individual arrangements for exams page.

    Remember to announce your individual arrangement needs well in advance, no later than 10 days before the examination! Please also remember to cancel the individual arrangements you have requested if you are unable to attend the exam!

Apply for a University recommendation for more extensive arrangements

This section does not apply to persons completing open university courses.

If an illness, disability or impediment has a broader impact on your studies (or if you do not wish to present specialist certificates from healthcare professionals to teachers), you can contact an accessibility contact person to obtain a recommendation. In such cases, comply with the following instructions:

  1. You need a specialist certificate for the recommendation. These include certificates by a doctor or relevant specialist, such as a psychologist, speech therapist or physiotherapist.
  2. Once you have the specialist certificate, please contact an accessibility contact person (specialneeds@helsinki.fi.s). Remember to include your faculty in the subject field. If you are a student at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, please apply for a recommendation directly using this form (RedCap).
  3. Always use a secure email connection. Instructions for encrypting emails are available on the website of the University’s IT Helpdesk.
  4. Please attach the specialist certificate on your condition to your message.


If you meet the accessibility contact person, bring with you all specialist certificates indicating your need for individual arrangements. The accessibility contact person can write a recommendation for individual arrangements on the basis of the discussion in the meeting and the specialist certificates.

If the accessibility contact person cannot independently determine the need for individual arrangements in your case, they can direct you to a study psychologist for further assessment. They can also propose that you apply for a recommendation from the expert panel on individual arrangements.

The recommendation you receive only applies to education organised by the University of Helsinki. If you are completing studies at another higher education institution or other educational institution, please apply for individual arrangements from that education provider. Recommendations provided by other universities cannot be used to apply for individual arrangements at the University of Helsinki.

Individual arrangements expert panel

This section does not apply to persons completing open university courses. The expert panel only issues recommendations to degree students.

If the teacher or accessibility contact person is unable to resolve your need for individual arrangements, they can direct you to apply for a recommendation from the expert panel on individual arrangements. You can also apply for a recommendation from the expert panel if you experience problems with obtaining individual arrangements.

  • The expert panel can issue recommendations with sufficient grounds and which it considers to be in your interest.
  • For example, recommendations on independent completion methods instead of attending contact instruction are justified only when necessary for health reasons and possible from the perspective of the course learning outcomes.

Use the secure form (RedCap) to apply for a recommendation from the expert panel. Complete the application carefully and include all the necessary attachments. The expert panel does not process applications that do not contain the requested information. 

If you wish to submit an application but cannot use the form due to accessibility issues, complete this application (pdf). Submit the application with its attachments in an encrypted email to erityisjarjestelyryhma@helsinki.fi.s. For detailed instructions on how to encrypt your email, see the IT Helpdesk website.

When requesting a recommendation from the expert panel,  according to the instructions. Please send the application with attachments via email using secure email connection erityisjarjestelyryhma@helsinki.fi.s.

The next meetings of the expert panel:

  • 4 September 2025, applications must be submitted by 25 August 2025

Advice related to individual arrangements

Accessibility contact persons will advise you on questions related to both teaching and examinations: specialneeds@helsinki.fi.s. In your message, indicate your faculty or whether you are completing open university courses.

Individual support is also available for Sisu. If you are unable to use Sisu because its accessibility is deficient, please write to an accessibility contact person: specialneeds@helsinki.fi.s.

Please note that only the helsinki.fi address can be used to send a message to the address ending in s. Always use a secure email connection when communicating about individual arrangements. For detailed instructions on how to encrypt your email, see the IT Helpdesk website.

Instructions for individual arrangements related to symptoms caused by indoor air

When facing challenges related to indoor air, follow these guidelines:

  1. Report the issue through an indoor air questionnaire.
  2. If you have symptoms possibly linked with the indoor air quality of a teaching facility, contact the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS). FSHS will then set up a meeting with you and, when needed, organise, for example, a PEF monitoring in the facility in question. Examinations are primarily conducted through FSHS but you can also contact other health services. Present the medical certificate to the teacher with whom individual arrangements are to be agreed.
  3. If you have already been diagnosed through health service with symptoms occurring in teaching facilities, the primary solution is to agree on an alternative mode of completion with the teacher in charge of the course. If you cannot resolve the situation with the teacher, you may contact the campus accessibility liaison: specialneeds@helsinki.fi

If the need for individual arrangements affects the completion of your degree extensively, please contact the campus accessibility liaison (specialneeds@helsinki.fi.s) and your study track’s education coordinator.

How the University processes your data

Details pertaining to individual arrangements are secret. At the University, they are only processed by individuals who need the information to plan or carry out individual arrangements.

Read more about information security practices and the processing of students’ personal data in the University of Helsinki’s data protection statement.

Further reading