To study at the university, you must have a right to study. This may be either the right to compete a degree or the right to complete studies which do not lead to a degree. A right to study must always be applied for separately.
The right to complete a degree (e.g., a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) is granted for a specific degree programme and a specific degree title (e.g., the right to complete a Master of Arts degree in the Master’s Programme in European and Nordic Studies). Applications for the right to complete a degree must be submitted through the Studyinfo service.
Each student that has been admitted to a Bachelor’s degree programme also has the right to study for a Master’s degree. Exceptions to this are the students admitted to the kindergarten teacher study track in the Bachelor’s degree programme in Educational Sciences and some of the students admitted to the pharmacist degree programme. The students in the Bachelor’s degree programme in Swedish, Kandidatprogram i samhällsvetenskaper, are subject to their own special rules.
Students admitted to a bachelor’s programme, who have been granted the right to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, are required to first complete a first-cycle degree according to the bachelor’s degree programme requirements before completing a second-cycle degree. This requirement also applies to students who have completed or would complete a first-cycle degree or another equivalent degree in another degree programme of the University or another higher education institution.
Consequently, direct transfer to a master's degree is not possible, even if the student has already completed a bachelor's degree elsewhere. The right to study for a master's degree only must be applied for in the student admissions process for master's programmes. This guideline applies to the right to complete a degree starting on or after 1 August 2020. With regard to the degree programmes coordinated by the Faculty of Pharmacy, this guideline applies to the right to complete a degree starting on or after 1 August 2023.
The following restrictions apply to concurrent rights to complete studies leading to a degree at the University of Helsinki:
The Universities Act has been amended so that, starting from the beginning of the 2027–2028 academic year, an existing right to study terminates if students accept a new right to study leading to a higher education degree. However, this restriction does not apply to postgraduate research degrees. Furthermore, if students accept a new right to study leading only to a first-cycle university degree or an university of applied sciences degree, their right to study leading only to a second-cycle university degree or a second-cycle university of applied sciences degree remains valid.
The duration of studies for a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree is restricted. The remaining duration of your studies is indicated in Sisu. For more information on the normal duration of studies, please see the instructions on The normative duration of studies for degrees and How to apply for an extension to study right.
Studies not leading to a degree include the right to complete non-degree studies, cross-institutional studies (studies at another higher education institution in Finland), and exchange studies (studies abroad).
The right to complete non-degree studies can only be granted for studies that are not offered as open university education. A student may hold several simultaneous rights to complete non-degree studies. The right is granted for two years at a time.
Students at the University of Helsinki can complete cross-institutional studies at other universities or universities of applied sciences in Finland within the cross-institutional networks of their own degree programme. Correspondingly, degree students from other higher education institutions can complete studies at the University of Helsinki within the cross-institutional networks.
More about cross-institutional studies
The right to study exchange studies means a fixed-term right to study at a foreign university. Correspondingly, a student at a foreign university may have a fixed-term right to study at the University of Helsinki.
You cannot permanently lose a right to complete a degree at the University of Helsinki, even if you have failed to register for the academic year (not registered for attendance or non-attendance) or if the time allocated for completing the degree has ended.
If students would like to continue their studies, they must
You can lose your right to complete a degree at the University of Helsinki permanently only by waiving it voluntarily (see instructions on how to forfeit the right to pursue a degree) or by graduating.
Exceptionally, the right to complete a degree may be revoked in the case of SORA degrees which involve requirements related to health and functional capacity with regard to the safety of minors, patients or clients apply.