Master’s student: Information on completion of theses and the graduation in summer 2024
Dear students,
On 17 April 2024, the Board of the University of Helsinki decided on a change in the Regulations on Degrees and the Protection of Students’ Rights to the procedure concerning the approval of master’s theses. The decision will also result in changes to the thesis submission schedules and the registration of completion dates.
As of 1 August 2024, the approval and grade of the master's thesis will be decided by the Dean of the relevant faculty and the date of completion of the thesis will be registered as the date of its submission. The date of completion of theses returned between 15 May and 18 June 2024 is registered as 18 June 2024. As of 19 June 2024, the completion date is registered as the date of the submission of the thesis.
NOTE: The changes to the thesis submission timetable for the spring semester 2024 do not apply to the International Masters in Economy, State and Society (IMESS) programme. The final deadline for IMESS students to submit their Master's theses for the academic year 2023-2024 is the previously scheduled 14 May 2024.
1) If you submit your master’s thesis for assessment by 14 May 2024, the date of completion of the thesis will be registered as the end date of the Faculty Council, 25 June 2024. If your master’s thesis is the final credit of your degree, you can submit a graduation request once your thesis has been registered. Please note that during the peak period at the end of the academic year in May and June, the processing time for graduation requests is longer than normal, and July is a holiday month. Graduation requests submitted after mid-June and in July are likely to be processed only in August.
2) A submission date of 18 June 2024 has been added for master's theses. Master's theses submitted for review between 15 May and 18 June 2024 will be evaluated in mid-September, and the completion date will be registered as 18 June 2024. If you wish to graduate during the current academic year 2023–2024, please submit your graduation request by 31 July 2024, via the degree program code. Graduation requests will be processed only after the master's thesis has been approved in September. The graduation date will be the date when you have applied for graduation.
3) Master's theses submitted between 19 June and 31 July 2024 will be evaluated in October 2024. If you want to graduate during the current academic year 2023–2024, you must submit your thesis to the E-thesis system by 31 July 2024, and submit a graduation request via the degree program code no later than 31 July 2024. The graduation request will be processed only after the thesis has been approved, meaning that you will receive your certificate at the earliest in October 2024.
Tuition-fee liable students seeking the right to graduate in the following term and paying only the HYY fee
If you submit your thesis before 18 June, you do not need to apply for the right to register as attending to graduate in the autumn term by paying only the HYY fee. If you have already been granted the right, you can still choose to submit the thesis by 18 June, 2024.
If you are granted the right to register as attending to graduate in the autumn term by paying only the HYY fee, you need to have finished your coursework and you need to submit your thesis in the e-thesis system by 31 July 2024. You can submit your graduation request in the fall once your thesis has been approved. The thesis completion date will be registered as the date of submission. The graduation date will be the date you apply for graduation.
However, because of the described change, you can also choose to finish your studies and apply for graduation by July 31 using the degree program code and thus graduate in the 2023–24 academic year. If you do this, you do not have to seek the right to graduate in the autumn term.
Please consider this schedule when planning your graduation. We do not write temporary certificates or statements on graduation requests submitted for evaluation. Please note that your supervisor is not obliged to provide guidance in the summer. Hence, make sure to get permission from your supervisor to submit your thesis in due time.
The schedule for processing master’s theses during the autumn term will be updated to the Students’ instructions later.
Good luck with finishing your thesis!