Bachelor’s theses and maturity tests

A bachelor’s degree, a first-cycle university degree, includes a 6 cr written thesis. In the thesis, you will demonstrate your academic thinking skills and communication and the ability to discuss field-specific problems. 

You may complete the thesis independently or by participating in groupwork or an extensive research project, in which case your independent contribution must be clearly demonstrable and easily assessed. Write your thesis independently. 

The thesis can be completed as pairwork by two students only if such an option is indicated in the degree programme curriculum. In such cases, the independent contribution of both students must be clearly demonstrable. Co-authored theses are assessed as independent works submitted by both students separately, and the same examiner assesses them separately. 

You should write your thesis in academic language.

The thesis template

To ensure the accessibility of the thesis file, you can use the text styles contained in the University of Helsinki template and follow the instructions provided in the template. However, make sure your faculty and degree program's thesis guidelines before using the template. When the Word file is in order for accessibility, you can also easily create an accessible PDF file.

If using the LaTeX typesetting system for your thesis file, the PDF file created will not be accessible. This is because of a current lack of code entries. Consequently, we recommend that you save in the publication repository not only a PDF file, but also the thesis source code.

See instructions on how to create accessible documents.

Abstract

The thesis includes an abstract written in the language of the thesis. In addition, if you have completed your secondary education in Finnish or Swedish, you must write an abstract in the language of your secondary education if the abstract also serves as a maturity test with which you demonstrate your proficiency in Finnish or Swedish. The instructions concerning the abstract (e.g. number of characters) vary according to the degree programme. Please check the instructions from your degree programme. 

You can use the University's abstract document (a word document). Fill in the requested information on each line and finally add your abstract. The length of the abstract is usually one page. The degree programmes or faculties may have more specific instructions, please see also the degree programme-specific instructions. Attached is also a model document as a pdf. If you wish, you can also write the abstract using other word processors, following the template.

Please make sure that your thesis is in an accessible format. See instructions on how to create accessible documents.

Thesis submission

All Bachelor's theses are assessed in the new E-thesis information system starting from the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year. 

Before submitting your thesis, register in Sisu for both

• the course implementation of the Bachelor's thesis and
• the course implementation of the maturity test.

Please note that registering for the thesis seminar is not enough; you must register for the implementations mentioned above when submitting your thesis. 

If you have registered for more than one implementation, select the registration for the current academic year. This is important so that the performance information is recorded correctly in Sisu. 

After registering, you can submit the final version of your Bachelor's thesis to the new E-thesis and your thesis will be assessed. After submission, you will no longer be able to make changes or corrections to your thesis. You will receive confirmation of successful submission by email and you can follow the progress of the assessment in the system.

Also read the instructions for using the new E-thesis.

Assessment

The thesis is assessed on a scale of 0–5. More detailed instructions for grading a Bachelor’s thesis are provided in the curricula of your degree programme. The grade awarded for the thesis is taken into account when calculating the overall grade for intermediate studies. 

The date when you submit your thesis for assessment shall be recorded as the completion date of the thesis. If the thesis is the only uncompleted component of your studies, you can submit a graduation request in Sisu on the same date.

If you are dissatisfied with the grading of the thesis, you can submit an oral or written appeal to the teacher in charge of the assessment. Read more on the page Protection of students' rights and review procedures.

The maturity test is mostly completed as an Examinarium examination. However, it can be decided in degree programme curricula that the maturity test is an academic text related to the topic of the thesis, such as the thesis abstract. The maturity test is undertaken after the completion of first-language studies or equivalent studies.

The maturity test demonstrates your familiarity with the topic of the thesis and your proficiency in Finnish or Swedish.

If you have completed your basic or secondary education in Finnish or Swedish you must write the maturity test in the language of your basic or secondary education. Basic or secondary education and the maturity test together provide the ‘excellent ability’ in this language referred to in section 6, subsection 1 of the Act on language proficiency (424/2003).

If you have completed your basic or secondary education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish or have been educated abroad you may complete your maturity test in English, Finnish or Swedish or in the language in which you wrote their bachelor’s thesis. In this case, however, your degree certificate will not indicate that you have ‘excellent ability’ in Finnish or Swedish. Instead, you must obtain, when necessary, a certificate of your excellent Finnish or Swedish language skills by another method. Further information on alternative methods is available on the website of the Finnish National Agency for Education (National Certificates of Language Proficiency).

Maturity tests are graded on a pass–fail basis. The person marking and approving a maturity test is usually a teacher in the degree programme (e.g., your thesis supervisor). The person approving a maturity test must be proficient in the language of the test.

A maturity test is an independent study attainment, but it is recorded in Sisu as having a scope of 0 credits.

The maturity test is an independent study attainment which, however, does not yield credits and is graded on a pass–fail basis. A teacher in the relevant degree programme, for example the thesis supervisor, approves the maturity test, provided that they are proficient in the language in which the test is written. 

Please note that the use of artificial intelligence in maturity tests is never allowed. Read more on the page Using AI to support learning.

Thesis 

The Bachelor's degree in Science includes writing a bachelor's thesis, the scope of which is 6 cr.

The thesis is a literature review in nature, but may also include data analysis, modeling, or experimental work. The thesis must be written in English and it is graded on a scale of 0-5/5 according to the assessment criteria. Specific guidelines regarding each study track can be found in the paragraph below.

You might use the following templates Word and LaTeX-templates for the thesis (zip). Tip, load the LaTeX file to a new project in Overleaf (https://www.overleaf.com/).

Bachelor's Theses from August 1, 2026: 

Bachelor’s theses will be submitted and assessed in the E-thesis system. In order to submit your thesis for assessment in the E-thesis system, you must register in Sisu for the thesis (BScH4006, BSCS4006, BSMS4006 or BSPH4006) and maturity test implementation (BS4007). After this, you can submit the final version of your bachelor's thesis to E-thesis.

When you save your thesis in E-thesis, it will enter the thesis evaluation process. After that, no changes or corrections can be made to the thesis. You will receive a confirmation of successful submission via email, and you can track the progress of the evaluation in the system.

Bachelor’s theses will be automatically archived in the university's electronic publication archive (Helda). You can specify the level of publicity for the thesis when submitting your thesis.  

The user instructions for E-thesis.

Seminar BS4005

Alongside writing the bachelor's thesis, students must complete the thesis seminar, BS4005 (4 cr). It is recommended that students take the course just before starting the writing of their thesis or at the beginning of it. The compulsory lectures are in 1 period and presentation either in period 2 or 4. 

Information about what is done on the course can be found on the course page of the seminar. 

Maturity test BS4007 

The maturity test related to the Bachelor’s thesis will be conducted in an examination format in Examinarium. Your thesis examiner will create a personal exam for you in the Examinarium. Maturity test is written in the language of student's secondary education (Finnish, Swedish or if other then in English). For more information on the language of you secondary education, please see "What is my language of secondary education?". 

Maturity test from August 1, 2026 

After August 1, 2026, thesis abstracts will no longer be accepted as maturity tests on Physics and Mathematics and Statistics study tracks. 

Keep in mind that guidelines for Bachelor's Thesis writing vary depending on the study track. Specific instructions for your study track can be found below.

Chemistry study track

You need to contact the relevant professors and/or researchers in the Department of Chemistry about research topics you have in mind or to discuss what is possible. If the student doesn’t have a clear idea of which research team to contact, contacting the academic mentor or the study track responsible may be helpful.

Students are advised to start working on their thesis when the compulsory intermediate courses in Chemistry (study module BSCH2000) are completed. If one or two courses are lacking, the start to work on the thesis may be discussed. In addition, it is strongly recommended to take Research Project (BSCH2009), for which students must have completed all the laboratory work courses. 

Assessment criteria for Chemistry study track (pdf)

More detailed info about Bachelor's and Master's thesis in the Department of Chemistry can be found in this guide for Bachelor's Thesis writing in Chemistry. 

Computer and Data Science study track

In the Computer and Data Science study track, the thesis is completed in a course form, and the course is offered both during Autumn and Spring terms. The thesis can be written as pair work. The information of the course content will be given at the beginning of the course. 

Course enrolment for the course is done by registering during the previous semester. You register for the autumn course in April and for the spring course in November. Please, check the exact dates and prerequisites carefully from the CS&DS thesis course unit page.

Assessment criteria for Computer and Data Science study track (pdf)

 Physics study track

A typical thesis in the physics study track is either based on literature review, a small piece of software, an analysis of existing experimental or theoretical data, or an application of an existing model to a new situation. To have a better idea of topics and supervisors in the Physics Department, students are invited to check the list of accepted BSc thesis in the Bachelor's Programme in Physical Sciences. 

There are no formal requirements to start writing the BSc thesis in the physics track, as this is done under the guidance of the thesis supervisor.

Assessment criteria for Physics study track (pdf)

Mathematics and Statistics study track

In order to get a topic for their thesis, students from the Mathematics and Statistics study track should approach one of the professors and/or researchers from an area of study they are interested in. A list of possible supervisors by field can be found at the thesis guidelines for the Bachelor’s Programme in Mathematical Sciences in the Instructions for Students. 

If the thesis is in mathematics, there are no formal requirements to start writing the BSc thesis. However, if the thesis is in statistics, students should have completed all courses related to this field offered in the bachelor’s before starting to write the thesis. If some course is missing, it is recommended to contact the thesis supervisor about it.

Assessment criteria for Mathematics and Statistics study track (pdf)

The maturity test is a separate degree requirement that does not yield credits. It is done after the thesis is completed. The maturity test demonstrates students’ command of their thesis's field and language proficiency. 

The language of the maturity test depends on the language of secondary education. If a student has received their secondary education in Finnish/Swedish, they write the maturity test in Finnish/Swedish. If a student has received their secondary education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, they write the maturity test in English.

The maturity test is graded as passed/failed.

 Learn more about the maturity test form above.

Starting 1.8.2026 the maturity test must be a literary work done under supervision on all study tracks. This literary work can be, for example, a short essay on a specific topic covered in the thesis or bachelor’s trainee ship. The student has two hours to write the essay.
The maturity test can be done either in the examinarium room as a personal exam or under personal supervision by the supervisor. The format of the maturity test is decided between the student and their thesis supervisor.

Public access to theses

Bachelor’s theses included in first-cycle (bachelor’s) degrees are public documents. Their public access is based on the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999). This means that the University must grant access to theses to anyone upon request.

The abstract is also always made available to the public.

Secret material and theses

A thesis submitted for assessment must not include any confidential information, as they are made available to the public immediately following assessment and approval. You must include any such information in the background material, which is not appended to the assessed thesis.

The Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999) contains provisions on secret official documents. Secret information includes information on private business or commercial activities or a private individual’s health, assets, political convictions or family life.

You cannot either include secret material in thesis appendices or abstracts. The thesis supervisor can gain access to secret background material but must ensure that such material is excluded from the thesis itself. 

Publication of theses

The University of Helsinki recommends the open publication of theses. 

If your degree programme uses the E-thesis system, the abstracts of bachelor’s theses are always published in the University’s open Helda repository. If you permit the publication of your entire thesis, it will be published in Helda, where it will be available to the general public. Search engines will display resources contained in the publication repository prominently in search results. If you do not permit the publication of your thesis, it will be available for viewing only on the library terminals of Helsinki University Library.

You must use the E-thesis system to accept or reject the publication of your thesis. When submitting your thesis for assessment you must accept or reject its publication.