The study time for a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree is limited. The study time is counted from the semester in which you receive the study place.
Section 40 of the Universities Act stipulates the targeted length of study for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The targeted study time apply to degree students whose right to complete a degree has begun on or after 1 August 2005.
If your study time runs out and you have not completed your degree, you should first check whether you can have your study time extended before you apply for extra time.
Targeted study times
The targeted study times are the following:
- Lower university degree (bachelor’s degree): Three academic years (6 terms).
- You have the right to complete a degree during a time that is maximum one year longer than the targeted study time, that is four academic years (8 terms).
- Lower and higher university degree (bachelor’s degree and master’s degree): The combined targeted study time is five academic years (10 terms).
- The exception is our programme in psychology (five and a half academic years, 11 terms).
- You have the right to complete a degree within a time that is maximum two years longer than the targeted time, that is seven academic years (14 terms). The exception being our programme in psychology where the time is seven and a half academic years (15 terms).
- Higher university degree (master’s degree): Two academic years (4 terms).
- You have the right to complete a degree during a time that is maximum two years longer than the targeted time, that is four academic years (8 terms).
- The exception is the master’s degree in psychology (two and a half academic years, 9 terms).
You can see how long your study time duration by logging in to the study planning tool Peppi and going to your profile -> study details, where you will see your study time duration after the text “right to study”.
If you do not have access to Peppi, you can contact the student service desk for help in checking your study time duration.
What is not counted in your time to complete your degree
The following are not included in your time to complete a degree:
- Lawful absence during the first academic year after you have accepted the study place. The reasons for lawful absence is:
- Service under the Conscription Act (1438/2007), Non-Military Service Act (1446/2007), or Act on Women’s Voluntary Military Service (194/1995)
- The student needs time off his/her studies to take care of a child in regard to the child’s birth or adoption (14.1.2022/52)
- The student cannot begin studies due to being incapacitated by personal illness or injury.
- Absence during your studies due to:
- service under the Conscription Act, the Non-Military Service Act or the Act on Women’s Voluntary Military Service
- leave in connection with the birth or adoption of a child.
- If you started your studies before 1 August 2015: Other absences during a maximum of two academic years (four semesters) during which you have enrolled as absent. The absent semesters do not have to be subsequent.
- If you started your studies on or after 1 August 2015: Other absences during a maximum of one academic year (two semesters) during which you have enrolled as absent. The absent semesters do not have to be subsequent.
If you are doing your military or non-military service or are on parental leave after your first year of study, you can have your study time extended by submitting a certificate of service or leave. Here you find instructions on how to request an extension of your study time.
Annual enrollment and targeted study time
As a student, you must enroll as present or absent for each academic year. During your first academic year after accepting a study right, you can only enroll as absent due to lawful reasons. All other subsequent academic years, you can freely enroll as absent even after you have used the absent semesters not counted in the total study time that is mentioned above. If you have already used those absent semesters and enroll as absent again, your present semesters will be used for your enrollment.
If you do not enroll as present or absent for an academic year, your enrollment status is not registered. Each semester in which your enrollment status is non-registered uses of your available present semesters.
Semesters you are not enrolled as present or absent use of your available time to finish your studies.
At any time during the semester, you can change your enrollment from present to absent or from absent to present. If you make changes to your enrollment during the semester, the enrollment status for the entire semester is determined according to the enrollment status you have on the last day of the semester. If you have completed courses during the semester, you cannot change your enrollment from absent to present.
Read more about the annual enrollment.
Study time extension
According to section 41 of the Universities Act, absence from studies due to completion of service under the Conscription Act, the Non-Military Service Act or the Act on Voluntary Military Service for Women, or on leave in connection with the birth or adoption of a child is not counted in the total study time duration.
In other words, your study time can be extended if you have been absent for lawful reasons during your studies but have not yet submitted a certificate over your absence.
You can request an extension of your study time from the Student Service desk by submitting a certificate of the lawful reasons for absence. You do not need to fill in a special form.
- Submit a certificate of lawful absence to the student service desk at the same time you enroll as absent. In this way, your study time is extended by the same number of semesters that you are enrolled as absent.
- If you have not submitted a certificate at the same time as you enrolled, you can also apply for an extension of the study time later. Even if you have been enrolled as present during the time when you have been on parental leave or done military service, you are still entitled to an extension of the study time.
- Childcare leave is not a lawful reason for absence.
- Submit one of the following documents:
- Military service/Non-Military Service:
- Call up order
- Conscript card
- A free form certificate from the Finnish Defence Forces
- Care of a child:
- Kela’s certificate regarding maternity, paternity or parental allowance period or, if the certificate has not yet been received, a medical certificate regarding the pregnancy.
- Corresponding certificates from the authorities of other countries regarding statutory parental leave.
- Military service/Non-Military Service:
Request for additional study time
| If your study time runs out before you have completed your studies, and you cannot extend your study time based on lawful reasons, you can request additional study time.
Section 42 of the Universities Act states: The university grants an extension to the duration of studies on application to a student who has not finished his or her studies within the time period referred to in section 41 provided that the student presents a goal-oriented and feasible plan for completing the studies. In the plan, the student must detail the studies to be completed and the timetable for completing the degree. The duration of studies is extended if it is possible for the student, in consideration of the number and scope of completed and valid studies as well as the lacking studies and any prior decisions on extending their duration, to complete his or her studies in a reasonable period of time. When granting as extension to the duration of studies, the university shall consider the life situation of the student. |
Request for an extension of your study time only when you are motivated and have a realistic possibility to finish your studies. This means you do not need to request for an extension of your study time immediately when your study time has run out, you can wait to do the request until you are ready to complete your studies.
If you intend to continue your studies immediately the following semester after your study time has ended, request for additional study time well in advance. This means that if you want to make sure that your request for additional study time is processed in time for you to continue you studies during the fall semester, you need to submit the request no later than mid-June. If you want to make sure that your request for additional time is processed in time for the spring semester, you need to fill in the request form no later than mid-November.
You find more detailed instructions on how to request for additional study time here.
Principles for granting additional study time
Additional study time is always granted for a specific period of time that can be a minimum of one semester. The first time you request additional study time, if your request is granted, you will automatically receive 4 additional semesters of study time.
The request for additional time needs to include a plan for completing your studies. The plan must be goal-oriented and feasible for your life situation. If you need assistance with creating a study plan, contact your faculty for help.
The study plan should focus on the completion of your studies, specifying the studies you have left before you fulfill the graduation criteria and presenting a timetable for completing them.
The life situation of the student is considered when granting additional study time. Among others the following situations are considered:
- own sickness or a difficult life situation
- civic commitment during the studies
- participation in international student exchange and internships
- systematic sports training on a professional level
- possibly other especially compelling reasons
The decision is taken by the dean of the faculty.
If you are granted additional study time, you are also granted re-entry into the study register in case you do not have a valid enrollment as absent or present for the previous semester.
A potential negative decision on the request for additional study time is given in writing and with an explanatory statement. The student may request a reassessment, and instructions are included in the decision. If the decision is negative even after the reassessment, it is possible to make an appeal to the administrative court of Turku. You can also submit a new application for extension to the duration of studies.
Extra study right after graduation
Since 1 August 2022, you have the opportunity to activate an extra study right after you graduate, in order to complete study modules that you have started or courses that did not fit within your degree structure.
The extra study right is valid during the academic year that you graduate and the two following academic years. The extra study right does not entitle you to a student union membership or student benefits, nor does it entitle you to free studies at the Open University.
The extra study right after graduation is free of charge and you activate it by emailing studinfo@abo.fi, writing that you wish to activate the extra study right after graduation. Be in contact about the extra study right only after you have graduated, since the study right cannot be activated before you have graduated.