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Target Groups: Student

Normative duration of studies

This page explains how the duration of your studies is determined and what affects it. The time limits described below apply to you if you are studying a Bachelor’s of a Master’s degree and your study right started on or after 1 August 2005. If your study right was granted before 1 August 2005, your study time is not limited. 

You can check the start and end dates of your study right in Peppi.

 

Normative duration and maximum study time

Your maximum study time consists of the normative duration of your degree plus additional time. The table below shows the times for each degree. The academic year starts on 1.8. and end on 31.7. and is divided in two terms.

Degree Normative duration Additional time Maximum total
Bachelor’s degree 3 years + 1 year 4 years
Master’s degree 2 years + 2 years 4 years
Master of Psychology 2.5 years + 2 years 4.5 years
Bachelor’s + Master’s degree combination 5 years + 2 years 7 years
Psychology (Bachelor’s + Master’s) 5.5 years + 2 years 7.5 years
Bachelor and Licentiate of Medicine 6 years + 2 years 8 years
Bachelor and Licentiate of Dentistry 5.5 years + 2 years 7.5 years

If you are studying for a Bachelor’s degree, you have the right to complete the degree in a time exceeding the normative duration of study by a maximum of one year (3 + 1 years).

If you are studying for a Master’s degree, you have the right to complete the degree in a time exceeding the normative duration of study by a maximum of two years (2 + 2 years).

If you are studying study right combination (Bachelor’s and Master’s degree), you have the right to complete the degree in a time exceeding the normative duration of study by a maximum of two years (5 + 2 years.

Exceptions to these rules occur, if you are studying psychology, medicine or dentistry.

What counts as study time?

Your study time is shown in Peppi and is updated based on your registration information.

The following are counted in your study time:

  • terms during which you are registered as present (i.e. you are studying normally)
  • other absence (not for statutory reasons) that exceeds two academic terms
  • terms during which you have not registered at all (failure to fulfil the registration obligation)
  • any terms during an extended study right – including absence for statutory reasons (absence for statutory reasons does not extend your study right further once you are on extended time)

The following are not counted in your study time:

  • statutory absence on legal grounds (see below)
  • other absence of no more than two academic terms, provided you have registered as absent (four academic terms, if your study right started before 1 August 2015).

Statutory absence

Under the Universities Act (Section 41), the following absences are not counted towards your study time:
  • service under the Conscription Act, the Non-Military Service Act or the Women’s Voluntary Military Service Act
  • maternity, paternity or parental leave due to a child’s birth or adoption

To have a statutory absence saved in the student register, submit the relevant document to the Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service.

Please note: During your first year of studies, you can register as absent only on legal grounds.

Read more about statutory absence.

Other absence

If you register as absent for other reasons, up to two academic terms of this absence will not be counted towards your study time. Any other absence beyond two terms will be counted towards your study time.

“Other absence” means any absence that is not based on statutory reasons as described above.

Further information

Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service

Extension to study right – how to apply for an extension

On this page you can find information on applying for an extension to your right to study. You can find further information on the grounds for granting an extension to the right to study as well as the duration of the extension in the Academic Rector’s decision Normative duration of studies and extension to the right to study located at the bottom of this page. Please read the decision before you apply for an extension.

Applying for an extension to the right to study

Apply for an extension to your right to study when your right to study is about to expire.

If your right to study is about to end on 31 July, apply for the extension by 31 May. If your right to study is about to end on 31 December, apply for the extension by 31 October. This is so that the faculty has time to make a decision on the application before the study right ends. This ensures that there will be no gap in your right to study, and your UEF user account will stay in use.

Only apply for the extension to your right to study when you truly have the ability and intention to study and complete your degree. In some situations it is not necessary to apply for the extension to your right to study when it is about to expire. If you apply for the extension after your right to study has already expired or the extension is granted to you after the registration period has already ended, you must also apply for your study right to be reinstated.

Applying for an extension to the right to study is subject to a fee, and the fee is 50 euros (VNA 1082/2009 4.1 §). The handling fee is collected for applications arriving on 1 January 2025 or thereafter. Paying the fee is a prerequisite for handling the application and making a decision on the application. The fee applies to applications relating to rights to study leading to a degree (bachelor’s, master’s, licentiate of medicine, licentiate of dentistry). The fee does not apply to other applications for an extension to a right to study (e.g., specialist training, separate teacher training competency studies). When collecting the fee, for students who have a right to study to both a first-cycle degree and a second-cycle degree, the combination of the two degree rights to study are viewed as one. If a student applies to have their right to study reinstated at the same time as they apply for an extension to their right to study, only one handling fee will be collected (50 euros). If you apply for an extension to your right to study on 1 January 2025 or thereafter, pay the fee (50 euros) through the payment service (opens in a new tab), and attach the receipt you receive from the payment service by email to the application. Please note! Payments are not refunded. The university will only issue a refund if the application was submitted and the payment paid due to reasons attributable to the university.

If your UEF account works, apply for the extension to your right to study with an electronic application form in the UEF E-services (opens in a new tab) (requires logging in with a UEF user account). The application is transferred electronically to the faculty officer who, after having prepared the application, forwards it to the Dean who makes the decision on granting the extension. You can keep track of the progress of your application in the tracking service (opens in a new tab) (requires logging in with a UEF user account). You can receive the decision by email. The completed decisions are archived electronically.

If your UEF account does not work or you are unable to log into the E-services (for example, your study right has already ended), print out the form “Extension to the study right” from Kamu’s forms page. Download and fill out the form and return it to the person who handles extension applications in your faculty (listed below) either by mail or as an email attachment.

You can also apply for an extension to your right to study with a mobile device or outside the university campus.

Appendices

Attach to your application:

  1. Updated, scheduled and approved Personal Study Plan (PSP). The PSP must aim at completing the degree, be approved by the study coordinator and clearly indicate the courses to be completed and the intended schedule for completing them within the applied extension, i.e., what semester will the studies be completed.
  2. A short statement from the thesis supervisor on the topic and progress of the Master’s thesis, how much work remains and the estimated time of completing the thesis, provided that the student has started working on the thesis. If your study right covers only Bachelor’s degree (Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Early Childhood Teacher Education, Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy, or an international Bachelor’s degree programme) and have started working your Bachelor’s thesis, you will need the statement on your Bachelor’s thesis. If necessary, you may also be asked to provide a statement from the supervisor of your bachelor’s thesis in other cases as well.
  3. An explanation on the reasons that have delayed the study progress (write these on the form). If necessary, you may attach a separate document. NOTE! Do not attach medical certificates as appendices. We will ask for them separately, if needed.
  4. If you have been granted an extension before, an account of your study progress with the previous extension.
  5. A receipt you receive from the payment service for the paid application handling fee. The application will not be handled without the receipt.

Reinstating study right after granting an extension

If your right to study has already expired before you are granted an extension, you must also apply for having your study right reinstated. A handling fee will be collected when reinstating the study right. If the student applies to have their right to study reinstated and applies for an extension to the same right to study at the same time, they only need to pay the application handling fee (50 euros) once.

If your right to study was active during the semester preceding the extension, and you register for the coming semester within the registration period, you do not need to apply for reinstating your right to study. You do not need to apply for reinstating your study right, if, for example:

  • your right to study expired on 31 July, you had registered for the study right as being present or absent for the spring semester, and after you receive an extension to your right to study, you register for the autumn semester by 15 September, or
  • your right to study expired on 31 December, you had registered for the study right as being present or absent for the autumn semester, and after you receive an extension to your right to study, you register for the spring semester by 15 January.

Length of the extension

The extension will be granted in academic semesters. The extension will be granted for a minimum of one and a maximum of four academic semesters at a time. Should the approved graduation plan span more than four academic semesters, the extension will nevertheless be granted for a maximum of four academic semesters. The student will need to make a new extension application for the remaining semesters.

If the right to study has been extended, the duration of the right to study will continue to lapse even if the student registers as being absent. This includes statutory reasons for registering as being absent.

Guidance and support for studying

The university provides guidance and training to support your studies, e.g.:

The following people provide information on extending the right to study and handle the extension applications – you can ask them for advice:

Philosophical Faculty 
Riikka Myllys, Academic Affairs Specialist
Joensuu campus, Futura

Satu Kouki, Head of Academic Affairs
Joensuu campus, Borealis

Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology
Helka Äyräväinen, Academic Affairs Specialist
Kuopio campus, Melania

Maarit Merimaa-Piirainen, Head of Academic Affairs
Kuopio campus, Snellmania

Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Anne Korhonen, Academic Affairs Specialist
Joensuu campus, Aurora

Heli Kemppainen, Academic Affairs Specialist
Kuopio campus, Snellmania

Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy
Päivi Hartikainen, Academic Affairs Specialist
Kuopio campus, Canthia

Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry
Leena Lampinen, Academic Affairs Specialist
Kuopio campus, Canthia

Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine
Timo Kemppainen, Head of Academic and Student Affairs
Kuopio campus, Medistudia

Faculty of Health Sciences, other programmes
Susanna Järvelin-Pasanen, Head of Academic Affairs
Kuopio campus, Medistudia

Contact information in UEF Connect.

Appeal

Appealing a decision concerning the forfeiture of the right to study is enacted under Section 82(2) of the Universities Act and Section 43 of the Education Regulations of the University of Eastern Finland.

Academic Rector’s decision 57/2024 Normative duration of studies and extension to the right to study

Studies after graduation at the University of Eastern Finland – alumni study right

If you have graduated from the University of Eastern Finland, you can complement your studies after graduation with the alumni study right. The alumni study right is free of charge, and you can activate it as soon as your graduation is saved in Peppi.

Who is the alumni study right for?

You can apply for the alumni study right if you have completed one of the following degrees at UEF:

  • a Master’s degree on 1 August 2019 or thereafter.
  • a Bachelor’s degree that does not grant the right to complete a Master’s degree on 1 August 2019 or thereafter. These programmes are for example:
    • Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy (farmaseutin koulutusohjelma, programme in Finnish)
    • Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Early Childhood Teacher Education (varhaiskasvatuksen opettajan kandidaattikoulutus, programme in Finnish)
    • Other Bachelor’s Degree Programmes
  • a postgraduate degree (licentiate or doctoral degree) on 1 January 2020 or thereafter.

The alumni study right is defined in the Education Regulations (15 §).

The alumni study right only applies to graduated degree students. It does not apply to students who are studying or have studied with a non-degree study right.

What can you study when you have an alumni study right?

With the alumni study right, you can:

  • complete minor subject studies that are freely available to all studets
  • minor subject studies for which you received the right to study during your degree studies.

Check the list of minor subjects at the university. Any restrictions on participation are specified in the curricula.

You are entitled to receive an official transcript of academic records for the studies you have completed. If your studies form a study module, request that they be compiled and assessed. If you have completed a subject teacher study module (intermediate or advanced studies), request a separate certificate. For more information, contact your faculty’s contact person.

How long is the alumni study right valid?

The alumni study right is a non-degree study right.

You can activate it once your degree is completed and your graduation is recorded in Peppi. The alumni study right is free of charge and is valid until the end of the academic year in which you complete your degree plus the following two academic years – a maximum of three academic years in total. The study right always ends two years after the last day of the academic year in which you graduated.

Example: If you have graduated at any point during the 2024–2025 academic year (1 August 2024 – 31 July 2025), your alumni study right would be valid until 31 July 2027.

You cannot apply for an extension to the alumni study right.

How to apply for the alumni study right?

If you are unable to fill the electronic form, please contact the Student and Learning Services’ customer services (contact information at the bottom of this page).

Annual registration

You do not need to register annually. Your attendance will be marked automatically for the full duration of your alumni study right.

UEF user account and access rights

You will have the same UEF account and access rights to IT systems as you had as a degree student. These access rights remain valid for the full duration of your alumni study right.

Student union membership and student benefits

You may join the student union if you wish – membership is voluntary.

Please note that with the alumni study right, you are not entitled to the following:

More information about the benefits of the student union membership.

If you wish to join the student union, you can request payment instructions from Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service when you activate your alumni study right or at a later time.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for recognition of prior learning with the alumni study right?

This depends on the studies and the nature of the recognition:

  • Inclusion: In most cases recognition of prior learning by inclusion is not possible.
  • Substitution: This is assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on the content of the studies.

Can I go on a student exchange or complete an international traineeship?

You cannot apply for a student exchange or an international traineeship with the alumni study right. UEF’s exchange programmes, networks, and bilateral agreements are available only to degree students.

Can I complete cross-institutional studies (courses organised by another higher education institution)?

In many cases yes, but there may be restrictions in the curriculum or in the cross-institutional studies agreement. Check with your subject coordinator or amanuensis.

Can I hold both a degree study right and an alumni study right at the same time?

As a rule, no, but exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.

A course has a limited number of participants and quotas for different student groups. Will I be accepted?

Check the participation limitations and quotas in the course curriculum.

Can I take courses in my former main subject, optional or not optional?

If the course has a limited number of participants, you can take it if there is still space available on the course.

What language courses can I take?

At the Language Centre, you can take:

  • optional language courses
  • courses that are part of the Finnish as a Second Language minor subject module.

You cannot take courses that are part of a degree programme, as they are not included in any minor subject module. You also cannot take courses offered through the KiVANET network with the alumni study right.

Further information:

For more information about the studies available to you, contact your study coordinator (HOPS advisor) or the following faculty contacts:

Philosophical Faculty: Riikka Myllys
Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology: Maarit Merimaa-Piirainen
Faculty of Health Sciences: Susanna Järvelin-Pasanen
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies: Annikki Honkanen and Anne Korhonen
Language Centre: Lauri Tolkki and Satu Karhapää-Puhakka

You can find the contact information in UEF Connect.

Applying for the study right and registration: For more information, contact Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service:

Language and communication studies

UEF Language Centre offers language and communication studies for undergraduate, postgraduate, and international exchange students as well as staff members. In Language Centre courses, you will learn versatile skills and knowledge that you will need during your studies and in working life. You will also gain tools to develop your skills further in the future.

For degree students (Bachelor, Master, and PhD), we offer courses in English and Finnish. Degree students register for courses in Peppi through their personal study plan. For course catalogue and registration, see Peppi.

In addition to courses forming part of degrees, Language Centre arranges optional language courses. See further details in Peppi.

Furthermore, there are language courses taught in English available through KiVANET, a joint project of Finnish universities. For course catalogue and registration, see Language Centre study community.

Exchange students
Finnish 1A is open for exchange students. International exchange students can also participate in other Finnish courses if there is room in the group. In addition to Finnish courses, we also offer other courses for exchange students, for example Chinese courses. See further details in Peppi and in Language Centre study community.

Bachelor’s programmes
International students studying in Bachelor’s degree programmes taught in English study both Finnish and English courses according to their personal study plan. Please see Language Centre study community for further details.

Master’s programmes
In general, Finnish language studies are required for international Master’s degree programmes (new curriculum 2022–2025).
We also offer English academic communication courses that are specific to certain programmes or Schools and some of which are a mandatory part of the degree.
Our selection of optional courses also includes courses especially aimed at Master’s students.
Please see your personal study plan in Peppi, study guide or Language Centre study community for further details.

Doctoral School
In addition to Finnish studies, PhD students can take courses in English and communication. See further information in Language Centre study community.

Staff
In addition to Finnish courses, the Language Centre arranges language and communication courses for staff members. Course catalogue and registration for staff members in Kongressi.

More information in the Language Centre Study Community

Renouncement of right to study

You may give up your right to study by submitting the form Renouncement of right to study (docx) on Kamu’s page of Forms. Download, fill in, print and sign the form. Return the form personally, by post or as an attachment to email to Student and Learning Services (contact information in Support channels for Students).

NOTE! The form cannot be accepted unless it has been officially signed. You must print and sign the form.

The renouncement of the right to study is binding. After the renouncement, the student can no longer complete studies and the only way to regain the right to study is by applying for admission through the normal student admission procedure.

If you are an Open University student, contact [email protected] about renouncing your right to study.

Reinstating your study right

Why would you need to apply for reinstating your study right?

You need to apply to reinstating your study right (Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctoral student) if you have lost it for one of the following reasons:

  • you did not register as present or absent during the registration period
  • you are a first-year student, you registered as absent, but you did not submit documents proving your statutory for absence by the deadline
  • you are required to pay a tuition fee, but you did not pay it by the deadline

If more than a year has passed since your last registration

If more than a year has passed since your last registration (present/absent), Student and Learning Services will consult your faculty before reinstating your study right. In this situation, you must also update your personal study plan. Update your plan with your study coordinator (HOPS guidance) before you apply. You can find contact details in UEF Connect (opens in a new tab).

If your study right has ended (extension required before reinstatement)

If your study right has ended, you must first apply for an extension to your study right. Apply to reinstate your study right only after the extension has been granted.

When you do not need to apply for reinstatement (in connection with an extension)

Please note: If your study right was active in the previous semester and you registered correctly as present or absent for that semester, you only need to apply for reinstatement if you do not register for the following semester within the registration period. For example:

  • If your study right ended on 31 July, you are granted an extension, and you register for the autumn semester within the registration period by 15 September, you do not need to apply for reinstatement.
  • If your study right ended on 31 December, you are granted an extension, and you register for the spring semester within the registration period by 15 January, you do not need to apply for reinstatement.

How to apply (step by step)

  • Pay the handling fee (€50). Payment instructions are provided on the application form
  • Complete the online application form and attach the receipt
  • When applying, use the same form to register as present or absent.

Handling fee

  • The handling fee is €50.
  • If you apply at the same time for both reinstating your study right and an extension to your study right, you will be charged only one handling fee (€50). See the form for details.
  • The handling fee is set out in the Government Decree on Fees for University Services 1082/2009.

Please note: Payments are not refunded. The University will issue a refund only if the application and payment were made due to reasons attributable to the University.

Registration and the student union membership fee

  • If you register as present as a Bachelor’s or Master’s student, you must also pay the student union membership fee. Payment details are on the form.
  • For doctoral students, the student union membership fee is optional and the amount differs from the Bachelor’s/Master’s fee. If you are a doctoral student and wish to pay the fee, please contact Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service (contact details at the bottom of the page).

Changing your registration (present/absent)

Please note: If you are registered as absent and you want to change your registration to present, you do not need to apply for reinstatement. Please check Peppi for your attendance data before you apply for reinstatement. You only need to apply for reinstatement if you have not registered at all during the registration period, not as present or absent. If you wish to change your registration from absent to present, contact Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service (contact details below).

  • You can change your registration from present to absent only during the registration periods.
  • You cannot change the registration status of a semester that has already ended.

Registration is per study right (Peppi)

Please note: You must register as present or absent for each active study right in the Oili registration service during the registration period. If you register for all your active rights to study, you will not lose your study rightand will not need to apply for reinstatement.

Reinstating several rights to study with one application

You can reinstate several rights to study at the same time with one application and one handling fee payment. You do not need to pay separately for each study right if they are reinstated at the same time.

On the application form, specify:

  • which rights to study you want to reinstate, and
  • whether you are registering as present or absent for each study right

Instructions for annual registration

You can find the instructions for annual registration in Kamu.

Application form: reinstating your study right

Apply using the online application form for reinstating your study right (opens in a new tab). You do not need to log in with your UEF username and password to complete the form.

The form does not transfer information directly to Peppi. A staff member from Student and Learning Services will process your application. You will receive a confirmation by email once your study right has been reinstated. Your UEF user account usually starts working within one day after the confirmation email has been sent.

If you cannot use the online form, contact Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service. If necessary, they can provide a paper form.

More information on reinstating your study right and registration in general:

Open university

All the Finnish universities organize open university courses. Open universities are a part of the Finnish adult education system and they offer every adult an opportunity to participate in education, which follows the curricula of the Universities. Each open university provides teaching on its own and in cooperation with such educational institutions as adult education centres, folk high schools, community colleges and summer universities. Every year, over 70,000 people studies at the Finnish open universities – almost 12,000 of them at the UEF Open University.

Open university education is part of the University of Eastern Finland’s continuous learning package.

Minor subject studies in the UEF

In our university, the main principle of minor subject studies is that the studies are offered to the student across faculty borders. However, there are restrictions to admittance, proficiency tests or entrance examinations in some subjects or study programmes that apply to students. These include studies in languages, psychology, medicine, pharmacy, teacher training (including the pedagogical studies for teachers), social work, nursing science and nutrition.

In addition to minor subjects, Study units in career planning, job seeking and the Finnish working life (5 ECTS) are open to all UEF Master’s and Bachelor’s degree students and those with the alumni study right. The self-study courses in English are also open to students in the UEF Open University.

You can find detailed information on minor subjects in Peppi.

Minor subjects may also be studied in other Finnish universities as so-called cross-institutional studies.

Minor subjects offered in the University of Eastern Finland

Language Centre:

Minor Subject in Finnish as a Second Language (25 ECTS), Language Centre

Philosophical Faculty:

Basic Studies in Gender Studies (25 ECTS), School of Humanities

Basic Studies in Special Education (25 ECTS), School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Lifelong learning and sustainable development (25 ECTS), School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Professional Intercultural Competence – Theory and Practice, 25 ECTS, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education

Teaching Foreign Languages to Young Learners, 25 ECTS, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education (see restrictions to admittance in Peppi). Studies are included in Master’s Degree Programme in Early Language Education for Intercultural Communication. Application for Finnish teacher students. Exchange students can attend single courses without application if there are vacancies in the groups.

Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology

Basic Studies in Statistics (International Students) (25 ECTS), School of Computing

Computer Science, Basic Studies (International Students) (25 ECTS), School of Computing

Data Science, Basic Studies (International Students) (25 ECTS), School of Computing

Minor in Sustainable Forestry (25-30 ECTS), School of Forest Sciences

Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies:

Basic Studies in Food Law and Policy (25 ECTS), UEF Law School

Basic Studies in International Law (25 ECTS), UEF Law School

Basic Studies in Social Sciences (25 ECTS), department of Social Sciences

Basic and Subject Studies for Sustainable Future (25 + 35 ECTS), Department of Geographical and Historical Studies

Borders, Finland and Russia (BEAR) (25 ECTS), Department of Geographical and Historical Studies

International Study Programme in Law (25 ECTS), UEF Law School

Sustainable Business and Society, Minor (25 ECTS), UEF Business School

Entrepreneurship Studies, Minor (25 ECTS), UEF Business School

Other minor subjects available to all UEF students

There are also free minor subject studies provided by cooperation networks that are available to all UEF students. These studies are especially well suited to Bachelor level students. Before applying to any of them, please consult with your home programme.

YUFE Alliance: You can choose from several minor subjects (30 ECTS). Part of these studies must be done physically at the responsible university, so an exchange period is required. The teaching language is English.

UniPID: You can complete a full virtual minor in Sustainable Development (25 ECTS) by selecting at least 5 courses from the current course catalogue. The teaching language is English.

See the full list on the Finnish page

JOO – flexible study right studies

The forms of teaching cooperation between universities are increasingly diverse, in addition, there are a number of cross-institutional study agreements between Finnish higher education institutions at present. These increase the possibilities to choose studies from other universities. As a result, the Finnish universities have jointly decided to withdraw from the JOO flexible study right agreement as of 1.1.2026.

The flexible study rights (JOO) already granted to students are valid until the end of their duration. Students may also be granted new study rights under the current flexible study right agreement during the spring semester 2025. These study rights are also valid until the end of their duration.

According to the agreement, the undergraduate and postgraduate students of all the Finnish universities have the opportunity to include in their degree minor subject studies from the offering of other Finnish universities regardless of the university in which they have the right to complete their degrees.

General instructions

On this page, you can find instructions for students of the University of Eastern Finland who are applying for a flexible study right (JOO) in another Finnish university. Instructions for students of other universities applying for a flexible study right in the University of Eastern Finland can be found on the Hae yliopistoon website (in Finnish).

Contact information of the approval processors by faculty

Philosophical Faculty: Anna-Pieta Kokko, [email protected]

Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology: Maarit Merimaa-Piirainen, [email protected]

Faculty of Health Sciences: Noora Hanhineva, [email protected]

Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies: Anni Pietarinen, [email protected]

Applying for a flexible study right

Your application is processed in both your home university and target university. You should reserve a sufficient amount of time for the JOO application process (around one-and-a-half to two months). First submit your application to your home university for approval. The application periods of the University of Eastern Finland for support processing end on 31 March (for studies beginning in the following autumn) and 30 September (for studies beginning in the following spring), and for admittance processing on 30 April (for studies beginning in the following autumn) and 31 October (for studies beginning in the following spring).

The stages of the application process:

  1. Prepare a study plan according to the instructions of your home university and include the JOO studies as part of your personal study plan.
  2. Examine the JOO study offering of the target university and include the schedule of the JOO studies you chose in your study plan.
  3. Examine the JOO instructions of the target university and check the application periods of the JOO studies or, in case of admissions open throughout the year, the time the studies begin.
  4. Submit the paper application form to your home university for approval.
  5. Without approval, your application will not be processed by your target university. When your home university supports your application, it approves your planned JOO studies as part of your degree.
  6. If you receive the right to study in the target university, register for the studies according to the instructions of the target university. You must also be an attending student in the University of Eastern Finland during your JOO studies. After completing your studies, deliver a transcript of records to your home university so that your studies can be entered in its study register.

Application form for a flexible study right JOO

University of Eastern Finland as the home university

Application for a flexible study right and its processing

University of Eastern Finland no longer accepts electronic application. As of 1 January 2015, applications are submitted on paper forms. The application periods of the University of Eastern Finland for support processing end on 31 March (for studies beginning in the following autumn) and 30 September (for studies beginning in the following spring), and for admittance processing on 30 April (for studies beginning in the following autumn) and 31 October (for studies beginning in the following spring). The student must find out the application periods of the target university, as they may vary.

Approval processing

You must submit the paper application to your own faculty’s processor (see below for the contact information). You must attach an approved personal study plan and transcript of records to the application electronically.

Criteria for approval

  • The JOO studies or equivalent studies applied for must not be offered by the University of Eastern Finland.
  • The JOO studies applied for must not exceed the minimum number of credits required for the student’s degree together with the student’s other studies, and they must be included in an approved personal study plan.
  • Students may not apply for JOO studies during their first year of studying at the Bachelor’s stage.
  • The student must have completed a minimum of 50 ECTS credits that are from studies that are a part of his or her degree, and the credits must include the basic studies of the major subject.
  • At least 25 ECTS credits of the studies must have been completed during the calendar year before the application date.
  • The student may apply for a flexible study right for studies not exceeding one basic study module, or around 25 ECTS credits. This number may be exceeded only for an extremely well justified reason.
  • The faculty will support only one study module at a time, even if the student had applied for several study modules. In exceptional cases, individual courses may be supported.
  • When approvals are being considered, students completing a bachelor’s degree have priority. An application by a student completing a postgraduate degree is supported only in exceptional cases.
  • When considering its approval, the faculty may also use the employment effect of the degree as a consideration, i.e., assess how purposeful the JOO studies applied for are with regard to the degree as a whole from the perspective of the student’s employment prospects.
  • The faculty may also use, for example, financial criteria as grounds for its support decision.
  • The faculties of the University of Eastern Finland may have separate agreements concerning the exchange of studies with other universities outside the JOO system. These agreements are mentioned in the study guides of the faculties in question.

Duration of the approved right to study

The approval of the JOO application remains valid for no more than two (2) years from the date of approval.

Application delivery address

A paper application is delivered to your faculty’s processor.

Delivery of an approved application to the target university

The University of Eastern Finland delivers the approved paper applications to the target university and returns unapproved applications back to the applicants. The approval decision may not be appealed.

Inclusion of completed JOO studies in the degree

The student must deliver a transcript of records of the target university for the completed JOO studies to his or her own faculty in his or her home university in order to have the studies entered in the study register.

JobTeaser portal

Jobs, internships and appointments to UEF career counsellors in JobTeaser

Job and internship offers for students and recent graduates can be found in the JobTeaser webservice. Students and staff members log into the JobTeaser UEF platform using their UEF credentials. You can continue using the service after graduation. JobTeaser is used in over 700 universities and institutions of higher education in Europe and job and internship offers spread throughout Europe.

You can book a personal appointment to a UEF career counsellor in JobTeaser. Guidance is available on both campuses and online.

You will also find a selection of various sorts of events organized by, for example, TE-Live, EURES, different projects and employer organizations. Many of the events are online. Thus, you can take part in interesting events elsewhere in Europe. There are also employer profiles and information of job opportunities in, especially, international companies and employers.

In JobTeaser, you will also find info about the UEF career services and courses on job seeking and career planning.

How to start using Jobteaser?

  1. Register to the service with your UEF username and password at uef.jobteaser.com.
  2. In the Course/Programme drop-down menu, select at least one field of studies. If your studies span more than one field, choose the on that is most relevant. The choice has no effect on what job advertisements you will see.
  3. On the next page, you can choose search criteria for job ads. These choices sort out what you see on the front page. You can modify these choices later or remove them to see all available posts.

When you are close to graduating and your UEF credentials and email are about to expire, you can continue to use JobTeaser by changing your email address.  Steps:

  • In your JobTeaser Account Settings, change your student.uef.fi e-mail address to the e-mail you will use after graduation.
  • Close the JobTeaser-window in the browser. Clear the browsing history OR open an incognito window OR open another browser. Open JobTeaser anew (uef.jobteaser.com).
  • Order a new password from the “Forgot your password?” function.
  • After changing your password, you can continue using your JobTeaser account with your new email.

If you have any questions, please contact Career Services, email: [email protected].

Updated 31.8.2023