1 August 2025
Pursuant to Section 14 of the Universities Act (558/2009), the Board of the University has, on 8 July 2025, approved these Education Regulations, which shall be applied in the university’s operations in addition to what is laid down in laws and regulations, and in the University Regulations of the University of Eastern Finland.
I General
Section 1 Scope of the Education Regulation
These Education Regulations shall apply to the degrees completed at the University of Eastern Finland and to the studies included in them and, where applicable, to other education, including joint degrees. These Education Regulations shall also apply to entrance examinations where applicable.
The Vice Rector for Education shall decide on the general policies concerning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and the Vice Rector for Research shall decide on the general policies concerning postgraduate degrees after consulting the faculties. More detailed regulations concerning the degrees and the studies included in them, as well as the contents of the education shall be given in the faculties’ curricula. The faculties may also issue standing rules related to education. The university’s service centres shall provide more detailed provisions on their education and training.
These Education Regulations shall be the university’s degree regulations referred to in Section 41 of the Universities Act.
Section 2 Definitions
For the purposes of these Education Regulations:
- a student refers to a person who has a right to study at the university,
- a right to study refers to the right to complete a degree and other right to study,
- a degree programme refers to a study programme, education organised based on an academic subject and other training module for which a faculty awards a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree or a postgraduate degree,
- a faculty’s curriculum (Section 9 of the University Regulations) refers to the description of the educational mission of the faculty and its departments and units, which determines, among others, which degree programmes can be completed in the faculty and in which languages the degrees can be completed,
- a degree programme’s curriculum refers to the entity composed of the degree structure and the learning outcomes, contents, methods of completion and assessment methods of the degree and its parts as separately decided by the Vice Rector for Education (the curriculum also includes a syllabus which is confirmed separately),
- a syllabus refers to the provision of teaching during an academic year or a longer period,
- an academic subject refers to an entity that is included in the curriculum of a faculty,
- a teacher in charge of the course is the teacher assigned to the position,
- a study attainment refers to a course completed by the student, the scope of which is defined as credits. The form of the study attainment may be an exam, a learning assignment, an essay, seminar work, lectures, exercises and laboratory work, practical training and their different combinations, or other methods of completion specified in the curriculum as well as a combination of these. A study attainment may consist of partial attainments. A study attainment may also refer to recognised studies or other demonstration of competence required by the curriculum (e.g., a maturity test, licentiate thesis or doctoral dissertation).
- a postgraduate student is a person pursuing a postgraduate degree (a doctoral degree, a licentiate degree).
II Management of education and quality work
Section 3 Management of education
The Vice Rector for Education shall be responsible for the development and evaluation of teaching and guidance. To support this development and evaluation, the Vice Rector for Education may set up committees.
The university shall have an Education Leadership Group appointed by the Rector whose task is to prepare and monitor the university’s strategic policies related to teaching, to discuss the university’s common policies on studies and teaching, and to promote and monitor the quality of teaching, guidance and learning.
Vice Rector for Research shall be responsible for the development and evaluation of teaching and guidance related to scientific postgraduate education. To support this development and evaluation, the Vice Rector for Research may set up committees.
The university shall have a Research Leadership Group appointed by the Rector whose task is, among others, to prepare and monitor the university’s strategic policies related to postgraduate education, to discuss the university’s common policies on postgraduate education, and to promote and monitor the quality of postgraduate education and guidance.
Each faculty shall have a Vice Dean for Education and a Vice Dean for Research. Each faculty and service centre shall have one or more committees appointed by the dean or the director whose task is to prepare matters related to the faculty’s teaching and guidance. The Development Committee for Education of the faculty shall be led by the Vice Dean for Education.
On the basis of a proposal by the head responsible for education at a school or a department, the Faculty Councils shall confirm the admission criteria as well as the curricula and syllabi for the faculties’ teaching in the next academic year, in accordance with an annual schedule approved by the Vice Rector for Education.
The schools and departments shall have a Deputy Head responsible for education and a Deputy Head responsible for postgraduate education. The departments and schools shall decide how the coordination and development of education given in Finnish or in some other language will be organised.
The Education Leadership Group and committees must have student representation.
Each doctoral programme shall have a director and a steering group. The doctoral programme’s steering group shall monitor and develop research training in their field of research, assume responsibility for developing studies in the discipline and field of research, to prepare admission criteria and curricula for the doctoral programme for the Faculty Council, and assume responsibility for evaluating the applications submitted to the doctoral programme. The director of the doctoral programme shall make a proposal to the dean on the persons to be admitted as postgraduate students and, in this context, on their supervisors.
Section 4 Responsibilities in the quality management of education
The university shall be responsible for the overall quality of education and its resources. Each faculty shall be responsible for the quality of the degrees that it awards and for ensuring that the agreed results are achieved, and that the resources it has received for education are appropriately allocated and prioritised. The heads of the schools and departments shall be responsible for the quality of teaching and guidance in their unit.
The task of the teacher in charge of the course is to ensure the quality of study materials and study attainments in order to ensure the learning outcomes set out in the curriculum and to assume responsibility for the assessment of learning. The teacher shall be responsible for the quality of the teaching and the development of teaching methods. Students shall be responsible for learning, the quality of their study attainments and the progress of their studies.
Section 5 Evaluation of education
The university’s education shall be evaluated periodically. The Vice Rector for Education shall decide on the implementation of the evaluation. The Vice Rector for Research shall be responsible for implementing the evaluation of scientific postgraduate education.
III Degree programmes and other education
Section 6 Establishment and termination of a degree programme
After hearing the faculties, the UEF Board shall decide on proposals of change to the educational responsibilities to be submitted to the ministry.
The Faculty Council shall decide, within the scope of the faculty’s educational responsibility, on the establishment and discontinuation of major subjects. Section 7b of the Universities Act regulates on the discontinuation of degree programmes and the related transfer of education. When a degree programme is discontinued, the faculty must provide students who have been granted a right to study in the said programme with an opportunity to complete their studies, taking account of the normative duration of study and the option to apply for an extension to the right to study. When the teaching of another academic subject is discontinued, the faculty must provide minor subject students who have started studying the said subject with an opportunity to complete their studies within a reasonable period of time. In both cases, the Faculty Council shall decide on transitional arrangements. The right to study in the discontinued degree programme ends at the end of the transitional period.
If a change caused by the transitional period in the degree structure or subject affects open university education or commissioned education referred to in section 9 of the Universities Act, students studying in the Open University or in commissioned education shall be provided with an opportunity to study in accordance with the current curriculum and transitional provisions during the transitional period.
Section 7 Tuition fees and scholarship system
Section 10 of the Universities Act contains provisions on the collection of tuition fees. The Vice Rector for Education shall decide on the university’s scholarship system relating to tuition fees and the related policies, on the amount of programme-specific tuition fees and on the granting of scholarships.
Section 8 Teaching collaboration
According to Section 7a of the Universities Act, a university may carry out teaching in accordance with its educational responsibility independently or in cooperation with another higher education institution or acquire it from another higher education institution. Teaching collaboration is agreed upon in agreements signed between higher education institutions.
Section 9 Non-degree education and commissioned education
Section 7c of the Universities Act regulates on specialisation education and section 9 on commissioned education. Each Faculty Council shall decide on the specialisation education and commissioned education organised by the faculty, the curricula of the programmes, the admission criteria and the number of students admitted to them. The dean shall admit students to these programmes.
The university shall organise teaching in modules included in the degrees in accordance with the faculties’ curricula as open university education. The university shall also organise continuing professional education. Fees may be charged for open university education and continuing professional education when permitted by regulations (Government Decree on fees for university services 1082/2009).
The university shall organise specialist education in medicine and dentistry as well as specialist education in general practice, which are professional further training that do not lead to a university degree.
Non-degree studies are organised at the university.
IV Right to study
Section 10 Right to study
The student must have the right to study required by the study attainment. Only students who are registered as being present in the university’s student register and have the right to study required by the study attainment may participate in its completion.
The right to study may be revoked if it becomes apparent that the applicant, when applying for the right to study, has provided incorrect or incomplete information which may have had an impact on the outcome of the student admissions.
The right to study related to specialisation education, open university education, continuing education, non-degree studies, commissioned education and teaching collaboration is limited in terms of content and time.
Participants in continuing education shall be admitted in the order of registration. Where required, admissions may be organised. In this case, the dean of the faculty organising the education shall decide on the student admissions and the Faculty Council shall decide on the criteria to be followed.
Admission criteria can be provided for studies provided as open university education in the curriculum. In this case, the decision on the admission to the study module shall be made by the director of the Centre for Continuous Learning on the basis of a statement from the head responsible for education at the department or school. Otherwise, participants in open university education shall be admitted in the order of registration.
In teaching carried out as educational collaboration, students are subject to the administrative authority of the higher education institution providing the teaching. When the right to study is based on a national agreement on educational collaboration or organisation of education, no decision shall be made on the right to study; instead, the right to study is registered based on the educational collaboration agreement signed between the higher education institutions.
Studies can be completed at the university based on a separate right to study. The dean of the faculty or the Director of the Language Centre shall grant the separate right to study, except for Summer School and alumni studies. The Faculty Council shall confirm the admission criteria for the separate right to study, except for situations that do not include student admissions in accordance with the Universities Act. The right to study applies to certain studies and is valid for a limited period of time. The provisions of the Education Regulations shall be applied to students studying with a separate right to study as applicable. Fees may be charged for the separate right to study when permitted by regulations. The Vice Rector for Education shall decide on the fees charged for Summer School education and on the admission of students.
Section 11 Changing a degree programme and a faculty
As part of the admission criteria, Faculty Councils shall decide on the principles based on which a student can change degree programmes in the faculty, and on the principles based on which a student from another faculty can transfer to the faculty to complete a degree.
Section 12 Teachers’ pedagogical studies
The Philosophical Faculty shall organise pedagogical studies that lead to a teacher’s qualification, decide on the admission criteria for these students (incl. subject-specific intake) and grant the study rights.
The Faculty of Health Sciences shall organise teacher training in health sciences for students who major in nursing science.
Section 13 Rights to minor subject studies
Minor subjects may be studied freely at the university with the exception of fields that require an aptitude or proficiency test for student admission or have other justified reasons for restricting the right to study minor subjects. Any restrictions on the right to study minor subjects shall be laid down in the curriculum.
Section 14 Limiting the right to study
A student may only hold, at a time, one right to study in the same major or a similar subject leading to the same Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or leading to a similar level of scientific or professional postgraduate degree at the University of Eastern Finland.
A new right to study with the corresponding content shall not be granted for the completion of such a degree or training in the same field of education or a similar subject which the applicant has already completed in the national higher education system, unless otherwise determined by the faculty’s admission criteria.
Section 15 Termination of the right to study, waiver of the right to study, and forfeiture of the study place
Under Section 38 of the Universities Act, a student shall forfeit their study place offered to them if they fail to accept it in a manner specified by the university.
The right to complete a degree shall terminate when the degree for which the right was granted has been completed.
A student who has completed, at the University of Eastern Finland, a postgraduate degree, a Master’s degree or a Bachelor’s degree that does not grant them the right to complete a Master’s degree, shall have the right to complement their studies free of charge during the academic year of completing their degree and during the following two academic years by registering as a student (alumni study right). The alumni study right allows the student to complete studies organised by the University of Eastern Finland in accordance with the free minor subject right, or to complete minor subject studies for which they have obtained a minor subject right during the completion of their degree, or to complete other studies that are freely available.
The student may waive the right to study by notifying the university in writing. In this case, the right to study is marked as having ended on the day of the notification.
In situations specified in these regulations, the right to study cannot be reinstated.
Section 16 Loss of the right to study
According to Section 43 of the Universities Act, a student shall lose their right to study if they, after accepting their study place, have neglected their duty under Section 21 of these Education Regulations to register at the university or to register as being either present or absent each academic year. An undergraduate student shall lose their right to study if they have not completed their degree within the time limit laid down in the Universities Act or within an extension granted, or if they have not been granted an extension to complete the degree. Students may apply for an extension for completing their degree in accordance with Section 42 of the Universities Act. The Vice Rector for Education shall decide on more detailed guidelines for the extension of the right to study.
If a student who has lost their right to study later wants to start or continue their studies, they must apply for the right to be re-admitted through Student and Learning Services. If one year or longer has passed since the student’s previous registration, Student and Learning Services shall hear the faculty before reinstating the right to study. If the right to study is not reinstated, the dean shall decide on the matter. The right to study will not be reinstated if the student has completed a corresponding degree at another university.
A transfer student who accepts a new right to study shall lose the right to study on which the transfer is based. The right to study lost through a transfer application cannot be reinstated.
Section 17 Revocation of the right to study and request for an extract from the criminal records
Provisions on the revocation of the right to study are laid down in Section 43a, related access to information in Section 43b, and the reinstatement of the right to study in Section 43c of the Universities Act. Section 2 of the Government Decree on Universities (770/2009) specifies the qualifications to which the sections on the revocation of the right to study apply.
The Vice Rector for Education shall decide on practices relating to the revocation of the right to study, drug testing and the request for an extract from the criminal records.
V Organisation of teaching and planning of studies
Section 18 Curricula and syllabus
Each faculty’s curriculum specifies the degrees that can be completed in the faculty and the languages in which the degrees can be completed. The curriculum of the faculty shall contain the curricula of the degree programmes and the common regulations for all degree programmes. Students and teachers must follow the curriculum.
A curriculum, which is a competence-based tool for teaching, study planning and guidance, shall be drawn up for each degree programme. The faculty and the department/school shall develop and assess the curriculum regularly. Feedback and statistical data collected on teaching, studies, guidance and degrees shall be utilised in the development.
The curriculum of each degree programme must indicate the following:
- the scientific and professional goals of the education
- The degree structure (including courses and their scope) and the learning outcomes, contents, methods of completion and assessment of the degree and its parts,
- the names of the degrees, study modules and courses in Finnish and English,
- the course descriptions in the language of instruction of the course,
- the teacher in charge of the course
- a plan for the guidance of major and minor subject students and the organisation of this guidance
- the regulations concerning studies and degrees, such as the grounds for credit transfer and provisions on the expiration of studies, the maximum number of times study attainments can be completed or retaken and the organisation of exams, and any transitional provisions.
Faculty Councils shall confirm the curricula and syllabi in accordance with the schedule confirmed by the Vice Rector for Education. The curricula or parts of them may be confirmed for several academic years at a time. After hearing the faculties, the Vice Rector for Education shall decide on the curricula periods and their common guidelines.
By the end of October each year, the Vice Rector for Education shall provide more detailed instructions on curricula and syllabi, which include common guidelines and regulations on studies. The Vice Rector for Education shall confirm the curricula for the faculties’ joint teaching for the upcoming academic year by the end of February. The Vice Rector for Research shall confirm the curriculum for the teaching provided by Researcher Training Services for the upcoming academic year by the end of February.
The Centre for Continuous Learning shall confirm the Open University’s action plan for the next academic year based on the decisions made by the faculties. The plan shall include all open university education organised by the university itself or together with partner institutions.
The above provisions shall also apply, where applicable, to education that does not lead to a degree.
Section 19 Provision of teaching and courses
The faculties shall organise teaching and study guidance so that it is possible to complete degrees, when studying full time, within the normative duration of study laid down in the Universities Act, in the appropriate order and without interruptions. Teaching shall be organised in accordance with the confirmed curricula. For a particularly weighty reason, the teacher in charge of the course may, in individual cases, grant an exception to the method of completion specified in the curriculum.
The university’s academic year shall be divided into four teaching periods. Teaching may also be provided during the summer. Teaching shall be implemented as courses. The curricula for continuing education shall be implemented as appropriate curricula structures.
The scope of the course shall be indicated in credits, except for the maturity test, doctoral dissertation and licentiate thesis. A scope of each course must be at least one ECTS, with the exception of the maturity test. A course may consist of smaller partial attainments.
Section 20 Publicity of teaching
Teaching shall be public. The education provider may restrict publicity only for justified reasons and in exceptional cases, such as practical training or when publicity endangers the achievement of the learning outcomes. The organisation of teaching as remote teaching may limit the realisation of publicity. Publicity may also be restricted in education organised on business grounds.
Section 21 Student registration
The Vice Rector for Education shall decide on the registration of students admitted to the university, and on the registration of students as being either present or absent each academic year.
Section 22 Practical training included in studies
The faculties’ curricula shall be drawn up in such a way that undergraduate studies include the option to complete a practical training period either in Finland or abroad, either as a compulsory or optional part of the studies.
Section 23 Guidance
Students completing a university degree shall receive guidance at all stages of their studies. Faculty Councils shall decide on the principles of study guidance, which include the rights and obligations of the student and the supervisor, as well as instructions for drawing up, approving and updating a personal study plan. The principles of guidance may form part of the curriculum or the university-level overall guidance plan, which shall be approved by the Vice Rector for Education.
Students shall draw up a personal study plan for completing studies leading to the degree and shall update it as necessary. The study plan must correspond to the curriculum of the degree programme.
Postgraduate students shall receive guidance in both research work and postgraduate studies as specified in the guidance plan. At least two supervisors shall be appointed to each postgraduate student, one of whom is the main supervisor and one of whom must belong to the university’s staff.
The progress of the studies of students pursuing a degree shall be monitored.
The university shall promote the dual career of students who are also top athletes.
Section 24 Scientific postgraduate education
The university has Researcher Training Services, which organises general studies in research skills, coordinates and supports the development of doctoral education and prepares common operating principles for doctoral programmes.
Section 25 Individual arrangements in studies
Students may be provided with individual study arrangements for completing their studies, for example, based on their health or disability. It must be possible to achieve the learning outcomes set for the course also when methods that differ from those stated in the curriculum are used.
A student must request that the granted individual study arrangements related to the organisation of teaching be implemented no later than 10 days before the study attainment.
Section 26 Language of degrees and instruction
At the University of Eastern Finland, the language of instruction and the language of degrees shall be Finnish. Faculty Councils may also decide on the use of another language as the language of a degree in connection with the adoption of the curriculum, observing the fulfilment of the responsibility to provide Finnish-language education. Most of the teaching of the compulsory part of each degree programme must be provided in the language of examination.
The language of instruction of the course is the language in which most of the teaching is provided. The language of instruction of the course is defined in the curriculum. In the Finnish-language programme, students have the right to use Finnish or another language specified in the curriculum in both written and oral attainments.
As a rule, the thesis included in the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree is written in the language of examination of the degree programme or in the language specified in the curriculum. Decisions on the right to use another language in the thesis shall be made by the head responsible for education at the department or school.
The language of postgraduate studies shall be regulated separately. The language of the licentiate thesis and doctoral dissertation is Finnish or English. The language of the licentiate thesis and doctoral dissertation may also be another language approved by the dean responsible for postgraduate education.
Section 27 Ethical and responsible studies
Teachers and students shall act ethically and follow good scientific practice. The faculties shall be responsible for ensuring that the ethical principles of teaching, studying and research are known.
Section 28 Study-related fraud and disruptive behaviour
Disruptive behaviour refers, for example, to situations where a student disrupts teaching, acts violently or threateningly, acts fraudulently or otherwise breaks order at the university. A situation where a student, for example, bullies or discriminates against another student or a staff member, is considered to break order at the university.
Fraud is a dishonest act or measure that is done or taken deliberately, out of negligence or with the intent to deceive, and whose aim is to give a false impression of one’s own or another person’s competence. A study attainment or entrance examination answer may be rejected if a student committed fraud or misconduct while completing it.
A teacher or supervisor may immediately order a student to leave the event if the student is strongly suspected of fraud or is causing disturbance, acts violently or threateningly, or poses a threat to the life or health of another person. This also applies to the entrance examination. A student may be banned from attending teaching for a maximum of three working days if there is a risk that the safety of another person will be affected by the student’s violent or threatening behaviour, or if the teaching or related activities become unreasonably difficult due to the student’s disturbing behaviour.
In case of disruptive behaviour and study-related fraud, a student may be subjected to disciplinary measures under section 45 of the Universities Act, which include a written warning and fixed-term suspension. Students who are suspected of fraud or disruptive behaviour must be given an opportunity to be heard. Frauds can be investigated, for example, by using a plagiarism detection system or video surveillance. The dean shall decide on the follow-up measures. The dean may, at their discretion, report the cases of fraud to the Rector for disciplinary action referred to in section 45 of the Universities Act.
The Rector shall issue regulation for dealing with fraud and disruptive behaviour.
VI Study attainments and evaluation of competence
Section 29 Retention of study attainments
Study attainments must be retained for at least six months from the publication of the results. Documents related to education and studies shall be retained in accordance with the university’s information management regulations, taking into account legislation related to the processing of personal data and the university’s instructions.
Section 30 Study attainments and opportunities to complete them
Students may complete study attainments alone, in pairs or in groups in writing, orally or in some other manner specified in the curriculum or by the teacher. If the curriculum does not include a decision on completing a course or a study attainment remotely, the teaching shall take place on campus. The obligation to be present related to completing the course shall be laid down in the curriculum.
In order to complete a course, a student must have enrolled in the course. If it is not possible to include all enrolled students in the teaching group, students shall be admitted on equal grounds. Students for whom the course is compulsory based on the right to study leading to a degree and the related curriculum shall be given priority in the group. If it is still not possible to include all these students in the teaching group, students shall be admitted to the group on equal grounds. More detailed provisions may be given on the criteria for admission to teaching groups and other enrolment practices in the curriculum or in a decision by the head responsible for education at the department or school.
Written or other learning assignments to be evaluated related to teaching must be submitted at the end of the course or at the time specified by the teacher. Students must be given reasonable time to prepare for and to complete study attainments.
A sufficient number of opportunities must be provided for students to complete study attainments, taking into account the normative duration of study set for the degrees. Student shall have the right to raise the grade of a passed course and to re-take a failed course at least once. Taking this into account, the number of times a course grade can be raised and the number of times a course can be re-taken may be limited in the curriculum. To raise a course grade and re-take a course, the entire course or a partial study attainment is either re-taken or its grade raised. Raising grades and re-taking courses take place at the beginning of the curriculum or course in a manner specified in writing by the teacher in charge of the course. A graded and approved thesis (incl. a Bachelor’s thesis) cannot be re-taken or its grade raised.
If the possibility to complete a course specified in the curriculum is cancelled unpredictably, or the time of the course has to be changed for a compelling reason or the cancellation is affected by both aforementioned reasons, students must be guaranteed the opportunity to complete the study attainment in question in an appropriate manner that ensures equality.
Electronic communication related to the completion of the course shall be carried out in the manner specified in the curriculum or as indicated by the teacher in writing at the beginning of the course. Bilateral electronic communication between students and staff shall be carried out through the e-mail address provided by the university. Electronic communications shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration (906/2019) and the regulations and instructions issued by the university.
Section 31 Examinations and their organisation
The dates, duration and form of exams shall be decided in the curricula. An exam related to teaching must be organised at least twice a year from the beginning of the teaching. Provisions on registering for and leaving the exam are laid down in the curriculum or in the learning environment of the course in writing as determined by the teacher in charge of the course before the beginning of the course.
Exams can be supervised in real time or by recording video surveillance, taking into account the privacy of students. Only the equipment needed to complete the exam may be used in the exam.
Students completing an exam shall be listed. If necessary, a student’s participation and identity can be verified by combining information from access control, video surveillance and the examination system. If necessary, a student taking an exam must prove their identity.
If the date and time of an exam need to be postponed for compelling reasons, the exam must be reorganised at a later date and all those who have registered for the exam must be informed of this. If possible, the postponement must be announced two weeks before the exam.
Section 32 Scales and grades used in the assessment of study attainments
The numerical scale 0–5 shall be used in the assessment of study attainments, including Bachelor’s and Master’s theses and theses written for a minor subject. The grades have the following meaning: 5 = excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2= satisfactory, 1 = sufficient, and 0 = fail. Study attainments may be graded on the scale of pass – fail. The minimum requirements for passing shall be laid down in the curriculum.
Licentiate theses and doctoral dissertations shall be graded on the scale of pass with distinction, pass and fail.
The scale for evaluating proficiency in the second national language shall be fail, satisfactory and good, as laid down in the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003) and the Government Decree on the Demonstration of Proficiency in the Finnish and Swedish Languages in Civil Service (481/2003).
Section 33 Assessment of courses
The teacher in charge shall be responsible for the assessment of the study attainment. If there are several implementations of the course, the teacher who was responsible for the implementation shall be responsible for the assessment.
The assessment of study attainments shall be based on the course description confirmed in the curriculum. Learning outcomes must be set for each course. The assessment of learning shall focus on the learning outcomes specified in the curriculum, and the grade shall be given on the basis of the assessment scale laid down in the curriculum. Students shall demonstrate their learning through study attainments. The time allowed for completing a study attainment must be proportional to the level and extent of the required attainment. Study attainments or parts thereof must be completed and submitted within the set deadline.
If a student has retaken a study attainment and received different grades for the same study attainment, the highest grade shall be the one recorded.
Section 34 Publication and registration of study attainment results
Course assessment results shall be published no later than three (3) weeks after the completion of the course by entering the grades in the university’s student and study register. The teacher in charge of the course may extend the time limit for one (1) week for a special reason. Students who have enrolled in teaching must be informed of the extension and its grounds immediately. The dean or head responsible for education at the department or school that is in charge of the course may extend the deadline for publishing the results further on the basis of particularly weighty reasons. Students who have enrolled in teaching must be informed of the extension and its grounds immediately.
The deadline for publishing the results of exams taken in the Exam system shall be calculated from the 15th day of the month in which the exam was taken before the 15th day. The deadline for publishing the results of exams taken on or after the 15th day of the month shall be calculated from the first day of the following month.
Information on both passed and failed study attainments shall be entered in the student and study register. The distribution of grades and the number of students who failed the course can be seen on the electronic platform. Students shall receive a notification to the e-mail address provided by the university once their study attainment has been recorded in the student and study register.
The assessment criteria for a study attainment shall be public. Students shall have the right to be informed of the application of the assessment criteria by contacting the teacher who completed the assessment of the course. They shall be given an opportunity to view the graded written or otherwise recorded study attainment. Students shall have the right to obtain a copy of their study attainments free of charge.
The deadlines do not include periods during which teaching is not provided in accordance with the decision of the Vice Rector for Education, nor the period between 15 June and 15 August.
Section 35 Examination and assessment of theses
The form of the thesis for advanced studies shall be decided by the main supervisor within the limits specified in the curriculum. The thesis for advanced studies shall be completed independently. The thesis may be completed in pairs or by participating in a larger research project, if permitted by the curriculum. In a joint work or research project of two or more students, it must be possible to demonstrate each student’s contribution in such a way that it can be assessed. A thesis for advanced studies may be accepted as a thesis in two different majors (a so-called double Master’s thesis). Decisions on the prerequisites shall be made by the Faculty Council as part of the curriculum.
Two examiners shall be appointed for the thesis for advanced studies, one of whom, as a rule, must be the student’s supervisor. Examiners must submit their written statement on the thesis and a grade proposal within one month of being assigned to the task. The author of the thesis for advanced studies must be given an opportunity to submit their response to the statement before a decision is made on the assessment of the thesis. The student shall be notified of the decision electronically.
Theses for advanced studies shall be public theses, and they shall be published in the library’s electronic publication system with the student’s consent.
Bachelor’s theses shall be assessed by the person specified in the curriculum, a person appointed by the teacher in charge of the course or some other competent person. The assessment shall be published no later than three (3) weeks after the thesis was submitted.
The deadlines for assessing Bachelor’s and Master’s theses do not include periods during which teaching is not provided in accordance with the decision of the Vice Rector for Education, nor the period between 15 June and 15 August.
The originality of Bachelor’s and Master’s theses is examined by using the electronic plagiarism detection system chosen by the university. Students are responsible for the originality and content of their theses and for compliance with good scientific practice.
Section 36 Examination and evaluation of a licentiate thesis and a doctoral dissertation
The dean of the faculty shall appoint two examiners to examine a licentiate thesis. Two preliminary examiners shall be appointed by the dean of the faculty for the preliminary examination of a doctoral dissertation. The examiners of a licentiate thesis and the preliminary examiners of a doctoral dissertation must give their statement within thirty (30) days of the date on which thesis or dissertation was sent to the examiners. Where required, the dean may grant an extension.
Licentiate theses and doctoral dissertations shall be public theses. A doctoral dissertation shall be made publicly available on the university’s network as an electronic version no later than seven (7) days before the public examination of the thesis, or as a printed version in the university library, if no electronic version of the doctoral dissertation is available.
A doctoral dissertation shall be examined at a public examination. The dean of the faculty shall appoint at least one opponent, who must be a person outside the University of Eastern Finland and who, at a minimum, is required to hold the title of docent or be a person with equivalent scientific competence. For the public examination, the dean of the faculty shall appoint a custos to represent the university.
After the public examination, the opponent(s) shall issue a written statement on the doctoral dissertation and its public examination within two (2) weeks. Any remarks presented in the public examination shall be submitted in writing to the faculty within two weeks of the public examination. The faculty may provide more detailed instructions on other statements to be issued.
The opponent or a member of the faculty council who is entitled to make decisions on the study attainment in question may submit a justified written request to reject the dissertation.
The originality of licentiate theses and dissertations is examined by using the electronic plagiarism detection system chosen by the university. Students are responsible for the originality and content of their theses and for compliance with good scientific practice.
Section 37 Interrupting the thesis assessment process
When a student is notified of the examiners’ statement and grade proposal, the student can interrupt the assessment process of the thesis once (except for the Bachelor’s thesis). Postgraduate students can interrupt the assessment process once. The interruption shall be requested in writing.
A student may submit their thesis (except for the Bachelor’s thesis) for reassessment after rewriting the thesis, taking account of the observations made by the supervisor responsible for the thesis for advanced studies, the examiner of the licentiate thesis or the preliminary examiner of the doctoral dissertation on the form and content of the thesis.
If the thesis is not accepted for assessment, a decision that can be appealed against will be made on the matter.
Section 38 Recognition of study attainments and other prior competence
Both prior studies and other prior competence may be recognised and transferred toward studies and a degree completed at the university. Recognition requires that the studies or other prior competence to be transferred meet the learning outcomes set for the degree and its parts.
VII Certificates and registration of study attainments
Section 39 Certificates
Once a student has completed their studies in accordance with their personal study plan, they must submit an application for the degree in accordance with the university’s instructions. The faculty shall provide the student with a degree certificate of the degree they have completed. A Diploma Supplement, which is intended for international use, is issued as an appendix to the degree certificates. It provides sufficient information about the university as well as the studies and study attainments referred to in the degree certificate and their status in the education system.
The University may also issue other certificates, such as certificates of professional qualification.
Section 40 Registration of study attainments
The date of the exam or the date on which the study attainment was submitted for examination shall be provided as the date of the study attainment. The completion date of the thesis (except for Bachelor’s theses) shall be the date of the decision on the grading of the thesis. If a study attainment consists of several parts, the date of the final part shall be the completion date of the study attainment.
Section 41 Correcting inaccurate study attainment data
The data subject shall have the right to demand that the controller corrects, without undue delay, incorrect study attainment data entries in the study register (Article 16 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation, EU 2016/679). A student must demand the correction of an incorrect register entry they have observed immediately in writing from the unit that carried out the assessment.
VIII Rectification procedures
Section 42 Rectification procedure on student admissions and on admissions to major subjects or specialisation studies
A person who has applied for entry to the university may request a rectification of the student admission decision from the dean of the faculty within fourteen (14) days of the publication of the results.
A student dissatisfied with the decision made during studies on the choice of a major subject or specialisation studies within their degree programme may request a rectification of the decision from the dean of the faculty within fourteen (14) days of receiving a notification of the decision.
Section 43 Rectification procedure on forfeiture of the right to complete a degree
A student may lodge a rectification request with the University’s Board of Appeal to request a rectification of the decision on forfeiture of the right to study within fourteen (14) days of receiving a notification of the decision. An appeal against the decision of the Board of Appeal may be lodged with the administrative court within 30 days of receiving the notification of the decision. The decision of the administrative court is not subject to appeal.
Section 44 Rectification procedure on the assessment of study attainments
A student dissatisfied with the assessment of a study attainment other than a doctoral dissertation, licentiate thesis and equivalent final project included in the advanced studies may lodge a rectification request orally or in writing with the person responsible for the assessment of the course (the teacher in charge of the course) within fourteen (14) days of receiving a notification of the results of the assessment and the application of the assessment criteria. The assessment of a study attainment refers to the overall assessment of a course.
If the teacher in charge of the course is not available at the time the request for rectification is lodged, the request for rectification intended for the teacher in charge must be submitted to the university’s registry office.
The teacher in charge of the course must respond to the request for rectification within fourteen (14) days of submission. If the teacher does not rectify the assessment in the manner requested by the student, the teacher who carried out the assessment must make a written decision on the matter. The student may request rectification of this decision from the University’s Board of Appeal within fourteen (14) days of receiving a notification of the decision. The request for rectification addressed to the Board of Appeal must be submitted to the university’s registry office.
A student dissatisfied with the assessment of a doctoral dissertation, a licentiate thesis or a thesis for advanced studies may lodge a rectification request with the Board of Appeal within fourteen (14) days of receiving a notification of the assessment of their study attainment.
The decision of the Board of Appeal is not subject to appeal.
Section 45 Rectification procedure on decisions on the recognition of prior learning
A student may lodge a rectification request orally or in writing if they are dissatisfied with the decision on the recognition of studies completed elsewhere or prior competence demonstrated in some other manner as part of a degree or study attainment. A rectification request is lodged with the party that made the decision within fourteen (14) days of receiving a notification of the decision.
A rectification of a decision made on a rectification request by a student may be appealed to the university’s Board of Appeal within fourteen (14) days of receiving a notification of the decision. The decision of the Board of Appeal is not subject to appeal.
Section 46 Appeals against decisions revoking the right to study
A decision on the revocation of the right to study referred to in Section 43a of the Universities Act can be appealed to the national Students’ Legal Protection Board within fourteen (14) days of receiving a notification of the decision.
Section 47 Appeal to the Administrative Court
A decision made by the university in an administrative matter other than that specified in this chapter and a decision issued on a rectification request by a student may be appealed to the Administrative Court.
A decision made by the Board of Appeal in a rectification procedure on the assessment of a study attainment and the recognition of prior learning is not subject to appeal.
IX Entry into force
Section 47 Provisions on entry into force
These Education regulations shall enter into force and shall be applied as from 1 August 2025. However, section 23 of the Education Regulations shall apply to persons who receive their right to pursue postgraduate studies after 1 August 2025.
These Education Regulations repeal the Education Regulations that were approved by the Board of the University of Eastern Finland on 12 December 2023.
