Applying for a degree and degree certification

On this page, you will find the Ģ��ֱ��'s instructions for applying for and completing the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

Quick guide

Quick guide for applying for graduation

Applying for degrees and graduation

You can apply for a degree once you have completed the required studies. Degree applications are processed on an ongoing basis.

You can apply for a degree in Sisu on the Structure of Studies page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply for a degree, see the Sisu instructions. Please check the following list before applying for a degree:

The study plan is in line with 2020-2024 or 2024-2028 curriculum structure (if not, please contact the education coordinator of your degree programme or you can attend Sisu classesorganised by Sisu support).
You have completed all the studies included in your degree and they have been added to your primary study plan.
You are registered as attending for the semester in which you are applying for graduation.
Your study right is valid. If your study right is about to end, apply for an extension if you cannot graduate within the period of your study right.
It is recommended to include credits in your degree so that they are as close as possible to the minimum 180 credits for a bachelor's degree and 120 credits for a master's degree (PsM 150 credits), so that you can use the credits left over from your current degree in your next degree (for example, in your master's degree or if you do a second degree).
The graduation date will be marked as the date when you submitted the request for graduation if all required studies for the degree have been completed and recorded in the register. Please note that when you graduate with a master's degree (or a bachelor's degree if you do not continue your studies), the date of graduation is relevant in terms of student aid. If you graduate on or after the 18th of the month, you will be entitled to study aid for that month. If you graduate before the 18th, you will not be entitled to student aid and if the amount has already been paid, you will have to pay it back. More information on the impact of graduation on your student aid can be found at
- If the date of graduation is important to you, for example in terms of student aid, Kela, job search, salary, etc., add the information to the "Other information" field of your graduation application.
- You can also apply for a degree before all the required studies have been registered. In this case, however, the application will only be processed once all the required studies have been entered in the register. The date of graduation will then be the date of the last examination, if the date of graduation is after the date of submission of the application for graduation.

Registering study units

Make sure that all study units have been registered in the transcript of study records when submitting a graduation request. You can see your study units in Sisu.

Compilation and evaluation of study units

Readily compiled study modules speed up the processing of your graduation request.
Request a compilation of the study units included in the degree before applying for the degree.

If you are unable to send a compilation request for some reason in Sisu, you can request a compilation of study modules via the service for degree studies

Processing your graduation request - electronic degree certificate

Your graduation request is processed by Student Services. Once your request has been accepted or rejected, you will get a notification about it on the Sisu front page. The notification is also displayed as a message in the black top bar of Sisu. Please note that the notification appears in Sisu only, and you will not receive any separate email message about it. Once your graduation request has been processed, the information is registered in your study data.

After verification, the certificate will be transferred for electronic signature procedure. Certificates are signed electronically by the Dean or Vice Dean approximately once a week, which means that the degree is not ready immediately after confirmation. Once your electronic degree certificate is ready, you will receive a link to the Atomi Certificate Service to your primary email address in Sisu. If necessary, you can change your primary email address in the OMA service.

The degree application is processed within approximately three weeks from the submission of the request for graduation. During holiday breaks, you should expect a longer processing time.

Timetable for applying for a degree

When you apply for a degree, you need to be registered as an attending student at the University. If your study time ends at the end of a semester or an academic year, and you will not be able to finish your studies, apply for an extension, that is, an extension for your study time to finish your studies. You can apply for an extension in Sisu.

When applying for a degree and planning graduation, it is worth noting the holidays at the end of the year and during the summer as well as the end dates of the semester and academic year. An application for a degree is processed within approximately three weeks from the submission of a graduation request. Please note that processing times are longer during holidays.

The processing schedule for degree applications at the end of the year and during the summer period

There are changes to the degree processing schedule at the end of the year and during the summer due to the holiday seasons. Below you will find information on the degree processing schedules for these periods.

If you wish to graduate during the autumn semester and you will need the degree certificate before the Christmas holidays, apply for your degree during week 49 at the latest.
If apply for a degree at the end of December, the latest 31 December, your degree can be dated for December, but you will receive your degree certificate in January due to the Christmas holidays.
If you want to graduate by the end of the academic year, that is 31 December, you need to send in your degree application by 31 December. You can apply for your degree, even if your studies have not been included in the register, but in order for the degree to be dated for December, all assignments included in the degree must be dated no later than 31 December. Study units must be also included in the study plan.
The semester changes on 1 January, so if you submit your graduation request in January or the completion date of the studies included in the degree is January, the degree will be granted for January. In this case, you must also register as an attending student for the spring semester and pay the registration fees for the spring semester, if the fees have not already been paid for the entire academic year.

If you wish to graduate in June and also wish to receive your degree certificate before the summer holidays, apply for your degree during week 24 at the latest.
If you apply for a degree in July, your degree can be dated for July, but you will receive your degree certificate in August due to the summer holidays.
If you want to graduate by the end of the academic year, that is 31 July, you need to submit your degree application by 31 July. You can apply for a degree, even if all of your studies have not been included in the register yet. In order for the degree to be dated for July, all assignments included in the degree must be dated no later than 31 July. The study units must also be included in the study plan.
The semester changes on 1 August, so if you send your graduation request in August or the completion date of the studies included in the degree is August, the degree will be granted for August. In this case, you must also register as an attending student for the autumn semester and pay the registration fees for the autumn semester.

Degree Certificate Service

After graduation, you will receive a link to the Atomi certification service in your primary email address registered in Sisu. The link is personal, and you can use it to download your certificate.

Remember to save your certificate because the download link is valid for 61 days after your graduation date. It is recommended to save your certificate in multiple locations. Each saved certificate is an official copy of your degree certificate. You can rename the degree certificate, but you cannot make any other changes to it, such as deleting pages or adding/removing text, as it will break its security and the certificate will no longer be official.

Digital degree certificates awarded by Ģ��ֱ�� meet the highest EU level requirements. You can make copies of the file and keep an electronic signature on the copies. The signature is displayed through signature in the PDF file. In addition, the authenticity of the signature can be verified using the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's "Inspect PDF Document" service "Fineid - Check the PDF document or -palvelulla tai JYU's website The verification of electronic documents.

Student can also log in to the Atomi certificate service using their own Ģ��ֱ��'s username, which is valid for 61 days after graduation. Acquiring electronic degree certificates requires multi-factor authentication. Read more and activate MFA!

More information about electronic degree certificates

Ģ��ֱ�� started using electronic degree certificates from May 2023.

Degree certificate and its attachments

The degree certificate has the following three parts:

The certificate page (in Finnish) and its English translation
A transcript of records for the degree certificate, explicating the studies belonging to the degree (in Finnish and English)
A Diploma Supplement for international purposes (in English)

A certificate in English is also issued in addition to a certificate in Finnish for the degrees of international master’s programmes as well as all licentiate and doctoral degrees.

Translations are not available for certificates received before November 2021. If you need a translation of your Finnish degree certificate, you are responsible for getting it translated. You can order the translation, for example, from the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication - Movi. Please note that there is a fee for the service.

Study modules that have been completed by the student in accordance with the study plan and the degree and which have been compiled and evaluated are printed in the “degree content” section of the degree certificate’s transcript of records. The printed study module data include the name, extent, and received grade of each study module. Transcripts both in Finnish and English are submitted as an attachment to the degree.

The University submits, without a separate application, a Diploma Supplement in English to all who have completed a bachelor’s, master’s, licentiate's or doctoral degree in accordance with the Government Decree on University Degrees 794/2004.

The Diploma Supplement provides information about the University and the studies recorded in the degree certificate as well as about their level and position in the Finnish education system.

The Diploma Supplement is not a translation of the degree certificate, neither does it replace the original degree certificate, but is intended to supplement it. This document helps degree holders, for instance, in seeking further studies abroad or international jobs. The Diploma Supplement provides an overview to an educational institution or employer of the degree holder’s competencies and eligibility for further studies. The Diploma Supplement does not guarantee that the degree would be automatically recognised abroad, but it enables comparisons between degrees and qualifications completed in different countries and higher education systems.

Other things to consider after graduation

After graduating from a degree, you can complete supplementary studies as an alumni student, with a separate right to study, at the Open University or in continuing education.

See also: The Ģ��ֱ��’s Alumni activities

Assistance with job search: Further information on the Career Service website

Expiry of user credentials

A student’s user ID expires 61 days after the study right ends.

Digital services: User account access rights and validity

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