Right to Study

Period of Eligibility

The period of eligibility applies to the following students, both considered to be full time:

all students studying to complete a degree designed for young people
students studying to complete a degree designed for adults who plan to earn, on average, 60 credits during one academic year, on the basis of their approved personal study plan.

The full-time student's period of eligibility may consist of the following:

1. Standard study time

The standard study time depends on the scope of the degree programme:

3.5 years for degree programmes of 210 credits
4.0 years for degree programmes of 240 credits
4.5 years for degree programmes of 270 credits.

The student's standard study time begins once the student has accepted the study place offered by the university of applied sciences and has enrolled as a present student.

The student can sign a notification of absence for two academic years in total. This does not affect the standard study time, unlike absence without a notification which shortens the standard study time.

2. Extension year

According to the Polytechnics Act, the student will be automatically granted one year extension period for completing his/her studies. No separate application by the student is required.

3. Discretionary extension period

The rector can, for acceptable reasons, grant the student a discretionary extension period for completing his/her studies. A separate application by the student is required.

The eligibility period of other students depends on their approved personal study plans. Each school is responsible for approving the personal study plans of their students.

How to apply for the discretionary extension period

Full-time students are required to apply for the discretionary extension period before the end of their eligibility period. For example, for degree programmes of 240 credits, the application must be submitted no later than the end of the fifth academic year. The student's eligibility can be extended, if his/her studies must be prolonged for reasons beyond the student's control. In addition, to be granted extension time, the student's school must approve a realistic plan for how the student will complete his/her studies.

The extension period can be granted, if no more than 60 credits are needed to complete the studies. The duration of the extension period can be one year maximum.

The application for discretionary extension period fileicon [.doc] must contain the following appendices:

explanation for the reasons leading to prolonged study time (Appendix 1)
transcript of records signed by the school (Appendix 2)
personal study plan approved by the school (Appendix 3)

The application must be submitted to the school's student affairs office. The application is complemented with the school's statement. The discretionary extension period is granted by the rector, based on a proposal of the Director of Study Affairs.

Forfeiture of right to study and rectification of the study right decision

The student who has been unable to complete his/her studies in the defined study schedule will lose his/her right to study. He/she will be registered as resigned and receive a resignation certificate. To be able to continue studies after resignation, the student has to be admitted through the standard selection process. He/she then has to participate actively in teaching.

The student is entitled to submit, in writing, to the Board of the university of applied sciences a request for rectification within 14 days of being notified of the decision regarding the cancelled right to study.

More information

Polytechnics Act 351/2003

Degree Regulations of Oulu University of Applied Sciences 18 January 2010

Director of Study Affairs Anne Anttinen