Study entitlement

Your study entitlement is determined by the laws concerning Universities of Applied Sciences and the scope of your degree. On this page, you will find more information about your study entitlement as well as instructions for absences.

How is the time period of your study entitlement determined?

A degree student’s study entitlement is active for a predetermined period of time. At Humak UAS, a student’s study entitlement usually ceases when the student graduates, but it can also cease when a student’s study entitlement time ends, or the student gives up their entitlement. A degree student’s study entitlement consists of the degree’s timeframe for completion plus one extra year.

The regulated period of study (= the target completion time frame of the degree) is determined by the scope of the degree. The student’s goal is to complete 60 ECTS per year, in which case the target completion time for a 210 or a 240 credit degree is either 3.5 or 4 years. The studies at Humak are arranged in such a way that the student is able to complete the studies within the target time period.

In accordance with the laws concerning Universities of Applied Sciences, students have the right to complete their studies for one year longer than the target timeframe of their studies. A student’s study entitlement consists of the regular timeframe plus the possible additional year.

For students completing a Bachelor’s degree, the study entitlement is either 4.5 (3.5 + 1) or 5 (4 + 1) years. Correspondingly, Master’s degree students are entitled to study for 2 (1 + 1) or 2.5 (1.5 + 1) years.

Note: Kela encourages higher education students to graduate on time, as Kela will reimburse up to a third of the total amount of student loan to the bank for students who graduate on schedule.

The degree diploma is applied for with an online application form once all studies have been completed, the completion entries have been entered in the study register and the thesis has been saved on Theseus. The degree diploma application must be submitted as an attending student within the validity period of the study right. Please contact the Study Affairs Office if your study right is about to expire before all your studies can be entered in the study register.

You will receive the link to the online application form after you have submitted AVOP feedback survey. It is mandatory to fill out the survey.

 Before applying for a degree, please read through the following checklist: 

  • You are registered as an active student and have discussed about graduation with your PSP coach.
  • All required studies have been logged in Peppi. 
  • Your thesis has been completed and approved. It has been graded and evaluated.
  • You have saved your thesis in Theseus. 
  • You have passed the maturity test and it has been registered. 
  • Language tests (certificates for language proficiency can be found in Peppi) have been passed (any exemption must involve a separate decision by the head of education) and they are marked as follows: 
    • A second national language, oral and written (allowed assessments include Satisfactory, Good, Exempt) 
    • A foreign language (English) (allowed assessment Assigned or Released) 
  • The required number of internship credits (at least 30 ECTS). 
  • Any interpreting skills demonstrations are registered and graded. 
  • Any loans from the library have been returned and all payments have been made. 

Good to remember 

  • The date of your graduation will be the date when you submit your application. 
  • Graduates are reported to Kela once a month. 
  • The 18-day rule, i.e. you must study at least 18 days per month in order to receive a study grant. Please note this when you submit your application. 
  • Access to information systems generally expires 30 days after the completion of studies. 
  • Humak hosts graduation celebration in December and in June. The event is held online. The names of the last semester’s graduates will be published in the graduation celebration. The graduates won’t receive their degree diplomas in the event, since the digital diplomas are sent to the graduate on Peppi.

You have the right to register as absent during your first year of study only if 

  • you are obligated to perform a service under the Conscription Act, the Civil Service Act, or the Law on Voluntary Military Service for Women.
  • you are on maternity, paternity, or parental leave, or you are unable to start your studies due to your illness or injury. 

The reasons mentioned above do not diminish the time period of your study entitlement. The reason for your absence must be verified by an official document. 

If you are absent during the first year of study due to military service, civil service, or women’s voluntary military service, or if you are on maternity, paternity, or parental leave, you have the right to register as absent for a second year (two semesters) during the rest of your studies (this absence does not diminish the time period of your study entitlement). 

If you have been absent during the first year of study due to an illness or injury, you can register as absent during your later study years as follows: 

  • You are absent during the later years of your studies due to military service, civilian service, or women’s voluntary military service, or if you are on maternity, paternity, or parental leave, the end date of your studies will be postponed by the length of your absence.
  • If you are absent during the later years of your studies for a reason other than the ones mentioned above, the timeframe of your study entitlement is diminished, and the end date of your studies is not postponed due to the absence.

You can verify your statutory absence with the following certificates:

  • Service under the Conscription Act, the Civil Service Act, or the Act on Voluntary Military Service for Women 
  • An entry order (Finnish only), which proves that the military service occurs during the academic year in question. 

Maternity, paternity, or parental leave 

Kela’s certificate of paid maternity, paternity or parental benefits or, if the certificate does not yet exist, a medical certificate of pregnancy or equivalent certificates of statutory parental leave from the authorities of other countries. Paternity leave can only be proved with a Kela certificate of paternity leave. 

Personal illness or injury 

A certificate of a paid sick leave or, if such a document cannot be presented, a medical certificate. The medical certificate must indicate the illness or injury in question and state that the illness or injury in question prevents the commencement of studies. 

The document certifying the reason for the absence must be submitted electronically to Humak’s Application Services using this form no later than 14 days after the notice of absence has been made in the Oili service.

Students must register each year for the academic year as either present or absent. Registration for the academic year is done in Peppi between April 1 and July 31. Changes to the registration information for the spring semester can be made between November 15 and December 31.

As soon as registration is possible, registration information can be provided in Peppi’s student desk under Studies – Registration. There is also a video that shows how to enroll for a semester in Peppi. You can only register as absent if there are periods of absence left. 

The registration information provided is binding, and no changes can be made to the registration information afterwards. The registration information affects e.g. student benefits and the obligation to pay the student health care fee. 

If you fail to register, you will lose your study entitlement at Humak. A certificate of termination will be submitted by the Study Affairs Office to the person who has failed to register. If you failed to register, but intend to continue your studies, you must apply separately for the re-granting of the study entitlement, for which a processing fee of 50 euros will be charged. The re-granting of your study entitlement is applied for with this form.

If you have registered yourself as present for the first academic year, you can be absent for one academic year (two semesters) for any reason during the later years of your studies. This absence will not diminish the time period of your study entitlement. In addition, you have the right to be absent if you are performing a mandatory military service under the Conscription Act, the Civil Service Act, or the Act on Voluntary Military Service for Women, or if you are on maternity, paternity, or parental leave. This absence due to statutory reasons will not diminish the time period of your study entitlement.

Please submit a document proving your statutory absence using this form, notify the Study Affaits Office by email opintotoimisto@humak.fi, and register yourself as absent in Peppi. You can be absent for the whole academic year or for one semester.

The following documents can be used to prove a statutory absence:

Service under the Conscription Act, the Civilian Service Act, or the Act on Voluntary Military Service for Women

A conscription order (Finnish only) certifying that the military service will take place during the relevant academic year.

Maternity, paternity, or parental leave

Certificate of maternity, paternity, or parental leave from Kela or, if no such certificate exists, a medical certificate of pregnancy or equivalent certificates from other countries’ authorities for statutory parental leave. Paternity leave can only be certified by a Kela certificate of paternity leave.

During your period of absence, you are not entitled to study, receive guidance or have your studies entered in the study register. You are also not entitled to student benefits, YTHS services, meal allowances, or other student benefits (e.g. travel discounts). You can cancel your student financial aid at Kela’s E-services.

As an absent student, you must ensure that you register for the following year in accordance with the timetable.

If you are absent from your first year of study due to mandatory military service, civilian service, or voluntary military service for women, or if you are on maternity, paternity, or parental leave, you have the right to register as absent for a second academic year (two semesters) for any reason during the subsequent your studies (this absence does not diminish the time period of your study entitlement).

If you have been absent during the first year of study due to a personal illness or injury, you can only register as absent in subsequent years of study for the above-mentioned statutory reasons.

You must complete your degree studies within the target time period plus one additional year, or you will lose your right to study. 

Upon application, you may be granted a discretionary extension to complete your studies. 

Criteria for granting the first extension:

  • You are missing up to 60 ECTS from your degree. 
  • You provide justified reasons for your lack of progress in your studies. 
  • You have a feasible plan to complete your studies.

Specific health reasons etc. may mitigate the extension criteria. 

Criteria for granting a second extension:

  • The number of remaining studies is low. 
  • The plan for completing the studies is up-to-date and feasible. 
  • The end of the study entitlement would be unreasonable for the student’s circumstances. 

A processing fee of 50 euros is charged for processing the application (Government Decree 1440/2014). Pay the fee to the account: FI80 1378 3000 2038 08 NDEAFIHH and write your name and the text “harkinnanvarainen lisäaika” (= a discretionary extension) in the message. Attach a receipt of the payment to the application. The application will not be processed without the payment. 

If your study entitlement ends on July 31, apply for additional time by May 15. If your study entitlement on 31 December, apply for additional time by 15 November. The discretionary extension is applied with this form.

The opportunity to study on another campus can be discussed with your PSP coach. In principle, a student may only undertake studies in another regional unit if this is necessary for the progress of the student’s studies.

The Director of Education may, for particularly serious reasons and upon request of the student, grant the student a transfer from one regional unit, or from one profile of the same degree, to another. This can take place at the earliest after the first year of attendance, if there is room in the study group. Applications for a change of regional unit or degree profile are made by means of this form.

If you decide to terminate your studies permanently before graduation, you must file a resignation notice. Discuss your resignation with your PSP coach before making the announcement. 

Resignation is binding and if you wish to continue your studies later, you may have to re-apply as a student through a joint application. Re-applying as a student can be tricky, because the joint application process favors first-time applicants. It is often a better option to complete a degree once it has been started.

If the challenges in the completion of your studies are temporary, it is advisable first to find out your chances of becoming absent. Read more in the section “Absences during your studies”. Please keep in mind that in many situations it is possible for you to apply for a discretionary extension if there is a valid reason your studies have not progressed. 

You can find the resignation form here. Humak announces the resignation to Kela.

Administrator of the page: Opintotoimisto,
Last modified: March 5, 2024