Enrolment for the Academic Year 2011 - 2012

New international students are welcome to pick up the enrolment papers and the Orientation Package from the International Office (room A129) in the Main Building. The enrolment papers include a registration form, an invoice for the payment of the Student Union fee, Student ID Card application form. When registering at the Registrar's Office, new students need to present a completed registration form, proof of payment of the Student Union fee, a completed student card application form and a passport or other valid ID.

Enrolment papers of degree students also contain the login ID (Basic User Account, BUA)  for the University IT Systems with instructions on how to activate it. Exchange and visiting students get this information when they enrol at the Registrar's Office.

1. Enrolment requirement
2. Rights and duties to do with enrolment
3. Academic year and enrolment periods
4. Right to study and target times for degree completion
5. Enrolment alternatives and changes in enrolment
6. The enrolment of an old basic (first or second) degree student
   1. 6.1 Enrolment as "present"
   2. 6.2 Enrolment as "absent"
7. Enrolment of a new basic (first or second) degree student
8. Enrolment of a postgraduate student
   1. 8.1 Enrolment of an old postgraduate student
   2. 8.2 Enrolment of a new postgraduate student
9. Enrolment of a professional postgraduate student
10. Enrolment of a non-degree student
11. Enrolment of an exchange and visiting student taking a degree abroad
12. Membership of the Student Union and fees
13. Suspension of studies
    
14. Renouncing the right to study
15. Regaining the right to study

1. Enrolment requirement

Each student at the University of Tampere is required to enrol at the University annually in order to make use of his/her right to study. If a student does not enrol by the deadline given, he/she will lose his/her right to study (please see Regaining the right to study below).

2. Rights and duties to do with the registration

A student who has enrolled as "present" can attend courses, earn credits or be eligible for student financial aid (foreign citizens who have come to Finland to study are not eligible for Finnish student financial aid). A student enrolled as "absent" cannot earn credits.

The access to the University's information technology services is granted to a student who has enrolled as "present". A student who enrols as "pesent" will have an active basic user account, an e-mail address and gains access to other electronic services that are used in studies. Only students that have enrolled as "present", can enrol for courses and examinations in NettiOpsu. If a student does not enrol by the deadline, he/she will lose the right to use the information technology services. Please see the IT services' Student Services site for further information.

The Registrar's Office must be notified immediatly of changes of name, home municipality and address. Students must be prepared to produce official proof of a change of name. Changes in the home municipality and address can be notified in NettiOpsu, via email aktuaari (at) uta.fi or fax +358 3 3551 6013.

A degree certificate can only be issued for a student enrolled either as "present" or "absent". If a student has completed all the studies required for the degree but is yet to receive his/her degree certificate, he/she may enrol as "absent" for the semester the certificate is to be issued.

3. Academic year and enrolment periods

The academic year begins on 1 August and ends on 31 July. In the autumn semester 2011, teaching begins on 1 September and ends on 16 December. In the spring semester 2012, teaching begins on 9 January and ends on 18 May.

See Opening hours and contact information of the Registrar’s Office

4. Right to study and target times for degree completion

A student can have only one valid right to study for the same lower, higher or postgraduate university degree at the University of Tampere. No new right to study for a degree with a similar content will be granted to a degree or a study module in a corresponding subject which the student concerned has already completed unless the selection criteria decree otherwise.

A student who has been granted the right to study for a lower or higher university degree after 1 August 2005 has the following target time for degree completion:

• lower university degree (bachelor) three academic years
• higher university degree (master) two academic years, except for Master of Psychology, two and a half academic years
• Licentiate of Medicine six academic years

A student admitted to both the lower and higher university degree has a right to complete the degree in a time exceeding the aggregate normative duration of studies by a maximum of two years.

The duration of studies does not include leave due to voluntary military service or conscription or to maternity, paternity or parent leave. The duration of studies does not include an absence of a maximum of four terms for which the student has registered herself or himself as absent. Periods of absence due to a failure to enrol at the university will reduce the time left for degree completion. Each student is obliged to keep track of the time used. The information is available in NettiOpsu in Personal Data, or at the Registrar's Office.

For further information, please see Right to study and target times for completion.

5. Enrolment alternatives and changes in enrolment

The enrolment alternatives are

• enrolment as “present” for the entire academic year
• enrolment as “absent” for the entire academic year
• enrolment as “present” for one semester and “absent” for the other semester
• suspension of studies (12 months) and
• enrolment after suspension of studies

If the student pays half of the Student Union fee for the entire academic year , the enrolment is by default registered as “present” for the autumn semester and “absent” for the spring semester. If a student wishes to enrol as “present” for the spring semester only, he/she must notify the Registrar's Office of this by 31 August 2011.

Enrolment can be changed from “absent” to “present” at any time during the academic year. When making the change, the student must provide proof of payment of Student Union fee.

Enrolment can only be changed from “present” to “absent” during the enrolment period, and for the spring semester no later than 9 January 2012.

A student may also suspend his/her studies for 12 months, as described in Section 13. A student can enrol as “present” immediately after the suspension period ends, but he/she must enrol by the end of the enrolment period for the next academic year.

Refund of the Student Union fee can only be applied for before the end of the enrolment periods, for the spring semester no later than 9 January 2012. Forms are available at the Registrar's Office. The application must be submitted in person to the Registrar's Office and the student must be able to show his/her student card. Students who have already paid the Student Union fee to another university can apply for a refund of the Health Care fee until 30 September 2011, for the spring semester until 31 January 2012.

6. The enrolment of an old basic (first or second) degree student

6.1 Enrolment as “present”

 In order to enrol, the student is required

• to pay the mandatory and possible optional fees using the reference number on the bank giro no later than 31 August 2011. The information of the payment can also be found in NettiOpsu under Enrolment. If the student requires the instructions in paper form as well, he/she can request them to be sent by post. A student who enrols as “present” for one semester and “absent” for the other semester shall pay half of the Student Union fee for the entire academic year. Only students who have enrolled as "present", can enrol for courses and examinations in NettiOpsu. It takes 2-5 days for the payment information to register in the University information systems. If a student fails to use the personal reference number on the bank giro the payment is not registered correctly. In this case the student must present an official bank receipt of the payment.

• The annual registeration sticker for the student card can be obtained once the payment information has been registered, yet no earlier than 1 August 2011. The stickers are available also after the end of the enrolment period, during the whole academic year. The stickers can only be attached onto the card at the Registrar's Office or Tamy Office in the Student Union building.

6.2 Enrolment as absent

An old student can enrol as “absent” without any further application procedures. A student enrolling as absent will not pay the Student Union fee and the health service fee included therein. He/she may not make use of the benefits of Student Union membership. If a student who has been granted the right to take a lower or higher university degree after 1 August 2005 presents official proof that the absence is due to voluntary or compulsory military service or maternity, paternity or parental leave, the time given for degree completion will not be reduced. A student can enrol as “absent” in NettiOpsu, via email aktuaari (at) uta.fi or fax +358 3 3551 6013 or by sending the enrolment form to the Registrar's Office.

7. Enrolment of a new basic (first or second) degree student

The instructions for new students are enclosed in the letter of acceptance.

8. Enrolment of a postgraduate student

8.1 Enrolment of an old postgraduate student

A student can enrol in NettiOpsu, via email aktuaari (at) uta.fi or fax +358 3 3551 6013, by sending the enrolment form to the Registrar's Office or by paying the Student Union fee no later than 31 August 2011.

Student Union membership is optional. Postgraduate students can join the Student Union by paying the Student Union fee using the reference number on the bank giro, also after the end of the enrolment period.

Postgraduate students who have failed to enrol as "present" or "absent" in the manner described in this decision within the time appointed, and have been removed from the student register, must apply to the School in writing in order to regain their right to study (Section 15). Postgraduate students (licentiate and doctorate degrees) at the Institute of Biomedical Technology, School of Medicine and School of Health Sciences will have their right to study reinstated on the basis of their own notification at enrolment without separate application. Annual enrolment is of significance in the allocation of grants/scholarships.

8.2 Enrolment of a new postgraduate student

The instructions for new students are enclosed in the letter of acceptance.

9. Enrolment of a professional postgraduate student

Professional postgraduate students (medical specialisation degree/Specialist in Medicine) should enrol in the enrolment periodfrom 1 June to 31 August 2011. A student can enrol in NettiOpsu, via email aktuaari (at) uta.fi or fax +358 3 3551 6013 or by sending the enrolment form to the Registrar's Office. Professional postgraduate students cannot join the Student Union.

10. Enrolment of a non-degree student

All non-degree students must enrol during the enrolment period from 1 June to 31 August 2011. A student can enrol in NettiOpsu, via email aktuaari (at) uta.fi or fax +358 3 3551 6013 or by sending the enrolment form to the Registrar's Office . Non-degree students cannot join the Student Union.

11. Enrolment of an exchange or visiting student taking a degree abroad

Enrolment periods:

Autumn arrivals: from 20 July, preferably during the Orientation Course.

Spring arrivals: from 2 January, preferably during the Orientation Course.

The instructions for exchange students are enclosed with the letter of acceptance. Students taking a degree equivalent to a Finnish basic (first or second) degree at their home university must pay the Student Union membership fee for basic degree students. If they choose to, students taking a third cycle degree at their home university may join the Student Union by paying the Student Union membership fee postgraduate students.

12. Membership of the Student Union and fees

According to the Universities Act (558/2009) all students who have been admitted to programmes leading to a lower or higher university degree, with the exception of students in made-to-order education, shall belong to the student union. The membership is optional for postgraduate students. Postgraduate students are not entitled to travel discounts or Student Health Services even if they pay the Student Union fee.

13. Suspension of studies

According to the legislation on unemployment security, unemployment benefits will not be granted for full-time students. Before the suspension of studies can be registered at the Registrar's Office, the student must discuss the matter with the employment office. The employment Office assesses whether or not a suspension of studies is necessary in order to be eligible for unemployment benefit.

If the suspension of studies is deemed necessary, the student must notify the Registrar's Office about the suspension in writing. The period of suspension is 12 months, and during this period the University does not register any credits for the student. If the student chooses to continue the suspension at the latest at the end of the 12 month period, the suspension can be continued for three (3) months at the time. The suspension cannot be done retrospectively, nor cancelled without a written account or proof from the employment office.

14. Renouncing the right to study

A student may renounce his/her right to study by notifying the Registrar's Office in writing. The right to study will be registered as having ceased as of the date the notification is received at the Registrar's Office.

15. Regaining the right to study

A student who has failed to enrol as “present” or “absent”  or suspended their studies in the manner described in this decision will lose his/her right to study. If such a student later wishes to to continue his/her studies, he/she may apply for his/her right to study to be reinstated in writing. The application should be addressed to Student services, or, if more than one year has elapsed since the last date the student was registered, to the dean of the school. The application form "Application for restoration of right to study" (pdf) is also available at the Registrar's Office.

Applicants will be informed of the decision by post. When enrolling as "present", the student must pay a re-registration fee in order to regain his/her right to study. The obligation to apply to have their right to study reinstated concerns all basic degree students, non-degree students and postgraduate students. Postgraduate students (licentiate and doctorate degrees) at the Institute of Biomedical Technology, School of Medicine and School of Health Sciences and professional postgraduate students (medical specialisation degree/Specialist in Medicine) will have their right to study reinstated on the basis of their own notification at enrolment without separate application.