Aalto University Excellence Scholarship terms of acceptance
Instructions and deadlines
Below you can find the tems of acceptance for the Aalto University Excellence Scholarship. Please read the terms of the scholarship carefully.
In order for the scholarship to be valid, you must approve the terms by using the following link:
Please note that you can only log in to the form for accepting the terms of the scholarship after you have activated your Aalto account.
Deadline for accepting the terms
- Scholarship for whole academic year or only for autumn term 2025: 29 August 2025
- Scholarship for spring term 2026: 2 January 2026
Remember that if you do not accept the terms of the scholarship by the given deadline, the scholarship is not valid and your enrolment for the academic year may be cancelled. You have the right to decline the Aalto University Excellence Scholarship. To decline the scholarship, please inform the Learning Services of your programme by sending a written notification.
If you have questions about your scholarship, please contact tuitionfees@aalto.fi.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Aalto University Excellence Scholarship terms of acceptance
1. Aalto University Excellence Scholarship
Aalto University Excellence Scholarships are in the form of a waiver from the tuition fee. The scholarships are awarded as 100% tuition fee waivers.
The tuition fees at Aalto University for rights to study beginning on or after 1 August 2025 are the following:
Bachelor's programmes:
- Field of Business: 12,000 EUR / academic year
- Fields of Art and Architecture: 15,000 EUR / academic year
- Field of Technology: 12,000 EUR / academic year
Master's programmes:
- Field of Business: 15,000 EUR / academic year
- Fields of Art and Architecture: 20,000 EUR / academic year
- Field of Technology: 17,000 EUR / academic year
- Multidisciplinary programmes*: 17,000 EUR / academic year
*Aalto University multidisciplinary master's programmes are: Creative Sustainability, International Design Business Management and Urban Studies and Planning.
2. Eligibility and award decisions
Prospective tuition-fee students are eligible to apply for the Aalto University Excellence Scholarship. Decisions on scholarships are made on academic grounds. In addition, tuition-fee students graduating from Aalto University's English-language Bachelor's programmes can apply for the scholarship, if they have had a tuition fee waiver in their bachelor's degree and if they graduate as a bachelor within the target time (three years) with a grade point average of at least 3.50.
The scholarship decisions are prepared in the degree programmes in connection with student admissions or graduating with an Aalto bachelor’s degree, and are decided by the dean of the respective school. Students accept scholarship offers by signing the Aalto University Excellence Scholarship terms of acceptance document by the deadline.
No appeal may be lodged against a university decision on scholarships (Universities Act 558/2009, section 84).
3. Duration and study progress
The Aalto University Excellence Scholarship is granted for one degree only and for no more than the target period for completing a degree. The target period for completing a degree is three (3) academic years for a bachelor’s degree and two (2) academic years for a master’s degree (120 ECTS credits). The scholarship is to be used for the completion of degree studies only.
The scholarship will be continued for a second and third (bachelors) / for a second (masters) academic year provided that the student has progressed in studies according to their approved personal study plan (HOPS) during the academic year and provided that their goal-oriented study plan for the following year is approved in accordance with the programme’s practices.
4. Termination of scholarships
A scholarship shall be terminated if:
- the student’s residence permit status is changed such that the student is no longer required to pay the tuition fee
- the student announces that they will give up their right to study
- the student is on a consolidated list of persons, groups and entities subject to EU financial sanctions.
A scholarship may be terminated in following situations:
- the student acts dishonestly when applying for the scholarship, e.g. by presenting false information
- the student acts dishonestly in studies or commits other violations prohibited in the Universities Act, section 45
- the student fails to abide by the scholarship terms stated in this document.
Termination of the scholarship does not affect the student’s right to study. However, termination of the scholarship does imply full tuition fee liability. If the student wants to continue degree studies in the programme, they must pay the tuition fee by themself.
Normally the obligation to pay full tuition fee starts from the term following termination of the scholarship. In cases where termination is based on a breach of a commitment, the obligation to pay may become effective immediately after the termination decision.
If student has violated the terms intentionally or with gross negligence, Aalto University may terminate the scholarship with retroactive effect. In such cases the full tuition fee may be imposed, calculated from the time the student began their studies.
5. Scholarships and tax
The university is required by law to report scholarships to the tax authority on annual basis. Scholarships are subject to tax in Finland above a certain value that exceeds the limit set by the tax authority. The value of Aalto University Excellence Scholarship does not exceed the set limit on its own, but if you are in receipt of other scholarships, travel grants or awards, their combined value together with the Aalto University Excellence scholarship may exceed the limit for taxation and the part exceeding the limit may thus be subject to tax.
Please note that due to the legal reporting duties of the university, scholarship students are required to provide their local address in Finland as well as their Finnish personal identity code to the university in the beginning of their studies and keep their details up to date throughout their studies.