1. Applying for flexible study right (JOO) studies
Students completing their graduate or postgraduate degree in a Finnish university can apply for the flexible study right. The student must have enrolled as present to his/her home university at the time of applying.
The study right is applied in most universities by using an electronic application form. You can find more information on applying on your university's website.
With one application form you can apply for studies organized only by one faculty/department at the host university. If you want to apply for a study right in more than one university and/or for several faculties/departments of the university, you must fill in applications accordingly.
The universities have two different practices for receiving flexible study rights applications:
- application period twice a year with application deadlines on 30.4. (for studies beginning in the autumn) and on 31.10 (for studies beginning in the spring). If the application deadline falls on a weekend, the application period is extended to the following working day.
- applications are processed throughout the year. In this case the application endorsed by the home university must be submitted to the host university early enough. It is recommended to apply for studies beginning in the next semester during the previous semester.
Check the endorsement process and schedule of your home university (own university) and the host university’s (university you apply for) application deadlines from the university-specific JOO instructions. Note that getting your home university’s endorsement takes also time so apply for the endorsement well advance. Take into account also national holidays.
Check from the universities the application periods and procedures of the courses organized by the language centers.
You will receive the decision on your study right within about a month from the application deadline or, in universities processing applications throughout the year, within a month from submitting your application.
2. Duration of the flexible study right
The right to complete courses in other Finnish universities is always granted for a fixed period. The study right begins when the host university grants you the right to complete the JOO-studies. The study right is valid for the maximum of two (2) academic years.
The flexible study right expires automatically if you graduate from your home university or if you, during the time your study right is valid, get a degree student status in the host university. The new home university may however charge the old home university for studies completed before the student received the degree student status.
3. Status of a JOO-student
A student with flexible study right has the right to use the same student services (eg. library, IT services, study counseling) as the degree students of the university. The university-specific JOO-instructions provide information on issues related to beginning of studies and acquiring user accounts for different online services.
4. Grading of studies
The host university will inform you about the grading scale used in the transcript of completed studies. Your home university will then determine the credits and the grade received for the studies completed in another university.
5. Transferring studies to home university
The student is responsible for submitting the course data to be taken to the home university study register. The university-specific JOO-instructions provide further information on submitting completed credits. The universities officers will offer more information.