Karelia UAS Degree Regulation 3.4 Right to study and student enrolment
The practices regarding enrolment as a UAS student and the forfeiture of one’s right to study follow the principles defined in the Act on Universities of Applied Sciences (932/2014, § 23–36).
Degree-awarding education
The right to study is provided for the set duration defined for the particular degree programme and in addition, for one year immediately following the set duration.
The student must enrol each academic year as being ‘present’ or ‘absent’. Neglecting the enrolment will result in forfeiture of the right to study. When a student whose right to study has been transferred from one university of applied sciences to another receives his/her new right to study, the previous right to study will be forfeited. The student who is continuing his/her studies must enrol during the registration period which is specified separately every year by the Head of Student Services. The student starting his/her studies has to enrol when accepting the study place. The enrolment is done for one academic year at a time. However, if the right to study ends in December, enrolment can only be done for the autumn semester.
The enrolment can be changed in the middle of the academic year for certain special reasons; the change must be applied for from the Head of Educational Development. These special reasons may include significant changes in the student’s life, such as serious illness in the family or personal health problems, maternity and paternity leave as well as military or non-military service. The student must fill in an application that includes a written certificate from the authority in question. The changes come into effect at the beginning of the following month in which the application was submitted and remain valid until the end of the academic year.
Students may enrol as being ‘absent’ during their first academic year only for the following reasons: military service, non-military service or women’s voluntary military service; pregnancy leave and parental leave; or health problems affecting the ability to study. Reasons other than the ones mentioned above allow the student to enrol ‘absent’ for a total of two (2) academic years during the whole course of their studies.
A student with no right to study or a student with the enrolment status ‘absent’ cannot attend lectures or examinations, neither can they conduct practical training as part of the studies, nor receive guidance for their thesis. A student cannot be granted a degree without the right to study.
Based on a student’s application, the Head of Student Services can grant a degree student the right to complete the studies after the right to study has ended.
Discretionary extension
If the student is unable to complete his or her degree in the time the right to study is valid, the student will lose the right to study. The revocation takes place automatically, it does not call for separate resolution. Before the right to study expires, the student can apply for an extension to complete his or her studies. The student’s application must include an account for the reasons that have delayed the progression of studies and a personal study plan for completing the degree. The discretionary extension can be admitted if it appears that the student can realistically complete the studies during the extended period. As a general rule, the extension will be admitted once and for one year at most. The student cannot enrol absent during the extension. The processing of the extension application is subject to a handling fee as per the government decree (A1440/2014 § 3). The decisions on granting extension periods will be made by the Vice President.
Regranting a right to study if the right to study period or discretionary extension has ended
A former student of Karelia UAS who has started his or her studies on or after 1 August 2015 and has not completed the studies during valid right to study period or discretionary extension can apply for readmission to studies without a need to participate in the admission process again (L325/2015 § 32). The right to study can be regranted if the student needs to complete less than 60 credits for a bachelor’s degree, and less than 30 credits for a master’s degree. The right to study will be regranted for a maximum of two semesters, starting from the next month after the decision. Students with a regranted right to study cannot enrol as absent and they are not entitled to discretionary extension. The processing of the application will have a decree-based handling fee (A1440/2014 § 3). The decision to grant an extension to an expired right to study will be made by the Vice President.
If the student needs more than 60 credits to complete his/her bachelor’s degree, or more than 30 credits to complete his/her master’s degree, the student will be directed to complete the missing studies via Open UAS, and to reapply for the regranted right to study once he/she has the necessary amount of credits or more.
Students from other universities of applied sciences and students who have started their studies before 1 August 2015
A student from another UAS or a former student of Karelia UAS who has started his/her studies before 1 August 2015 and who does not have a valid right to study and who has not completed his/her studies, is directed to apply for a study place in the separate continuous admissions procedure. Applications are processed and student selections are made once a month. The new right to study will take effect from the beginning of the month following the decision. The student can be chosen via separate admission procedure if s/he needs to complete less than 60 credits to gain a bachelor’s degree, and less than 30 credits to gain a master’s degree. If the student needs to earn more than the aforementioned number of credits, the student will be directed to complete the missing studies via Open UAS, and to reapply for the regranted right to study once he/she has the necessary number of credits. Another option is to apply through a joint application process.
Appeal instructions for discretionary extension period and reinstatement of right to study
A student who is not satisfied with the decisions made on discretionary extensions, or regranted rights to study after a right to study or discretionary extension has expired can apply for rectification from the Board of Examiners.
Delivery address of the claim for rectification:
Karelia University of Applied Sciences
The Board of Examiners
Student Services / Secretary of the Board Mika Kettunen
Tikkarinne 9, FI-80200 Joensuu
e-mail: [email protected]
An application for correction has to be made in/during 14 days from the receipt of the decision. A party is considered to have received information about the decision, unless otherwise shown, after seven (7) days the extract from the record has been sent, at the time shown on an advice of receipt or at the time marked on a separate certificate of the service/notification. In case of ordinary electronic service, a party is considered to have received information about the decision, unless otherwise shown, on the third (3rd) day of the transmission of the message.
Content of an application for correction
An application for correction addressed to the Board of Examiners must include
- applicant’s name, street address and phone number which can be used when notifying the applicant about the application for correction
- decision to which the correction is applied
- parts of the decision to be corrected and any alterations required
- grounds for correction.
An application for correction has to be signed by the applicant, or his/her legal representative or proxy. If the applicant is represented by a legal representative or proxy, the name and home municipality of the person must also be included.
Delivery of an application for correction
An application for correction has to be delivered to Karelia University of Applied Sciences by 3.00 pm of the last day of the application period. An application for correction may be sent by mail or deliverer at applicant’s own risk. An application for correction must be submitted to the post office early enough in order for it to be delivered by 3.00 pm of the last day of the application period.