ÄûÃʵ¼º½

Student Guide

Substitution and inclusion of studies on Sisu

On this page, you can find instructions on how to transfer credits, that is, how to include studies in your degree and how to substitute courses with other courses. The page also discusses the use of study drafts. We also provide instructions on how you can use the same set of courses (e.g. language studies) as part of several degrees at Aalto University.

Loading table of contents

New Structure of studies view 

Sisu has introduced a redesigned version of the Structure of studies view. The current view remains the default view for the time being. If you wish, you can try out the new version or just continue using Sisu as before with the existing version.

Instructions on using the redesigned view

Study draft  or how to add studies you intend to complete at other universities to your study plan

If you plan to complete studies in another university or to include learning not listed on Sisu in your degree, add these to your study plan as study drafts. You can use study drafts to plan for example the following:

  • marking exchange studies
  • independent study
  • doctoral studies

Use study drafts when you want to include either a) studies you have completed or learning you have gained elsewhere or b) custom course credits in your degree. This ensures that the studies are added to the desired section of your study plan. 

  • After you have completed the studies or gained the learning you want to include (e.g. you have completed your exchange studies and have a transcript of records to prove it), use the study draft to apply to have them included in your degree.
  • After you have completed the custom course credit and the teacher has notified or is going to notify the university administration that you completed it, use the study draft in question to apply for the custom course credit.

Adding a study draft to your study plan:

  1. To create a study draft, select the study plan module where you want to add the draft.
    • If you are unsure where you should place the study draft in your study plan, contact the student services of your programme.
  2. Click on the ‘Add a study draft’ button at the bottom of the selection assistant. N.B. Add a study draft for each separate course if you already know them at this stage.
  3. Fill in the required information:
    • Name of the course or study unit
    • Planned number of credits
    • Institution where you plan to gain the knowledge
    • Description of learning outcomes, i.e. a description of what you plan to do and what learning you plan to gain.
  4. Click on the ‘Add’ button. 

How completed studies are shown in your study plan

When you complete a course, you can see a garland icon and a grade next to the course name. There is also text "Sudy completed". The study module displays the total numbers of selected and completed credits.

  • Note: After a study module has been assessed, you cannot edit its contents.

Adding completed studies to your study plan

  1. Click on the ‘Add to the plan’ menu on the left-hand side of your study plan.
    • Sisu will now display your study attainments and the courses you have added to your course cart but not yet to your study plan.
  2. Click on the arrow button to add a course to your study plan.
  3. Select a suitable section in the study plan structure.
    • A new view opens on the screen, highlighting the sections in your study plan structure where you can add the course.
  4. Click on a suitable section.
    • The selection assistant appears on the right-hand side.
  5. Click 'Confirm' on the selection assistant.

If the suitable section cannot be selected, your programme does not allow the addition by default. In that case, you have add the course in free edit mode and ask for approval after that.

If a course you completed does not appear on the menu, please contact:opiskelijapalvelut@aalto.fi

Studies at universities other than Aalto

If you are planning to complete studies at universities other than Aalto, you can add them to your study plan as study drafts.

Incorporating studies in your degree by credit transfer

Before applying for credit transfer on Sisu, read these instructions:Aalto University policy on credit transferYou can only apply for credit transfer through your valid personal study plan (HOPS). In other words, the transferred credits always have to be incorporated in a specific degree. If you have not enrolled for the semester, you cannot submit an application for credit transfer. 

If you apply for credit transfer, note that a single application will only result in the transfer of one completed course. In other words, if you are applying for credit transfer for a minor, you need to submit a separate application for each course included in that minor. 

  • For example, if you have completed exchange studies, submit a separate credit transfer application for each course. NOTICE: In the School of Economics, credit for exchange studies is applied as a single unit under the international minor, not for each course separately.

Recognition of the same studies towards several degrees at Aalto University

Recognition of the same studies towards two different degrees that you are going to complete at Aalto University requires a process called credit transfer, that is, either substitution or inclusion.

Attachments to your application for credit transfer and the decision on your application

Attachments can be included with all types of credit transfer applications (substitutions, inclusions, and custom course credits).

If necessary, the application you sent can be returned to you, allowing you to supplement it.

After your application has been approved or rejected, you will receive a message on Sisu. If you selected to be informed of the decision by post, you will also receive a letter at your home address. 

Instructions for the new Structure of studies view

These instructions on the new view tell about how it differs from the previous view and its instructions.

Using study draft to add studies completed outside Aalto to your study plan

Creating a study draft for your study plan:

  1. To select from your study plan the item you want a study draft for, click the blue three-dots (...) button on the right side of the item.
    • If you are unsure about where to place the study draft in your study plan, contact your programme’s Student Services.
  2. Go to free edit mode.
  3. At the bottom of the checkbox, click Add a study draft.
    • If you already know your courses at this stage, add a study draft for each of them.
  4. Fill in the required information:
    • Title (i.e. name of the course)
    • Planned credits
    • Institution where you plan to gain the knowledge
    • Description of learning outcomes, i.e. a description of what you plan to do and what learning you plan to gain.
  5. Click the Add button. 

Applying for inclusion or a custom course credit through a study draft

After you have completed the studies or gained the learning that you described in the study draft, apply to get credit for it by using the study draft.

How to apply:

  1. Click on the study draft.
  2. Press Suggest credit.
    1. Apply for inclusion of studies if the course was completed at a higher education institution other than Aalto.

      OR
    2. Select I am applying for a custom course attainment, if the matter was agreed beforehand.
  3. Fill in the title of the learning, change the institution where the studies or learning took place and press Continue.
  4. Add to your application your completed studies or learning that you want to have marked in the register; do this by clicking Add information on studies or other prior learning.
    • A separate application should be sent for each study or gained learning that will receive a single mark as having been completed.
    • Itemise the studies you completed or learning you acquired at another higher educational institution or the equivalent. The original locations and completion dates of the transfer credits you receive will be shown in your transcript of records.
    • Under Attachments, click the Edit  button to add attachments.
  5. Press Continue.
  6. Choose whether you want to be informed of the decision via Sisu only or also by post.
  7. Click Submit application.
    • You can also cancel your application. Please note: once cancelled, an application cannot be sent again for processing.
    • You can add attachments to the application after submitting it as long as it is still in the Requested state.
    • You cannot remove any attachments after submitting the application.
    • Once the application has been taken up for processing, you can no longer add attachments to it.
    • Your application will be returned to you, if necessary, so you can add supplementary information to it. 

Adding completed studies to your study plan

At the present time, the new view does not allow studies from outside the programme structure to be added to the structure of studies.

Studies to be completed outside of Aalto University 

If you are planning to complete studies elsewhere than at Aalto, you can add them to your study plan as study drafts.

Adding studies to your study plan that are to be completed outside of Aalto

  1. Select from the study plan the module where you want to add the study draft, clicking to the right of the module on the blue three-dots (...) icon.
  2. Go to free edit mode.
  3. At the bottom of the checkbox, click Add a study draft.
  4. Fill in the required information and save. 

Once you have completed the studies, make them part of your degree by following the instructions on credit transfer. 

  • If the studies for credit transfer compose a minor, check that your study plan contains a code for it and that your study drafts are under it.

Transfer of completed credits using EMREX

This is not yet possible in the new view.

Transferring credits for a degree

Substitution

A course included in a degree can be substituted by a corresponding course completed elsewhere or by an otherwise acquired competency. Substitution requires that the contents of the degree course and the contents of the corresponding course or competency be equivalent. 

Applying for a substitution:

  1. Go to the Structure of studies page.
  2. Find the course to be substituted and click on its name.
  3. That will bring you to the Equivalences and substitutions tab.
  4. Click the Go to application button under Substitution.
  5. Click Add information on studies or other prior learning and fill in the requested information.
    • You can add studies, other prior learning or both to the application. A single application should contain no more than the studies and learning that you wish to substitute for one (1) course.
    • Itemise the studies or learning you have completed at another higher educational institution or the equivalent. The original locations and completion dates of the transfer credits you receive will be shown in your transcript of records.
    • Under Attachments, click the Edit button to add attachments.
  6. Press Continue.
  7. Choose whether you want to be informed of the decision via Sisu only or also by post.
  8. Click Submit application.
    • Once the application has been sent, you can also cancel it, if you wish. Please note: once cancelled, an application cannot be sent again for processing.
    • You can add attachments to the application after submitting it as long as it is still in the Requested state.
    • You cannot remove any attachments after submitting the application.
    • Once the application has been taken up for processing, you can no longer add attachments to it.
    • Your application can be returned to you if you need to add supplementary information to it.

Inclusion of studies

See the section on creating a study draft in the new view

Otherwise, follow the instructions in the existing default view

Recognition of the same studies in several Aalto University degrees 

Utilising the same studies in two different Aalto University degrees requires credit transfer. Credit transfer occurs through either inclusion or substitution.

Recognition of the same studies in several Aalto University degrees

See these instructions in the current default view

Applying for credit transfer in the new view

Three illustrated characters below 'Plan with Sisu' text; first with a laptop, second in red, third in white lab coat.

Sisu instructions: front page

The front page of Sisu instructions for students

Applications, instructions and guidelines
Sisu support contact information
  • Updated:
  • Published:
Share
URL copied!