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Academic year and enrolment

Degree students must enrol as a present (attending) or absent (non-attending) for each study year. The duty to enrol applies to all students studying in degree programmes leading to a bachelor’s or a master’s degree.

Two female students laughing together in a park

Academic year 2024/25

Autumn term 26.8.–22.12.2024

Christmas celebration 19.12.2024

Spring term 7.1.–6.6.2025

Closing ceremony of the academic year 5.6.2024

For fall semester, the last day of graduation is 31.12.2024. Graduation cannot be recorded retroactively.   

Important dates related to graduation:  

  • VALO graduation process must be started by 15.11.2024 at the latest.  
  • Thesis must be submitted to a language evaluation by 15.11.2024 at the latest. 
  • All studies, including the thesis, must be recorded in Peppi by 18.12.2024 as the latest. 

When your PSP-counsellor has granted you permission to submit your application and you have acknowledged all the tasks on the checklist as having been completed, submit your certificate application for approval.

Please note that if graduation has not progressed according to the above schedules, graduation will be postponed to the next academic year.

You can find detailed instructions for VALO graduation process here.

Autumn break

  • Week 42: 14.–20.10.2024 (Kokkola)
  • Week 43: 21.–27.10.2024 (Ylivieska)

Christmas break 22.12.2024–6.1.2025

Winter break

  • Week 9: 24.2.–2.3.2025 (Kokkola)
  • Week 10: 3.–9.3.2025 (Ylivieska)

Teachers’ summer break 16.6.–10.8.2025

Academic year 2023/24

Autumn term 28.8.-20.12.2023

Christmas celebration 15.12.2023

Spring term 8.1.-24.5.2024

Closing ceremony of the academic year 7.6.2024

This semester, the last day of graduation is 28.6.2024. Graduation cannot be recorded retroactively.   

Important dates related to graduation:  

  • VALO graduation process must be started by 10.5.2024 at the latest.  
  • Thesis must be submitted to a language evaluation by 13.5.2024 at the latest. 
  • All studies, including the thesis, must be recorded in Peppi by 10.6.2024 as the latest. 
  • PSP-counsellor will approve the VALO-application by 14.6.2024 at the latest. 

When your PSP-counsellor has granted you permission to submit your application and you have acknowledged all the tasks on the checklist as having been completed, submit your certificate application for approval.

Please note that if graduation has not progressed according to the above schedules, graduation will be postponed to the next academic year.

You can find detailed instructions for VALO graduation process here.

Autumn break

  • Week 42: 16.-20.10.2023 (Kokkola, Pietarsaari)
  • Week 43: 23-27.10.2023 (Ylivieska)

Christmas break 21.12.2023-5.1.2024

Winter break

  • Week 9: 26.2.-1.3.2024 (Kokkola, Pietarsaari)
  • Week 10: 4.3.-8.3.2024 (Ylivieska)

Teachers’ summer break 17.6.-11.8.2024

Enrolment

Degree students must enrol as present (attending) or absent (non-attending) for each study year. The duty to enrol applies to all students studying in degree programmes leading to a bachelor’s or a master’s degree.  

Only students who are enrolled as present students have the right to pursue studies, to have credits entered in the record of credits and to receive guidance related to studies. 

Continuing students

Students on the extended study right

Students on the extended study right do not enrol on Peppi for the study year. Registration for the remaining study time has been done by the Student Affairs Office (based on the decision of the application for the extended study right). There is no right of absence. 

Enrolling as an absent student

Students who started their studies before 1 August 2015

Students who started their studies after 1 August 2015

Military service under the Conscription Act (1438/2007), Non-Military Service Act (1446/2007), or Act on Women’s Voluntary Military Service (194/1995). 

Maternity, paternity or parental leave. 

Illness or injury preventing the student from starting their study (NB! only starting first-year students). 

Military call-up order (Finnish document only) 

Maternity, paternity or parental leave: Kela’s certificate regarding maternity, paternity or parental allowance period or, if the certificate has not yet been received, a doctor’s certificate verifying the pregnancy. Corresponding certificates from the authorities of other countries regarding statutory parental leave. 

Sick leave certificate or a doctor’s certificate. The certificate must state which illness or injury the student suffers from and that this condition prevents the student from beginning their studies (NB! only starting first-year students). 

The document will have to be notarized or verified by a Finnish medical professional. Please contact Student Services (studentservices@centria.fi) if you need to enroll as absent. Please note, that if you are starting your studies in fall semester 2024, you need to inform Student Services and deliver the document before the 31st of August 2024.

Contact Student Services

The study right and the study right period

Regular completion time for the degree

Study right period

The study right period includes the regular completion time of the degree plus one year. If the student does not complete the studies in the regular completion time, the student has the right to continue the studies for one year without submitting an application.

Applying for readmission when study right is lost

A student who has lost their study right can apply for readmission. The study right can be restored if the student has study time left and the student is able to complete their studies within the remaining study time. 

The semesters that the student has neglected to enroll for consume their terms of non-attendance and attendance. Semesters between the study right end date and the study right restoration date are covered with non-attending terms if the student is still eligible for absence. When the maximum amount of non-attendance terms has been used, remaining semesters are counted as attending, which reduces the remaining study time and attendance terms.

Restored study right usually begins in the middle of on-going term, after processing the application. This term (spring or autumn term) is then considered to be completely used. The study right can also be restored at another time, e.g., at the beginning of next term.

Application for readmission is done by electronic form. 50 Euros will be charged for processing the application (Government Decree 1440/2014). The options for payment of the application processing fee (50 Euros) are the following: Finnish online banking credentials, VISA, MasterCard or MobilePay. Application submission and payment are done at the same time.

If you cannot use Suomi.fi e-Identification (if you do not have Finnish online banking credentials), you can use the following options for payment and use the link for electronic form below.

The receipt of payment is attached to the application. The application and the attachment of payment are submitted at once so please have the attachment ready before filling in the application.

Extension of the study right

If a student does not complete their degree within the study right period, they can apply for extension before the study right ends. The granting of an extension is discretionary. 

The prerequisite for granting additional time is that the student applies for extension and prepares and submits a goal-oriented and feasible (possible to implement) study plan that enables student to complete his/her studies in a reasonable time (during one year). 

Extension of study right is granted for a maximum of one year at a time. In principle, extension is not granted a second time. The only exception to this (maximum one year) is if the student has a special reason for the need of extension (e.g., student exchange, systematic preparation for top-level sport, serious illness, substantial difficult life circumstances). Here too, the student must submit an ambitious, feasible plan leading to graduation within a reasonable time, so that his/her application can be considered. If the student has been granted extension of study right in the past, Centria will consider how the student has used that time. If extension of study right is granted, there is no right of absence (other than for a statutory reason).

The E-application form is on the student register Peppi (student’s desktop). In accordance with government Decree 1440/2014, a fee of €50 is charged for processing the application. The options for payment of the application processing fee (50 Euros) are the following: Finnish online banking credentials, VISA, MasterCard or MobilePay. Application submission and payment are done at the same time. Decisions on applications are sent to the student’s Centria email address.  

Suomi.fi e-Identification is used to log into the form. This requires strong identification (e.g. Finnish online banking credentials, mobile certificate etc.). If you are not able to use strong identification (you do not have Finnish online banking credentials, mobile certificate etc.) please, contact the Student Services (studentservices@centria.fi). 

Application periods

The study entitlement of students who have not been granted an extension will be declared as expired and the student will be registered as resigned.

Retake exams

Exam retakes are held at Centria campuses 10 times per academic year. The exam retakes are added to Peppi by the course teachers. Students can enroll for retake exams via Peppi. Students are allowed to retake a maximum of two exams per retake exam date.

The duration of retake examination is 180 minutes (3 hours). Retake exams will be held on exam days on the Kokkola, Ylivieska and Pietarsaari campuses from 3 pm to 6 pm.