Obtaining individual study arrangements
The term 'special arrangements' has been replaced with the term 'individual study arrangements' as of 1.8.2022. The proposals for special arrangements that have been issued before 1.8. will remain in force as such.
Contents of this page:
- Who is eligible for individual study arrangements?
- What kind of individual study arrangements can be made?
- How to get individual study arrangements?
- Storage of the proposals and information regarding individual study arrangements
- Feedback survey for students with a proposal for individual study arrangements
- The Proposals for Special Arrangements issued by Tampere University of Technology or University of Tampere
Who is eligible for individual study arrangements (former special arrangements)?
You are eligible for individual study arrangements, when
- you are a neurodivergent student (ADHD/ADD/autism)
- you have been diagnosed with a learning difficulty
- you have been diagnosed with an illness
- you have been diagnosed with mental health issues
- you have been diagnosed with a disablity or other medical condition that affects your ability to demonstrate and undertake learning
You need to have an expert statement about your condition. It could be a statement from a doctor, psychologist, special education teacher, therapist or other health professional, or a note or statement from OmaKanta. The statement does not have to be written specifically for individual arrangements. If you don't yet have a statement, you can still contact us about your situation.
Individual study arrangements are available to all student groups (e.g. degree students, Open University students, exchange students, students pursuing cross-institutional studies, students with the JOO study right).
Flexibility and individual arrangements may also be possible, for example due to a momentary challenging life situation, short-term illness, etc., by negotiating directly with the teacher. In this case, a separate Proposal for Individual Study Arrangements will not be written but you can contact the teacher directly.
What kind of individual study arrangements can be made?
Individual study arrangements are, as their name indicates, individual and depend on the needs of the student.
The arrangements are also tailored to the learning outcomes of the course and the degree programme. Therefore, they can be implemented differently on different courses. The types of individual study arrangements include, for example:
- extra time in exams
- a quiet or private space for completing an exam,
- extra time for assignments or flexibility in deadlines
- completing assignments in parts
- alternative methods of completion (e.g., a written assignment instead of an exam, or an oral assignment instead of a written one)
- forms of support for presentations or group work
- extended loan period for course books
Individual study arrangements may not undermine academic standards or the integrity of assessments, but they are provided to help students achieve the expected learning outcomes.
Only highly exceptional circumstances would justify a departure from the standard degree structure or course learning outcomes; the decision to grant this type of adjustment would have to be made by the student’s faculty.
How to get individual study arrangements?
- 1
Book an appointment
If you need individual study arrangements, or would like to discuss the possibility, book an appointment:
- from our online calendar:
- or by emailing studentcounselling.tau [at] tuni.fi (studentcounselling[dot]tau[at]tuni[dot]fi)
Please note that the online calendar only shows available time slots in the next three weeks. If you can't see any available time slots, try again the next day.
- 2
Bring a medical certificate or other expert statement with you to the appointment
Bring a medical certificate or other expert statement with you. If the appointment is online, you can show your medical certificate / other excpert statement by sharing your screen or using the camera on your device. Do not send the statement by email.
- 3
At the appointment, we draw up a proposal for individual study arrangements
At the appointment, we discuss your situation, needs and possible individual arrangements. The discussion in confidential. You will receive a written proposal for individual study arrangements, which lists potential arrangements that teachers could put in place for you.
The proposal also states its validity period (valid indefinitely / for a fixed period of time). The proposal is confidential.
The proposal is signed by using digital signature service. You will receive the proposal right after signing.
- 4
Contact the teacher at the beginning of the course
When you need arrangements on a course, contact the responsible teacher and show them your proposal. Information about the proposal or your need for arrangements will not be automatically sent to teaching staff.
We recommend you show the proposal to the teacher face-to-face or in a private Teams/Zoom meeting, where the arrangements can also be agreed on. If you send the proposal to the teacher via email, please note that the teacher will then receive a copy of it. If you send an email, please use encrypted email.
Always present the proposal to the teacher before the beginning of the course or as early as possible on the course. This way there is enough time to put the necessary arrangements in place.
Don't present your medical certificate / other expert statement to the teacher.
- 5
The teacher decides what arrangements can be put in place on the course
The arrangements are always tailored to the learning outcomes of the course. The teacher decides what kind of arrangements are possible on the course. The teacher will strive to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to undertake and demonstrate learning, as far as reasonably practicable.
- 6
If you are dissatisfied with the decision a teacher makes
If you are dissatisfied with the decision a teacher makes about your individual study arrangements, you can contact the head of study services in your faculty (Guidance and counselling services in faculties: contact information). You can also always ask for help from the specialist who wrote your proposal.
Individual arrangements in exams
Practices for requesting individual arrangements for exams vary depending on whether it is a general paper-based exam, an electronic exam or another type of exam. Arrangements must always be agreed well in advance.
You can find more detailed instructions here: Individual arrangements in exams.
Specialists
Elisa Sinikallio, education specialist, accessibility contact person
Online appointments (Microsoft Teams)
Appointments on Hervanta campus
Room: PA210C, Main building, Hervanta campus
Sanna-Mari Mertaniemi, coordinator
Online appointments (Microsoft Teams)
Appointments on City Centre Campus
Room: A112, Main building, City centre campus
Storage of the proposals and information regarding individual study arrangements
Keep the proposal safe with you.
Copies of the proposals for individual study arrangements will be stored in the university's electronic archiving system and deleted no later than 10 years after the document is written. The expert statement will not be stored or copied. Data concerning a student’s health is confidential (Act on the Openness of Government Activities 21.5.1999/621, Section 24). Only the individual study arrangements specialists of the Joint guidance and counselling services have access to the proposals in the archiving system.
Information about individual study arrangements will not appear in your academic records or degree certificate.
Feedback survey for students with a proposal for individual study arrangements
Share your experiences of using a Proposal for Individual Study Arrangements, and how well the proposed arrangements have been put in place. You may also give general feedback on the individual study arrangements policy.
Fill out the survey here anytime: Feedback survey for students who have received individual study arrangements
The Proposals for Special Arrangements issued by Tampere University of Technology or University of Tampere
The Proposals for Special Arrangements that have been issued by Tampere University of Technology or University of Tampere before 1 January 2019 will remain in force at the current Tampere University.