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Tampere University Student's Handbook

Changing the degree programme, specialisation or campus

According to Tampere University Regulations on Degrees, a student studying for a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree may apply to change his or her degree programme or specialisation. The change can be made as an internal transfer or it may require participation in the regular admission procedure via Studyinfo (Opintopolku in Finnish).

Internal transfer means a procedure whereby a student can apply to change his or her specialisation or degree programme without having to participate in the regular admission procedure via Studyinfo. Please find below further instructions on cases where an internal transfer is possible and where application via the regular admission procedure on Studyinfo is required. Internal transfer requires that the student has enrolled either as attending or absent for his/her right to study.

No internal transfer is possible in degree programmes leading to regulated professional qualifications or professions that require legalisation. Students are only admitted through the regular admission procedure via Studyinfo in eg architecture, class teacher training, early childhood education, psychology, social work, logopaedics, and medicine.

The criteria for internal transfers are prepared and decided by the Faculties using the same schedule in which the regular admission criteria are prepared.

Internal procedure vs. student admissions

Changing a specialisation or degree programme during Bachelor’s studies

Type of change Procedure
Changing a specialisation within a Bachelor’s Degree Programme. This also applies to eg biotechnology and biomedical technology, multidisciplinary education in communication sciences, and language studies Internal procedure
Changing a degree programme or specialisation within the field of engineering (M.Sc. studies) Internal procedure
Changing a degree programme or education in other fields than engineering Transfer application via StudyInfo

Changing a specialisation or degree programme during Master’s studies

Type of change Procedure
Changing a specialisation within a Master’s programme Internal procedure
Changing a Master’s programme between Master’s programmes that are part of the same training Internal procedure
Changing a Master’s programme within the field of engineering (M.Sc. programmes) Internal procedure
Exchaning a Master’s programme to another Master’s Programme that are not part of the same training in other fields than engineering Application to the Master’s degree programme via Studyinfo

Changing a doctoral programme or research field during doctoral studies

According to Tampere University Degree Regulations, doctoral students may apply to change their doctoral programme or field of research within the doctoral programme. The following principles apply to changing a doctoral programme or a research field.

Type of change Procedure
Changing a research field within a doctoral programme Internal procedure without application deadlines
Changing a doctoral programme Application to the doctoral programme via Studyinfo according to the application schedule given there.

Application periods of internal transfers

You may apply for transfer during the application times listed below or the degree programme / specialisation receives applications all year round. Check the relevant information in the instructions given by the degree programmes/specialisations below. The joint application times are:

  • Autumn semester: The application period for internal transfers is November with 30 November being the deadline unless otherwise specified by the Faculty.
  • Spring semester: The application period for internal transfer applications is 2–16 May 2024 (the same application schedule is used as in national transfer applications, but the application procedure is different).

How to apply for an internal transfer?

  1. Familiarise yourself with the criteria the degree programme / field of study has set for transferrals and the more detailed application instructions. Discuss your transfer with the education specialist of the new degree programme / field of study.
  2. Check whether you can apply for the transfer during the joint application period or whether application is possible round the year.
  3. Write an application and submit it with attachments to the Faculty where you want to transfer.

The faculties and degree programmes provide more detailed information on application periods and methods and the criteria for internal transfers.

Published: 25.2.2019
Updated: 26.2.2024