Aalto University awards its Excellence Scholarships as full tuition-fee waivers to the highest-achieving non-EU/EEA applicants admitted to its English-taught Master's programmes. There is no separate scholarship application — you tick the scholarship option inside your admission application, and the award decision arrives together with your admission decision. The waiver covers two full years of tuition but zero living costs.
Why it is notable: this is Aalto's OWN institutional scheme — do not confuse it with Finland's former national Finland Scholarship programme, which is defunct. Two traps in the fine print: programmes may decide to award NO scholarships at all, and students admitted from the waiting list can never receive one (scholarship decisions are finalised before results release).
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Full tuition-fee waiver for the normative 2-year Master's duration (value: €15,000–€20,000/year depending on field — Business €15,000; Technology and multidisciplinary €17,000; Art & Architecture €20,000)
Scholarship decision given together with the admission decision; waiver also applies during exchange periods/internships abroad within the degree
Separate, combinable extra (Marketing / International Management only): Pekka Mattila Excellence Scholarship — €3,000 relocation grant paid in the first year (cannot be combined with the Excellence Scholarship; apply for both on the same form)
NOTE (honest math): waiver only — living costs (minimum €800/month in the capital region), Student Union AYY membership fee, Kela student healthcare fee, insurance, study materials and travel are all yours to fund
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor Masters
This scholarship is offered for English-taught Master's programmes at Aalto University starting autumn 2027.
Who can apply
All nationalities OUTSIDE the EU/EEA/Switzerland who are liable to pay tuition fees. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not pay tuition and cannot receive the waiver. Scholarship candidates are screened against EU sanctions lists. (Global bar met: open to all fee-liable nationalities worldwide.)
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
Required — accepted proof of English proficiency per programme rules (e.g. IELTS/TOEFL/PTE; exact thresholds on each study option's page). School of Business applicants with a bachelor's from outside Finland must additionally take GMAT or GRE (except Finnish-taught Yritysjuridiikka).
Other Certificates
Bachelor's degree (180 ECTS / 3 years full-time, recognised institution, granting master's eligibility in the awarding country) + official transcripts; conditional applicants must graduate by 31 July 2027 and deliver certified degree copies by 17 August 2027
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Tools that may help
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Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
Eligible = all non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationalities (tuition-fee-liable). Excluded = EU/EEA/Swiss citizens (no tuition fee, therefore no waiver possible) — the…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Qualification
recognised bachelor's degree (180 ECTS / 3 years) granting master's eligibility in the awarding country; conditional graduation by 31 July 2027 accepted.
02
Scholarship opt-in
select the scholarship option ON the admission form during the application period — no separate form, no late requests.
03
Fee liability
only non-EU/EEA/Swiss tuition-fee-liable applicants can receive the waiver; fee-exempting residence permits must be documented.
04
Language
accepted English proficiency proof per programme rules; GMAT/GRE for School of Business Group 2 applicants.
05
Fee
€100 statutory application fee for non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants (no waivers); first tuition instalment due after acceptance if no waiver awarded.
06
Academic standing
scholarships go to the highest-achieving applicants per each programme's published evaluation criteria — applying for the scholarship does not affect the admission decision itself.
Document checklist
01Bachelor's degree certificate + official transcript of records (certified copies by later deadlines)
02Accepted proof of English language proficiency
03GMAT or GRE score — only for School of Business applicants with a non-Finnish bachelor's (except Yritysjuridiikka)
04Passport copy / national ID (citizenship proof); residence permit copies if claiming fee exemption
05Programme-specific documents per the study option's instructions (e.g. portfolio for art/design)
Application fee
€100 — mandatory for non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants; statutory, non-negotiable, no waivers available (official aalto.fi). T
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: Finnish residence permit for studies (applied via the Finnish Immigration Service, Migri); EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not need one.
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Shortlist up to two study options (ranked
by preference) on aalto.fi's Study options pages; read each programme's evaluation criteria and document instructions.
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02
Complete the application form in the national
Studyinfo.fi service during the application period (7 Dec 2026, 9:00 – 5 Jan 2027, 15:00 UTC+2). On the form, choose the option to apply for the scholarship — you cannot add a scholarship request after the period closes.
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03
If you are not an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
pay the €100 application fee (statutory, non-negotiable, no waivers; collected by the Finnish National Agency for Education via Studyinfo).
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06
If conditionally admitted
deliver officially certified educational documents by the stated deadlines (13 May 2027 for early admits; 17 Aug 2027 for conditional graduates) and pay the first-year tuition (if no waiver) by 31 July.
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05
Await evaluation (Jan–Mar 2027)
admission + scholarship decisions published 30 March 2027; accept the study place by 21 April 2027, 15:00 UTC+3.
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04
Upload ALL required documents to the form
by the document deadline (language test scores, degree certificates/transcripts, GMAT/GRE where required) — edit and save changes before the deadline.
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07
Bachelor's degree certificate + official transcript of
records (certified copies by later deadlines)
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08
Accepted proof of English language proficiency
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09
GMAT or GRE score —
only for School of Business applicants with a non-Finnish bachelor's (except Yritysjuridiikka)
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10
Passport copy / national ID (citizenship proof)
residence permit copies if claiming fee exemption
Application milestones
5 Jan 2027
Application deadline
12 Jan 2027
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official Aalto University platform.
Is the Excellence Scholarship a separate application? A: No — it is an option inside the Studyinfo admission form. You cannot request it after the application period.Does the scholarship cover living costs? A: No. It is a tuition-fee waiver only. Aalto states students need at least €800/month for living costs in the capital region, and the immigration authorities How long does the waiver last? A: The normative study period — 2 years full-time for a Master's — provided you study full-time per your approved personal study plan.Does every programme award scholarships? A: No — programmes may decide to award none. Scholarships go to the best applicants per each programme's evaluation criteria.Can I get a scholarship if admitted from the waiting list? A: No. Scholarship decisions are finalised before admission results are released and are not reallocated.Does applying for the scholarship hurt my admission chances? A: No — admission is based solely on the admissions and evaluation criteria; chances are identical with or without the scholarship applicatIs this the same as the Finland Scholarship? A: No — Finland's former national Finland Scholarship scheme is defunct; this is Aalto University's own institutional Excellence Scholarship.Can the scholarship decision be appealed? A: No — under the Universities Act, the scholarship decision cannot be appealed.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
Finland · Aalto University
