Open University students are entitled to receive reasonable, individual study arrangements.Such students are required to demonstrate the same level of knowledge and skills as other students. The right to the individual arrangements are based on the Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014) and section 24 of the Aalto University General Regulations on Teaching and Studying.
A student may bring up their need for individual study arrangements at any time during their studies.
Granting individual study arrangements
Instructions to students
If you need individual study arrangements for your Open University studies, please proceed as follows:
- Contact the Open University individual study arrangements office via email (at individual-needs-open@aalto.fi ) well in advance of the start of your course, e.g. immediately after registering for the course. Individual study arrangements must be agreed with Aalto University's written recommendation at the latest 14 days before the start of the course or before the examination date. Please note that getting a written recommendation for individual study arrangements may take a few days.
- Deliver a certificate by a doctor, psychologist or other expert according to the instructions you receive from the Open University office; deliver by encrypted email, regular postal mail or by coming to the office in person.*
- We will go through with you what arrangements you need and for what time period. You will receive from the Open University a written recommendation on the agreed, individual study arrangements. The recommendations will be valid in all the Aalto schools for a set period of time. You will receive more specific instructions when the recommendation is sent to you.**
- Contact the course teacher, present the recommendation and agree about the arrangments when the course starts. If you need individual arrangements for exams, please inform the course teacher and Open University office (avoin@aalto.fi) about it as soon as possible but no later than 2 weeks before the exam.
- Should problems arise, please contact the person who provided the recommendation. The recommendation provides the contact information.
*The Open University will destroy the certificate copy when the recommendation is ready.
**The Open University will retain the recommendation until the end of the term (autumn, spring, summer) that follows the expiration date of the recommendation.
Note: The student is obliged to report any change in their situation or condition that may affect the individual study arrangements.
Instructions to Open University teachers
Students may be granted individual study arrangements only after being granted the university’s recommendation verifying their right to the arrangements. Recommendations are granted to both Aalto University and Open University students who need them, and the recommendation is valid throughout Aalto University. Teachers shall take such recommendations into account in their teaching.
The right to reasonable, individual study arrangements is granted by the Open University. The student must verify his or her need for individual study arrangements by presenting a statement by a doctor or other relevant professional. Recommendation for individual study arrangements are valid for a set period of time.
The recommendations state the arrangements agreed upon, but they include no health data health as defined in the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Details of the student’s health status are disclosed only to the person granting the right to individual study arrangements. The contact information of the person granting the right to the arrangements are included in the recommendation.
Students who contact teachers directly about the arrangements should be referred to the Open University office. Students will receive more detailed, practical instructions about the arrangements when the recommendation is prepared. The teacher has the final say in judging how the arrangements may be carried out in a reasonable manner. If you have questions about individual study arrangements, please contact the Open University individual study arrangement contact persons at individual-needs-open@aalto.fi .
