How to apply for accreditation of studies from other universities

If you want to register studies you have completed/competences you have gained before commencing your studies at Arcada you can apply for accreditation when you start your studies. The same goes for work experience prior to your studies - this way a personal study plan can be created for you.

The student takes the initiative for accreditation or validation and is responsible for presenting sufficient evidence of his/her competence so that the university can assess it. The student must submit a separate form for each course/examiner (unless there is a larger number of courses, in which case you should contact your study counselor before applying).

You apply by filling out the application form online with the following attachments:

  • Official certificate of the courses successfully completed (e.g. transcript of records). If you completed the course at a Finnish university (this includes courses you have taken through CampusOnline.fi) you can use the national My Studyinfo portal to create a link that you can use as your transcript of records (see instructions at the bottom of the page)
  • Course description
  • Any document showing the English name of the course, e.g. transcript of records or course description in English
  • NB! If the work load has been measured in other credits than ECTS, the student must provide information on how it can be converted to either ECTS or hours. Often this information is given on the transcript of records.

It is helpful to consult your study counselor before applying for accreditation or validation. If you do not know how to fill in the form, please contact the study coordinators at Student Affairs - studentaffairs(a)arcada.fi.

The processing time is approximately three weeks from submitting a complete application. Please note that processing times are longer during August and September due to the number of applications.

Please note that credits/attainments completed before you conducted your studies at Arcada will not be taken into consideration for the period of which you have received financial aid for. More information can be found here .

Please note that the programme director may decide to give the student the right to take a course or study module at Arcada which has been replaced by an accredited course. The accredited study attainment is then deleted from the study records. Otherwise no approved study attainments will be deleted from the study records.

The accreditation process

1. Application: The student submits the form and all the necessary attachments.

2. Decision: The examiner and/or degree programme director makes a decision.

3. Information about the decision: The decision is sent by e-mail. Approved applications are registered in Sisu. Denied applications are informed to the student via e-mail by Student Affairs. If the application is partially approved, the student will receive instructions about the completion of the course.

4. The application form and the decision are archived for future reference.