Registering as Absent

Registering as absent must be done during the registration period.

New students: by August 12th, 2024 (New International Bachelor's and Master's students by September 13th, 2023) and continuing students: May 1st - Sept. 13th, 2024.

General information

Register as non-attending for the study rights, in which you are not planning to complete any studies during the academic year. A degree student may register as absent without a specified reason for the duration of a maximum of two academic terms without it affecting the time granted for the completion of a degree. Read more about the target durations of degree studies

In addition to this, students are entitled to absence on statutory reasons (voluntary military service or conscription, maternity leave, paternity leave or parental leave or for first-year students: sick leave). Leave of absence on statutory reasons will not reduce the duration of your degree studies only if you are registered as absent during the leave.

Information about non-attendance for statutory reasons

The University Act defines the statutory reasons on the basis of which a degree student who registers as absent can get an extension of the study period (i.e. non-attendance will not reduce the duration of your degree studies). Absences due to performing service in accordance with the Military Conscription Act, the Civil Service Act or the Act on Women's Voluntary Military Service, or taking maternity leave, paternity leave or parental leave are not counted in the degree completion time. (20.3.2015/324)

On the basis of a statutory absence, the study period can only be extended if you have registered as absent during the registration period and submitted the necessary certificate.

If a student registers as being absent due to a statutory reason for absence, as defined by the Universities Act, their study right duration may be extended. The student must prove they have a statutory reason for absence with a document. The documents verifying a statutory reason for absence may be in Finnish, Swedish or English. The documents are send or delivered personally to the Academic Affairs Service Team of your own Faculty. If you do not have adequate document, you need to contact Academic Affairs Service Team for instructions. Below is a list of documents you can use to prove the statutory reasons for your absence.

1. The student is in active service in accordance with the Conscription Act (1438/2007), the Non-Military Service Act (1446/2007), or the Women’s Voluntary Military Service Act (194/1995)

Before the service begins, the student must bring or send their call-up order to show that the service takes place during the next academic semester.
After the service period, the student must also bring or send a copy/picture of their service certificate to prove the actual duration of the service.

2. The student requires leave from their studies in order to take care of their child due to birth or adoption

Certificate of maternity, paternity, or parental leave, or if such a certificate is not yet available, a medical certificate of pregnancy. The positive decision from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) regarding parental allowance serves as proof of parental leave. Similarly, Kela's positive decision regarding maternity allowance serves as proof of pregnancy, instead of a medical certificate. Note that you must be insured under the Finnish Health Insurance Act in order to get pregnancy or parental allowance from Kela. Alternatively, you can also provide corresponding certificates from the authorities of another country regarding statutory parental leave.

3. A first-year student is unable to start their studies due to the student’s own illness or injury

Sickness allowance decision or, if such decision is not available, a medical certificate stating which illness or injury is in question, and that the illness or injury prevents the first year student from starting their studies on August 1st.
Obstacles caused by the practical arrangements required by the illness or injury: an adequate clarification, e.g. a certificate from the student housing foundation that the student is on the waiting list for an apartment required by their injury. The student’s own notification is not an adequate clarification.
NOTE! Statutory absence for illness or injury only concerns for the first-year students.

You can register as being absent for a semester due to a statutory reason if the statutory reason covers at least one day out of the semester.

New students and transfer students

New students can register as absent for the first year only on statutory reasons. Registering as absent must be done by August 12th, 2024, at 15.00 / 3:00 pm. Deadline for new International Bachelor's and Master's Programme students to register either as present or absent is September 13th, 2024.

The same rule for absence applies to both new students and transfer students.

To register as absent fill in the enrolment and registration form which is available at study affairs forms page and email or mail it with required documents to your own Faculty's Study Services. Documents (e-mailed or mailed) must arrive to the University by the end of the registration period.
If you do not have a proof of statutory reasons for your absence at that time, contact your own Faculty's Study Services.

Faculty Study Services by faculties

Faculty of Humanities: study.humanities(at)oulu.fi
Faculty of Education and Psychology: study.education(at)oulu.fi
Faculty of Science: study.science(at)oulu.fi
Faculty of Technology: study.technology(at)oulu.fi
Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine: study.fbmm(at)oulu.fi
Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering: study.itee(at)oulu.fi
Faculty of Medicine: study.medicine(at)oulu.fi
Oulu Business School: study.business(at)oulu.fi

If you do not register by deadline, you will lose your right to study. If you wish to begin your studies at a later time, you must apply for readmission from the university and pay a re-registration fee.

Additional information for the absence registration

If you already have a active right to study for a degree and you have now been granted a new study right, you can register as absent for the academic year only if you have legal grounds for your absence.
If the statutory reason for the absence only applies to the second semester (e.g. military service starting in January or maternity leave), you can register as absent for the entire academic year if you wish, but please note that in this case the study period will only be extended for the semesters of absence for which the statutory reason applies.

Continuing Students

You can register as absent if you do not intend to participate in teaching or complete studies/a degree during the school year or if there is a statutory reason for the absence, i.e. military service, civil service, maternity, paternity or parental leave.

Continuing student can register as absent for two academic terms. The reason for absence don't have to be informed. This absence does not affect the time granted for the completion of a degree. If you are absent more than two academic terms for example due to illness, this absence will affect the time granted for the completion of a degree. You can apply extension of study right, if necessary. When granting a study period extension, university must also take into consideration the student's personal life situation (for example illness) which needs to be shown with reliable documents for example a medical certificate.

Registration as absent must also be done during the registration period.

You can make an absence registration in the following ways:

OILI annual registration service. You can register as absent in OILI. You may also change the status of your registration for the spring term from ‘absent’ to ‘attending’ in OILI during spring registration period.
By email or mail. You can also register as absent by e-mailing or mailing a signed Enrolment and registration form. Attach other required documents with the form, e.g. documents that give proof of legal grounds. E-mail or mail the documents to your Faculty's Study Services.
By visiting your Faculty's Study Service Point. Fill in the Enrolment and registration form in advance.