Fees and cancellation terms for Open University students

Published 21.12.2022 | Updated 4.11.2024

Study fees

The study fee for studies organised by Uniarts Helsinki is based on the scope of the study right and is EUR 20 per ECTS credit in the right to study for the Autumn semester application period in 2024 and Spring semester 2025. The study fee is VAT-free. In addition, the University may charge a material or ticket fee for materials or performance, concert, or exhibition tickets that are part of the course. Alternately, the student may be required to purchase materials or tickets themselves.

The study fee is paid online via Paytrail before the start of the studies. A link to the payment of the study fee will be sent in the message on acceptance to studies. You can only be granted a study right to open university studies after completing the study fee payment. Payment of the fee is due within three (3) days of the date on which the acceptance email is sent. If the fee is not paid within the deadline, the fee will be cancelled, and the applicant will lose the offered place in the studies.

The study fee is paid by an e-form or invoice after the information about receiving a place in open university studies has been sent. The study fees of the Open University of Uniarts Helsinki comply with the Act on Criteria for Charges Payable to the State on 21.2.1992/150 and the Government decree on fees charged for university performances on 17.12.2009/1082.

Discount groups and free studies

Degree students and exchange students registered as attending for the term, and staff members at Uniarts Helsinki receive a 50 per cent discount on Open University study fees. The discount does not apply to studies organised by partner institutions.

In addition, separately selected study units are free of charge for degree and exchange students who have registered as attending for the term. Participation is free of charge only if the study unit fits in the student’s personal study plan. These courses are listed in the Uniarts Helsinki study guide, which also contains more detailed conditions for participation.

The Open University study fee is not charged students with the separate continued right to study at Uniarts Helsinki. Continued right to study must be valid until the end of the course.

Terms of cancellation

The application is binding. An application or a place on the course can be cancelled free of charge during the application period. Cancelling a course place free of charge is possible before the study fee has been paid. Once the study fee has been paid, it will not be refunded in case of cancellation. Any cancellations must be reported in writing to the Open University of the Uniarts Helsinki at open@uniarts.fi. 

The Open University reserves the right to:

• make changes to course arrangements.
• cancel the course/study module, for example due to a low number of participants.
• reschedule the teaching period or change the method of teaching.

Terms of cancellation for partner institutions

Courses arranged by partner institutions comply with the schools’ own terms of cancellation. The terms of cancellation for each institution can be found on the institution’s website.

Study modules and changes to the study plan

The study modules do not have course-specific cancellation periods. Instead, changes to the scope of the approved study plan must be requested in writing from the Open University of Uniarts Helsinki (open@uniarts.fi) no later than one week before the start of the study unit, unless otherwise stated in the acceptance letter.

Maternity, parental leave, civilian or military service

As a rule, maternity, parental leave, civilian or military service does not quailfy a student to a refund of the study fee or to postpone the right to study.

The exception to this is study rights for study modules lasting 1.5–2 years, where the postponement of studies scheduled for the second year can be requested in writing with a free-form application before the start of the 3rd or 4th term. The request must be sent to open@uniarts.fi.

When submitting the application, the student must upon request submit a certificate of maternity, parental leave, civilian or military service to the Open University. The postponement of the right to study can only be granted for courses belonging to study units that are location- and time-specific and require attendance in classes. The postponement of the right to study is not granted for the first year of the study modules.

Illness during completion of study module

If the student falls ill during the study module, the study fee is reimbursed only for those courses during which the student is not able to study. The absence must be proven with a doctor’s certificate. 

If Uniarts Helsinki organises the same or equivalent studies included in the study module during the following academic term or year, the student may alternatively apply for an extension of their right to study. An extension of the right to study can only be granted for Open University study rights and for courses arranged by Uniarts Helsinki. The extension is only granted if the doctor’s certificate indicates that the student has not been able to study during the course. An extension cannot be granted if the same or an equivalent study unit is not organised within one year.

The extension application must be submitted without delay at the start of the illness and no later than before the end of the original right to study. An extended right to study may also be granted for an equivalent study unit, such as a study unit in the arts, where the content varies.

Cancellation of a course in a study module

After the personal study plan has been approved, the student cannot cancel a course belonging to a study module free of charge.

If the University cancels a course included in a study module, the Open University study services will contact the student to find a replacement course. The study fee is reimbursed if no replacement course is found, or a similar course is not organised within one year. Students have the right to refuse these changes to their personal study plan and receive a partial reimbursement of the study fee (the cost of the cancelled course from a paid fee).

Refund of study fees

Study fees that have been paid will only be refunded in case of illness after providing a medical or doctor’s certificate or if the course has been cancelled by the Open University.  

The study fee is not refunded for instances related to the student’s own actions, such as: 

• failure to attend teaching.
• interruption of studies.
• technical problems related to the student’s network connection or similar.
• disciplinary measures.

Repayment of the fee is requested in writing from open@uniarts.fi. The courses for which a refund is sought must be mentioned in the e-mail. Do not attach sensitive documents, such as a doctor’s certificate, to an e-mail. Instructions for the secure sending of sensitive documents are sent separately to those who have submitted a refund request. 

Payment and cancellation conditions for studies starting in autumn semester 2024

For studies starting in the autumn semester 2024, the study fee is paid by an e-form or invoice after the right to study has been granted. Study fees already paid will only be refunded if the cancellation is made by e-mail to the Open University (avoin@uniarts.fi) by the cancellation date stated in the acceptance message, in case of illness proven with a doctor’s or medical certificate, or if the course is cancelled by the Open University.

If a student cancels their right to study in violation of the cancellation terms or after the last cancellation date, the study fee is charged in full. For cancellation conditions for modules, please see the section Study modules and changes to the study plan.