Aalto University offers Excellence Scholarships 2026 which waive the full tuition fee for excellent international students. These scholarships are for students from outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and are enrolled in English-taught Bachelor's or Master's program. Aalto University Excellence Scholarships 2026 are based on merit only.
That is, only the best applicants who meet the criteria set for each program receive these scholarships. If a candidate does not meet the criteria for a program, the program may not award any scholarships. These scholarships do not cover your living expenses or other expenses other than tuition. If you are not a citizen of the European Union/European Economic Area, you will automatically have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship when you apply for admission.
Benefits:
Receiving an Excellence Scholarship means that you will not have to pay tuition fees for the duration of your degree three years for Bachelor's, and two years for Master's.
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Programs and Scholarship Availability:
The list of Bachelor’s and Master’s programs taught in English changes every year. Each program page clearly states whether an Excellence Scholarship will be awarded for the upcoming intake. Before applying, make sure that there are scholarship places available in your chosen field.
Duration of Aalto University Excellence Scholarships:
• Scholarships are awarded for the normal duration of study.
• A bachelor's degree usually consists of three years of full-time study.
• A master's degree usually consists of two years of full-time study.
• Scholarships require continuous full-time enrollment in accordance with an approved personal study plan.
• Any change in program, taking a leave of absence, or interruption of studies may result in loss of scholarship benefits.
Eligibility Requirements for Bachelor’s Degree Applicants:
If you intend to apply for a Bachelor's program, you must have completed or will complete one of the following:
• Finnish Matriculation Examination.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
• European Baccalaureate (EB) Diploma.
• Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA) diploma from within Finland.
• Secondary school diploma that qualifies for higher education in your home country.
• Finnish vocational upper secondary certificate.
• Cambridge AICE diploma.
• In addition, you may be eligible if:
• You already have the right to study at a Finnish university.
• You have obtained or will obtain a Finnish higher education degree.
• You have a foreign degree at bachelor's level or higher that meets the entry requirements.
Eligibility Requirements for Master's Degree Applicants:
To be eligible for admission to Master's programs and be eligible for a scholarship, you must:
• Have obtained or will complete a relevant degree such as a Bachelor's or equivalent.
• Meet the Finnish higher education entrance criteria and include all required documents in your application.
• Show approved English language proficiency such as IELTS or TOEFL scores.
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Required Documents To Apply for:
Application documents checklist includes:
• Mark sheets.
• Proof of English proficiency.
• Proof of degree completion.
• Copy of passport.
• CV (biodata), letter of intent, completed
• Transcripts, or test scores such as GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT if required by your program.
• Officially certified translations if required.
• Incomplete applications, missing documents, or failure to apply for the scholarship during the application period will not be considered for the scholarship.
Scholarships Selection Factors:
Since scholarships are competitive meeting the admissions requirements alone is not enough. Successful applicants typically:
• Show excellent academic performance in previous degrees.
• Demonstrate strong English language skills, possibly beyond the minimum required.
• Submit an attractive letter of intent and supporting documents.
• For creative or technical programs, present a good portfolio, project list, or relevant experience.
• Be very closely aligned with the program objectives and assessment criteria to ensure they are excellent.
• Since not all programs can offer scholarships every year, make sure you check the details of your chosen program to see if there is a scholarship available.
Aalto University Excellence Scholarships Time-Frame:
• Aalto University opens applications once a year. The application and scholarship option is only available during the official application period.
• As there are different study programs so the applications usually opens around October- November and continues till December-January depending on the study program.
• Late applicants will not be eligible for the scholarship.
How to Apply for Aalto University Excellence Scholarships?
• Start your application via Aalto's online admissions portal during the application period.
• If you are identified as a fee payer, select the option to apply for a scholarship.
• Submit all required admission documents, including transcripts, degree certificates, test scores, and proof of English proficiency, before the deadline.
• When applications close, programs will begin reviewing your academic performance and scholarships.
• Scholarship decisions are made during the admission process and are based solely on academic performance.
• Each program decides whether and to which applicants scholarships will be awarded, using its own criteria (e.g., academic record, purpose, portfolio, test scores).
• You will be notified of the scholarship status with the admission decision.
• If your program does not offer a scholarship or all scholarships have been awarded, you will be notified.
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Important Tips:
• Confirm that your program offers a scholarship.
• Prepare all necessary documents well in advance of the deadlines.
• Apply during the admission period and select fee-paying status.
• Submit a strong application that meets all criteria.
• Keep checking the admissions portal for decision notifications.
Conclusion:
The Aalto University Excellence Scholarship offers a substantial tuition discount to the best foreign applicants to English-language Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. The opportunity is limited and requires strong academic qualifications, competitive applications, and careful adherence to deadlines and paper instructions. To apply and know more visit the Aalto University Excellence Scholarship 2026 official link here.