University of Helsinki Master's Thesis Guide 2026–2027: Process, E-thesis, Programme Rules and Assessment

Who this guide is for

This guide is for University of Helsinki master’s students who need a reliable map of the thesis process before they begin planning, while they are writing, or when they are preparing for formal submission. It is especially useful for international students because the University has a clear university-wide process, but many operational details are controlled by the student’s faculty or degree programme.

The most important rule is therefore simple: do not treat one University of Helsinki thesis as a universal template for another programme. The University itself asks students to select their degree programme when reading thesis instructions because programme-specific content can change the schedule, thesis form, page or word expectations, referencing system, maturity-test arrangement, examiner procedure and other requirements.

This page was substantively re-verified on 24 August 2026. It should be read together with your current programme-filtered Instructions for Students page, Sisu information, thesis seminar material and supervisor guidance.

The University of Helsinki thesis process in one view

For a typical master’s student, the process can be understood as a chain:

1. confirm the exact degree-programme rules;
2. identify a feasible thesis topic and supervisor;
3. prepare and obtain approval for the thesis plan as required by the programme;
4. define the research question, evidence, method and ethical requirements;
5. complete the research and writing with supervision;
6. follow the programme’s structure, referencing and formatting rules;
7. prepare the required abstract and maturity test;
8. register correctly in Sisu where required;
9. submit the final PDF through E-thesis by the applicable deadline;
10. allow the thesis to proceed to the appointed examiners;
11. review the grade proposal and assessment statement;
12. receive the formal approval and grade decision;
13. complete the remaining graduation steps in Sisu;
14. decide on open publication in Helda, understanding that the thesis is still a public document even if open publication is declined.

Each of these stages contains details that can vary by degree programme. The purpose of this guide is to show which parts are stable and which parts must be verified locally.

1. Start by identifying the rules that actually control your thesis

The University of Helsinki has university-wide thesis instructions, but those instructions deliberately expose programme-specific content when you select a degree programme. This is not a minor feature. It is the mechanism through which the University communicates many of the details that matter in practice.

Before planning the thesis, record at least the following:

If any of these fields is unknown, your thesis workflow is not fully specified yet.

2. Thesis scope and workload

The University-wide instruction states that a master’s thesis is normally a 30-credit component of advanced studies. The written thesis in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine is a stated exception at 20 credits. The University describes the normal workload as roughly one term of full-time study, including research material collection and processing as well as writing.

That credit value does not create one universal page count. A programme can provide its own practical length guidance. For example, the current Master’s Programme in Social Research describes its thesis as a 30-credit written work and recommends approximately 50 to 70 pages, or about 15,000 to 20,000 words in Finnish. It also notes that the reference list is included in that recommended length.

That Social Research figure is useful as an example of programme-level specificity. It must not be copied into another programme unless that programme gives the same instruction.

3. Topic selection, research question and the thesis plan

The thesis is not merely a long coursework essay. University-wide instructions expect the student to demonstrate familiarity with the topic, command of relevant research methods, scientific thinking and academic writing.

A thesis plan must be prepared before the thesis project begins or at the initial stage at the latest. How the plan is discussed and approved is defined by the degree programme curriculum, and the plan must identify the supervisor or supervisors.

For planning purposes, a strong thesis plan should make the following chain visible:

research problem → research question → relevant literature or theory → evidence or material → method → analysis → feasible contribution

The exact plan template can differ, but the logical alignment remains important. If the planned material cannot answer the question, or if the method cannot analyse the material in a way that addresses the question, the problem is methodological rather than cosmetic.

Students should also establish access early. If the project depends on interviews, organisational data, laboratory access, restricted records, survey recruitment or a company partner, those dependencies can determine whether the topic is feasible within one thesis period.

4. Supervision and independent authorship

The University allows thesis research to take place within a research group, larger project, organisation or commissioned setting, but the thesis itself must demonstrate the student’s independent contribution. Some degree programmes permit pairwork, but only where the programme curriculum allows it, and the independent contribution of each student must remain clearly assessable.

This matters when a student joins an existing research project. Access to a larger dataset or project does not remove the requirement to define an individual research question, analytical responsibility and written contribution.

A useful supervision practice is to agree early on:

• what the supervisor will review and at which stages;
• how often meetings will occur;
• whether the supervisor comments on full chapters or selected sections;
• how data access and research permissions will be handled;
• when the thesis is considered ready for formal examination;
• which programme or faculty instructions take priority when guidance conflicts.

Your supervisor can interpret local academic expectations, but the formal programme and faculty rules remain important. Keep the current official instruction available throughout the project rather than relying only on verbal memory.

5. Structure is programme-specific, but the thesis must remain academically coherent

The University-wide guidance does not impose one table of contents on every master’s programme. It expects academic language and a scientifically defensible piece of work.

Programme guidance can be much more concrete. The Master’s Programme in Social Research, for example, describes a typical monograph structure involving an introduction, prior research and theoretical or conceptual framing, research questions, material and methods, analysis and results, conclusions and discussion, and references. It also encourages substantive chapter titles where appropriate.

Other programmes may permit or expect different structures. Laboratory sciences, computational work, legal research, literature-based theses, design-oriented projects, article-style theses and pedagogical theses can organise evidence differently.

A practical rule is to distinguish research logic from chapter labels. Whatever headings you use, a reviewer should be able to identify:

• why the problem is worth investigating;
• how the research question follows from the problem and literature;
• what evidence or material is used;
• why the method fits the question;
• how the analysis produces the result;
• how the conclusion relates back to the research question and prior knowledge;
• what limitations affect the interpretation.

6. Citation style: there is no single University-wide APA rule

This is one of the most important areas for students to verify.

Current University of Helsinki thesis instructions require a consistent referencing technique and state that the detailed system is specified by programmes. That means you should not assume that APA, Harvard, Vancouver, Chicago or another style applies simply because another Helsinki student used it.

The programme-level variation is visible in official guidance. The Master’s Programme in Social Research states that APA style may be used as an alternative and also advises students to review the field’s referencing rules at the beginning of the seminar. Other fields can have different instructions.

Therefore, before writing the literature review, establish:

1. the required or permitted citation style;
2. the required edition, if a style such as APA is specified;
3. whether page numbers are expected for particular kinds of citation;
4. how legal, archival, dataset, software, image or AI-related sources should be referenced in your field;
5. whether the programme supplies a reference example or template;
6. whether a reference manager output needs local adjustments.

Do this early. Reformatting hundreds of citations near submission is avoidable work and can introduce inconsistencies.

7. Research ethics, data protection and confidential material

Research ethics should be considered at the planning stage, not added as a paragraph at the end.

The University expects thesis work to follow responsible research practice. Depending on the project, this can involve informed consent, data protection, research permissions, secure storage, lawful processing of personal data and discipline-specific ethical review.

A particularly important University of Helsinki rule concerns confidentiality. Master’s theses are public documents after approval. Confidential information must therefore not be included in the thesis, its appendices or its abstract. Secret background material may sometimes be used in the research process, but it must remain outside the thesis submitted for assessment. The examiner assesses the written thesis and is not entitled to confidential background material.

This can affect commissioned or company-based theses. Before accepting access to commercially sensitive data, agree what can be reported publicly and whether aggregation, anonymisation or a different research design is required.

8. AI use in 2026: document it and verify the programme rule

AI requirements are now part of thesis planning rather than an optional afterthought.

The University states that large language models may generally be used as support where permitted, but the student remains responsible for the accuracy and content of submitted work. AI use must be reported according to University and course or programme instructions. Faculties and degree programmes can issue additional guidance.

Current thesis instructions also require students to discuss AI use and its reporting with the supervisor from the beginning of the thesis process. A current 2026 instruction states that theses written after 1 August 2026 must include a declaration about the use of artificial intelligence.

For practical purposes, keep an AI-use log containing:

• the tool or model used;
• the purpose for which it was used;
• whether prompts contained research data or confidential material;
• what human verification was performed;
• how the use will be declared in the thesis under your programme’s current rule.

Do not use AI in the maturity test. The University explicitly states that AI use is not permitted in maturity tests.

9. The thesis template, accessibility and file preparation

The University provides a thesis template designed to support accessibility, including text styles and an abstract section. However, the University also tells students to check faculty and degree-programme instructions before adopting the template. A local programme template or structure may therefore control the final layout.

For the master file, keep accessibility in mind throughout writing rather than attempting to repair the PDF at the final hour. This includes heading hierarchy, table structure, alternative text for meaningful images, readable links and a logical document order.

The University’s current file-naming instruction uses the format:

Lastname_Firstname_Mastersthesis_Year

with no Scandinavian letters or special characters.

Students using LaTeX should pay particular attention to accessibility. Current University guidance notes limitations in the accessibility of generated LaTeX PDFs and recommends saving thesis source code in the publication repository in addition to the PDF where relevant.

10. Abstract requirements

A master’s thesis includes an abstract in the language of the thesis. The University provides an abstract document and model, and the general guidance describes the abstract as usually one page. Degree programmes and faculties can provide more specific requirements.

The language rule can become more complex when the abstract also serves as the maturity test. Students whose secondary education was completed in Finnish or Swedish may have additional language requirements depending on whether they have previously demonstrated the required language proficiency.

For an international student whose secondary education was outside Finland, the maturity-test language depends on the language of the degree programme and thesis. In an English-language master’s programme, current University guidance generally directs the maturity test to be completed in English.

Do not assume that the abstract always completes the maturity-test requirement. Some degree programmes use a separate maturity-test task.

11. The maturity test is separate from the thesis grade

The master’s degree includes a maturity test connected to the thesis. It demonstrates familiarity with the thesis field and is graded pass or fail. It carries 0 credits as a separate study attainment.

The exact form is programme-specific. In some programmes, the thesis abstract can function as the maturity test. In other programme-filtered instructions, students are directed to a separate written task or Examinarium arrangement.

This means that a student preparing for submission should answer three questions:

1. Is my abstract also my maturity test?
2. If not, what separate maturity-test task is required?
3. What language must I use based on my degree language and secondary-education language history?

AI is not permitted in the maturity test, even where AI support has been permitted and properly declared during other parts of thesis work.

12. Sisu and the pre-submission check

Current programme-filtered Helsinki instructions state that, from 1 August 2025, students may need to register in Sisu for thesis submission and the maturity test before submitting the master’s thesis. Students with more than one registration should select the implementation for the relevant academic year.

Because Sisu implementation details can be programme-dependent, complete this check using your own current programme selection rather than copying screenshots from another student.

Before formal submission, confirm:

• the correct thesis and maturity-test registration in Sisu;
• the correct degree programme in E-thesis;
• the current submission deadline;
• your final title in the required languages;
• abstract requirements;
• file accessibility;
• file name;
• AI declaration;
• publication choice;
• any embargo request;
• supervisor confirmation that the thesis is ready for formal examination, where your programme requires it.

13. E-thesis submission

Master’s theses are submitted for formal assessment through the University’s E-thesis system. The redesigned E-thesis has been used for master’s-thesis submission in all degree programmes since after 1 January 2025. As of 3 August 2026, the system also expanded to bachelor thesis submission across faculties, but for master’s students the important point is that E-thesis is already the standard assessment route.

E-thesis guides the student through degree-programme selection, personal details, thesis metadata, publication choices, file upload, confirmation and later status or grade-proposal information.

The submission is consequential: once the final thesis has been submitted to E-thesis for assessment, the University states that changes or corrections can no longer be made to that submitted version. Do not use formal submission as a way to obtain one more round of feedback.

Current E-thesis guidance also states that submissions made by a published deadline are evaluated according to the relevant cycle, with the stated deadline interpreted in Finnish time. Always check the programme’s current schedule before relying on a date copied from an older cohort.

14. Examination and grading

University-wide guidance places master’s-thesis assessment on a 0–5 scale. Two examiners assess the thesis, and the dean makes the formal approval and grading decision based on the grade proposal.

The University’s teaching instructions explicitly warn that faculties and degree programmes have different procedures and requirements for examiners. The more detailed programme instructions can define who proposes the examiners, qualification requirements, whether the supervisor normally acts as one examiner, which assessment matrix applies and how disagreements are handled.

The assessment focuses on the student’s independent work even where the thesis belongs to a larger project or research group.

A useful way to prepare for assessment is to read your programme’s current assessment matrix before writing the final chapters, not after submission. A typical Helsinki assessment framework can consider areas such as the research objective and questions, scholarly framework, use of sources, data and method, results, discussion, academic writing and work during the thesis process, but the exact matrix and calculation procedure must be checked for your programme and submission period.

The University-wide page also states that students dissatisfied with grading can use the University’s formal review or appeal route. Treat this as a rights process, not as an informal negotiation with the examiner.

15. Public access, Helda and embargoes

A University of Helsinki master’s thesis is a public document after approval. This remains true even if you do not consent to open online publication.

The University recommends open publication. The abstract is always public and becomes openly available in Helda. If you consent to publication, the full thesis is made openly available in Helda. If you decline open publication, the thesis is not placed openly online in the same way, but it remains available through the University’s public-access arrangements, including library terminals under the current instructions.

An embargo can delay open publication in Helda, for example where the thesis is connected to research that will be published later. However, an embargo does not make the approved thesis confidential. The description data and abstract remain public, and the thesis remains a public document. Current general guidance states that the dean may grant a publication delay of one year.

This distinction matters for company commissions and manuscript-based theses. If future journal publication is planned, discuss repository permissions and embargo timing before E-thesis submission.

16. A concrete example of why programme-level verification matters

Consider two students at the same university.

Student A is in the Master’s Programme in Social Research. Current programme guidance recommends a monograph-style thesis of roughly 50–70 pages and says APA may be used as a referencing option. The programme explains a recognisable social-science chapter structure.

Student B is in another programme where the thesis is laboratory-based, computational, article-style, literature-based or organised through a different faculty process. That programme can have another expected structure, length, assessment workflow or referencing system.

Both students are at the University of Helsinki. Both submit through E-thesis. Both work under the University’s general integrity and assessment framework. Yet copying Student A’s page count, chapter template or APA choice into Student B’s thesis can still be wrong.

This is the core principle of the PT Writers University Guide system: university identity is not enough to determine the submission rules.

17. Programme verification worksheet

Before relying on this guide for your own thesis, fill in this worksheet from your current official programme instructions.

If a field is blank, treat it as an unresolved submission requirement.

18. Common mistakes University of Helsinki students should avoid

Copying another programme’s thesis format

A previous thesis can show what a completed document looks like, but it does not prove that its citation system, page count or chapter structure applies to your programme in 2026.

Leaving programme instructions until the formatting stage

Citation style, thesis form, maturity-test arrangement and assessment criteria can affect the work long before final formatting.

Submitting to E-thesis before the document is final

Formal E-thesis submission is not a draft-upload step. The University states that the submitted version can no longer be changed or corrected after submission for assessment.

Treating open publication and public-document status as the same thing

Declining open Helda publication does not turn the thesis into a confidential document.

Including confidential company or participant information

The assessed thesis and appendices cannot contain secret material merely because a company or research group supplied it.

Using AI without maintaining a declaration trail

The 2026 environment requires explicit attention to AI reporting. Keep a record of use and follow the current programme wording. Never use AI in the maturity test.

Assuming the abstract always satisfies the maturity test

The exact arrangement depends on programme and language circumstances.

Reading the assessment matrix after writing is complete

The matrix tells you what the examiners are evaluating. Use it as a final-stage audit while there is still time to improve the thesis.

19. A practical final-submission sequence

Several weeks before your intended deadline, confirm the programme schedule and assessment matrix. Resolve outstanding supervisor feedback. Verify the citation system and thesis form. Complete any ethics, permissions and data-management obligations. Confirm the abstract and maturity-test arrangement. Prepare the AI declaration required by the current instruction. Run a document-level accessibility and formatting check.

Before the deadline, confirm Sisu registration where required and make sure your programme, thesis metadata and study right are correct. Generate the final PDF only after the thesis has been approved for submission through the process used by your programme.

Immediately before E-thesis submission, check the exact file you are uploading. Verify the title, abstract, references, appendices, page order, accessibility, file name and publication choice. If an embargo is required, raise it through the appropriate E-thesis and faculty process.

After submission, monitor E-thesis and University messages for examiner and grade-proposal updates. Complete the maturity test according to your programme’s arrangement. If the thesis is your remaining degree component, coordinate the graduation request in Sisu according to the current instructions.

20. What PT Writers should verify for a Helsinki student before giving detailed advice

A responsible consultation should not begin with a generic thesis template. It should begin by identifying:

• the student’s exact University of Helsinki degree programme;
• faculty and curriculum period;
• thesis stage;
• current official thesis instruction;
• supervisor feedback already received;
• thesis-plan status;
• required referencing system;
• assessment matrix;
• E-thesis deadline;
• maturity-test arrangement;
• any ethics, data-access or confidentiality issues;
• any use of AI that must be declared.

Only after those items are known should detailed writing, formatting or methodology advice be treated as programme-specific.

Final checklist

Before submitting a University of Helsinki master’s thesis, confirm that you have used the current degree-programme instructions rather than a generic University checklist; the thesis plan and supervision arrangement have been approved as required; your research question, evidence and method are aligned; research ethics, permissions and data-protection requirements are resolved; the thesis structure and length fit your programme; the citation system is the one required or permitted by your programme; the abstract satisfies the relevant language rules; the maturity-test arrangement is confirmed; AI use has been reported under the current 2026 rule; the document is accessible and correctly named; Sisu registration is complete where required; the final E-thesis deadline has been verified; the uploaded PDF is genuinely final; examiner and assessment rules have been checked; and your publication or embargo choice reflects the fact that an approved thesis remains a public document.

The safest principle is to treat the University of Helsinki’s general guidance as the framework and your current degree-programme instructions as the operational specification.