The information below applies to 2024 application round which ended on 4 January 2024. There will be no student intake in 2025. Please see here for further information.
SECCLO’s application process is conducted fully online. The application documents must be uploaded to the online application portal before the application deadline, 4 January 2024 at 3 pm (GMT +2).
After the admissions results are published, the selected SECCLO students must submit certified (attested) copies of the Bachelor’s degree certificate and transcript of records, fulfilling the country-specific requirements below, by the given deadline. Admission is conditional until certified hard copies of the documents have been received. The conditionally granted study right will be cancelled if the certified documents are not received as requested. The certified documents will be compared to the documents uploaded to the application portal. During the admission phase, SECCLO Admissions Office will perform spot checks on educational documents with the issuing universities.
For further information on the above documents, see below (click to open) and our FAQ.
The degree certificate must include the name of the degree, the name of the institution awarding the degree, the date of awarding the degree, and the name of the student.
Provisional degree certificate can also be accepted. In some countries, there can be a delay before the final degree certificate is issued to graduates. In such cases, a provisional (or temporary) degree certificate can be issued to a student who has successfully completed all the studies included in the degree and has graduated. The provisional degree certificate must include the name of the degree, the name of the institution awarding the degree, the date of awarding the degree, and the name of the student. A statement of completion of the studies is not sufficient.
We recommend that applicants applying with an incomplete Bachelor’s degree (i.e. final year students) submit a statement by their home university confirming their student status, name of the degree in both the original language and in English, and their expected graduation date.
The transcript of records must be an official transcript bearing the stamp of the educational institution. The transcript of records must include the individual courses taken, their grades and the credits awarded.
If your degree contains studies completed in some other higher education institution (e.g. transfer studies, top-up degrees), the required information must be submitted also of those studies. Please submit all transcripts of records from the duration of your higher education studies.
Applicants applying with an incomplete Bachelor’s degree (i.e. final year students) can submit a a list of courses to be completed during the final semester and/or a short description of your thesis/final project work. Please note, however, that these courses do not have quite the same value as completed courses.
All application documents must be made available in English. If the original documents are not issued in English, the applicant must provide official, word-for-word translations of them. The translation is official if it has been done by the higher education institution that awarded the degree or by a certified translator (authorized translator). The translations must have the certified translator’s stamp and signature.
A Diploma Supplement issued in English can be accepted as a translation of a degree certificate, if it contains all the same information as the degree certificate (at least the name of the degree, the name of the institution awarding the degree, the date of awarding the degree, and the name of the student).
Motivation letter is part of the online application form. In it, you are asked to “Tell us about your expectations for the SECCLO programme, career aspirations, relevant experience and achievements“. The maximum word limit is 500 words.
Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) should showcase you as a potential SECCLO applicant and provide a summary of your education, work experience, and relevant skills and achievements so far. We would prefer for you to use Europass CV format, but accept other formats as well.
A proof of place of residence (PPR) is a document verifying the country and the city you currently live in. The document must:
SECCLO’s own PPR template (.pdf) is recommended and acceptable if it is signed by university administration (e.g. student services) or workplace HR. Please see FAQ -> Application documents for information on other acceptable documents.
You will have two options for submitting the recommendation letters:
It is also possible to combine different options, that is, you can upload one recommendation letter yourself and ask for the referee to submit another.
Course descriptions are part of the online application form. You will be asked to submit short course descriptions in order to provide further information on the courses taken in relevant subjects. You can add course descriptions in up to five courses in each of the required background subjects and up to two courses in each of the additional knowledge subjects (see Admission requirements -> Student selection criteria -> Relevance of previous studies).
If the course descriptions are not available in English, you can translate them yourself. If the course descriptions or the learning outcomes of the course are very long, you can summarize them. A list of most important topics covered will suffice. Course descriptions are not obligatory, but add value for your application. They do not need to be verified by your university.
After the admissions results are published in February-March 2024, the applicants selected to SECCLO must submit certified (attested) hard copies of their Bachelor’s degree certificate and transcript of records by 8 August 2024. For certain countries, we have additional country-specific requirements (see below). Please note that these requirements apply only to applicants admitted to SECCLO.
Copies of study certificates (Bachelor’s degree certificate and transcripts of records) must be certified to be true copies of the original documents by the issuing university or a notary public. Each page must have the certifying official’s original signature, printed name, ink stamp and date. Copies of officially certified copies are not accepted, the certifying official’s ink stamps and signatures must be original. A multiple-page certified copy must be certified on the front side of every page.
The certified paper (hard) copies must be delivered to SECCLO Admissions Office either by mail, courier service or delivered in person.
Degree certificate:
A certified copy of degree certificate is required. A certified copy of Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) is accepted as well.
Transcript of records: If your university uses My eQuals service, share your electronic transcript via My eQuals to secclo@aalto.fi.
If it does not, an official transcript of records must be sent directly from your university to the SECCLO Admissions Office in a sealed envelope by post. Transcripts handled or delivered by the applicant will not be accepted. The transcript of records must be certified with an original stamp of the university and an original signature of the certifying officer. Regular photocopies are not accepted. The envelope must be sealed by the awarding institution’s official stamp across the back flap. In addition to the transcript, the envelope can contain only official documents awarded by the university (e.g. degree certificate or diploma supplement).
Degree certificate: The copy of the degree certificate must be stamped and signed by the issuing institution or a notary public. Please see above for further information (Official attestation of copies).
Transcript of records: If your degree was awarded in any of the above countries, an official transcript of records must be sent directly from your university to the SECCLO Admissions Office in a sealed envelope. In addition to the transcript, the envelope can contain only official documents awarded by the university (e.g. degree certificate, diploma supplement, or translations of the documents). Transcripts handled or delivered by the applicant will not be accepted.
The transcript of records must be certified with an original stamp of the university and an original signature of the certifying officer. Regular photocopies are not accepted. The envelope must be sealed by the awarding institution’s official stamp across the back flap.
If your degree is awarded in Bangladesh, the copies of the degree certificate and transcript of records have to be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Each page of the transcript of records and the degree certificate must carry the original stamp and signature by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Copies of the certified documents will not be accepted.
Further information can be found on the Ministry’s website (mofa.gov.bd).
Degree certificate: The copy of the degree certificate must be stamped and signed by the issuing institution or a notary public. Please see above for further information (Official attestation of copies). You are not required to submit a copy of your degree certificate if your transcript of records confers the degree and includes the following information: name of the institution awarding the degree, title/name of the degree, name of the student, date of award of the degree.
Transcript of records: If your degree was awarded in Canada, an official transcript of records must be sent directly from your university to SECCLO Admissions Office in a sealed envelope. In addition to the transcript, the envelope can contain only official documents awarded by the university (e.g. degree certificate, diploma supplement, or translations of the documents). Transcripts handled or delivered by the applicant will not be accepted.
The transcript of records must be certified with an original stamp of the university and an original signature of the certifying officer. Regular photocopies are not accepted. The envelope must be sealed by the awarding institution’s official stamp across the back flap. Envelopes sealed with a generic stamp are not accepted.
Degree certificate: A verification report of your degree certificate in English by CSSD (Center for Student Services and Development) is required. The verification report in English must be sent to SECCLO Admissions Office at secclo@aalto.fi. Take into account the processing time and start the verification process well in advance. For further information, please visit the CSSD website (www.chsi.com.cn).
Transcript of records: If your degree is awarded in mainland China, a verification report of your transcript of records in English by CSSD (Center for Student Services and Development) is required. Apply to CSSD for a verification report of your transcript of records in English. The verification report must be sent to SECCLO Admissions Office at secclo@aalto.fi. Take into account the processing time of CSSD and start the verification process well in advance. Further information is on the CSSD website (www.chsi.com.cn).
Degree certificate: The copy of the degree certificate must be stamped and signed by the issuing institution or a notary public. Please see above for further information (Official attestation of copies).
SECCLO accepts also an officially certified electronic copy of the degree certificate sent via Truecopy. Request your degree certificate to be submitted to secclo@aalto.fi directly from the Truecopy service.
Transcript of records: If your degree is awarded in India, an official transcript of records must be delivered to SECCLO Admissions Office in the institution’s sealed envelope. The envelope must be sealed by the awarding institution’s official stamp across the back flap. The transcript of records must be certified with an original stamp of the university and an original signature of the certifying officer. Regular photocopies are not accepted.
If the institution does not re-issue official transcripts, photocopies of the original documents must be attested by the Controller of Examinations or Registrar and delivered to SECCLO Admissions Office in the institution’s sealed envelope. You can mail the sealed envelope yourself. In addition to the transcript, the envelope can contain only official documents awarded by the university (e.g. degree certificate or diploma supplement).
SECCLO accepts also official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts) sent via Truecopy. Request your electronic transcript to be submitted to secclo@aalto.fi directly from the Truecopy service.
If your degree is awarded in Iran, the copies of the educational documents must be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Embassy of Finland in Tehran. All the copies must have the original stamp given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Embassy of Finland in Tehran. Copies of certified documents will not be accepted. Official translations of educational documents must be certified by the Ministry of Justice.
Original transcripts issued in English by the university are accepted if the transcript arrives in the university’s sealed envelope. The envelope must be sealed by the awarding institution’s official stamp across the back flap. You can mail the sealed envelope yourself.
Degree certificate: The copy of the degree certificate must be stamped and signed by the issuing institution or a notary public. Please see above for further information (Official attestation of copies).
Transcript of records: If you degree is awarded in Nepal, an official transcript of records must be sent directly from your university to SECCLO Admissions Office in a sealed envelope. In addition to the transcript, the envelope can contain only official documents awarded by the university (e.g. degree certificate, diploma supplement, or translations of the documents).
The transcript of records must be certified with an original stamp of the university and an original signature of the certifying officer. Regular photocopies are not accepted. The envelope must be sealed by the awarding institution’s official stamp across the back flap.
If your university is not able to send the transcript, please request for the document to be attested by the Controller of Examinations or the Registrar and to be placed in an official sealed envelope. You can submit the sealed envelope yourself. Transcripts or mark sheets attested by persons outside the Controller of Examination or Registrar’s Offices will not be accepted.
If your degree is awarded in Pakistan, the copy of your degree certificate and transcript of records have to be attested by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Pakistan. Each page of the copies of the degree certificate and the transcript of records must have the original attestation stamp and signature of the HEC official. Regular copies of attested documents will not be accepted. The authenticity of the qualifications will be verified with the HEC.
For more information, please see the HEC website (hec.gov.pk).
Degree certificate: The copy of the degree certificate must be stamped and signed by the issuing institution or a notary public. Please see above for further information (Official attestation of copies).
Transcript of records: If your degree was awarded in the United Kingdom or Ireland, an official transcript of records must be sent directly from your university to SECCLO Admissions Office in a sealed envelope. In addition to the transcript, the envelope can contain only official documents awarded by the university (e.g. degree certificate or diploma supplement). Transcripts handled or delivered by the applicant will not be accepted.
The transcript of records must be certified with an original stamp of the university and an original signature of the certifying officer. Regular photocopies are not accepted. The envelope must be sealed by the awarding institution’s official stamp across the back flap.
For the degrees completed in the United Kingdom, an official HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report) sent via Gradintelligence is also accepted. The HEAR has to be sent directly through Gradintelligence to SECCLO Admissions Office (secclo@aalto.fi).
Degree certificate: The copy of the degree certificate must be stamped and signed by the issuing institution or a notary public. Please see above for further information (Official attestation of copies). You are not required to submit a copy of your degree certificate if your transcript of records confers the degree and includes the following information: name of the institution awarding the degree, title/name of the degree, name of the student, date of award of the degree.
Transcript of records: If your degree was awarded in the USA, an official transcript of records must be sent directly from your university to SECCLO Admissions Office in a sealed envelope. In addition to the transcript, the envelope can contain only official documents awarded by the university (e.g. degree certificate or diploma supplement). Transcripts handled or delivered by the applicant will not be accepted.
The transcript of records must be certified with an original stamp of the university and an original signature of the certifying officer. Regular photocopies are not accepted. The envelope must be sealed by the awarding institution’s official stamp across the back flap.
Electronic transcripts sent via Parchment Exchange, National Student Clearinghouse and eSCRIP-SAFE or in secure PDF format are also accepted. The PDF transcript has to contain the blue certification ribbon and it has to be sent directly from the issuing university’s Office of the Registrar to SECCLO Admissions Office (secclo@aalto.fi).
