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.

In some countries students are awarded a provisional certificate upon graduation while waiting for the issuance of the final degree certificate. Provisional degree certificates cannot be more than five years old. If the provisional degree certificate has been issued more than five years prior to the beginning of the application period, the applicant must obtain the final degree certificate.

Motivation letter is part of the online application form. 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.

You will have different options for submitting the recommendation letters:

1. If you already have the letter(s) you want to use for the SECCLO application, you can upload them to the application portal yourself.
2. Alternatively, you can send the referee a request from the application portal. In this case, the referee fills in an online form and submits it. You can see that a recommendation has been submitted, but not its contents. The referee will need to fill in and submit the online form within one week from the application deadline.
3. If you send the referee request from the application portal, the referee can also upload the recommendation letter written to you to the application portal. You can see that a recommendation has been submitted, but not its contents. The referee will need to upload and submit the recommendation letter within one week from the application deadline.

It is also possible to combine the 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, open during the application period. In one of the tabs of the online application form, you will be asked to submit 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 -> Content of the previous degree).

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.

Copies of study certificates (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.

For the degrees awarded in Australia, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, China, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Sudan, the United Kingdom or the United States, see country-specific requirements below.

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.

Degree certificate: If your university uses My eQuals service, share your degree certificate via My eQuals to secclo@aalto.fi. If it does not, 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). 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. 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 has to be stamped and signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Copies of copies 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 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 either by CHESICC (China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center) or CDGDC (China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center) is required. The verification report in English must be sent to SECCLO Admissions Office at secclo@aalto.fi.

Transcript of records: If your degree is awarded in mainland China, a verification report of your transcript of records in English by CHESICC (China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center) is required. This requirement concerns also applicants with an incomplete degree. Apply to CHESICC (www.chsi.com.cn) for a verification report of your transcript of records in English. The verification report must be sent to to SECCLO Admissions Office at 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).

Transcript of records: If your degree is awarded in India, in addition to the attested copy of your transcript of records, attested copies of individual mark sheets from each semester are required. Official transcripts 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.

If the institution does not re-issue official transcripts or mark sheets, 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.

SECCLO accepts also official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts) and mark sheets sent via Truecopy. Request your electronic transcript and mark sheet to be submitted to secclo@aalto.fi directly from the Truecopy service.

If your degree is awarded in Iran, official translations of educational documents must be certified by the Ministry of Justice. Copies of the educational documents must be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Embassy of Finland in Tehran. Copies of copies will not be accepted. All the copies must have the original stamp given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Embassy of Finland in Tehran.

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, 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.

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 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).