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Tampere University Student’s Guide

Tampere University

Obtaining individual study arrangements

Contents of this page:

What are individual study arrangements?

Individual study arrangements are, as their name indicates, individual and depend on the needs of the student. Arrangements are used to support the achievement of the learning outcomes of the course and the degree when there is a specific need for them. However, the most essential learning outcomes of the course cannot be compromised. The arrangements do not affect the assessment of the course.

Individual arrangements may be implemented differently in different courses. Typical individual study arrangements include, for example:

  • extra time in exams
  • a quiet or private space for completing an exam,
  • extra time for assignments or flexibility in deadlines
  • completing assignments in parts
  • alternative methods of completion (e.g., a written assignment instead of an exam, or an oral assignment instead of a written one)
  • forms of support for presentations or group work
  • extended loan period for course books

Individual study arrangements are based on the obligation set out in Section 15 of the Non-Discrimination Act, which requires education providers to offer reasonable accommodations. At Tampere University, a document titled Proposal for Individual Study Arrangements is prepared for the student to support agreement on these arrangements. You can read more about obtaining this proposal below.

The term 'special arrangements' has been replaced with the term 'individual study arrangements' as of 1.8.2022. The proposals for special arrangements that have been issued before 1.8. will remain in force as such.

Who is eligible for individual study arrangements (former special arrangements)?

You are eligible for individual study arrangements, if

  • you are neurodivergent (e.g. ADHD, autism, Tourette's syndrome)
  • you have been diagnosed with a learning difficulty
  • you have been diagnosed with an illness
  • you have been  diagnosed with mental health issues
  • you have been diagnosed with a disablity or other medical condition that affects your ability to demonstrate and undertake learning

Depending on your situation, the need for arrangements may be permanent or temporary.

You need to have an expert statement about your condition. It could be a statement from a doctor, psychologist, special education teacher, therapist or other health professional, or a note or statement from OmaKanta. The statement does not have to be written specifically for individual arrangements. If you don't yet have a statement, you can still contact us about your situation. The statement should preferrably be in Finnish, Swedish or English.

Individual study arrangements are available to all student groups (e.g. degree students, Open University students, exchange students, students pursuing cross-institutional studies).

Flexibility and individual arrangements may also be possible, for example due to a momentary challenging life situation, short-term illness, etc., by negotiating directly with the teacher. In this case, a separate Proposal for Individual Study Arrangements will not be written but you can contact the teacher directly. 

Also students who use a wheelchair or other mobility aid and don’t need other individual arrangements except a barrier-free access to teaching facilities, don’t need a proposal for individual arrangements. In these cases you don't have to provide an expert statement.

How to get individual study arrangements?

  1. 1

    Book an appointment or stop by during Drop-in hours

    If you need individual study arrangements, or would like to discuss the possibility, book an appointment:

    The online calendar only shows available time slots in the next three weeks. If you can't see any available time slots, try again the next day. If needed, you can discuss some arrangements with the teacher even before receiving the proposal and present the proposal to the teacher after having received it, if necessary.

    Please cancel your appointment well in advance, if you're unable to attend.

    Stop by during Drop-in hours

    During Drop-in hours, a proposal can be prepared if your need for support is minor and/or you already know more precisely what arrangements you require (for example, extra time for an exam or use of an accessible EXAM-room). You can also visit during Drop-in hours to book a longer appointment or to ask about individual study arrangements.

    Drop-in hours in autumn 2026: LINK TO INTRANET EVENT WILL BE ADDED BEFORE ORIENTATION WEEK

  2. 2

    Bring a medical certificate or other expert statement with you to the appointment or the Drop-in hours

    Bring a medical certificate or other expert statement with you. If the appointment is online, you can show your medical certificate / other excpert statement by sharing your screen or using the camera on your device. Do not send the statement by email. The statement should preferrably be in Finnish, Swedish or English.

  3. 3

    At the appointment, we draw up a proposal for individual study arrangements

    At the appointment, we discuss your situation, needs and possible individual arrangements. The discussion in confidential. You will receive a written proposal for individual study arrangements, which lists potential arrangements that teachers could put in place for you.

    The proposal also states its validity period (valid indefinitely / for a fixed period of time). The proposal is confidential.

    The proposal is signed by using digital signature service. You will receive the proposal right after signing.

    If you are dissatisfied with the guidance discussion or the proposal does not meet your expectations, please contact either the expert who prepared the proposal, the joint guidance and counselling services (studentcounselling.tau [at] tuni.fi), or your faculty’s Head of Study Services.

  4. 4

    Contact the teacher at the beginning of the course

    When you need arrangements on a course, contact the responsible teacher and show them your proposal. Information about the proposal or your need for arrangements will not be automatically sent to teaching staff.

    We recommend you show the proposal to the teacher face-to-face or in a private Teams/Zoom meeting, where the arrangements can also be agreed on. If you send the proposal to the teacher via email, please note that the teacher will then receive a copy of it. If you send an email, please use encrypted email.

    Always present the proposal to the teacher before the beginning of the course or as early as possible on the course. This way there is enough time to put the necessary arrangements in place.

    Don't present your medical certificate / other expert statement to the teacher.

  5. 5

    The teacher determines what arrangements can be put in place on the course

    The arrangements are always tailored to the learning outcomes of the course. The teacher decides what kind of arrangements are possible on the course. The teacher will strive to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to undertake and demonstrate learning, as far as reasonably practicable.

  6. 6

    If you are dissatisfied with the decision a teacher makes

    If you are dissatisfied with the decision a teacher makes about your individual study arrangements, you can contact the head of study services in your faculty (Guidance and counselling services in faculties: contact information). You can also always ask for help from the specialist who wrote your proposal.

Individual arrangements in exams

Practices for requesting individual arrangements for exams vary depending on whether it is a general paper-based exam, an electronic exam or another type of exam. Arrangements must always be agreed well in advance.

You can find more detailed instructions here: Individual arrangements in exams.

Specialists

Elisa Sinikallio (on family leave as of 26.5.2025)

Stefanie Kohlhoff
Online appointments (Microsoft Teams)
Appointments on Hervanta campus and city centre campus
Hervanta campus: Kampusareena building, room A221c
City centre campus: Päätalo main building, room A114

Sanna-Mari Mertaniemi
Online appointments (Microsoft Teams)
Appointments on city centre campus
Room: A112, Päätalo main building, city centre campus

Taru Kaera
Online appointments (Microsoft Teams)
Appointments on city centre campus
Room: A123, Päätalo main building, city centre campus

Sini Sirén
Online appointments (Microsoft Teams)
Appointments on city centre campus
Room: A120, Päätalo main building, city centre campus

Storage of the proposals and information regarding individual study arrangements

Keep the proposal safe with you.

Copies of the proposals for individual study arrangements will be stored in the university's electronic archiving system and deleted no later than 10 years after the document is written. The expert statement will not be stored or copied. Data concerning a student’s health is confidential (Act on the Openness of Government Activities 21.5.1999/621, Section 24). Only the individual study arrangements specialists of the Joint guidance and counselling services as well as some selected employees in exam services have access to the proposals in the archiving system.

Information about individual study arrangements will not appear in your academic records or degree certificate.

Individual arrangements during exchange

It’s advisable to contact the host institution well in advance of the exchange period to inquire about their practices regarding individual arrangements.

Individual arrangements in internships

If you need individual arrangements to complete an internship as part of your studies, please make sure you agree on them well in advance. In many cases, these arrangements must be agreed with both the teacher responsible for the internship and the internship placement, and sufficient time must be allowed for this.

If there are several possible placements, it is a good idea to consider which one is best suited to your situation. Please also note that internships play an important role in achieving the objectives of the degree or the requirements of the future profession, so there may be certain requirements which cannot be modified (for example, the length of the internship or performing certain types of tasks).

Individual study arrangements in cross-institutional studies

Students of Tampere University may be provided with individual study arrangements while pursuing studies at TAMK, and vice versa.

Tampere University student who completes courses at TAMK:

If you have a university-issued proposal for individual arrangements (a proposal for special arrangements), please book an appointment with TAMK's special needs teacher to get TAMK instructions (email: erityinentuki.tamk [at] tuni.fi (erityinentuki[dot]tamk[at]tuni[dot]fi)).

The scope of support that may be available to you at TAMK depends on the number of credits that you will complete at TAMK (typically 2 hours of personal arrangements / 5 credits).

TAMK student who completes courses at Tampere University:

If you have been granted TAMK’s proposal for individual arrangements, you can use it at the university as such.

Feedback survey for students with a proposal for individual study arrangements

Share your experiences of using a Proposal for Individual Study Arrangements, and how well the proposed arrangements have been put in place. You may also give general feedback on the individual study arrangements policy.

Fill out the survey here anytime: Feedback survey for students who have received individual study arrangements (change to English in the upper right corner)

The Proposals for Special Arrangements issued by Tampere University of Technology or University of Tampere

The Proposals for Special Arrangements that have been issued by Tampere University of Technology or University of Tampere before 1 January 2019 will remain in force at the current Tampere University.

Published: 30.1.2019
Updated: 22.6.2026
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