Registration
Registration for DfG 2025 will open on 20th January 2025
For Aalto University students
In the Design for Government course, the right mix of students and individual motivations are crucial. Addressing complex challenges benefits from a variety of backgrounds, skills and disciplines while critical thinking and creativity are important for developing new frontiers of design in the governmental sector. We, therefore, do not admit students on a first-come-first-serve basis but through the application process described below. Applications are reviewed and selected by the teaching team (final responsibility lies with the course leader).
Step 1. Register to Design for Government course on SISU
Step 2. Fill out the application form
The application form is mandatory to complete the registration to the course. Link to the application form
Complete the information in the form, including a personal reflection (max. 400 words) on one of the student project’s from last year Policy Coherence or Continuity of Care. Choose your favourite project brief and select one of the student proposals that you will find on the right of the project page. Watch their video presentation and write a reflection about it (400 words max.): propose three points for further improvement or investigation and describe how your competencies could contribute.
For Non-Aalto University students
You can apply if you have a valid study right at any school in Finland as long as you are a master’s student and your institution is under JOO-Agreement.
Step 1. JOO application before 31st October 2025
- The student fills in the electronic application form, also in 2025: https://openregistration.aalto.fi/?ff/en/JOO_2022
– Please note! The obligatory appendices to the application are the transcript of records (either link to My Studyinfo transcript: https://opintopolku.fi/oma-opintopolku/ or transcript of records as a PDF attachment), and the endorsement of the home university, e.g. an e-mail approval from the planning officer or coordinator of student’s study programme.
– The studies applied for should be specified course by course. - Aalto University’s learning services will notify the student of the decision.
- If the decision is positive, the Learning Services will register the right to study and send instructions for starting studies.
Next steps. Follow the steps above as an Aalto student
2025 Key dates & Course schedule
- 20.01 Registration opens
- 10.02 Deadline for applications (end of day, 23:59 EET)
- 24.02 Course starts on Monday
- 27.05 Final Show is an open event that culminates the end of the course with the student’s final presentations to the wider public. This edition will be hosted at the Helsinki City Hall
- Contact teaching is every Tuesday on Periods IV and V at the Aalto Otaniemi Campus, 9.15 – 16h; and two Mondays, 24.02, and 14.04, 9.15 – 12h.
Workload
12ECTS over two periods means approximately 3.5 full working days per week. Avoid taking another big course at the same time! This is an advanced studio course, you would need to work more if you are unfamiliar with human-centered design or systems approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the projects for the course?
DfG is an advanced studio course which responds to projects suggested by the ministries based on their current issues and needs. It is part of the pedagogical approach that students experience a course that is “client” driven. Each year there are 1-3 new projects from the ministries or governmental agencies/departments that we address in the course. Please have look on the DfG website at projects from previous years to get a general idea of the types of projects ministries have previously suggested.
Can I take these two courses simultaneously: Design for Government (DfG) and Designing for Urban Governance and Services (Gov)?
The courses are designed so that they can be taken together. Several students each year take both courses simultaneously – here is a perspective from a student that took both. Structurally, the courses are located in rooms nearly side-by-side. There are some shared teaching sessions. It means that you will miss a bit of the activities in each, but these are accommodated in other ways. Gov provides theoretical context and reasoning around the development of design in/for government, and DfG provides hands-on experience with design and governmental projects and stakeholders.
I have not finished my bachelor studies yet. Could I apply to the course?
DfG is part of the Creative Sustainability master’s level programme, so it follows the CS guidelines on this matter. The guideline says that if a bachelor student applies, they should have completed at least 180 ECTS in their studies or have completed that amount by the time the study starts. In case you have these credits, you are welcome to apply! If not, then our recommendation is that you postpone applying for now, but consider taking the course in the coming year(s).
I have not finished my bachelor studies yet. Could I apply to the course?
DfG is part of the Creative Sustainability master’s level programme, so it follows the CS guidelines on this matter. The guideline says that if a bachelor student applies, he/she should have completed at least 180 ECTS in the studies or will complete that amount by the time the study starts. In case you have these credits, you are welcome to apply! If not, then our recommendation is that you postpone applying for now, but consider taking the course in the coming year(s).
How do I apply for DfG?
Each year in Dec or January, the application process for the course starts. Normal registration is possible for Aalto students through SISU system. The course description in SISU system describes the priority order for selecting students for places in the course if there are more students who have applied than places in the course.
Students from outside Aalto that have a current study-right in Finnish Joo-affiliated universities (JOO website) can also take DfG.
All eligible students (from inside and outside of Aalto) must fill out an application. Students who have registered through SISU will be notified about this, or keep your eyes open for our invitation to apply on this website and on DfG’s Facebook page!
I am just about to graduate, but Design for Government as a subject interests me. Could I apply to the course?
Unfortunately, the course can only be taken by students with a valid study right. We very much appreciate your motivation to apply for the course and hope you will follow DfG news through the Facebook page and the website. There are likely open and public events during the course and other times of the year. We will take note of this issue as we develop the course further in the future.
My University is mentioned on JOO website, can I apply for the course?
Based on a Finnish national agreement on flexible study rights (JOO), a student who has a right to complete a degree at a Finnish university may apply for a fixed-term right to study in a course at another Finnish university. Here is an Aalto webpage with more information for students who would like to study in a course at Aalto. Check the JOO website for the list of universities participating in the JOO agreement. If your university is not on the list, unfortunately it’s not possible to apply to the course!
Can I register in the course through the Open University scheme?
In theory, yes, it is possible to take Aalto University courses that are offered through the Aalto University Open University scheme. In practice, however, Design for Government is not currently part of this scheme. This is because there are basic required competencies for students in the DfG course, and there is an application process to ensure these in advance. For Open University places, we cannot require the same application that other students fill. This, unfortunately, means that we couldn’t secure student equality with intake both through normal and through Open University channels.
Still more Questions?
Please contact Núria Solsona (Design for Government co-responsible teacher).