To Finland, with love.

Hello everybody!

My name is Laura and I am the tutor for the students who will join the Master’s in Neuroscience at the University of Helsinki.

First of all, congratulations on being accepted at the University of Helsinki!! I remember when I received the news I got in. Oh the excitement… and the panic! There’s nothing quite like the moment when you realise that what you were wishing for has become true. The joy and the fear become one and it’s almost difficult to tell them apart.

Every new experience can be scary, and for many of you this might be your first time in Finland. Not to worry, though. There are tutors here ready to welcome you and help you figure it all out 😊. You might have already received an email from your faculty tutor. If not, no worries, you will soon.

This is a message for you all, to remind you that you are not alone. Many new students join the University of Helsinki every year, and even us tutors have been in your place before. We understand there is a variety of things you might need help with, and that’s why we will be guiding you to make sure you can start your studies without any trouble.

We will help you finding offices and getting all the papers you need. You’ll need to register and get a residence permit, you’ll need an HSL card to use public transport and you’ll need help to discover all the benefits that students get (yes, you’ll see that you can get discounts in so many places, shops included 😉 ). We are here to guide you and tell you which offices to go to, we can answer your questions about everyday life in Finland, we can give you some hints on how to survive sauna and Finnish winter.

No need to fear, this is (hopefully :P) going to be one of those experiences you’ll cherish for the rest of your lives. I’m sure you are going to have a lot of fun discovering all the beauties of this wonderful country 😊 .

Warm hugs from Helsinki to you all and see you soon!

Cheers,

Laura Failla

New Student – Make sure you come to the Welcome Fair!

January is almost here, which means we are getting impatient to meet all our new international students here at the University of Helsinki!

Your student experience at the University of Helsinki will begin with a visit to the Welcome Fair on January 10, 2018, as well as your Faculty orientation. Please note that you will need to take part in both! Remember to bring your official ID (passport, ID card or residence permit) with you to the Welcome Fair!

The Welcome Fair is the perfect place to get to know the University and the Campuses as well as to get all the official matters out of the way. The venue for the Welcome Fair is the Language Centre of the University of Helsinki (address: Fabianinkatu 26). Please see our Welcome Fair and orientation week map for locations. Continue reading “New Student – Make sure you come to the Welcome Fair!”

Ask me!

Welcome new students!

The beginning of the academic year is almost here and more than 250 staff members of the Student Services are waiting for you to arrive! During the past year we have had some big changes in the degree programmes and University Services. We want to make sure that you will find us easily and have no hesitation to ask us anything. You will recognize us from the pink t-shirts with the text ASK ME!

Where is my lecture room or the nearest UniCafe located? Where can I borrow books or find a quiet place to study? You can also turn to our academic staff in many of your questions. That’s why we have challenged them to wear pink ASK ME! pin badges. Don’t hesitate to ask!

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Travelling from the Airport

New students or people coming to Helsinki for the first time often find it tricky to understand the public transport available from the airport. The Helsinki-Vantaa international airport is located in Vantaa, which is a different municipality than Helsinki. But thanks to the amazing public transport system, the distance can be covered easily. However, some people prefer to take a taxi from the airport which is a bit of a more costly affair. But for students, who are usually on a regulated budget, taking the train from the underground station is an easy and affordable option. The available trains from the airport are the P and I trains travelling to Helsinki. They both go to the city centre but travel in opposite directions as the tracks form a loop. The travel time is almost the same on both trains, so you can choose whichever train. The last stop is called “Helsinki” and it is in the city centre next to the Railway Station Square (Rautatientori), where you can find connecting busses, metros or trains for further destinations.

Ticket vending machine

Tickets are no longer sold on the trains, so you should buy your ticket before stepping on-board. On the platform, there is a ticket vending machine. Contrary to people’s belief, this machine can be used in different languages including English. Continue reading “Travelling from the Airport”

See you at the Welcome Fair!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In no time at all it will be August and we are looking forward to greet all our new international students here at the University of Helsinki.

Your student experience at the University of Helsinki will begin with a visit to the Welcome Fair on August 29th or 30th, 2017, as well as your Faculty orientation. Please note that you will need to take part in both! Remember to bring your official ID (passport, ID card or residence permit) with you to the Welcome Fair!

The Welcome Fair is the perfect place to get to know the University and the Campuses as well as to get all the official matters out of the way. The venue for the Welcome Fair is the Language Centre of the University of Helsinki (address: Fabianinkatu 26). Please see our Welcome Fair and orientation week map for locations. Continue reading “See you at the Welcome Fair!”

Adventures Ahoy!

They say being born in Finland is like winning a lottery. I say studying in Finland is better. No amount of money can beat the amount of new friends, adventures, and experiences studying here will give you. During the summer you will get a letter from your tutor, but I wanted to greet you with a few welcoming words first.

The University of Helsinki is one of the best universities in the world. This is not only my opinion. The university has been several times ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. We are known particularly for the quality and amount of research. At the University of Helsinki, all teachers participate in research. Believe it or not, our best professors can also be our best teachers!

To keep business and pleasure in balance, the University of Helsinki has an active student life. With over 35 000 students, there is always something happening. Running in the forest with a map and a compass, wine tasting with surgeons, bar touring dressed up in overalls, taking a cruise to Sweden with your fellow students… All of this and a lot more is organised by the students of our university. If you get tired of student life, the city of Helsinki has also a variety of sights and attractions to offer. There are plenty of parks, museums, shopping malls, and cafes where you can take a break and have a moment to yourself. And then return to student life.

It is normal to feel nervous before starting studies in a new country. There is a lot to do and to remember in a new city with new people. This is why we have tutors, students at the University of Helsinki who are trained to take care of you and help you with your journey into the academic and student life. All the questions about certificates, documents, course registrations, and campus area are answered by the tutors. They also take you to the best parties and organise hangouts. A tutor is someone whose goal is to make you feel welcome and like home here.

We are all looking forward to meeting you at the end of August. Let the adventure begin!

Supertutor Eeva Leino, Faculty of Medicine

New Student – Make Sure You Come to the Welcome Fair!

Welcome FairIn no time at all it will be the 12th of January and we will be able to greet all our new exchange and visiting students here at the University of Helsinki!

Your exchange experience will begin with a visit to the Welcome Fair on next week’s Thursday, as well as your Faculty orientation. So you need to take part in both! Remember to bring your official ID (passport, ID card) with you – otherwise you won’t be able to get all of the official matters out of the way.

The Welcome Fair is the perfect place to get to know the University and the Campuses as well as to get all the official matters out of the way. The venue for the Welcome Fair in January 2017 is the Language Centre of the University of Helsinki (address: Fabianinkatu 26). Please see our Welcome Fair and orientation week map for locations.

At the Welcome Fair you can among other things:

  • pick up your certificate of attendance and local transport discount certificate,
  • register at the Local Register Office in order to receive a Finnish personal identity code,
  • pick up your user ID for the University computer network,
  • get information on e.g. language courses and on how to register for them,
  • talk to people from the Student Union and student organisations such as the Erasmus Student Network (ESN),
  • and of course meet a lot of new friends!

Those exchange students who have not paid the Student Union fee in advance, should visit the Student Union Customer Service (Mannerheimintie 5 A), where you have the opportunity to pay the Student Union membership fee. You will more information on the website of the Student Union. However we recommend that you pay the fee before your arrival. For payment information please see here. Also remember to bring the receipt with you!

In order for your studies in Helsinki to begin as smoothly as possible, we encourage you to take some time and go through the materials on our New students website. You will find all necessary information on the practicalities there.

The Faculties at the University of Helsinki also arrange Faculty specific orientations. During these you get to know your Faculty and department and get a good start in your studies.

All dates, hours and locations for the different orientations, sessions and the Welcome Fair, are available on the New students website.

We have also created a Facebook event for the Welcome Fair, if you are on Facebook, please join the event and you will see who else is coming: https://www.facebook.com/events/1817354218544050/.

See you all at the Welcome Fair!

There’s still time to apply for the International Student Grant 2016!

Photo by Veikko Somerpuro

This autumn the University of Helsinki is giving about 50 start-up grants to our international degree students. The International Student Grant, or ISG as we say, is meant for students who are accepted to study in one of the chosen International Master’s Degree Programmes. The amount of each grant will be 1000-1500 euro (paid once) and the application time is open until August 31st 2016 15:00 o´clock (Finnish time GMT +2).

If you are an international degree student moving to Finland from abroad and have already been accepted to the University of Helsinki, you can apply for the grant. You are eligible to apply as soon as you have accepted your placement and registered for studies at the University of Helsinki.

Learn more about the grant and applying for it from the ISG web pages.

A Smooth Start to My Studies at UH

Happy days in Finland
Happy days in Finland

Last year, when I was preparing and packing for my studies in Helsinki, I received an email from the University saying that I could join the Intensive Finnish language course at the Helsinki Summer School in August. The international Master’s students are a priority for the University since they are going to stay in Helsinki much longer, and it is always helpful to learn some basic communication in a foreign language, so I accepted. What a considerate arrangement!

It was later proved just how fun, productive and useful it was. The Finnish course at the Summer School was really intensive. The teaching methods and learning experience were great, although Finnish is not that easy. But there was a sense of satisfaction when I was later able to read the street signs and make simple conversations with locals while exploring the city.

More importantly, the time spent at the Summer School was a lot of fun and I was also able to make many good friends, with whom I have kept in touch afterwards. August is one of the best seasons in Finland and the activities and organized tours suggested by the Summer School covered so many aspects of the Finnish culture. In addition to traditional Finnish customs, there was also the Baltic Sea trip to Tallinn, sauna and swimming at a summer cottage, a city tour and so on. They were all great.

I have worked, studied and travelled in several different countries, and the Finnish people are one of the friendliest people in the world. The quality of the courses the Summer School offers is very high, just like their high reputation in education in general.

In short, courses at the Summer School in Helsinki will reward you in many ways. It gives you a great warm-up and acts as a safeguard when you are adapting to new environments. You will get to know the Finnish teaching style, become familiar with the city and the university campus, and settle down in a nice apartment. Then when the new term begins, you can focus solely on your studies.

Tong Xin
Master’s student in Public International Law

An Academic DJ

Vesa Yli-Pelkonen is a biologist and a course coordinator at the Helsinki Summer School. However, he is also known for other merits. Tonight Vesa will switch on his other role as a popular DJ when he will play records at the Farewell Party of the Helsinki Summer School. We made a short interview of this multi-talent:

Tell us about yourself and your profession. What do you at the University of Helsinki?
My name is Vesa Yli-Pelkonen, I am a biologist and environmental scientist specialized in urban ecosystems, working in the Department of Environmental Sciences. I got my PhD in 2007 and currently I am studying ecosystem services, such as the role urban vegetation in mitigating the impacts of air pollutants. Continue reading “An Academic DJ”