Category: Welcome to UH

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University awarded 50 grants to international students

Congratulations to all our new grantees!

Since the mid-1980’s, the University of Helsinki has awarded grants to international students. Two years ago the focus of the grant programme was revised. The grants were now targeted entirely for students who are accepted to study in the International Master’s Degree Programmes.

Since then, an increasing number of students have had the chance of receiving the start-up grant (c. 1500 euro). This amount may not cover living expenses in Helsinki; however, we hope it makes settling in a little easier.

Every year we invite the grantees to a reception hosted by one of our rectors. Read the news on this year’s grant reception!

How to apply for the grant? If you get accepted to one of our International Master’s Degree Programmes, you can apply for the grant online after receiving your letter of acceptance. Read more on the criteria on our “Studying” website.  The application period for international programmes opens November 19, 2012 and closes January 31, 2013.

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Friendship Family Programme for higher education students in Lahti starts in January 2013!

Did you know that international students at the University of Helsinki can study also in the city of Lahti? This year 14 new students started their studies in Lahti in the Master’s Degree Programme in Multidisciplinary Studies on Urban Environmental Issues (MURE).

Integration into a completely new culture is a challenging process for international students; in particular for those who wish to complete a degree in a foreign country and potentially settle there after finishing their studies. The Friendship Family Programme in Lahti is aimed at supporting international students with their integration into the Finnish society.

The programme is coordinated by Lahti University of Applied Sciences and Lahti University Consortium. It aims at matching international higher education students in Lahti with local families and offering these students an opportunity to experience real Finnish life and culture, as well as make new local friends.

Networking with local people enriches students’ experience of living in Finland. With the friendship family students can practice language skills and learn more about everyday life in Finland. In return, Finnish families have a great chance to increase their international experience, improve their language skills, learn about new cultures and make new international friends. Cook, go skiing or meet for a coffee – students and families can decide together what they want to do.

The Friendship Family Programme of the Lahti region starts in January 2013 and finishes in May 2013. The programme kicks off in a first meeting organised for students and families in January. After this the students and families meet approximately once a month during the summer semester.

Experience Finnish culture and everyday life though a local friendship family!

More information: www.studyinlahti.fi

Text and photo by MURE programme

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COME AND JOIN US: International Evening

The Rector of the University of Helsinki invites you to the International Evening for UH’s international scholars, staff and students in the Great Hall of the University

Tuesday November 13th 2012 at 5 p.m.
The programme in the Great Hall will be followed by a Reception from 6 to 8 p.m.

Dress Code Smart Casual
Entrance Aleksanterinkatu 5
Further Information tiina.kosunen@helsinki.fi

Invitation

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Student Union’s Representative Council Elections 2012

Advance voting for the Representative Council elections are in full swing. Official election days next week.

The highest decision-making body of the Student Union, the Representative Council of sixty members, will be officially elected next week. The Representative Council decides on the Student Union’s major policies. All members of the Student Union, about 28 000 students at the University of Helsinki, are entitled to vote and run as candidates for the Representative Council in the elections. The electoral term of the elected Representative Council is two years.

Advance voting is possible 31 October – 1 November and the official voting days are 6-7 November. You can vote at 14 polling stations on all four campuses of the University of Helsinki as well as in the offices of the University of Helsinki in Lahti and Vaasa. Election results will be revealed on the 7th of November, late at night at the election party at the Old Student House.

Why vote?
The Elections are an opportunity to influence the decision making in the Student Union. The Representative Council of the Student Union decides on the annual budget and sets targets for the companies owned by the Student Union, such as Unicafe.

To find a suitable candidate, try for example HYY’s candidate matcher. For more information about the elections, please visit the Student Union’s webpage.

After voting you will get a voucher for free coffee and cake at Unicafe! Hope to see you at the polling stations!

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HUB went iPad!

The international magazine of the University, HUB, is now available for free on the iTunes App Store.

The iPad issue at hand is a one-off special edition titled DESIGNING THE FUTURE. It showcases the university’s World Design Capital projects: green services and liveable urban environments, student life, engaging pedagogy and teaching technologies as well as the brand new city campus library in Helsinki.

Give iPad HUB a look, share it with your colleagues and plunge into the stories. It’s the most entertaining way to keep track of what’s happening at the four campuses of Finland’s leading university.

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Grants and Scholarships Available – apply 24.10.-14.11.2012.

The “Get Your Master’s Thesis Written!” -grant, grants for student organisations and study circles offered by Student Services are open for application for the university students. The application time is 24.10. at 12.00 – 14.11.2012 at 23:59.

The “Get Your Master’s Thesis Written!” -grant offers individual master’s level students an intensive one- or two-week period at Hyytiälä, Lammi, Tvärminne, Värriö, or Kilpisjärvi research stations to work on their master’s thesis. The grant covers room and board.

Student groups planning a study circle can apply for a study circle grant to cover the expenses of the teacher’s salary.

Grants for student organisations are available for student organisations within the University of Helsinki who are planning a study trip or a seminar.

More information on the grants and scholarships and the application process is available in the university’s new intranet Flamma:

”Get your Master’s Thesis Written!” -grant: Contents and services > Students > Financing of Studies > Grants and scholarships > Undergraduate and graduate students
Grants for student organisations & study circles: Contents and services > Students > Financing of Studies > Grants and scholarships > Grants for student organizations and student groups

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A short reminder about permits

The obligation to apply for the right to reside in Finland or a residence permit depends on your citizenship status:

If you are a citizen of a Nordic Country and you are studying in Finland for more than 6 months, you need to inform the Register Office of your place of residence. Just go straight to the Register Office (maistraatti) with an official identification document and you’ll be fine.

If you are a citizen of the EU, Liechtenstein or Switzerland you need to register, at the Police, the right to reside in Finland if you stay in Finland for more than 3 months. Taken with you: a passport or ID card, letter of acceptance (must indicate that you have accepted the place of study) or an enrolment certificate from the University, the EU health insurance card from your home country and an indicator of your financial situation, for example a bank note.

If you are a citizen some other country you need to have a residence permit, if your stay lasts for more than three months. The residence permit has to be renewed each year at your local police office. The date of expiration is printed on the residence permit. It takes several months to renew the residence permit, so submit the documents in time!

If you are a Degree Student you need to make a Population Registration at the Register Office. All degree students regardless of nationality have to do this. You will usually get a Finnish ID-number and be granted a home municipality. This in turn gives you for example the right to use municipal health care and you get a student discount on the travel card!

More information about permits is available on pages 51-56 of the Orientation Handbook.

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Speak it out!

Whether you want to brush up your presentation skills in English, to get along with your native Finnish fellow students, learn to read academic articles in French or prepare yourself for the demands of the working life in and outside of Finland, get in touch with the Language Centre or Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian and Scandinavian Studies  – we are there for you offering

  • Language teaching in 17 languages
  • Courses free of charge for university students
  • Study points awarded for each completed course
  • High quality in teaching methods and materials
  • Qualified teachers

The Language Centre

The Language Centre provides courses for Helsinki University students in 17 languages, such as Arabic, English, Japanese, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish etc. In addition to teaching, the Language centre offers also facilities for self-access language learning in 40 languages and tutoring in 8 languages.

Tutors are Language Centre teachers, available for consultation in the self-access facilities. Tutors can help you with topics such as language courses, study materials, learning techniques and grammar. If required, tutors also provide assistance with the preparation of personal study plans. Tutoring is available to all university students and staff, and it is especially recommended to those studying languages on their own.

For more information, see http://www.helsinki.fi/languagecentre

Finnish Language courses offered by the Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian and Scandinavian Studies

Our course selection includes Finnish language courses aimed both for exchange students and for master’s and degree students. We have teaching in four different Helsinki University campuses (this semester in City centre, Kumpula, Viikki and Meilahti campus).
So which course to choose? There are many options to study Finnish with us!

Exchange student courses

  • These courses have both beginner’s and continuation level. Emphasis is on learning practical everyday Finnish and grammar.

Master’s student courses

  • These courses have less contact hours than the courses aimed for exchange students, so more independent work and group work is required. Otherwise they are similar to the exchange student courses.

Degree student courses

  • These courses are divided in different levels, starting from beginner’s level and ending up to fluent level of Finnish.  This is an option for you if want to learn Finnish in more intensive courses and possibly for longer period of time. It is also possible to join these courses if you already know some Finnish beforehand; we can help you to find a right level Finnish course for you.

Finnish Language and Culture degree programme

  • All the teaching is in Finnish, so good level of Finnish is required. International students can join these courses if they pass an entrance exam held in Finnish.

For more information, see http://www.helsinki.fi/fus/studying/finnishforinternationalstudents.html

Photo by Linda Tammisto

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Meet the University of Helsinki in Shanghai!

University of Helsinki in Shanghai
University of Helsinki in Shanghai in 2011

Admissions Services visits China regularly and in the recent years we have been many times in Shanghai together with other Finnish universities at the China Education Expo Fair under the Study in Finland booth.

Come and meet Admissions Services (and one of our Chinese alumni) again at the China Education Expo on October 27-28 (Saturday, Sunday) 10:00-16:00, Shanghai East Asia Exhibition Center.

This year we join also the brand new Finland Day at the Fudan University’s Nordic Centre. Finland Day is part of the Radical Design Week and it is open to anyone interested in studying, working or living in Finland. Come and hear what UH can offer for international students!

See you in Shanghai!

Admissions Services

P.S. Application period for our International Master’s Degree Programmes opens 19 November and closes 30 January, 2013. See the How to Apply website for more information on our application requirements and the International Programmes website for the list of master’s programmes.

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