News, stories and updates for applicants and international students at the University of Helsinki
Come spring all the lucky and talented students who had applied at the University of Helsinki will receive their acceptance letters. Congratulations! We will be so glad to have you here with us. Go on, accept your study place and book your tickets for the incredible journey you are about to begin. But remember to apply for housing well ahead in time so that you may have a roof over your head (place to stay?) when you begin your studies in fall.
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
Warm welcome from our International Student Ambassadors! Check out these videos and read our ambassadors stories from Welcome to UH blog.
See you soon in Helsinki!
Videos made by: International Student Ambassadors of University of Helsinki
When I was an exchange student in England I could have voted in the local elections, but I did not. The main reason for not voting was not that my lack of interest in politics, but that I was only vaguely aware of the elections.
The lack of election activity among foreigners is also the case in Finland, and lack of knowledge one of the main causes behind it. Yle News (http://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/study_immigrant_voters_not_getting_enough_election_information/9481542) reported that only 19.6 percent of the foreign nationals entitled to vote voted in the last municipal in elections and that a recent study by Social Democratic Think thank Kalevi Sorsa foundation found out that 39 percent of the migrants who did not vote were not aware of their right to vote.
If you, like me back in the day, are not quite sure about whether you can vote, or what the elections are about, read on! Check out who can vote, why you should vote, and where and when you can vote!
Shrove Tuesday, and the big student event ‘Laskiaisrieha’ are on their way to bring feasting on pancakes, and celebrating wintertime to all students!
Hey! My name is Alexandra, I am a second-year master degree student at International Business Law programme. I run my own Lostinlaw blog (https://blogs.helsinki.fi/lostinlaw/). Today I am going to tell you how not to get “lost in law” actually in Finland. I base my observations on my common sense, a couple of years of experience of working in legal/related field and my experience of being an international student myself.
First, a couple of general advice. You shall remember that it is impossible to know EVERYTHING about the risks you may possibly meet when renting your first apartment in Finland, signing your first work contract in Finland or opening a bank account. But you should always ask yourself following questions:
On Monday 30th January we visited the Observatory, one of the Helsinki university museums. It is incredibly easy to get to, a leisurely short walk from the city center. We were greeted by Paula, a very energetic, bubbly and extremely knowledgeable tour guide who made us all feel at home.
The observatory was completed in 1834 is now a museum but was lived in as recently as the 1960’s by the professor of astronomy. There are several fun reminders of its residential history such as a section of the wallpapers through the years or the antique cooker near the cloakroom.
The tour begins in a room with some fascinating old equipment such as telescopes and documents and we even discover that the lounge ceiling would have opened to allow the astronomer to lounge back on his chair and study the night skies. It sounds very idyllic and extremely romantic until we discover that the fireplace in the room would have remained cold as the heat would cause visual disturbances. Perhaps a little chilly in the winter!
Continue reading “The Ambassadors Visit Helsinki Observatory”
On the 27th of January, a bunch of us Student Ambassadors were lucky enough to get a guided tour of our university’s museum. We are definitely privileged as a university to have a museum dedicated to safeguarding the entirety of our institution’s history.
The University of Helsinki’s rich and long history can be divided into three main eras. It was established in 1640 as the Royal Academy of Turku. In the 1800s it was moved to Helsinki during the Russian Imperial era, hence becoming the Imperial Alexander University in Finland. It was during this period that the university became increasingly more scientific and research-based, kind of like we know it today. Finally, in the post-Independence era, it became the University of Helsinki. These periods are all easily colour-coded in the museum’s itinerary, a set of informative displays under some gorgeous and ever-changing ceiling lights.
On January 12th 2017 the University of Helsinki hosted the Welcome Fair for its new exchange students as a part of the Orientation Week. This is a brief guide about the whats and wheres should you have missed the Welcome Fair for whatever reason.
Service Points there are 6 dedicated Student Service Points where you will be taken care of. Please check with this list for your faculty’s Service Point.
Instructions – Check list Below is an abbreviated 9 step check list which covers all the essentials. At the end of the list you will find a pdf file containing the same steps explained in much more detail.
+ other useful information.
– – – – – And here is the pdf file: spring 2017 late-arrival check-list – – – – – –
Who is Frank, and what does he have to say about student life in Finland?
Frank is the name of the Finnish student card, which provides discounts and benefits for all students in Finland. Here’s what Frank says about why and how to get a student card, or the student card app, for free for every student:
Dear international student, welcome to Finland!
As a member of HYY you are entitled to a Finnish student card, which literally is your key to an easier and more enjoyable student life. With a Finnish student card you can prove your student status basically anywhere, and get student discount from hundreds of services including public transport (up tp -50%!), public sports facilities, theaters, movies etc., and of course on food, coffee, clothes, cosmetics… you name it!
Continue reading “Finland 101 – make the most out of your stay with Frank!”
University of Helsinki