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Erasmus in Schools project

Dear student,

Welcome to Finland!

While you are here, would you like to have a possibility to interact easily with Finnish people outside your institution and studies? If so, one option is visiting a real Finnish school where you can experience a Finnish classroom by giving the students lectures as a visiting exchange student.

For exchange- and degree students abroad it is often easier to form contact with fellow exchange students rather than people outside the higher education institution. However, at the end of your exchange period one may notice not having possibilities to meet up with Finns, really experiencing the everyday life of the Finnish people. For this we have a suggestion for you: visiting a Finnish school and its staff & students through Erasmus in Schools –project!  Continue reading “Erasmus in Schools project”

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Freshman Adventure – Something You Must Experience

“This is something you must experience in your freshman year!”

“The atmosphere, the people, everything!”
“I would definitely go again!”

The Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY) organises Freshman Adventure on 28 September 2016. Gather a team with your fellow freshmen, complete tasks at the checkpoints of the student union, student organisations and the university, and win great prizes!

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Continue reading “Freshman Adventure – Something You Must Experience”

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Info for Late Arrivals

On Aug 31 and Sept 1st 2016 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.

Welcome Fair 2016

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.

  1. Certifcate of Student Status – how to receive yours.
  2. Student Union Membership – instructions on how to become a member if you wish to.
  3. Arrival Certificate – where to go to if you need your home university’s Arrival Certificate signed.
  4. Travel Card discount – how to get your HSL travel card.
  5. User account of the University of Helsinki – how to get your credentials for your computer user account.
  6. Student card – if you chose to join the Student Union you may apply for a student card which come with quite a few perks.
  7. Registration for courses – registration for courses is done electronically through weboodi, in order to register for courses you need to have your credentials. More about this in the pdf.
  8. Register at the Immigration Police, if necessary – check with the pdf.
  9. Updating your address – finally, how to update you address and telephone number in weboodi.

– – – – – And here is the pdf file: Check list for new arrivals – – – – – –

 

 

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Welcome to the Student Union!

You’ve arrived, all the paperwork is done, and you’ve registered for courses. Now you’re all set for your student life, the only thing to do is to wait for the lectures to start? Think again!

The key to an unforgettable time at the University of Helsinki is being active, joining student organisations, and meeting new people! The student union, HYY, offers you a student card with countless student discounts, affordable health care, and discounts on transport. Most importantly, though, the student union is home to a huge network of student organisations, new hobbies and awesome people from different faculties and countries – everything a student will need in Helsinki!

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Continue reading “Welcome to the Student Union!”

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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.

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Begin your stay in Helsinki with a visit to the Welcome Fair!

Welcome Fair at the University of Helsinki

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 University of Helsinki will begin with a visit to the Welcome Fair on August 31st or September 1st, 2016, 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) with you to the Welcome Fair!

Continue reading “Begin your stay in Helsinki with a visit to the Welcome Fair!”

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Enjoying midsummer celebrations – Juhannus

Midsummer in Finland

Midsummer (juhannus in Finnish) for Finns means celebration and the long, white night which is said to be the “nightless” one (yötön yö). In the Helsinki region the sun sets at about 22.50 and rises again already around 4.00 o’clock in the morning. In the Northern Finland the sun does not set at all! The nightless night of Finnish midsummer gives a great contrast to the darkness of the winter time.

Many Finns leave the cities for Midsummer and spend time in their countryside cottages. Midsummer celebrations traditionally include bonfires, sauna, good food, possibly swimming and of course spending time together with family and friends!

If you’re in Helsinki but you don’t have the possibility to visit a Finnish summer-cottage, there are also some midsummer events in the city area. You can take it easy or party all night long.

Practical information for Midsummer
Shops have limited opening hours and the public transportation operates on weekend timetables during the Midsummer weekend.

Hyvää juhannusta, have a lovely Midsummer!

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Summer fun in the city

Summertime in Helsinki is jam-packed with events and destinations which don’t require a hefty pocketbook.

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However cliché the statement may be, summer is when Helsinki – and all of Finland – comes to life. The summer is short but full of a dizzying array of events and activities.

We have collected a few tips for things to do and see in Helsinki and its environs in the summer either free of charge or for a small admission fee. Feel free to share your own tips in the comments!

Bustling Helsinki Day

Helsinki Day is on Sunday, 12 June. The day means that the city will be full of free events from morning until night, and there really is something for everyone! Early risers can head to the Viikki Research Farm to watch the cows being milked. Walking and paddling tours of Helsinki will be available. The stage on Esplanadi will be hopping all day with live music and children’s performances. See the full programme and pick out your favourites.

Continue reading “Summer fun in the city”

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Welcome to learn languages at the Language Centre!

Students at the Language Centre

You can study several languages at the University of Helsinki Language Centre!

The Language Centre offers a wide variety of courses at different levels in 13 languages. You can read more information on course offerings at the Language Centre website. All these language courses are free of charge. Please note that the English courses are intended for degree students only. Regretfully, exchange students do not have a permission to participate in the English language courses.

The Language Centre also offers ALICE (Academic Language and Intercultural Exchange) courses. These tandem language courses provide two language learners who speak different native languages (Finnish/Swedish – Finnish/Spanish/Italian/French/Swedish/German/Russian) an opportunity to learn about each other’s language and culture in an interactive way. Read more about ALICE here.

Continue reading “Welcome to learn languages at the Language Centre!”

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Ummmmmm Lunch Time!

mansikat_500px-414x414Being a member of the student union comes with lots of great benefits such as access to the great health center (http://www.yths.fi/en).

But it means you also get access to a really great nutritious, balanced lunch for only 2.60€ in the University Cafe. There is a great variety of meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes, check out the menu by university location and the specific building http://www.hyyravintolat.fi/en/#/9/0. The menu information contains all the ingredients so you can check for any allergens.

You get a glass of juice/milk/sour or soya milk, bread and spreads, a big variety of fresh side salads plus the main dish. There is also a selection of sandwiches and sweet stuff available too. Some of the student cafes offer breakfast and a salad bar.

And top tip, you need to show your student card every time you buy your lunch to get the student price. However it does take a while for your card to be ready, but don’t panic! You will get a sheet of paper confirming you are registered as a student and have paid the student union fee, you can show this paper until your card is ready.

The City center café, Ylioppilasaukio is even open on Saturday.

Sara Haapanen, International Student Ambassador

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