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Orientation Handbook 2014 – 2015

Welcome to the University of Helsinki ........................................................ 1Check list for new international students ................................................................ 2

I General information about Finland and the City of Helsinki .................... 3Finland ................................................................................................................. 3

General ............................................................................................................ 3Geography ....................................................................................................... 3Climate ............................................................................................................ 3Population ........................................................................................................ 3Languages ....................................................................................................... 3Religion............................................................................................................ 4History ............................................................................................................. 4Government ..................................................................................................... 4Foreign policy ................................................................................................... 4Press ............................................................................................................... 5Television and radio ......................................................................................... 5Education ......................................................................................................... 5University education in Finland ......................................................................... 5Industry and economy ...................................................................................... 6Currency .......................................................................................................... 6

City of Helsinki ...................................................................................................... 6Early history ..................................................................................................... 6International capital .......................................................................................... 7

II University of Helsinki ................................................................................ 8University of Helsinki in a nutshell .......................................................................... 8University life ........................................................................................................ 8Buildings and facilities ........................................................................................... 9Administration ....................................................................................................... 9

Students in university decision making .............................................................. 9Faculties ........................................................................................................ 10

Flamma – the university intranet .......................................................................... 10Social opportunities ............................................................................................. 10System of studies ............................................................................................... 11

Academic year ............................................................................................... 11Curricula ........................................................................................................ 11Courses offered in English .............................................................................. 11

Instructions for studies ........................................................................................ 12Degree system ................................................................................................... 13

Independent Master's Degree Programmes..................................................... 13Credit system ................................................................................................. 14

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Credit transfer ................................................................................................ 14Grades ........................................................................................................... 14Grading revision ............................................................................................. 14

Transcripts.......................................................................................................... 15Language studies ............................................................................................... 15

Department of Finnish, Finno-ugrian and Scandinavian studies ....................... 15Language Centre ........................................................................................... 16

WebOodi ............................................................................................................ 16ICT Driving Licence ............................................................................................. 17Studying for a minor in another university ............................................................ 17Summer studies .................................................................................................. 18

Helsinki Summer School ................................................................................. 19Necessary supplies for studies ............................................................................ 19

Copy cards and express print ......................................................................... 19Book shops .................................................................................................... 19Computer shops ............................................................................................. 19

Enrolment and registration .................................................................................. 20First year degree students .............................................................................. 20Exchange students ......................................................................................... 20Second year and beyond - Degree students .................................................... 20Did you forget to register? ............................................................................... 20Second year and beyond - Online registration on WebOodi ............................. 20Registering for non-attendance ....................................................................... 20Year tag for your student card ......................................................................... 20

Duration of studies .............................................................................................. 21Etappi – checkpoint system ................................................................................. 21Monitoring of postgraduate students study progress ............................................. 22Student card ....................................................................................................... 22

III University services ................................................................................ 23Student Services ................................................................................................. 23

Student Services on the campuses ................................................................. 23Disabled Student Services .............................................................................. 24Career services .............................................................................................. 24International Exchange Services ..................................................................... 24International Admissions Services ................................................................... 25

International Staff Services .................................................................................. 25Study offices of the faculties ................................................................................ 26

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry .................................................................. 26Faculty of Arts ................................................................................................ 26Faculty of Behavioural Sciences ..................................................................... 26Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences ........................................... 26Faculty of Law ................................................................................................ 26Faculty of Medicine ........................................................................................ 27Faculty of Pharmacy ....................................................................................... 27Faculty of Science .......................................................................................... 27Faculty of Social Sciences .............................................................................. 27Swedish School of Social Science .................................................................. 28

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Faculty of Theology ........................................................................................ 28Faculty of Veterinary Medicine ........................................................................ 28

Other services .................................................................................................... 28Unisport ......................................................................................................... 28IT services Tietotekniikkapalvelut .................................................................... 29Childcare Lapsiparkki ..................................................................................... 30Study psychologists ........................................................................................ 31University chaplain ......................................................................................... 31

Helsinki University Library and the National Library of Finland .............................. 31

IV Student Union and Student Organisations ........................................... 33Student Union of the University of Helsinki ........................................................... 33Central Office of the Student Union...................................................................... 34Services for members ......................................................................................... 34Important events during the year in HYY .............................................................. 35Decision-making in HYY ...................................................................................... 35Student Organisations of the Student Union ......................................................... 37

International Organisations ............................................................................. 37Various organisations ..................................................................................... 38

Department and Faculty Organisations ................................................................ 43Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry .................................................................. 43Faculty of Arts ................................................................................................ 44Faculty of Behavioural Sciences ..................................................................... 46Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences ........................................... 47Faculty of Law ................................................................................................ 48Faculty of Medicine ........................................................................................ 48Faculty of Pharmacy ....................................................................................... 48Faculty of Science .......................................................................................... 48Faculty of Social Sciences and the Swedish School of Social Science ............. 49Faculty of Theology ........................................................................................ 50Faculty of Veterinary Medicine ........................................................................ 51

Student Nations .................................................................................................. 51

V Studying in Finland ................................................................................ 53Residence Permit and Right of Residence in Finland ........................................... 53

General requirements ..................................................................................... 53Citizens of the Nordic countries ....................................................................... 53EU-citizens and citizens of Liechtenstein and Switzerland ................................ 53Non-EU citizens ............................................................................................. 53Renewing your Residence Permit ................................................................... 54Helsinki Region Immigration Police Offices ...................................................... 54Student’s health insurance .............................................................................. 55

Population Registration ....................................................................................... 56What is a Finnish Personal Identity Code? ...................................................... 56Helsinki Region Local Register Offices ............................................................ 57

Financing of studies ............................................................................................ 57Student's income ............................................................................................ 58

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Cost of living .................................................................................................. 58Is a student allowed to work while studying?.................................................... 59

Grants and scholarships ...................................................................................... 59Planning a career and finding a job in Finland ...................................................... 61Taxation ............................................................................................................. 62Housing .............................................................................................................. 62

Housing options ............................................................................................. 63Find flat mates ............................................................................................... 64No appartment before arriving in Finland? ....................................................... 64Other options ................................................................................................. 64Contact us...................................................................................................... 64

Student health care ............................................................................................. 65Health care services and health insurance ........................................................... 65KELA benefits – residence-based social security ................................................. 66Student financial aid ............................................................................................ 67

Vl Living in Finland .................................................................................... 68Advice and help for people moving to Finland ...................................................... 68

Finnish Immigration Service ............................................................................ 68Virka Info - information services of the city of Helsinki ...................................... 68Infopankki - Info Bank ..................................................................................... 68Ombudsman for minorities .............................................................................. 69Refugee Advice Centre................................................................................... 69SOS Center - crisis prevention for foreigners ................................................... 70Legal Aid Office .............................................................................................. 70

Transport and travel ............................................................................................ 70Transport in the Helsinki Region ..................................................................... 70Taxis .............................................................................................................. 71Driving in Finland ........................................................................................... 71Helsinki by bike .............................................................................................. 72Railways ........................................................................................................ 72Long distance busses ..................................................................................... 73Travelling by boat ........................................................................................... 73Kilroy Travels Helsinki .................................................................................... 73

Mail and telephone.............................................................................................. 74Mail................................................................................................................ 74Telephone ...................................................................................................... 74

Money and banking ............................................................................................. 75Schools and day care.......................................................................................... 76Voting ................................................................................................................. 76Climate and survival tips for winter ...................................................................... 77Food and shopping ............................................................................................. 77Libraries and cultural centres ............................................................................... 80Leisure activities ................................................................................................. 83

Tourist and traveller information ...................................................................... 83Concerts ........................................................................................................ 83Theatres ........................................................................................................ 83Opera ............................................................................................................ 84

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Museums and art exhibitions .......................................................................... 84Movies ........................................................................................................... 85Movie Festivals .............................................................................................. 86Outdoors activities .......................................................................................... 86Restaurants and coffee shops......................................................................... 87Refreshments ................................................................................................. 87

Appendix A: From student to students: TSEMPPI’s survival guide for newinternational students and researchers ................................................................ 88Appendix B: List of abbreviations ......................................................................... 95Appendix C: Addresses of some university locations ............................................ 96Appendix D: Calendar of events and flag days ..................................................... 97Appendix E: Menu and grocery guide .................................................................. 99

Information in this guide may change after printing without priornotice.

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Welcome to the University of Helsinki

Dear International Student,

Welcome to the University of Helsinki!

We hope that you will find this Orientation Handbook a helpful tool asyou start your studies in Helsinki! The guidebook contains a lot ofpractical information that will help you get started with your student lifeand to navigate through daily life. You will probably find answers tomany of the questions you might have in this guidebook. Just browsethrough the table of contents and you will see what the OrientationHandbook has to offer.

Please also look through the check-list provided on the next page, itwill help you to accomplish many of the formal things you need to do atthe beginning of your studies and it will tell you in which order to getthings done, so that the process of settling in runs as smoothly aspossible.

We hope that you enjoy your time here at the University of Helsinki andGood Luck with your studies!

Best wishes,

The staff of Student Services and International Exchange Services

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Check list for new international students

Below are listed some important things to remember, as well as theorder in which you should accomplish things, so your settling in to lifein Finland goes as smoothly as possible. (More information on thetopics is available in the Orientation Handbook; the page number islisted in the brackets.)

1. Visit the Welcome Fair at the University and pick up yourinformation package and a certificate of attendance. For moreinformation please visit: http://www.helsinki.fi/orientation/

2. Pick up your acces rights for the University computer networkat the welcome Fair. (29)

3. Pay the Student Union Fee, if you have not done it already. TheStudent Union membership grants you access to many studentdiscounts, that makes your life in Finland a lot cheaper. (20)

4. Attend the Orientation Course at the University/at yourFaculty/at your department. For more information please visit:http://www.helsinki.fi/orientation/

5. EU-students: Register your right to reside in Finland at the localpolice office. (53)

6. Students from the Nordic countries: Register yourself at themunicipal register office if you stay in Finland for more than 6months. (53)

7. All degree students: Complete your Population Registration atthe municipal register office (maistraatti) to receive a place ofdomicile (kotikunta). (56)

8. Apply for the student card. (22)9. Obtain a Metropolitan Travel Card. A student discount

certificate for the travel card is available at the Welcome Fair orthe Student Services. NB! The student discount is onlyavailable to undergraduate and graduate students under theage of 30. (70)

10. Open a bank account. (75)11. Degree students from outside the EU/EEA countries: remember

to renew your residence permit, start the renewal process intime, it takes several months before it is completed. (54)

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I General information about Finland and theCity of Helsinki

Finland

GeneralFinland is a republic that becameindependent in 1917. The head of state isthe president. Ultimate political power isvested in the 200-member unicameralparliament. The population of Finland todayis about 5.4 million. Finland is rightly knownas a land of forests: they cover roughlythree quarters of the country’s surface areaof 338 000 sq. km. Other outstandingfeatures of Finland’s scenery are its manylakes and islands. Lakes and other bodiesof water cover 10% of the territory. Theprincipal archipelago lies off the southwestcoast while the main lake district, centredon Lake Saimaa, is in the east. The semi-autonomous province of the Åland Islandsoccupies a special position as it has beendeclared a demilitarised area underinternational law.

GeographyFinland is situated in northern Europebetween the 60th and 70th parallels oflatitude. A quarter of its total area lies northof the Arctic Circle. Finland’s neighbouringcountries are Sweden to the west, Norwayto the north, Russia to the east and Estoniato the south, across the Gulf of Finland.Much of the country is a gently undulatingplateau of worn bedrock and boreal forests,presenting a striking mixture of wooded hillsand waters. High rounded fells form thelandscape in the most northerly part of thecountry, Finnish Lapland.

ClimateCold winters and warm summers mark theclimate, but temperatures in winter aremoderated by the influence of the BalticSea and west winds from the Atlanticwarmed by the Gulf Stream. The avegareannual temperature in the capital, Helsinki,is 6.7° centigrade. The highest daytimetemperature in southern Finland during the

summer occasionally rises close to 30°centigrade. During the winter months,particularly in January and February,temperatures of -15° centigrade are quitecommon. In the far north, beyond the ArcticCircle, the sun does not set for 73 days,producing the white nights of summer. Inthe same region, during the dark winterperiod, the sun remains below the horizonfor 51 days, creating the polar night knownin Finnish as kaamos.

PopulationThe population of Finland was 5 451 270 atthe end of March 2014. Most Finns live inurban areas. Helsinki (the capital city),Espoo and Vantaa form the MetropolitanRegion, which is home to roughly a fifth ofthe country’s total population. Other majorcities are Tampere, Turku, Lahti and Oulu.Ethnically, Finland is still a veryhomogeneous country. The foreigncommunity makes up about 3.8% of thepopulation. The biggest groups ofimmigrants are from Estonia, Russia andSweden. Among them are a considerablenumber of people of Finnish descent.

LanguagesThe Finnish language is a member of theFinno-Ugric linguistic family that includes, inone branch, Finnish, Estonian and anumber of other Finnic tongues and, in theother, Hungarian, by far the biggestlanguage of the Ugric group. The officiallanguages of Finland are Finnish andSwedish, the latter now spoken as a mothertongue by 5.3% of the people. Anotherindigenous minority language is Sami,spoken by the Sami of Lapland. The officialstanding of Swedish has historical roots inthe period when Finland was part of theSwedish realm, a status that beganapproximately at the beginning of the 13thcentury and lasted until 1809.

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ReligionThere has been complete freedom ofreligion in Finland since 1923. TheEvangelical Lutheran Church is thecountry’s biggest denomination. About 75%of the people are baptised as Lutheranswhile just about 1% belong to the FinnishOrthodox Church. Both denominations aredesignated as state churches. AlthoughChristianity probably reached Finlandbefore the end of the first millennium, it wasnot until the 12th century that the RomanCatholic Church became established. Thisfollowed a missionary expedition tosouthwest Finland led by King Erik ofSweden with the English-born bishopHenry. The influence of the Orthodox faithspread into the country from the east.

HistorySome important dates in the history ofFinland:1155 The first missionaries arrive in Finlandfrom Sweden. Finland becomes part of theSwedish realm.1809 Sweden surrenders Finland to Russia.The Tsar declares Finland asemiautonomous Grand Duchy with himselfas constitutional monarch represented by agovernor general.1917 Finland declares independence fromRussia on December 6. The new state isfirst recognised by the Soviet Union,France, Germany and Sweden.1918 The Finnish Civil War is foughtbetween the Reds and the Whites.1919 The present constitution is adoptedand Finland becomes a republic with apresident as head of state.1939 - 40 The Soviet Union attacks Finlandand the Winter War is fought.1941 - 44 Fighting between Finnish andRussian forces resumes in the campaignknown as the Continuation War. A massiveoffensive by Soviet forces in summer 1944forces the Finns to sue for peace. Someterritory was ceded to the Soviet Union butFinland was never occupied and preservedits independence and sovereignty.1952 The Summer Olympics are arrangedin Helsinki.1955 Finland joins the United Nations.1983 The first World Championships inAthletics are arranged in Helsinki.

1995 Finland becomes a member of theEuropean Union.1999 Finland’s EU Presidency (July 1 toDecember 31).2000 Helsinki celebrated its 450thanniversary as one of the nine EuropeanCities of Culture.2006 The heavy-metal outfit Lordi gainedFinland’s first ever Eurovision Song Contestvictory (May 20).2006 Finland’s 2nd EU Presidency (July 1to December 31).2007 The 52nd Eurovision Song Contestwas arranged in Finland on May 12.2008 Martti Ahtisaari, former President ofFinland, is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.2012 Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainenand Lahti together form World DesignCapital 2012.

GovernmentThe head of state is the President of theRepublic (tasavallan presidentti) who iselected for a period of six years at a timeand may serve a maximum of twoconsecutive terms. The current president,Sauli Niinistö, began his first six-year periodin March 2012. The President is chosen bydirect popular vote, with a run-off betweenthe two leading candidates, if no candidatewins an outright majority on the first ballot.The government must enjoy the confidenceof parliament (eduskunta) which has 200members elected by universal suffrageevery four years. After the most recentgeneral election in April 2011, the NationalCoalition has 44 parliamentary seats, theSocial Democratic Party 42, True Finns 39,the Centre Party 35, the Left Alliance 14,the Greens 10, the Swedish People’s Party9, the Finnish Christian League 6 and othergroups (i.e. Åland Islands) 1. The nextgeneral election will be held April 2015.

Foreign policyAs one of the European Union and NordicCountries, Finland is committed to thevalues of freedom, democracy and humanrights. Finland is not a member of anymilitary alliance and maintains anindependent defence capability but hassigned a Partnership for Peace agreementwith the North Atlantic Treaty Organisationand has observer status in the WesternEuropean Union (the nascent defence arm

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of the European Union) and in the NorthAtlantic Co-operation Council. Cooperationwithin the Nordic Council covers a widerange of social, cultural and technicalmatters of interest to the five members:Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway andSweden. Finland applied to join theEuropean Economic Community in 1992and in 1995 became a full member of theEuropean Union. Since becoming amember of the United Nations in 1955,Finland has taken part in many of the worldorganisation’s peacekeeping operations.

PressFinland has about 50 newspapers that arepublished 4 to 7 times a week and some150 with 1 to 3 issues per week. The totalcirculation of all newspapers is about 2.9million. Most newspapers are bought onsubscription rather than from newsstands,only two newspapers depend entirely onnewsstand sales. There are about 3150registered periodicals. One source for news in English isHelsinki Times. It is an independent weeklynewspaper, which covers news and eventsin Finland. For more information please seewww.helsinkitimes.fi

Television and radioThe Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE,is the largest national radio and televisionservice provider. It is a non-commercial,public service broadcaster. There are twoother nation-wide broadcasters, MTV3 andNelonen (Channel 4), which are privatelyowned. YLE operates four televisionchannels with national coverage, YLE1,YLE2, YLE Teema and FST5. MTV3 hasten channels and Nelonen eight, some ofwhich you have to pay extra for. Theoperations of the Finnish BroadcastingCompany are financed by a public servicebroadcasting tax collected by the TaxAdministration.

The Finnish Broadcasting Companyalso transmits on six national radiochannels, four in Finnish and two inSwedish, and on various regional channelsincluding one in Sami in Finnish Lapland. Inaddition, there are radio stations operatedby private individuals, regional and localnewspapers, associations and publiccorporations.

EducationAll children receive compulsory basiceducation at comprehensive schoolsbetween the ages of 7 and 16. Educationbeyond the age of 16 is voluntary, takingthe form of either a three-year course inupper secondary school (lukio) or a three-year course at a vocational institution.There are 16 universities with a totalstudent population of about 169 000.

University education in FinlandThe foundations of the university system inFinland were laid in 1640, when theUniversity of Helsinki was established. Itwas the only university in the country foralmost three centuries. Today there are 14universities in Finland; eleven of them aremulti-faculty universities, two technicaluniversities, one business school and oneart academy. In addition to the universities,there is one military academy. Two of theuniversities operate entirely in Swedish.

About 20 000 new university studentsstart their studies each year. About 60% ofeach age group is formally eligible foruniversity admission. The Finnish mat-riculation examination (ylioppilastutkinto)taken at the end of upper secondary schoolprovides general eligibility for universityeducation. The Finnish 3-4-year vocationalqualifications also give students eligibilityfor placement at universities. There is anumerus clausus, i.e. restricted entry, in allfields of study. Universities decidethemselves upon their selection procedure;applicants can be ranked e.g. according tothe grades in the matriculation examinationand/or entrance examination and/or school-leaving certificate.

The Finnish university system hasundergone a major reform. The newUniversity Act, which entered into force inAugust 2009, extended the autonomy of theuniversities. The universities are eitherpublic-law corporations, like the Universityof Helsinki, or private-law foundations. Thereform has also affected universityfinances, decision-making procedures andhuman resources policies.

At present, most Finnish universitiesdo not charge tuition fees, but studentshave to pay their housing and livingexpenses themselves. For Finnishcitizens, these expenses are partially

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subsidised by the state. The state assistsstudents with study grants, housingallowances and with guarantees on loansfrom private banks. The student unionscharge small fees to cover their activitiesand to maintain student health care andother services.

Relevant websites: www.minedu.fi(Ministry of Education) www.oph.fi (FinnishNational Board of Education)

Industry and economyLast century Finland embarked on the roadto industrialisation by harnessing its forestresources. Forests are still Finland’s mostcrucial raw material resource, although themetal, engineering and IT industries havelong been Finland’s leading branches of

manufacturing both in terms of value addedand as an employer. Today, Finland is atypical advanced industrial economy: twothirds of its total output is generated in theservice sector. The net wealth of Finnishhouseholds is on the European Unionaverage. In May 2015, the unemploymentrate was 9%.

CurrencyThe unit of currency is the euro (symbols: €,EUR), divided into 100 cents.

Relevant websites:www.suomi.fi (Public services)http://finland.fi (Overall information onFinland) www.finlandlive.info (Onlinecommunity about Finland, in Russian)

City of Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital of Finland and itscentre of administration, finance andculture. It has a population of about 589000 and, together with its neighbouringmunicipalities, constitutes Finland's biggesteconomic and market region. All in all, theHelsinki region is home to 1.3 millioninhabitants. It has a diverse economy and isone of the most service-intensive urbanregions in Europe. Helsinki is a metropoliswhose salient feature is the proximity of thesea and of unpolluted nature.

Early historyKing Gustavus Vasa of Sweden (to whichFinland at that time belonged) foundedHelsinki in 1550. Helsinki was the base fortrade and shipping, and above all, its taskwas to combat the thriving trade betweenTallinn, on the opposite shore of the Gulf ofFinland, and Russia. In 1640, QueenChristina sought to strengthen the town byshifting it southwards from its original siteon the River Vantaa and thus bringing itnearer the open sea. However, this did notyet contribute greatly to the growth of thetown that was sorely tried by famines, fires,plagues, wars and periods of Russianoccupation.

Not until 1748, when work began on thebuilding of the Viaborg (Suomenlinna) naval

fortifications, did Helsinki enter a moreauspicious period in its history. The fortresswas a tremendous building project forsuperpower Sweden and took decades tocomplete. It also infused new life intoHelsinki's trade and seafaring. The 'highsociety' bearing influences of French cultureintroduced by the officers stationed at thefortress likewise had a positive effect onHelsinki life. The island fortress ofSuomenlinna is a major historicalmonument and one of the items on theUNESCO World Heritage List.

The shared history of Sweden andFinland lasting close to six centuries endedwhen Sweden lost Finland to Russia in thewar of 1808-09. Finland became anautonomous Grand Duchy subordinate tothe Russian Emperor in 1809, and itscapital was moved from Turku to Helsinki in1812. The Emperor decided to make thetown worthy of its new capital status andinitiated extensive building projects. Theneoclassical or Empire-style centre ofHelsinki, dating from the mid-19th centuryand including the Senate Square, theCathedral and the University, is a uniquearchitectural entity that has been preservedto the present day.

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International capitalFollowing the rise in industrialisation andprosperity towards the end of the 19thcentury, Helsinki soon developed into amodern European port and city of industrywith residents who spoke Swedish, Finnishor Russian. The population topped the 100000 mark at the beginning of the 20thcentury, when Finnish became thedominant language. Finland gained politicalindependence in 1917 and Helsinki becamethe capital of the Republic of Finland. Bythe end of the century, the population wasmore than five times that at the beginning.The economic growth in Helsinki at the startof the new millennium relied strongly on theinformation industry.

The cosmopolitan, multicultural Helsinkiof today is an extremely popular tourist andcongress city. It is also Finland's majorcentre for higher education. Manyinternational comparisons have rated it oneof the most attractive cities of the world interms of quality of life and business.

Relevant websites:www.hel.fi/www/Helsinki/en (City ofHelsinki)www.hel.fi/international (InternationalAffairs website of the City of Helsinki)http://www.helsinki.fi/ (Portal of the Cityand the University)

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II University of Helsinki

University of Helsinki in a nutshell

The University of Helsinki (Helsinginyliopisto/Helsingfors universitet) is theoldest and largest university in Finland. Itwas founded in 1640 as the Academy ofTurku, Turku being the former capital ofFinland, which was then part of theSwedish realm. After Finland was annexedto the Russian Empire in 1809, the capitalwas moved to Helsinki. In 1827, theUniversity was transferred to Helsinki,where it opened the following year underthe name of the Imperial AlexanderUniversity, after the Russian TsarAlexander the First. It was the onlyuniversity in Finland until 1919.

By Scandinavian standards, theUniversity of Helsinki is a large university,

with about 43 400 members when students,teachers and other staff numbers arecombined. Of the 35 200 students in theeleven faculties 64% are women. TheUniversity of Helsinki is bilingual withinstruction and services offered in bothFinnish and Swedish: about 6.5% of thedegree students are Swedish-speakers. Insome fields of study, such as law, quotasare reserved for Swedish-speakingstudents in an effort to guarantee equallinguistic rights for all. The total enrolmentof international students, includingexchange students, is presently around2 200 students per year.

University life

The University of Helsinki is a combinationof an older, more traditional educationalinstitution and a modern, dynamicinternational university. Admission isdifficult and the pace of studies is to certainextent up to the individual. One outstandingfeature of studies at the University ofHelsinki is the emphasis on the student’sown initiative and individual work.

Some of the instruction is still in thetraditional lecture form, and the relationshipbetween the student and instructor canremain quite official and hierarchical.However, many teachers and entiredepartments have moved towards morestudent-to-student and student-to-instructordiscussion-orientated lessons and tutoringand most teachers welcome active studentparticipation.

Modern teaching technology hasdramatically changed the style of teaching.Today, there are close to 20,000 computersconnected to the University’s networks.Diverse on-line opportunities are anessential part of everyday studies of everystudent of the University of Helsinki.

Finnish university students tend to bevery independent. This is largely a result oftheir demanding upper secondaryeducation (lukio). Some internationalstudents might feel that the atmosphere onclass is seemingly unfriendly, but you willfind most Finns eager to discuss and helpyou, if you make the initial attempt atcommunication.

You may find instructors, particularlyprofessors, hard to track down. Theynormally hold consultation hours only oneor two hours per week. However, theassistants and department office staff canoften answer any questions you may have.

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Buildings and facilities

The University was moved to Helsinki ayear after the Great Fire of Turku haddestroyed most of the old Academy. Newbuildings for the University were erected inthe centre of the new capital. The MainBuilding (yliopiston päärakennus) and theObservatory were completed in 1832, whilethe University Library (yliopiston kirjasto)was completed in 1840.

Several other buildings were erectednear the Main Building in the late 19th andearly 20th century. These buildings aresome of Helsinki’s most beautiful sights.Make sure to visit the Main Library, andwalk through the older half of the MainBuilding if your studies and class work donot bring you to these places. The MainBuilding’s older half faces the famousSenate Square (Senaatintori), the site ofmany national ceremonies andcelebrations.

Until the 1950’s, the entire universitywas located in the centre of Helsinki.Today, the University of Helsinki has fourmain campus areas: the City Centre(theology, law, arts, social sciences, andbehavioural sciences), Meilahti (medicineand dentistry), Kumpula (science) andViikki (agriculture and forestry, biologicaland environmental sciences, pharmacy,

and veterinary medicine). Altogether, theUniversity of Helsinki has several differentlocations in the city and elsewhere inFinland, the northest one being thebiological research station located inKilpisjärvi, Northern Lapland. New buildingsare still built and the newest of them isKaisa House, opened autumn 2012, wherethe main library of the university is located.

Campus maps:http://kampuskartat.helsinki.fi/eng/

Art historical tours on campusDuring summer season there are free ofcharge guided art historical tours on thecenter campus of the university organisedby the Department of Art History and theUniversity Administration andCommunications. The tours are guided bystudents of art history.

For further information and bookings see:http://kavelykierrokset.wordpress.com/https://www.facebook.com/TaidehistoriallisetKavelykierroksetkavelykierros-info@helsinki.fi

Administration

The central idea of the administration at theUniversity of Helsinki is to emphasise therole of the four campuses (the City Centre,Meilahti, Viikki and Kumpula) as well as tofocus on strategic leadership, qualitycontrol, effectiveness of administration andnew dimensions in customer services.

The large-scale reform of the Finnishuniversity administration, implemented onAugust 1, 2009, gives the universities anextensive administrative and fiscalautonomy. For more information on theadministration and organisation of theuniversity, please see the website of theUniversity www.helsinki.fi/inbrief/

Students in university decisionmakingThe Student Union enjoys a legal status inthe University. The Union is autonomous inits own affairs and this is guaranteed by theUniversities Act. This same Act togetherwith the Universities Decree regulates therepresentation of students at different levelsof university decision making. Universitiesthemselves decide upon the quotas ofdifferent interest groups in decision-makingbodies. Student participation in theadministration is considered important.

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FacultiesThe University of Helsinki has elevenfaculties on four campuses:

City Centre CampusFaculty of Theology (teologinen tiedekunta)Faculty of Law (oikeustieteellinentiedekunta)Faculty of Arts (humanistinen tiedekunta)Faculty of Social Sciences (valtiotieteellinentiedekunta)Faculty of Behavioural Sciences(käyttäytymistieteellinen tiedekunta)

Meilahti CampusFaculty of Medicine (lääketieteellinentiedekunta)

Kumpula CampusFaculty of Science (matemaattis-luonnontieteellinen tiedekunta)

Viikki CampusFaculty of Agriculture and Forestry(maatalous-metsätieteellinen tiedekunta)Faculty of Biological and EnvironmentalSciences (bio- ja ympäristötieteellinentiedekunta)Faculty of Pharmacy (farmasian tiedekunta)Faculty of Veterinary Medicine(eläinlääketieteellinen tiedekunta)

Flamma – the university intranetFlamma, the University of Helsinki Intranet,is a joint communication channel andpersonal work tool for all students and staffmembers of the University of Helsinki. Oneof the basic principles is that all internalcommunication within the University shouldbe done through Flamma.

You need a University of Helsinkiuser account to use the Intranet. Uponlogin you will see a layout customisedaccording to your department, faculty, andyour status at the University e.g. student.You can access your University e-mail and,for instance, the study information systemWebOodi, with the same single login.

Flamma is also an information retrievalsystem organised according to varioustopics or functions in to informationchannels: i.e. For Students, For Teachersetc. You can also gather links of your owninterest in one place.

Flamma is also a communicationchannel. Through Flamma, you receivenews and information about commonissues on department or faculty levels, orthroughout the whole University, you candiscuss and exchange information in workgroup areas only visible to group members.

You can access Flamma from the mainpage of the university website (upper righthand corner) www.helsinki.fi/university/

Social opportunities

Because of the individual nature ofuniversity studies, much of the institution’ssocial life must be sought after; it is notreadily apparent at first.

The student organisations, as will beexplained in section IV (Student Union andStudent Organisations), are generally veryactive, arranging different kinds of activities.Many activities are open to all universitystudents and advertisements for them areposted on the large notice boards in theMain Building (päärakennus) and Porthaniaor online. Unfortunately, mostannouncements are in Finnish.

Today, almost all organisationsaffiliated with the University of Helsinki have

their own websites and e-mail lists. The fulllist of organisations and associations (a lotof the information is in Finnish only) you willfind on the Student Union website athttp://hyy.helsinki.fi/en/organisations

You will find more information onorganisations for international students onpage 37.

In order to get to know the people ofyour department, join the e-mail list of yourdepartment and keep an eye on thedepartment notice boards forannouncements.

Often the students arrange discussionswith academicians, excursions to relevantindustries or museums, and even sauna

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evenings (saunailta), where you areguaranteed to have a good time. The OldStudent House, or Vanha, as the Finnsrefer to it, is a centre of student nightlifewith bands performing and a relaxed dresscode and atmosphere. In the neighbouring

New Student House (Uusi ylioppilastalo)several nations and associations have theirclubrooms.

Relevant websites: http://hyy.helsinki.fi/en(Student Union of UH)

System of studies

Academic yearThe academic year begins on August 1 andends on July 31. The academic year isdivided into four seven-week teachingperiods. There is an examination andindependent study week between theperiods in autumn and spring and a longerbreak at Christmas time and during thesummer.

Teaching organised in the summer doesnot belong to the teaching periods.However, examinations and specialcourses may be arranged outside theteaching periods. From the autumn term2014 the teaching periods listed belowapply to all Faculties except the Faculty ofMedicine. Please check the exact dates foryour Faculty's teaching from the Faculty(see contact information on page 26).

Teaching periods of the 2014 - 2015academic year

Autumn termIntensive period 25.8.-31.8.I teaching period 1.9.-19.10.Examination and independent study week20.10.-26.10.II teaching period 27.10.-14.12.Examination and independent study week15.12.-21.12.

Spring termIntensive period 2.1.-11.1.III teaching period 12.1.-1.3.Examination and independent study week2.3.-8.3.IV teaching period 9.3.-3.5.Examination and independent study week4.5.-10.5.Intensive period 4.5.-31.5.

CurriculaThe curricula are revised every second orthird year and are published mostly online.Some Faculties also publish programmebooks that are colour coded (dark green forAgriculture and Forestry, red for SocialSciences, blue for Arts...) and you can findreference copies or get a copy of your ownfrom your Faculty Office (see contactinformation on page 26).

Unfortunately, the comprehensiveprogramme books are available in Finnishand Swedish only.

Courses offered in EnglishA good starting point to access informationon the courses offered in English is theCourses in English websitewww.helsinki.fi/english/courses/.You canalso find courses through the electronicinformation system WebOodiwww.helsinki.fi/weboodi. There you cansearch for courses using different criteria –one search criteria is by language ofinstruction. Updates on courses are postedon the individual Faculty’s or Department’swebsite or in WebOodi.

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Instructions for studies

Ways of completing studiesThere are two basic ways of completingstudies at the University of Helsinki: lecturecourses and book exams. Students taking alecture course must pass a finalexamination at any one of the scheduledexamination dates after attending thecourse. Students taking a book exam mustpass a faculty examination(tiedekuntatentti) or a period examination(perioditentti) at any one of the scheduleddates during the academic year: usuallythere is one examination each month.Although there is no summer term, somedepartments also arrange examinations inthe summer.

Many departments accept tests writtenin English. Often students can also arrangeto write a research paper, essay or a studydiary in place of a written examination, butthis varies according to field of study.Examination dates are set before theacademic year begins and there may bemultiple dates. International students oftenchoose book exams in order to bypass alecture series arranged in Finnish and/or toread the material at their own pace. Todayalmost all registrations for examinations aredone in WebOodi. Be prepared to proveyour identity at the test site.

Other typical ways of completing acourse are seminar groups and other smallgroups, in which students get accustomedto independent research. Oral examinationsare unusual. On-line study and examinationoptions are growing rapidly.

One outstanding feature in studies atthe University of Helsinki is theemphasis on the student’s own initiativeand individual work.

Languages used in teachingThe languages of instruction at theUniversity of Helsinki are Finnish andSwedish. Finnish is the main language ofinstruction, whereas Swedish is used in anumber of degree programmes and majorsubjects. Today, one of the focal areas isInternational Master’s level programmes. Anumber of seminars and lecture series areoffered in English on a regular basis,

particularly at the Master’s level. It isusually possible to complete coursesthrough independent study when noinstruction in English is available. Pleasenote that in Foreign Language DegreeProgrammes translation into mother tongue(äidinkielelle) means into Finnish orSwedish.

Planning your studiesIn order to facilitate the long-term planningof studies, each student is required todevise a personal study plan (HOPS inFinnish). The personal study plan is avaluable aid in the long-term goal-orientedplanning of studies. The study plan ischecked regularly, thus aiding in themonitoring of study progress. It should bepointed out that, at the University ofHelsinki, the personal study plan is notconsidered an agreement between thestudent and the University. Please checkthe guidelines for completing the personalstudy plan from your Faculty, the practicesvary between Faculties (see contactinformation on page 26).

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Degree system

Basic structure of the dergeesThe first, lower academic degree is calledkandidaatti (Bachelor). The second, higherdegree is called maisteri (Master). Studentsfirst complete the lower academic degree,i.e. the Bachelor’s degree, and then thehigher academic degree, i.e. the Master’sdegree or, in medical studies, the Licentiatedegree.

All students admitted to Bachelor’s levelstudies at the University of Helsinki receivethe right to pursue studies leading to theMaster’s degree. Exceptions to this rule arethe programme leading to the qualificationof kindergarten teacher, the Bachelor ofScience degree programme in Pharmacyand the Bachelor’s degree offered by theSwedish School of Social Science. There isusually no selection process in thetransition from Bachelor’s level studies toMaster’s level studies for those studentswho have been accepted to pursue bothBachelor’s and Master’s level studies. Theexception to this rule is the independentMaster’s programmes: see below for moreinformation. The Bachelor’s degree must becompleted before registering for Master’slevel studies, but students may alsocomplete individual Master’s level coursesbefore fully completing the Bachelor’sdegree.

Study modulesThe basic unit of a degree programme is astudy module (opintokokonaisuus). Onemodule may contain several types of work:lectures, exercises, set book examinations,seminars, etc. In order to ensure the highquality of its degrees, the University has setminimum requirements for the scope andnumber of study modules. The Bachelor’sdegree consists of studies in the majorsubject (with a minimum of 60 credits) andbasic studies in at least one minor subject(25 credits). At the Master’s level, the scopeof advanced studies is 30 credits or more.

The Bachelor’s degree (180 credits)includes a thesis with the scope of sixcredits. While the scope of the thesisrequired for the higher academic degree inmedicine and veterinary medicine is 20–40

credits, the scope of the Master’s thesis inall other fields is 40 credits. Thisrequirement is due to the University’s aim ofemphasising the research-oriented natureof its degrees and the eligibility forpostgraduate studies provided by theMaster’s degree (120 credits).

Furthermore, the requirement forstudies in information and communicationtechnology is a minimum of five credits, andthe requirement for language studies is aminimum of 10 credits. Professionaldevelopment is not neglected in the degreesystem either: a few credits is reserved forstudies in orientation into professional life.

Postgraduate studiesMost fields of study offer two postgraduatedegrees: a Licentiate degree, the lowerpostgraduate degree, and a Doctor’sdegree, PhD (tohtori). Ideally, a Licentiatecan be completed in two years and aDoctor’s degree in four. In practise, the timespent is often longer. Research andcompletion of a substantial thesis form theessential parts of both degrees. Usually, astudent can aim at a Doctor’s degreewithout first getting a Licentiate. In somefields, the Licentiate degree has beenreorganised to make it a more profession-orientated degree.

The field of medicine has not adoptedthe two-cycle degree system. Whereas thehigher academic degree is the Master’sdegree in all other fields, in medicine andveterinary medicine the higher academicdegree is the Licentiate degree.

More information about postgraduatestudies:http://www.helsinki.fi/admissions/postgraduate_applicants.htm

Independent Master's DegreeProgrammesStudents may seek entry into independentMaster’s programmes after havingcompleted the Bachelor's degree orequivalent studies. These Master’sprogrammes are often multidisciplinary bynature as well as planned and carried out in

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collaboration between faculties or evenuniversities.

After having completed their Bachelor’sdegree, students may change their majorsubject for the Master’s degree. If theyobtain permission to do this, the departmentof the new major subject may require thestudent to complete a maximum of 60credits of complementary studies.

More information about Master’sDegree programmes:http://www.helsinki.fi/internationalprogrammes/index.html

Credit systemIn the credit system, the student workload is1600 hours per year, which is worth 60credits in completed studies. Consequently,the Bachelor’s degree (180 credits) shouldbe completed in three years and theMaster’s degree (120 credits) should becompleted in two years. The annual studentworkload of 1600 hours is the same as theannual workload of university teachers.

Credit transferFor those coming to the University ofHelsinki with previous universityexperience, it can be possible to transfersome of the academic credits by submittingan application for credit transfer at thefaculty.

The application must include anauthorised transcript and other documentswhen needed. Detailed course descriptionsare of great help in the process. TheUniversity of Helsinki tries to give fullrecognition of previous class work andcredit transfer usually goes quite smoothly:the better the student’s earlier programmecompares with the programme offered inHelsinki, the better the transfer of creditswill be.

Detailed information on credit transferand the identification and recognition ofprior learning, which might includeknowledge obtained also in other ways thanthrough formal education, is available at thefaculty office (see contact information onpage 26). It is highly recommendable to getthe transfer process under way as soon aspossible.

GradesAt the University of Helsinki there is a six-level grading scale in use. It ranges fromzero (0 = fail) to five (5 = excellent).Traditions are being upheld in the gradingof the Master’s thesis, which is graded on ascale using the Latin language. Degreecertificates are accompanied by asupplement (the Diploma Supplement),which describes the contents of the degree.The purpose of this supplement is toimprove the international comparability ofdegrees and facilitate mobility for eitherpostgraduate study or employment.

Grading revisionIf you feel that you have been treatedunfairly in the grading of an examination,seminar paper, thesis work etc., you shouldfirst contact the appropriate teacher: therequest for revision can be done orally or inwriting. If the grade has been given by theFaculty Council, you have to submit awritten request.

You have to submit the request within14 days after you had the possibility ofreceiving detailed information on the gradeand on the grounds for grading. The sameprocess is also applied to recognition of astudent’s previous studies.

However, if you are not satisfied withthe teacher’s or the Faculty Council’sdecision, you may submit a request forrevision to the Academic Appeals Board(oikeusturvalautakunta). Again, this has tobe done within 14 days from when youwere informed of the decision.

Any mail addressed to the AcademicAppeals Board should be sent to theRegistry of the University of Helsinki (P.O.Box 33, Yliopistonkatu 4, 00014 Universityof Helsinki).

More information can be found on theAcademic Appeals Board page in Flamma:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/students-rights/HY055670

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Transcripts

In the WebOodi information system you cansee your credits in real time. If the transcriptis not complete and there are coursesmissing, please contact the department thatarranged the course. Normally coursesshould be registered in a few weeks andwithin a month at the latest.

How to order your transcript online?You can order the unofficial transcriptthrough WebOodi,www.helsinki.fi/weboodi The readout willappear on the first page of WebOodi withina couple of hours. You will receive anotification that the ordered transcript isready to your University e-mail address,firstname.lastname@helsinki.fi

Official transcriptAttending students can receive one officialtranscript free of charge per term, issued inFinnish, Swedish or English, at the StudentServices. For contact information and

opening hours of the Student Services,please seehttp://www.helsinki.fi/neuvonta/english/

Do not forget to check that you have all ofyour courses registered before you take thefree official transcript. For additionaltranscripts, you have to pay 4.00 euro perreadout. You cannot pay the transcriptpayment in cash at the Student Services: ithas to be paid in advance. The preferableway to pay the fee is at the followingUniCafe student cafés (not the restaurants):· Main Building (Fabianinkatu 33)· Physicum (Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2, in

Kumpula)· Biocentre 1 (Viikinkaari 9, in Viikki).

For further information on how to ordertranscripts by mail, and the prices, pleaseseehttp://www.helsinki.fi/neuvonta/english/transcript.htm

Language studies

International students are strongly advisedto learn at least the basics of either Finnishor Swedish - preferably at the beginning oftheir studies. This will help you to settle in,to stay informed of what is happening in theuniversity and in Helsinki and ultimatelyhelp you in finding a job in Finland. It is alsopart of the degree requirements in somefaculties that international students willstudy at least some Finnish or Swedish.You can check the requirements from yourfaculty office.

Department of Finnish, Finno-ugrianand Scandinavian studiesFinnish Language and Culture / Finnish forInternational Students

University Main Building(Fabianinkatu 33), room 4005, 4th floorPostal Address: P.O. Box 300014 University of Helsinki

Tel. +358 – (0)50 3182 365skk-info@helsinki.fi

Office hours: Tue 10:00-12:00 and Thu13:00-15:00

Finnish Language and Culture is a sectionof the Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrianand Scandinavian Studies. It offers Finnishcourses for beginners and students that aremore advanced as well as for students whoalready have a solid command of spokenand written Finnish. More information isavailable from the Finnish Language andCulture Office and athttp://www.helsinki.fi/fus/

Swedish for International Students coursesare arranged by the Language Centre (seethe next page).

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Language CentreKielikeskusP.O. Box 4 (Fabianinkatu 26)Study AdvisersTel. 02 941 22690, 02 941 23359LC-info@helsinki.fiStudy advisers are available forconsultation on Mon-Thu 10:00-14:00 at theLanguage Centre (City Centre Campus),and on Tuesdays 9:00-11:00 duringteaching periods in A-building room 171(Viikki Campus).www.helsinki.fi/languagecentrehttps://flamma.helsinki.fi/ > Units >Independent institutes > Language Centre

The University of Helsinki Language Centreorganises on the first hand languagecourses and tests that are required for thecompletion of degrees. The languagestudies and number of credits required ofinternational students vary from faculty tofaculty. Therefore, please check thelanguage requirements of your faculty fromyour Faculty’s Study Affairs Office.

Optional language coursesThe Language Centre offers a variety ofoptional language courses at differentlevels. These courses are open for allinternational students too. Exchangestudents, however, do not have a right toattend any of the English courses offeredby the Language Centre. Please note thatat the elementary level teaching is givenmainly in Finnish. This applies to studymaterials, too. At the more advanced level,teaching and materials are in the languagein question.

Finnish as a foreign languageBasic, intermediate and advanced Finnishcourses are offered by the Department ofFinnish, Finno-Ugrian and ScandinavianStudies at the Faculty of Arts. For moreinformation, please see above.

Independent studies in the AleksandriaLearning CentreThe Self-Access Centre offers facilities andmaterials for independent study in over 40languages. Language tutors in eightlanguages are available for consultationonce a week. Self-Access Centre staff isavailable during opening hours. You canask the staff for help with general self-access issues, as well as with using theequipment and finding and choosing studymaterial.

Other language activities

• Course Assistant Programme invitesinternational students to assist teaching andlearning on certain Language Centrecourses. This gives them the opportunity tomeet Finnish students, who in turn get toknow international students and learn moreabout their languages and cultures.

• Language Clubs help to activate, developand keep up your language skills in arelaxed setting. Club meetings are plannedby the participants. Welcome!

• In a Language Buddy partnership twospeakers of different native languages learneach other's language. Thus you will havethe role of both a teacher and a learner.

WebOodi

WebOodi is an electronic informationsystem where you as a student can:complete the annual registration to theuniversity, see degree requirements,browse through study guides and courseson offer, register for courses andexaminations, check your credits and orderan unofficial transcript of your credits, andgive course feedback.

You can also update your contactinformation through WebOodi; as a studentyou must make sure that your address andphone number are up-to-date in the student

register. In some faculties and departmentsWebOodi is also used as a tool to make apersonal study plan (PSP, HOPS inFinnish). If this function is in use at yourdepartment, you will see a link to thepersonal study plan in the main menu ofWebOodi.

WebOodi can be found athttps://weboodi.helsinki.fi/hy/ and youcan use it both from home and on campus.You log in to WebOodi with the same username and password, which you use to log

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in to your university email account and theuniversity intranet.

Instructions for using WebOodi can befound within the system. On the website ofthe ICT Driving Licence you will also find anintroduction to WebOodi and its functionshttp://www.helsinki.fi/tvt-ajokortti/english/material.htm > TheComputer Environment at the University ofHelsinki > Planning your studies withWebOodi and Flamma.

Some departments might not useWebOodi at all for registration to theircourses and exams. More information onhow to register for courses and exams canbe found on the website of the department,in the study guide, on the notice board ofthe department or in the department office.If you cannot find the course you arelooking for in WebOodi, contact your facultyor department office.

ICT Driving LicenceThe ICT (Information and CommunicationTechnology) Driving Licence (3 credits) is acourse designed in cooperation with theUniversity of Helsinki's Faculties, the Centerfor Information Technology and theLibraries.

The goal of the course is to make surethat each new student has the necessaryICT knowledge as well as the followingskills:1. Introduction to the use of computers

Computer environment at the Universityof Helsinki

2. Modifying and presenting data3. Information retrieval4. Information security and privacy

protection

To pass the course, the student has todo the following:1. Study the course goals for each of the

five ICT Driving Licence modules.2. Take the entry level tests: the non-

monitored tests (5 tests altogether) give

the student an estimate of his/her skillsand instruct the student either to:a) Take the monitored examinationdirectly (if the student has studied theon-line learning material in advance), orb) Study the on-line course material onhis/her own and then take themonitored examination, orc) Participate in instruction arranged byhis/her faculty, study the on-line coursematerial and then take the monitoredexamination.

3. Take the ICT Driving Licenceexamination

4. Answer the self-assessmentquestionnaire and give feedback aboutthe course.

The examination dates and times varyaccording to the Faculty the student isregistered in. Taking an examinationusually requires advance registration.

For more information:http://www.helsinki.fi/tvt-ajokortti/english

Studying for a minor in another university

All Finnish universities are parties to theFlexible Study Right Agreement (JOO),which provides undergraduate, graduateand post-graduate students of Finnishuniversities the opportunity to includecourses or a block of minor studies fromother universities into their degrees. Withsome restrictions, the national JOOagreement also applies to exchangestudents. It should be emphasised,however, that it is not acceptable for

exchange students to complete all theirstudies at an institution, which they are notregistered at.

The institutions within the JOO agreementare the following:

· Aalto University· Lappeenranta University of Technology· National Defence College

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· Swedish School of Economics andBusiness Administration

· Tampere University of TechnologyUniversity of the Arts Helsinki

· University of Eastern Finland· University of Helsinki· University of Jyväskylä· University of Lapland· University of Oulu· University of Tampere· University of Turku· University of Vaasa· Åbo Akademi University

Further information on the JOO agreementis available at the faculty study offices andat www.joopas.fi

How to apply1. First, go to your faculty's study office anddiscuss your studyplans with a study

adviser responsible for the JOO applicationprocess in the faculty. The studies youapply for must be integrated into yourprogramme at the University of Helsinki.2. Different universities have differentapplication procedures and dates. Most ofthe universities use the electronicapplication system JOOPAS but on someoccasions you need to fill in the printableapplication form. You will find furtherinformation, the electronic applicationsystem and printable application form atwww.joopas.fi3. The application is first processed in thefaculty. If it is approved, it is sent to thetarget institution for consideration. The finaldecision is made there.4. The right to complete courses is alwaysgranted for a fixed period. The study right isvalid for a maximum of two academic years.

Summer studies

Although there is no summer term, someinstruction is arranged during the summer(June to August), and many departmentsand libraries operate through the summervacation period. Some departmentsarrange examinations in the summer. Inaddition, the Open University arranges anumber of courses included in theuniversity degree requirements:unfortunately, the majority of these coursesare not taught in English. The LanguageServices of the University offers Finnishcourses for international students also inthe summer, as does the Helsinki SummerUniversity.

Open UniversityAvoin yliopistoP.O. Box 4 (Fabianinkatu 33)00014 University of HelsinkiTel. 02 941 22244studentinfo@helsinki.fihttp://www.avoin.helsinki.fi/open_university/

Office hours: Please see the website of theOpen University.

Language ServicesKielipalvelutP.O. Box 4 (Vuorikatu 5A, 3rd floor)00014 University of HelsinkiTel. 02 941 23234kielikeskus-kielipalvelut@helsinki.fihttp://www.helsinki.fi/kksc/language.services/english/index.html

Office hours: Mon-Thu 10:00-15:00

Helsinki Summer UniversityHelsingin kesäyliopistoKaisaniemenkatu 4A00100 HelsinkiTel. 020 779 2400info@kesayliopistohki.fihttp://www.kesayliopistohki.fi/

Office hours: Please see the website of theHelsinki Summer University.

Helsinki Summer University offers e.g.Finnish courses for foreigners, languagecourses, university level courses andfurther education courses in various fields.Helsinki Summer University is not affiliatedwith the University of Helsinki.

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Helsinki Summer SchoolHelsinki Summer School is a three-weekacademic event organised every August bythe University of Helsinki, Aalto Universityand Hanken School of Economics. Eachyear the school gives advanced degreestudents from over 60 countries anunforgettable learning experience thatcombines high quality university studieswith a wide range of cultural and socialactivities.

Helsinki Summer school’smultidisciplinary courses aim at stimulatingthought and intellectual development in anopen and diverse environment. Theorganising faculty and the HSS team will beat your service throughout the whole three-week period. A city known for design,technology and its vibrant cultural life,Helsinki in the summer is sure to be theexperience of a lifetime.

In the summer of 2014, HelsinkiSummer School will be offering 16multidisciplinary courses designed for

university and college students from all overthe world. The courses are intended foradvanced Bachelor’s degree, Master’sdegree and PhD students and the minimumrequirement is that all applicants shouldhave completed at least two years ofuniversity studies. All the courses aretaught in English and the credits grantedare transferable.

The application period to summerschool courses is open until the end of July(or until the course is fully booked). You caneasily submit your application in an onlineapplication system. After you have receivedthe e-mail confirmation of your acceptance,you are asked to confirm your participationby paying the registration fee (50 EUR fordegree and exchange students at theUniversity of Helsinki) within one week.

More information about the courses,prices, application process, accommodationetc is available on the Helsinki SummerSchool’s website:www.helsinkisummerschool.fi

Necessary supplies for studies

Copy cards and express printUnigrafia - Pikapainot

Tel. 09-701 0230 (switchboard)· Pikapaino Keskusta (Vuorikatu 3)· Pikapaino Viikki (Viikinkaari 11)· Pikapaino Meilahti/Biomedicum

(Haartmaninkatu 8)

For opening hours, please see the websiteof Unigrafia http://www.unigrafia.fi/en

Unigrafia maintains hundreds of copiersthroughout the University to be used byanyone studying or working here. Allmachines are operated with copy cards(kopiokortti), a magnetic card. Copy cardsare sold in the Express Print shops. It ispossible to purchase cards with differentcopy quantities. More efficient machines(with sophisticated features), can be foundin the Express Print shops. You canoperate them with your copy card or haveyour documents copied by staff.

Book shopsAkateeminen kirjakauppaKeskuskatu 1/Pohjoisesplanadi 39Tel. 09-121 4322 (switchboard)asiakaspalvelu@akateeminen.comwww.akateeminen.com/Excellent selection of foreign books,magazines, and papers.

Suomalainen kirjakauppaAleksanterinkatu 2300100 HELSINKITel. 09 852 7777helsinki.aleksi@suomalainen.comhttp://www.suomalainen.com/Good selection of foreign books,magazines, and papers

Computer shopsThere are dozens of shops and departmentstores in Helsinki that sell computers. Someretailers might even give student discounts,when you show your student card.

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Enrolment and registration

First year degree studentsYour faculty at the University of Helsinki willmail you a letter of acceptance (by regularmail or email) including information onaccepting your place of study as well as onsubmitting your enrolment documents.

When enrolling all undergraduateand graduate students are required topay the annual Student Unionmembership fee. For postgraduate(Licentiate/PhD) students the StudentUnion fee is voluntary. Note: If you haveboth an undergraduate/graduate and apost-graduate study right, then you have topay the Student Union fee forundergraduate students.

For more information, please read theNew Students website:http://www.helsinki.fi/newstudents/enrolment.html

Exchange studentsExchange students are automaticallyenrolled at the University of Helsinki oncethey have been accepted to study at UH.

For exchange students the StudentUnion fee is voluntary, but it is highlyrecommended that you become amember of the Student Union. By payingthe Student Union fee you can access thestudent health care (does not apply todoctoral students), you can order a studentcard, you get discounts when eating at theUnicafe student cafeterias etc.

For more information, please read theNew Students website:http://www.helsinki.fi/newstudents/enrolment.html

Second year and beyond - DegreestudentsRegistration for attendance (or non-attendance) is obligatory for all students:undergraduates, graduates andpostgraduates in their second year andbeyond. Registration for the upcomingacademic year starts at the beginning ofMay and runs usually until August 31.

After you have completed your annualregistration, you can collect the studentcalendar and tags for your student card atone of the offices of the Student Services.Tags for the student cards will be availablefrom August 1.

Further information on registration, theright to pursue studies, etc. is in Flamma:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/ Directory andservices > Students > Registration andenrolment. Please note that you have to bea registered student of the University ofHelsinki to access Flamma: you need auser identifier and a password to log in.

Did you forget to register?If you miss the registration, you will have tore-enrol. For more information aboutregistration after the first study year, pleaseread:http://www.helsinki.fi/studying/enrolment_and_registration.shtml

Second year and beyond - Onlineregistration on WebOodiWebOodi http://www.helsinki.fi/weboodi/is the preferable way of registering as it isdone fully on-line: your registration isvalid immediately. If you have a valid userID of the University of Helsinki and anInternet banking agreement with Nordea,Pohjola Bank, Sampo Bank, or Aktia, theeasiest way to pay and register is viaWebOodi.

For more information, please read:http://www.helsinki.fi/studying/enrolment_and_registration.shtml

Registering for non-attendanceStudents who register for non-attendancemust also inform the Student Services (seecontact information on page 23): this mustbe done between May 1 and August 31.

Year tag for your student cardAfter registering you may collect the yeartag (the annual registration tag) for yourstudent card at the Student Services. From

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the middle of August to late August there isalso a separate service point in theUniversity’s Main Building (Fabianinkatu 33)where you can collect the tag.

Cancelling your registrationIf you have enrolled for the entire academicyear, but you graduate during the autumnterm or otherwise want to cancel yourregistration, you can cancel yourregistration by contacting the Student

Services (see contact information on page23).

To cancel the registration for theautumn term or the entire academic year,you need to do the cancellation no laterthan August 31 The cancellation of theregistration for the spring term has to bedone no later than January 15 You can askfor a refund of the Student Union fee at theStudent Union customer service bySeptember 30 / January 31.

Duration of studies

An amendment to the Universities Actlimiting the duration of studies leading to aBachelor’s degree and a Master’s degreecame into effect on August 1, 2005. The actsets a limit to how long a time an individualdegree student can spend on studiesleading to a degree.

The act pertains to:• new students, who have begun

their studies in the 2005 - 2006 academicyear or later,

• students, who have first begun theirstudies before the 2005 - 2006 academicyear, but are given a new right to pursuedegree studies in 2005 - 2006 or later.

An optimal duration has been imposed onthe completion of degree studies. Variousdegrees have varying time limits. Theregular duration of a combined bachelor’sand master’s degree is five (5) years: thefirst degree, a Bachelor’s degree, should becompleted in three (3) years, and after thefirst degree, the Master’s degree in two (2)years. In Dentistry, Medicine, Psychology

and Veterinary Medicine there are divergingoptimal durations.

Circumstances below are not included inthe duration of degree studies:

• national military service• maternity, paternity or parents’

leave• a maximum of two academic years

(four terms) of absence from studies, if thestudent has registered as not attending.

If the degree is not completed within thedefined time limit, the student may apply foran extension. The application for extensionmust include a realistic schedule forcompleting the degree. The attached studyplan must indicate study modules thestudent plans to complete and a timetablefor the completion of them.

More information is available at the facultyoffices (see contact information on page26).

Etappi – checkpoint system

The University of Helsinki uses a system ofcheckpoints (ETAPPI-järjestelmä inFinnish) to support smooth study progressand, consequently, the timely completion ofdegrees.In this system of checkpoints, studyprogress is monitored by assessing theaccumulation of credits. The facultiesdetermine the minimum number of creditsrequired at each checkpoint. Study

progress is supported by means of apersonal study plan and supervision.

For further information about Etappi andplanning your studies see:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/studyprogress/HY055576http://www.helsinki.fi/studying/planning_of_studies.shtml

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Monitoring of postgraduate students studyprogress

The faculties monitor the progress of theirpostgraduate students through the StudentRegister. By the monitoring of the studyprogress and supervision that is offered, theUniversity hopes to support and promotethe smooth progress of postgraduatestudies and completion of degrees.

The monitoring system applies to allpostgraduate students enrolled at the

University of Helsinki. The monitoring ofstudy progress has no effect on the right topursue a degree at the University.

For further information, please see:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/studyprogress/HY055581

Student card

Membership of the Student Union (HYY)provides you with many benefits andservices. One of the major benefits ofmembership is a student card, providingyou services on campus and discounts allaround the country.

The Student Card is a smart card with thefollowing information and features:· Your picture· Your personal information: name, date

of birth and student number· Your school-specific information:

university, faculty and student union· A year tag: this is required to prove card

validity

Benefits and discountsAs a student, you are entitled to asignificant student meal discount byshowing your Student Card in studentrestaurants. You will also get an extradiscount in the cafeterias inside the

University (UniCafes). These meal priceswill prove valuable when you compare themto Helsinki's restaurants.

In addition, with the exception ofpostgraduate/PhD students, you’ll haveconvenient access to the services providedby the Finnish Student Health Services(FSHS). Consultations with generalpractitioners are free of charge, whilespecialist physician services are provided ata low cost.

Carry your Student Card with you at alltimes – you may stumble upon discountopportunities anywhere! The card providesyou with deals on school supplies, travel,local transportation, long distance railwayand bus travel, and also culture events andentry fees.

For more information about the studentcard, please see:http://hyy.helsinki.fi/en/students/student-card-and-year-tag

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III University services

Student Services

Student Services on the campusesOpiskelijaneuvonta kampuksilla

City Centre Campus(Main Building, ground floor)P.O. Box 3 (Fabianinkatu 33)00014 University of HelsinkiTel. 02 941 22244studentinfo@helsinki.fi

Office hours:2.6.-8.8.2014: Mon 10:00-15:30, Tue 10:00-15:00, Wed 10:00-15:30, Thu 10:00-15:00,Fri 10:00-15:0011.8.-29.8.2014: Mon 10:00-16:30, Tue10:00-15:30, Wed 10:00-17:00, Thu 10:00-15:30, Fri 10:00-15:00Beginning 1.9.2014: Mon 10:00-16:30,Tue 10:00-15:30, Wed 10:00-16:30, Thu10:00-15:30, Fri 10:00-15:00

Closed 7.7.-18.7.2014 but you can contactthe Student Services via email.

For changes in the opening hours, pleasesee:http://www.helsinki.fi/neuvonta/english/

Kumpula CampusPL 44 (Jyrängöntie 2)00014 University of HelsinkiTel. 02 941 50066 and 02 941 50065sci-info@helsinki.fi

Office hours:Open Mon–Fri from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Closed 19.6.2014 and 7.–21.7.2014

For changes in the opening hours, pleasesee:http://www.helsinki.fi/facultyofscience/faculty/office.html

The offices of the Student Services arelocated on two of the four campuses of theUniversity of Helsinki. They act asgateways to the services at the University

and they can help you find the right personor office. Annual registrations are alsocarried out at the Student Services.

The Student Services supply studentcalendars (in Finnish and Swedish) uponproof of university acceptance and StudentUnion membership payment. You may alsoacquire transcripts, certificates ofattendance, discount coupons fortransportation and travel, as well asauthorised certificates for various purposesat the Student Services.

For more information about theservices, please see:http://www.helsinki.fi/neuvonta/english/

Change of addressSince your contact information for universityuse is always obtained from the StudentRegister, you have to take care that yourcontact information is up to date. Theeasiest way to change your address isthrough WebOodi. If you do not have a userID for the networks of the University, youcan give your new address by e-mail orphone to the Student Services.

Change of Finnish personal identity (i.e.social security) numberThe University of Helsinki gives allinternational students a temporary identitynumber to be used exclusively within theUniversity. If you obtain the official FinnishPersonal Identity Code (from Maistraatti,see pages 56 – 57), you should informthe Student Services about itimmediately. This change cannot be madethrough WebOodi.

A good idea is first to contact theStudent Services, if you are not quitesure where to look for the information!

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Disabled Student ServicesVammaisten opiskelijoiden palvelut

Disabled Student AdviserP.O. Box 3 (Fabianinkatu 33)00014 University of HelsinkiTel. 02 941 22796vammaisneuvonta@helsinki.fi

If you have a disability, an illness or alearning disability, you might need somespecial arrangements to be able tocomplete your studies.

At the Student Services on the Citycentre campus you can get general adviceabout special arrangements. To ensureproper progress in studies you should alsocontact the faculty at the beginning of thestudies or as soon as the need arises. Thepractical arrangements should be agreedupon by you and your teacher before acourse or seminar begins.

Student services and faculty ordepartmental staff work together in helpingthe students to cope. At the StudentServices there is a student adviserespecially for students with disabilities andthose who need special arrangements intheir studies. You can contact the studentadviser if you need more information orhelp with arrangements that enable you toparticipate in lessons or examinations,access lecture rooms with a wheel chair orif you need more time in taking an exametc.

If you need support to improve yourstudy skills you can also contact studypsychologists.

For more information about the DisabledStudent Services:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/services-students/HY054796

For more information about studypsychologists:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/HY314486andhttps://alma.helsinki.fi/doclink/98826

Organisation for students with learningdisabilitiesWithin the Student Union of Helsinki (HYY)acts an organisation called Erilaiset oppijatr.y. whose aim is to promote the cause of

the students who are so called diverselearners, i.e. students with different kinds oflearning disabilities. The organisation wasestablished in 2004. For more information,contact the Student Union Secretary ofSocial Affairs, e-mail tasa-arvo@hyy.helsinki.fi

Career servicesUrapalvelut

P.O. Box 3(Main building, Fabianinkatu 33, groundfloor)FI-00014 University of HelsinkiTel. 02 941 22125Office hours: Mon-Thu 13:00-15:00 (or byappointment)urapalvelut@helsinki.fihttp://www.helsinki.fi/urapalvelut/englishIn Flamma: Directory and services »Students » Studies and employment

The aim of the Career Services is to easestudents’ transition into the working life. Weprovide services for students, recentgraduates and Alumni members of theUniversity of Helsinki. Our services forstudents include advice and information oninternships, job hunting and careerplanning.

International Exchange ServicesKansainvälisen vaihdon palvelut

P.O. Box 3 (Fabianinkatu 33, ground floor)FI-00014 Universityof Helsinki

Consultation hours of the StudentExchange Coordinators: Mon-Thu 10-15:00.

The International Exchange Servicesprovides services for both incoming andoutgoing exchange students at theUniversity of Helsinki.

E-mail addresses and phone numbers ofthe coordinators:

erasmus@helsinki.fi, tel. +358 294122441 (Erasmus exchanges;incoming/outgoing)

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nordplus@helsinki.fi, tel. +358 294122178 (Nordplus/Nordlysexchanges; incoming/outgoing)

studentexchange@helsinki.fi, tel. +3582941 22177 and +358 2941 22241(University-wide agreements / otherprogrammes, incoming)

Website for incoming studentshttp://www.helsinki.fi/exchange/ (duringthe application processhttp://www.helsinki.fi/newstudents/ (foraccepted international students)

Blog for incoming studentshttps://blogs.helsinki.fi/welcometouh /

UH in Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/newstudentsuhhttps://www.facebook.com/HelsinkiUniversity

International Admissions ServicesHakijapalvelut

Admissions ServicesP.O. Box 3 (Fabianinkatu 33, 1st floor)FI-00014 University of Helsinki

Consultation hours:http://www.helsinki.fi/admissions/opening_hours.html

Tel. +358 2941 24140admissions@helsinki.fihttp://www.helsinki.fi/admissions

Admissions Services provides customerservice for applicants for degreeprogrammes and coordinates the admissionprocedure at the University of Helsinki.

International Staff ServicesKansainvälisethenkilöstöpalvelut/Henkilöstö- ja lakiasiat

P.O. Box 33(Administration Building, Yliopistonkatu 4,3rd floor) FI-00014 University of Helsinki

int-staff@helsinki.fihttp://www.helsinki.fi/intstaff/

https://flamma.helsinki.fi >Directory and services > Human resources> International Staff Services

International Staff Services at the Universityof Helsinki provides assistance andservices for all international personnel and

their departments at the University ofHelsinki. This includes personnel coming towork in Finland from abroad and going towork abroad from Finland. The mainobjective of the services is to distributeinformation and assist in the preparationand practical matters of living inFinland/abroad. The services are availableonline, via e-mail, phone and also in personat the administration building on the centralcampus and in the Töölö Towers residence.

The services are available for allfaculties and departments and internationalpersonnel working for the University ofHelsinki in Finland or abroad, regardless ofthe length of employment or the source offunding. Feel free to contact ISS for moreinformation.

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Study offices of the faculties

Each faculty has its own Study Office(opintotoimisto/kanslia), where the StudyAdvisers (opintoneuvojat) are available forconsultation on issues concerning curricula,examinations, degrees and courserequirements. The InternationalCoordinators (kansainvälisten asioidensuunnittelijat) listed below are available forinternational students. If you are unable tocontact your faculty personnel duringconsultation hours, please make anappointment. Summer hours may vary:check your faculty’s website for them.

Faculty of Agriculture and ForestryMaatalous-metsätieteellinen tiedekunta

International students: InternationalCoordinator, Ms Sari Mikkola is availablefor consultation by appointment at theInfocentre (Infokeskus) in Viikki,tel. +358 02 941 58247,sari.mikkola@helsinki.fi

Study Office(Viikinkaari 11, Infokeskus, 3rd floor)Postal address: P.O. Box 6200014 University of HelsinkiTel. +358 2941 58449http://www.helsinki.fi/af-faculty/administration/office.htmlOffice hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-15.45

Faculty of ArtsHumanistinen tiedekunta

Consultation for international studentstel. +358 2941 22347,hum-international@helsinki.fiFor consultation hours, please see thefaculty website:http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/english/contact/index.htm

Faculty office:(Fabianinkatu 33, 2nd floor, Main Building,new side)Postal address: Faculty of Arts, PO Box 300014 University of Helsinki

Faculty of Behavioural SciencesKäyttäytymistieteellinen tiedekunta

International students: the internationalRelations Officer Mr Turkka LavasteSiltavuorenpenger 5 A, room 209Tel. +358 2941 20504behav-int@helsinki.fi

Faculty office(Siltavuorenpenger 5 A, Helsinki)Postal address: P.O. Box 9FI-00014 University of Helsinkihttp://www.helsinki.fi/behav/english/contact.htm

Faculty of Biological andEnvironmental SciencesBio- ja ympäristötieteellinen tiedekunta

International students: the InternationalAffairs Officer, Ms Virve KarhiTel: +358 2941 57567bio-sci@helsinki.fiOffice hours: Tuesdays 12-14 or byappointment

Faculty Office(Biokeskus 1, Viikinkaari 9)Postal address: P.O. Box 5600014 University of HelsinkiTel. +358 294 1911http://www.helsinki.fi/bio/faculty/

Office hours: Mon-Thu 12-14Friday closed

Faculty of LawOikeustieteellinen tiedekunta

Study advising for MICL andexchange/visiting students:Mervi Muru, Study SecretaryRoom P320Master´s studies: llm-info@helsinki.fiExchange students:law-incomingstudents@helsinki.fiTel. +358 2941 23204

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Fax +358 2941 22152Office hours during semesters: Tue–Thu 9–11.30 (June-August by appointment only)

International relations and cooperationagreements:Teija Isotalo, International AffairsCoordinator.Office hours during semesters Tue and Thu9-11.30 (June-August by appointment only),law-international@helsinki.fiTel. +358 504160620

Faculty Office(Yliopistonkatu 3, Porthania building, 3rdfloor, room P357)Postal address: P.O. Box 4 00014University of HelsinkiTel. +358-2941 22477http://www.helsinki.fi/law/studies/general/affairs_office.html

Faculty of MedicineLääketieteellinen tiedekunta

International students:med-studentaffairs@helsinki.fitel. +358 2941 26627.http://www.med.helsinki.fi/english/administration/office.html

Study Office(Tukholmankatu 8B, 5th floor)Postal address: P.O. Box 2000014 University of HelsinkiTel. +358 (0)9 191 26620http://www.med.helsinki.fi/english/administration/office.html

Office hours: Mon-Thu 9-11 and 12-15,closed on Fridays

Faculty of PharmacyFarmasian tiedekunta

International students:International Affairs Officer, Ms Virve KarhiTel: +358 2941 57567bio-sci@helsinki.fiOffice hours: Tuesdays 12-14 or byappointment

Faculty Office(Biokeskus 1, Viikinkaari 9)Postal address: P.O. Box 56

00014 University of HelsinkiTel. +358 (0)9 191 59137http://www.helsinki.fi/pharmacy/

Office hours: Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00

Faculty of ScienceMatemaattis-luonnontieteellinen tiedekunta

International students: the PlanningOfficer of Academic Affairs is available forconsultation Mon-Fri 10:00-15:00,tel. +358 2941 50065sci-info@helsinki.fi

Study OfficeP.O. Box 44 (Jyrängöntie 2)00014 University of HelsinkiNOTE! The Faculty Office and StudentAffairs Office will move to Physicum inOctober 2014.Tel. +358 2941 50065http://www.helsinki.fi/facultyofscience/faculty/office.html

Office hours: Mon-Fri 10:00-15:00 (or byappointment)

Faculty of Social SciencesValtiotieteellinen tiedekunta

International students: the InternationalCoordinator, Ms Marianne Järveläinen isavailable for consultation 9.15-11.00 or byappointmenttel. +358-2941 24807soc-sci@helsinki.fi

A list of contact persons for internationalstudents in the various departments of theFaculty of Social Sciences is available athttp://www.helsinki.fi/socialsciences/studying/current/exchange_coordinators.html

Study Office(Unioninkatu 37, entrance fromSnellmaninkatu 14 or through the gate atYrjö-Koskisen katu)Postal address: P.O. Box 54)00014 University of HelsinkiTel. +358 2941 911soc-sci@helsinki.fihttp://www.helsinki.fi/socialsciences/administration/index.html

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Swedish School of Social ScienceSvenska social- och kommunalhögskolan

International students: InternationalPlanning Officer, Ms AnneSophieHokkanen is mainly available forconsultation Tue and Thu 13:00-15:00 andWednesday 9-11, but also by appointment,tel. +358 2941 28406sskh-international@helsinki.fi

Study Office(Snellmansgatan 12)Postal address: P.O. Box 1600014 Helsingfors universitetTel. +358 294 1911http://sockom.helsinki.fi/international/

Faculty of TheologyTeologinen tiedekunta

International students: Planning OfficerMs. Anne Hopia is available at Vuorikatu 3,2nd floor, room 210 on Thursdays between12:30-14:00 or by appointment (call or sendan e-mail), tel. +358 2941 24016,theology@helsinki.fi

Study Office(Vuorikatu 3)Postal address: P.O. Box 400014 University of HelsinkiTel. +358 2941 911http://www.helsinki.fi/teol/tdk/english/administration/faculty_office.htm

Faculty of Veterinary MedicineEläinlääketieteellinen tiedekunta

International Students: InternationalPlanning Officer, Ms Janna Koivisto isavailable for consultation by appointment,tel. +358 (0)9 2941 57156, mobile +358(0)50 4154480, int-vet@helsinki.fi

Study Office(Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2)Postal address: P.O. Box 6600014 University of HelsinkiTel. +358 2941-911, fax. 191 57161http://www.vetmed.helsinki.fi/english/administration/administration.html

Office hours: Mon-Thu 9:00-15:00,International Study Affairs are availableTuesday-Thursday from 9:00-15:00

Other services

Unisport

A student on the move?

Where are you going in your studies? Areyou a busy first-year student or are youmoving on to your minor studies? Find thesport or type of exercise that best suits yourstudy rhythm. Challenge a friend to a salsaclass or take a break from the books on aclimbing wall. Start it as a student, andyou’ll be an expert at it in later life. It lookslike well-being is your thing.

UniSport is a joint venture between theUniversity of Helsinki and Aalto Universityoffering sports and exercise services. Ourgoal is to promote wellbeing in theacademic community and society in generalby increasing awareness of personalwellbeing, providing sports and exerciseopportunities as well as fostering anenvironment conducive to exercise.

UniSport offers meeting spots for membersof the academic community at the twouniversities’ six campuses. UniSportprovides everything an active, or one aboutto become that, person requires.

Training cardA Training Card is the best exercisecompanion that you can have. A TrainingCard gives you access to all gyms on allcampuses from morning to evening. Youcan participate in group fitness sessions aswell as ball sports practices and clinics.

Courts and gymsExercise is better in groups. On ourcampuses there are different kinds of sportsgrounds and gyms, and you can book timein a gym for yourself or your group. Takefriends or people from your course to playbadminton or floor ball, or even dance.

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CoursesCourses in various sports guarantee aneasy way of getting to know new sports orleaning more - from jazz dance toweightlifting. The courses are chargeable.

Club activitiesInterested in sports club activities andcompeting? The university’s sports clubsare the right option for you. A number ofmartial art clubs and ball sports clubs trainat our facilities. Contact them to find outschedules for beginners´ courses andweekly trainings.

To learn more and get the feelingwww.unisport.fiwww.facebook.com/unisport.helsinki.espoo

Campuses on Twitter@unis_keskusta@unis_kumpula@unis_meilahti@unis_otaniemi@unis_toolo

Instagram@unisportfi

IT servicesTietotekniikkapalvelut

The IT Center produces and offers studentsand personnel IT services at the universityhttp://www.helsinki.fi/atk/english/

Helpdesk – IT support and guidanceTel. 02 941 55555Open on working days 8.00 am –5.30 pmhelpdesk@helsinki.fihttp://www.helsinki.fi/helpdesk/eng

On Helpdesk’s service site, you will findsolutions to IT-related problems. Behind theGuides and Instructions-link are ITinstructions.The IT pages for freshmen canbe found at:http://www.helsinki.fi/helpdesk/7012/eng/

Acces rightsNew students can activate their useraccount at the Welcome Fair. Studentsreceive additional information about

acquiring a user account with theacceptance letter from the university.http://www.helsinki.fi/helpdesk/5010/eng

Acces rights, IT guidance and computerlabsContact information and opening hours:http://www.helsinki.fi/helpdesk/7000/eng/

Committee for Legal HelpLegal aid from law students’ associationPykälä ry (Oikeusapuvaliokunta)

Aid and advice in legal matters is free ofcharge for students and available by mail,e-mail, telephone or in person. TheCommittee for Legal Help doesn’t preparedocuments but it can counsel in thesematters and look through drafteddocuments. Counselling is not offered inpurely tax related matters.

Consultation hours during the academicterm: Mon and Thu 17:00-19:00. Summerconsultation hours will be announced in thespring on the law students’ association’sweb page: http://www.pykala.fi

Please contact us:E-mail: oikeusapu@helsinki.fiTel: (09) 278 5005Address: Mannerheimintie 3 B, 5th floor,00100 Helsinki (Old Student House)

Equality and DiversityHuman Resources and Legal Affairs

P. O. Box 33 (Yliopistonkatu 4, 3rd floor)Tel. +358 2941 24292tasa-arvovastaava@helsinki.fihttps://flamma.helsinki.fi/ > Directory andServices > About the University > Equalityand Accessibilityhttp://www.helsinki.fi/henkos/tasa-arvo/index.htm (in Finnish)

The University of Helsinki is committed topromoting equality and preventingdiscrimination in all its operations. Equalityand, as a related factor, accessibilitycontribute to the quality of everyday life forthe diverse and multilingual Universitycommunity. The University strives topromote a sense of community. This meansthat the University seeks to promote asense of trust and mutual appreciation in allinteractions. Recognition of the fact that all

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people are different but equal facilitates thegeneration of trust.

The University of Helsinki Equality andDiversity Plan 2013 – 2016 includes thegoals and measures to be taken for thestrategic period 2013–2016. Many of thegoals featured in the plan take the form ofpermanent practices. The plan is availableon the University website athttp://www.helsinki.fi/henkos/tasa-arvoand at Flammahttps://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/HY1002390

The University has an equality adviser whois in charge of communications and trainingin equality-related matters while developingthe University’s equality activities togetherwith the Equality Committee in cooperationwith staff and student organisations,faculties and departments. The University’sEquality Committee is a body chaired byVice-Rector Pertti Panula, featuring thewhole spectrum of the Universitycommunity. The main task of the EqualityCommittee of the University of Helsinki is topromote equality within the University.

Promotion of AccessibilityThe University of Helsinki offers advice fordisabled students and employees inintegrating into the academic communityand in acquiring the necessary aids andlearning materials.https://flamma.helsinki.fi/ > Directory andServices > About the University > Equalityand Accessibility > Promotion ofAccessibilityStudent Services for Disabled Studentshttp://www.helsinki.fi/studying/disabled_student_services.shtmlSpecial Arrangements:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/services-students/HY054796

Prevention of inappropriate treatmentThe University disapproves of any kind ofinappropriate treatment, bullying orharassment. Students at the University ofHelsinki have the right to a safe andpleasant study environment. Consequently,all units and departments must ensure thattheir students are not subjected toharassment or inappropriate treatment intheir studies and supervision. TheUniversity has drafted instructions for the

prevention of inappropriate treatment andharassment. Flamma:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/HY1002421University website:http://www.helsinki.fi/henkos/tasa-arvo/prevention_of_inappropriate_treatment.htm

Harassment situationsIn harassment situations, sexual orotherwise, students may also turn to theStudent Union’s (HYY’s) harassmentcontact persons Specialist, Ms KatjaLångvik (tel. 050 543 9608) or Specialist,Mr Lauri Jurvanen (tel. 050 5439605). Theirduty is to guide students who feel that theyhave been harassed within the academiccommunity. Harassment contact personscan also be contacted by e-mail athairintayhdyshenkilo@hyy.fi (the e-mailreaches both of them). The contact isalways confidential.

ChildcareLapsiparkki

The Student Union offers short-termchildcare for its members’ children. TheStudent Union Childcare Centre Lapsiparkkiis open Mon-Thu 8:00-16:00 and Fri 8:00-14:00 at Siltavuorenpenger 3 C.

The maximum time per child is threehours and the fee is 4 euro per hour. Thechild has to be a minimum of six months toattend the child care. You should reserve aplace very early in advance from the nannyat lapsiparkki@hyy.fi

The Child Care Centre is often fullybooked, so please remember to cancel yourreservation if you do not need the child careor you will have to pay the full price of thereservation.

For more information contact thenannies, Mrs Marika Dolivo and MrsHenriikka Koivumaanaho (substitute of MrsKatariina Haikala-Tikander who will returnfrom maternity leave Autumn 2014) atlapsiparkki@hyy.fi, tel. 050 303 8333 orthe Chief Financial Officer of the StudentUnion, Mrs Merja Viitasalo,merja.viitasalo@hyy.fi, tel. 050 534 2963.

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Study psychologistsOpintopsykologit

Are you struggling in your studies?Need to improve your study skills?Wish to overcome procrastination?Experiencing lack of motivation?Thesis-writing getting stuck?On the verge of burn out?Finnish study culture: how to navigate newterritory?

Study psychologists are experts onlearning, motivation and well-being. Theyprovide confidential individual counselingfor study-related problems. You can requestan appointment on your own initiative.

A study psychologist will typically meetan individual student from one to five times.The purpose of the service is to help youmake changes in the way you go aboutstudying. The service is available for allstudents studying either at undergraduate

or master levels, including foreignexchange students.

More information online:https://alma.helsinki.fi/doclink/98826 andhttps://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/HY314486Email: opintopsykologi@helsinki.fi

University chaplainYliopistopappi

If you need someone to talk to you canmake an appointment with the universitychaplain. You can also contact theuniversity chaplains if you wish to contact acommunity of your respective religion inFinland. The university chaplains helpinternational students to find contacts withdifferent religious communities in Finlandregardless of the religion.

Reverend Leena Huovinenleena.huovinen@evl.fitel. +358 50 301 9613

Helsinki University Library and the National Libraryof Finland

Information and library services of theUniversity of Helsinki

The extensive electronic and printedcollections and services of the HelsinkiUniversity library are available to you and toanyone else.

How to access online resourcesAccess e-resources, such as databases,electronic journals and ebooks via- the website of the library,http://www.helsinki.fi/library or- the Nelli information seeking portal,www.nelliportaali.fi or- browse ebooks in the BookNavigator,www.terkko.helsinki.fi/booknavigator.

Remote accessAs a university student, you can access thee-material from outside the universitynetwork through the library home page, theNelli portal and SFX links. Clicking on thenames of the e-material will bring up a form

for logging on to services at the Universityof Helsinki. Fill in the form with your UHusername and password and permit thedisclosure of your personal information.

Terms of usePlease note as a user of e-material, youhave certain rights and responsibilities. Youwill find the terms of use for each item inthe Nelli portal. Click on the i button by theitem if you want to see its conditions foruse.

How to borrow printed booksTo reserve, borrow and renew materials,you need a Helsinki University Library'sHelka card. You can get a library card fromthe library the first time you take out a loanby presenting a passport and a certificate ofattendance. You can also order the librarycard in advance on the web with this form:https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/44022/lomake.html. The ordered card will beavailable for pick-up after 2 working days in

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any of the Helsinki University Librarylocations.

Material from Helsinki University Librarymay be returned in all Helsinki UniversityLibrary sites (Kumpula, Main Library,Meilahti, Minerva, Ruskeasuo, Viikki). If youreturn or renew your loans late, overduefines will be collected for them. Yourborrowing rights may be blockedtemporarily if your loans are late (usually 14days) or you have unpaid fees (15 euro ormore).

Support for learningThe libraries provide information skillstraining in the academic fields of theuniversity. Information specialists can beconsulted on designated office hours or byappointment. The libraries also supplycomputers and study rooms, both for quietindependent studying and for group work.

Library locations and contactinformationThe Helsinki University Library comprisesthe City Centre, Kumpula, Meilahti andViikki campus libraries. Information aboutcollections and services is available via thewebsite of the Helsinki University Library,www.helsinki.fi/library.

Main Library in the Kaisa HouseFields: humanities, law, social sciences,theologyAccess: Fabianinkatu 30

Behavioral Sciences - MinervaFields: behavioral sciencesAccess: Siltavuorenpenger 5 A

The Kumpula Campus LibraryFields: physics, geologic and atmosphericsciences, chemistry, geography,mathematics and statistics, computerscience and astronomyAccess: Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2

The Viikki Campus LibraryFields: biosciences, environmentalsciences, food sciences, nutrition,veterinary medicine, pharmacy, agriculturalsciences, forest sciences, appliedeconomics and social sciences.Access: Viikinkaari 11, Viikki Info Centre

The Meilahti Campus Library TerkkoFields: medicine and health sciencesAccess: Haartmaninkatu 4

Dental Library HammasFields: dentistryAccess: Mannerheimintie 172 C 2nd floor

The National Library of FinlandFields: extensive collections in the fields ofhumanities and social sciences and largecollections of periodicals, manuscripts,microfilms, maps, music, and other specialmaterials. The collections include• National Collection• Slavonic Library - collection dates from thetime of the Russian Empire• Music Library and the Finnish NationalSound Archive

Access: Fabianinkatu 35Web page: http://www.nationallibrary.fi

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IV Student Union and Student Organisations

Student Union of the University of Helsinki

Helsingin yliopiston ylioppilaskunta (HYY)

Mannerheimintie 5 A (2nd floor)00100 HelsinkiTel. +358 50 551 6146Fax +358 9 1311 4216international@hyy.fiwww.hyy.fi

The purpose and task of the StudentUnion (HYY) is to represent the students ofthe University of Helsinki, look after theirinterests, and foster their academic, socialand intellectual endeavours. HYY providesits members with a variety of services andrepresents them in various administrativeand political forums. In addition, there are250 student organisations working underthe Student Union. HYY provides servicesfor these organisations as well.

MembershipBy being a member of the Student Unionyou gain several important discounts aswell as many services, for example onhousing, health care and legal advice. Moreinformation on joining the Student Union:www.hyy.fi/join

Every undergraduate (Bachelor’s degree)and graduate (Master’s degree) studentregistered at the University of Helsinkiautomatically becomes a member of theStudent Union. The annual, compulsory,membership fee for the entire academicyear 2014-2015 is 92.00 euro, or if youenrol for the autumn term alone, 47.00euro. Postgraduate and exchange studentscan join HYY voluntarily. Services and themembership fee for postgraduates aredifferent.

Save the receipt, as you will berequired to present it when registering atthe Student Services of the University ofHelsinki at the beginning of the newacademic year. You will also need thereceipt in order to receive your studentcalendar and programme book as well as

when you pick up your annual registrationtag for your national student card(opiskelijakortti) from the Member Servicesof the Student Union. Voluntary fees forStudent Nation (Osakunta) membershipand development co-operation projects mayalso be paid at the same time.

The forms for paying the membershipfee and instructions on how to make thepayment can be found at hyy.fi/join and atthe Member Services of the Student Union,Mannerheimintie 5 A, 2nd floor (Officehours Mon 10:00 - 17:00, Tue to Fri 10:00 -15:00, check current office hourswww.hyy.helsinki.fi/en/contact-information-and-faq/services-office).Forms are also available at the StudentServices in the Main Building of theUniversity, Fabianinkatu 33.

If you are unable to pay the membershipfee via bank transfer, you can pay it in cashon the 27th and 28th of

August 2014, at the Welcome Fair ofthe University of Helsinki. At the WelcomeFair you can also present the originalreceipt to verify your previous payment.Welcome Fair is being held at theLanguage Centre, Fabianinkatu 26.

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Central Office of the Student UnionLocationNew Student HouseMannerheimintie 5 A,2nd floor,tel. 050 551 6146.

The full-time office personnel take care ofdaily routines, for example MemberServices. The Secretary General of theStudent Union leads the office.Furthermore, seven full-time specialistswork with student matters such asacademic affairs, student housing,healthcare, subsistence, internationalstudents, culture, communications and

student organisations. The specialists alsooffer advice and guidance to students in theareas of their expertise.

You can find the staff’s contactinformation on www.hyy.helsinki.fi. If youare uncertain of whom to contact, pleaseturn to Katja Långvik, specialist(international students).

Mrs Katja LångvikMannerheimintie 5 A, 2nd floor.00101 HelsinkiTel. +358 50 543 9608international@hyy.fi

Services for members

The Student Union has a unique standingas regards to the University of Helsinki.Practically all extracurricular services arearranged by the Student Union. HYYprovides each student with a variety ofservices. These services are available toyou upon presentation of your StudentCard.

Student cardTo receive various student discounts inHelsinki and Finland, you must present yournational student card (opiskelijakortti)provided by the the company Frank. Withthe Student Card you will receive discountson long distance travel in trains and buses,at the theatre, opera, concerts, plays,cinema as well as in some stores.

You can find detailed information onhow to acquire your Student Card in sectionII of this guidebook and atwww.myfrank.fi

Student cafeteriasOne of the most important servicesprovided by HYY is the student cafeterias.Discounts on student meals are available inall of the UniCafe-cafeterias around theuniversity. You can find UniCafe atwww.unicafe.fi

Student housingHYY is a founding partner of HelsinkiStudent Housing Foundation (HOAS), thelargest student dormitory owner in andaround Helsinki. See www.hoas.fi for moreinformation.

Student health careHYY is also a founder of the FinnishStudent Health Services YTHS/FSHS andNyyti. The Student Union membership feeincludes a health care contribution, whichentitles you to health care services providedby the Finnish Student Health Service,FSHS (in Finnish YTHS).

All health care services are providedfree of additional charge, except for dentistappointments, but the cost for theseappointments is very reasonable. Pleasenote that you will be charged a fine of 25euros in case you forget or fail to show upfor your appointment.

You need to present a valid studentcard to receive service at FSHS. Address:Töölönkatu 37 A, 00260 Helsinki, tel. 046710 1466, www.fshs.fi. You can alsoconsult the healthcare staff by email.

Nyyti is a voluntary association forpreventive mental health care for students.Trained volunteers are ready to listen and

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talk. You can send messages duringsemesters through Nyyti’s web service atwww.nyyti.fi. Address: Rikhardinkatu 4 B,2nd floor, 00130 Helsinki.

Legal assistanceSee the title “Committee for Legal Help’ onthe page 29.

Cultural activitiesHYY organises its own parties, fairs andcultural events from time to time. Mostevents have lower entrance fees forstudents. The 250 sub-organisations ofHYY also organise a wide variety of partiesand other social programme. If you areinterested in organising events, you mayalso join the Committee for Cultural Affairsof the Student Union.

Support for student organisationsThere are some 250 sub-organisationswithin the Student Union. HYY supports its

organisations by providing them financialassistance, clubrooms and other facilities.HYY also has a large variety of equipmentthat member organisations may borrow. Allmembers of HYY can found anorganisation. For more information, pleasecontact Emi Maeda, specialist(organisations), at jarjestosihteeri@hyy.fi

Magazines and calendarThe student papers, Ylioppilaslehti inFinnish and Studentbladet in Swedish, aresponsored by the Student Union anddelivered to every HYY member as well asdistributed on campuses. From time to timethe papers have articles andannouncements also in English. You canread them at www.ylioppilaslehti.fi andwww.stbl.fi. HYY also publishes a studentcalendar, Freshman guide and othermaterial for its members.

Important events during the year in HYYThe Student Union has several events andtraditions during the academic year:

§ 27 to 28 Aug: Welcome Fair at theLanguage Centre for all internationalstudents. You can pay your Student Unionmembership fee at the Student Union’sdesk.

§ 1 Sep: The Opening Carnival takesplace on the city centre campus in the MainBuilding of the University and in Porthania,where different organisations presentthemselves.

§ 25 Sep: The Freshman Adventureis a city race where you get to know thestudent organizations, their clubrooms andthe other new students.

§ 26 Nov: Anniversary Ball(Vuosijuhla) of the Student UnionAnniversary is a formal evening ball. Ittakes place on 26th November in the GreatHall of the Old Student House (Vanha). All

HYY members are welcome to join thetraditional dinner and celebration. Thedinner card costs around 70 euro.

§ 6 Dec: Independence Day(Itsenäisyyspäivä) is traditionally celebratedwith a torchlight procession from HietaniemiWar Veterans’ Cemetary to the SenateSquare in the city centre. The FinnishIndependence Day celebration is not acarnival but a solemn occasion.

§ 30 Apr – 1 May: May Day (Vappu)is the largest university students’celebration that starts each year on MayDay Eve (Vappuaatto), April 30. Thefollowing morning, May 1, tens ofthousands of students gather in the parkKaivopuisto for a long picnic.

§ 13 May: Flower Day (Flooran päivä)on May 13, the students meet at Kumtähtifield located in Kumpula. The occasioncelebrates the anniversary of the Finnishnational anthem, Maamme.

Decision-making in HYY

Members of the Student Union have theopportunity to exercise their power everysecond year in autumn in the Student Union

elections. Each Student Union member hasa right to vote. The Representative Council

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selected in the elections is the highestdecision-making body of the Student Union.It usually meets once a month, makingdecisions on important issues such as theStudent Union's budget, major agreementsand all large-scale projects. In the elections,every Student Union member may run forthe Representative Council.

Once a year, the RepresentativeCouncil appoints a new Executive Board of7 to 13 members. The Executive Board is incharge of the practical work and executivepower in the Student Union and usuallymeets once a week during the academicyear. Some of the work of the ExecutiveBoard is arranged through variouscommittees. All students interested in thecommittees’ activities are welcome to join inat any point during the year.

CommitteesVoluntary committees are an important partof the Student Union's work. Committeesare working groups concentrated on aspecific field of interest. They are funded bythe Student Union. All students arewelcome to join in the committees' activitiesat any time. The best way is to go to one ofthe committee meetings. For moreinformation, see the Student Union’sCommittees at www.hyy.helsinki.fi

· The ESN Committee (ErasmusStudent Network) takes special care ofinternational students from the momentthey arrive in Finland. ESN arrangesparties, excursions and otherprogramme in order to promote theintegration of international students intoFinnish student life. Check out thewebsite at blogs.helsinki.fi/esn-hyy andjoin the group for new ESN students onFacebook!

· The Committee for EducationalAffairs works for better studyconditions. The committee concentratesparticularly on the development ofstudies and research locally, nationallyand internationally.

· The Committee for Bilingual Affairsaims at securing the position of theSwedish-speaking students at theUniversity and the Student Union and

promoting bilingualism in the StudentUnion.

· The Committee for Cultural Affairsorganises the major parties andcelebrations of the Student Union aswell as other cultural activities.

· The Committee for EnvironmentalAffairs is engaged in environmentalissues and sustainable living.http://blogs.helsinki.fi/hyy-ymp/

· The Committee for Development Co-operation governs the developmentprojects of the Student Union. This yearthe main project concerns reproductiveand sexual rights in Zambia. Previouslythe Committee has also administered aproject in Indonesia and is nowplanning an extension of the project.Furthermore, the Committee alsopublishes its own paper each year. Findout more at:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/kehy-valiokunta/

· The Committee for Finno-Ugric Co-operation supports Finno-Ugricminorities in their efforts on preservingtheir languages and cultures.

· The Committee for Tutor Issuessupports and trains tutors from differentfaculties. The committee organisesdifferent events throughout the year fortutors and international tutors, as well.

· The Committee for OrganisationalAffairs aims at improving the servicesand facilities offered by the StudentUnion for its member organisations.

· The Committee for Physical Activityaims at developing new ways forencouraging students to exercise moreand facilitates cooperation betweensports organisations within the StudentUnion.

· The Committee for Societal Affairs isa place for discussing and debatingsocietal questions, e.g. the mainobjectives in HYY’s Urban Programmeand Health Policy Paper and workingfor achieving the goals set out in these.

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Student Organisations of the Student Union

HYY provides its members with a funstudent life. The student organisationculture in Helsinki and Finland isexceptionally rich and diverse.Approximately 250 various studentorganisations operate within HYY (subjectand faculty organisations, student nations,recreational organisations, societalorganisations, etc.), and they organisethousands of events every year. Join thefun and get to know other exchangestudents as well as Finnish students!

You can find more information aboutthese and other organisations athyy.helsinki.fi and on th Student Calendar.Your tutor can also tell you more about thestudent organisations. Department andFaculty Organisations represent students ofdifferent study subjects and bring themtogether in several events. Mostly themembership for these organisations is free.The language of these associations ismainly Finnish or Swedish. However, allorganisations welcome internationalstudents as new members.

There are fifteen Student Nations(Osakunta) affiliated with the University.Four of them are Swedish-speakingorganisations. Originally, the StudentNations were founded by students comingfrom the same part of Finland, and they areamong the oldest organisations in Finland.Today, all nations are open to any studentinterested in their activities and clubs.Although most activities take place inFinnish or Swedish, the nations are eagerto take international students as members.Students join the nation of their choice bypaying a membership fee. You can be amember of only one nation at a time. A tagindicating your nation is attached on yourstudent card. In addition to department andfaculty organisations and student nations,there are international organisations, sportsclubs, game clubs, interest clubs, choirs,orchestras, theatre and circus groups, andpolitical and religious organisationsoperating under the umbrella of the StudentUnion.

International OrganisationsESN (Erasmus Student Network) - ESN-HYY is one of the committees of theStudent Union. Active Finns andinternational students work in ESN on avoluntary basis to make life easier forincoming international students. ESN canhelp you in your everyday problems and ingetting the most out of the student life inHelsinki. ESN organises Café Lingua nightsand coordinates Buddy Project. Club e-mailesn-helsinki@helsinki.fi. Check out thewebsite at blogs.helsinki.fi/esn-hyy and jointhe group for new ESN students onFacebook!

AEGEE is a European interdisciplinarystudent organization that aims to promotemobility and co-operation among youngpeople in Europe. In addition to localactivities, AEGEE offers summer coursesand other interesting events in Europearound the year. For more information,please contact us, your local AEGEE-Helsinki: board@aegee-helsinki.org or findus on Facebook. Web: http://www.aegee-helsinki.org

AIESEC is the world's largest studentorganization, present in 113 countries andwith over 86,000 members. We provide aplatform for young people to explore theirpotential, and develop as tomorrow’ssociety leaders. We offer the opportunity totake part in cultural events and internationalconferences, as well as to experiencevoluntary work in developing countries orexpert internships abroad. Web:http://aiesec.fi/hy

CSSA-UH - Chinese Students and ScholarsAssociation at University of Helsinki - All theUH students are warmly welcomed toCSSA-UH. Chinese students can find yourunion here. People from China and othercountries can meet and communicate witheach other through our platforms. Our aimis to enrich your daily life with cultural,academic and festival events. CSSA-UHTeams of Dancing, Chorus, and Sports are

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waiting you to join! Info: www.bbs.cssa-uh.org; board.cssa.uh@gmail.com

At the University of Helsinki DebatingSociety, we meet weekly to debate oncurrent issues and fun topics. We trainourselves to reason and to speak. Ourultimate goal is to be able to speakanywhere, anytime, on any topic, in front ofany audience. Find us athttp://www.helsinkidebating.org

Thespians Anonymous – English-speaking amateur theatre group. The play'sthe thing. Welcome all drama enthusiasts toseize the opportunity to try your limits andlearn more about the world of theatre andabout yourselves. Performances are inspring and autumn. We also arrangeworkshops and social evenings. To learnmore, simply emailthespians.anonymous@gmail.com orvisit us on Facebook. Web:www.thespiansanonymous.org

TSEMPPI is an organization forinternationally-minded students andresearchers at the University of Helsinki.We are open for Finnish and internationalstudents alike. We organize social events,inform about studying and workopportunities in Finland and pursue theinterests of international students andresearchers at the University and beyond.Visit Tsemppi blog or find us on Facebook!Web: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/tsemppi-hy/

Äänenkannattajat is a laid-backinternational choir for both Finnish andforeign students. Students from all facultiesare welcome to join! No auditions. Themusic ranges from traditional Finnish choirpieces to pop songs, musicals, and musicfrom around the world in differentlanguages. Rehearsals are held in Englishin the Ulrika room at Domus Gaudium(Leppäsuonkatu 11) on Thursdays at 7-9PM. Web:http://kannunvalajat.fi/kulttuuri/aeaenenkannattajat

Various organisationsThe Academic Choral Society(Akateeminen Laulu, AL) is the mixed voicechoir of the Student Union of the Universityof Helsinki. In 2013 AL celebrates its 60th

anniversary! The performing strength isaround 50 singers from different phases ofacademic life. AL rehearses everyThursday at 18-21 in central Helsinki.Contact al-sihteeri@gmail.com and askfor an audition. Welcome! Web:www.akateeminenlaulu.fi

The Academic Male Voice Choir ofHelsinki – Finland’s oldest choir,nicknamed Akademen, is the University’sSwedish-speaking male voice choir. We areband of brothers brought together by thenotion that creating music with our voices isamong the greatest pleasures life has tooffer. If you, too, love singing and yourScandinavian language skills are at leastrudimentary, we might be just what you arelooking for. Web: http://akademen.com

The Academic Wine Society is a Finnishwine club for students. Wine tastings arethe club's primary activity. In autumn 2013we will organize an introductory tasting inEnglish. You can apply for a membershipby contacting us at the address avs-ry@helsinki.fi Web:http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/avs/

Akateeminen olutseura (AOS, AcademicBeer Society) is a student organisation forstudents interested in beer and beerculture. AOS was founded in 2007 topromote beer insight and culture at theUniversity of Helsinki. From Septemberonwards we gather at Oluthuone Kaisla onthe first Monday of every month. Web:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/olutseura

Alter Ego - Want to be someone you arenot? Roleplaying is a form of interactivestorytelling that encourages you to do so.With over 100 members, our roleplayingclub is both a forum for hosting and joiningother people’s games. Whether you’reinterested in knowing more about Nordiclarp or finding company for the tabletopcampaign you’ve been waiting for ages tolaunch, youre certainly in the right place.hallitus@alterego.fi

Animalia - Do you love animals and areinterested in animal rights? Animalia'svolunteer group participates in Animalia'scampaigns and also organises its own funand informative events. If you are interested

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to join, a good place to start is Animalia'swebsite: http://www.animalia.fi/en

A-ryhmä - Anarchist group in Helsinkiuniversity. Cleverest people of the sceneand most boring parties. We won't burnanything, unless the time is ripe. Weorganise lectures, studying circles, studyingcircles, lectures and lectures. In case youwant to infiltrate us, contact a-ryhma@riseup.net Web:www.avtonom.org/a-ryhma

Assassins at the University of Helsinki -Have you ever wanted to plot for days toshoot someone with a water pistol? Wouldlike to be hysterical with worry when afriend suddenly asks you to join her for tea?Does a playful little assassin dwell in you?Assassins at the University of Helsinkipractises and advocates playful manhuntsports, and would like to invite you to aGame of Assassins. Death is the secondinternational language. Web:www.salamurhaajat.net

Attac at University of Helsinki -Discussion about fair globalization andcritical debate about the economy. Weorganize discussion evenings and otherinteresting events. Do you know how taxhavens work? How to regulate financialmarkets? Is the University in its way tobecome a business? Find out about theseand more on www.attac-hy.blogspot.comand join us. Another world is possible!

BAFFU - Bangladeshi Academic Forum ofFinnish Universities is an organizationintended for Bangladeshi students inFinnish universities. It works to bringBangladeshi students, researchers andscholars in a common platform, promotereciprocal understandings, disseminateacademic and other information, motivateachievements and sustain native culture.We cordially welcome new students.Contact: siddiqi@cs.helsinki.fi ormhcrasel@gmail.com Web:http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/bafhu/

Capoeira Meia Lua - Capoeira is aBrazilian dance-fight game that mixesacrobatics and African rhythms. CapoeiraMeia Lua is the capoeira group of theUniversity of Helsinki. The purpose of the

group is to support students' and staff'scapoeira practice by arranging capoeiraclasses and other activities. Basic coursesare arranged at the beginning of eachacademic term. Web:www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/jttoivon/capoeira-meia-lua

EOL (Eteläsuomalaisen OsakunnanLaulajat) is an artistically ambituouschamber choir formed of students andformer students from the Helsinkimetropolitan area, singing mostlyunaccompanied classical choral music, witha certain focus on Renaissance polyphony.Web: http://kamarikuoroeol.net/

FC HePuLi - Welcome to play football in amultinational team spirit environment!HePuLi has had players from all over theworld, including Nigeria, Australia,Germany, Chile, Poland - and of courseFinland. Contact Markus: 050 337 5898.

FinnDai is Helsinki University judo club. Wehave training sessions six times a week.Beginner's courses start twice a year, inautumn and spring. In addition to training,we also have sauna evenings and judoexchange with Marburg and CambridgeUniversity judo clubs. Either a beginner or ablack belt, you're welcome to join us! Web:www.finndai.fi

Grieswartt - In Grieswartt we study andtrain historical martial arts. If you areinterested in fencing, wrestling or knifefighting very old school you might want tocome check us. Besides hitting each otherwe also have study groups for interpretatingold treatises on the subject. Newcomers arewelcome to all activities, though as in allmartial endeavours you need to be readyfor sweating. Web:http://grieswartt.wordpress.com/

Helmut - We organize a training studioment for students of the University ofHelsinki playing music. Do join ourorganization if you want to take part inorganizing different events with e.g. livemusic. Through us the musicians takingpart in your project can also gain stageexperience by performing in our events.Come and get to know other musicians, or

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why not just have fun in one of our events!Web: http://helmut.fi/

Helsingin akateemiset kinkyt - Helsinki'sacademic Kink – Häkki (Cage) is a studentassociation whose goal is to promotesexual equality, tolerance andunderstanding of diversity and to eliminateprejudices. Häkki offers an envivironment oftolerance and understanding for those whoare into BDSM and fetishes to meet othersto discuss the relevant issues and have funwith like-minded local actors. More info athttp://akateemisetkinkyt.fi/

Helsingin Evankeliset opiskelijat - TheEvangelical students of Helsinki - We are ayouth association and we are part of theLutheran church and the evangelicalmovement. We have lots of activities inHelsinki such as evenings with Christiantheme every Wednesday at 7 p.m.(Lastenkodinkatu 5) and Service everyother Tuesday at 6.30 p.m. (Kirstinkatu 1).Feel free to join us! Web:http://eo.sley.fi/helsinki

HeKO is an association for students whosupport Finnish Center party. HeKO isresponsible, human and sustainable indecision making. We are interested instudent politics and we arrange nice get-togethers and excursions. Interested? Jointhe mailing list: subscribe hekolaiset-lista -> majordomo@helsinki.fi. Web:www.helsinginkeskustaopiskelijat.fi

Helsinki University Greens (HyVi) TheGreen Voice of the University! HyVi worksfor a more sustainable, fair, free, equal andaccessible world. HyVi meets regularly atKupoli, at the New Student House. We alsohost many parties and events! If you wantto be involved in independent green politics,HyVi is a great choice. Welcome! :) Joinus! Send e-mail to:verna.castren@helsinki.fi Web:http://hyvi.org/in-english

Helsinki University Kendo Club - Kendois a Japanese martial art with roots in thetraditional swordsmanship of the samurai.In kendo you use bamboo swords whentraining with your partner. This fast-pacedand quite loud martial art has attractedpeople of all ages and sizes. Additional

information and contacts can be found fromthe club web page or from the HelsinkiUniversity Kendo Club Facebook group.Web: www.helsinki.fi/jarj/kendo

Helsinki University Shorinji Kempo ClubHUSK - Shorinji Kempo is a technicallydiverse Budo art that seeks to enhance theself-defence skills and physical fitness of itspractitioners while also paying attention totheir mental growth. The art offers bothgood exercise and effective self-defencetechniques. It is a content-rich martial artthat can be practiced for many years. Weaim to make practices suitable for as manypeople as possible. Web:http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/shorinji/

Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra(YS) is a full size symphony orchestra,which rehearses weekly on Wednesdayevenings. We perform two symphonicprogrammes a year, ranging from classicsto contemporary. We also appear as aballroom orchestra (YSSO) and variouschamber groups. We tour regularly inFinland and abroad. Come and enjoyplaying music with fantastic musicians!Web: http://www.ys.fi/en/index.en.html

HELP is a student politics group at theRepresentative Council of the StudentUnion of the University of Helsinki (HYY).We represent the interests of internationalstudents united with the law, medicine,dentistry and veterinary medicine students.In close cooperation with the internationalstudents’ organisation Tsemppi HELPworks to benefit students especially ineducational and social matters. Web:www.helphyy.fi

HYAL – is a nonpartisan organisation whichconnects subject organisation actives fromeight different faculties. We act in theStudent Union of the University of HelsinkiHYY, and operate as a discussion andinformation forum between subjectorganisations. We stand for academicfreedom and students’ rights. We act in theinterest of organisations within HYY. Moreinformation:www.hyal.fi or hallitus@hyal.fi

Hyde (Helsinki University Scouts) -Interested in the outdoor life or even in

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scouting? Hyde is the student society foryou. Our activities include hiking, trips tonearby national parks, social events andmuch, much more. All students aroundHelsinki are welcome, irrespective ofexperience. Web:https://wiki.helsinki.fi/display/hyde/HYDE+-+Helsinki+University+Scouts

HYPA - is an organization for studentsworking part-time in the service sector. Wefocus on problems people face when theytry to fit both working and studying in theirlife. Web: www.hypa.fi

HYPE (Helsingin yliopiston pelaajat) - Weare a gaming organization aspiring to builda social network for people interested inconsole and PC gaming, as well as to fostergaming knowledge in academic circles. Thecore of our activities are gaming meetings,which are held more or less regularly. Wehave a club room in the New StudentHouse at Mannerheimintie 5B. Web:http://hype.ini.fi/wiki

HYRMY (Helsinki University friends ofheavy metal) - Gods made heavy metal;HYRMY saw that it was good! After 11years of leather, spikes and steel, HYRMYis stronger than ever. You can usually findus at saunas or at our club housepregaming for gigs or just hanging out anddrinking too much beer. Web:www.hyrmy.org

HYSFK - The science fiction club of theUniversity of Helsinki is here to provide aplace to discuss mad world conquest plans,awesome fiction, and bunnies with laserguns. We have regular club evenings(every Thu 17:30), and we meet each otherweek (on the odd weeks) at St. Urho’s pubat 19:00. We have video evenings, parties,and whatnot. Web:http://googoomuck.org/

HYSY - Semi-amateur internationalbadminton club founded in 2003. Severalpractice times weekly in Kumpula for a lowprice. Web: http://www.hysy.fi/

HYTKY - Since founded in 1996 HYTKYhas promoted the culture and awareness ofelectronic music. We are a unique, creativeand living collective. We cherish originality

and the non-commercial techno community.Hop in and keep on the beat! Web:http://www.hytky.org

Hyvät Martat - Are you interested inhandicrafts and culture? Do you like to cookand learn new recipes? Our society is allthis and much more. Come and meet us inone of our evenings. International studentsare warmly welcome! For more information,contact our board athyvat.martat@gmail.com or visitwww.facebook.com/hyvatmartat

HYY:n Elokuvaryhmä - Video nights, fleamarkets, movie parties, trips to film festivals– all this and a lot more is included in theactivities of the Film Club. For over adecade we’ve brought film freaks togetherand have supported the status of Film andtv studies in the university. More info atwww.leffaryhma.wordpress.com

Hämäläis-Osakunnan Laulajat (HOL), therenowned mixed choir, rehearses onTuesdays in Kamppi. In addition, there areconcerts, camps, trips, and parties, and wealways have fun, too! We recruit all yeararound. Especially men are needed!Interested? Please visit www.hamalais-osakunta.fi/kerhot/hol

The Independent Left, SitVas, is a leftiststudent organization in the University ofHelsinki. We gather leftist people over andoutside party lines and are independent ofpolitical parties. We proudly fight forecology, anti-militarism, feminism, LGBTQrights and democracy on both local andglobal scales. You can contact us by emailat sitvas-hallitus@helsinki.fi Web:http://sitvas.fi

Karate Club Honbu - Students' KarateClub Honbu arranges a beginner's coursein karate! The course is arranged once ortwice a year starting in September and inJanuary. The next course starts inSeptember 2013. Challenge yourself! Web:www.honbu.fi

LAPSELLISET - students with a family atthe University of Helsinki. Lapselliset is thestudent organization for students withchildren. We arrange cozy get-togethersonce a month for people in the same

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situation. Join our mailing list by sending"subscribe hyy-perheelliset" tomajordomo@helsinki.fi and contact ourboard at lapselliset-hallitus@helsinki.fi

Opiskelijakansantanssijat (OKT) - is ayouthful, Finnish folk dance group. OKT'smain activity is a weekly folk dance class ontwo levels: beginner and advanced. Wealso organize and take part in parties, trips,jam sessions and other nice events!Contact: okt-hallitus@helsinki.fi Web:www.helsinki.fi/jarj/okt

Pohjalaisten Osakuntien Laulajat, in shortPOL is an Ostrobothnian mixed choir. Weoffer a wide-ranging repertoire. Rehearsalsare on Mondays 18-21 at Botta. Ourdirector is Satu Simola. You will find us atTöölönkatu 3 A, 5th floor. Auditions for newsingers are held in September and January.More information from our chairperson InariListenmaa, pol.pj@kuoro.fi –http://pol.kuoro.fi

Savolaisen Osakunnan Laulajat aka SOLis a mixed choir of 40 students that sings awide repertoire of music and gives concertsboth in Finland and abroad. SOL practicesevery Thursday 18-21 o'clock atMannerheimintie 5, top floor. Auditions fornew singers are on 6.9.2012 at 5 pm and13.9. at 5 pm. Please inform SOL'sconductor Dani Juris djuris@gmail.com ifyou want to attend to auditions. Web:www.savolainenosakunta.fi/sol

Seitokai, University of Helsinki Aikido Club- Seitokai is the Helsinki University Aikidoclub. We have training classes five times aweek, weekend seminars during the yearand outdoor practice camps at the summertime. We have a beginner's course everyautumn and every spring term. Welcome tojoin us! If you have any questions, pleasecontact us hallitus@seitokai-aikido.fiWeb: http://seitokai-aikido.fi/english.html

Students’ Mission Assembly is anorganization for people interested ininternational Christian mission. It holdsevents every week on Thursday at 18.00 inthe Mission Church (Tähtitorninkatu 18),with music, lectures and discussion. Mostlyin Finnish. Welcome!www.opiskelijoidenlahetysliitto.net

UN Youth Helsinki - Hyky ry - Are youinterested in the United Nations,international affairs and developmentcooperation? Hyky ry was founded alreadyin the 1960's for those interested in thesetopics. Our activities are politicallyindependent. Join us and get involved!More information by e-mail: hyky-hallitus@helsinki.fi, onhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/hyky/ or like uson Facebook: HYKY ry.

Valkotakit is a traditional medical studentorchestra and our members are alsostudents from other faculties. We playclassical music but also newer pieces andhave our own concert every year. Playersrelax in annual crab-festival and other get-togethers. Web:http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/valkotakit/

WiSKi - Viikki Ski is a winter sports orientedstudent organisation based in Viikki.Usually we organize a couple of amazingskiing trips to Finnish ski resorts. AfterSkiplays also an essential role on our trips.WiSki welcomes all students in Viikki aslong as you enjoy a relaxed atmosphereand some sort of snow related activity. Formore info find us on Facebook or emailviikki.ski@gmail.com

YAMA (Yliopiston anime ja manga) - Yamais an organization dedicated to anime,manga, and Japanese culture, and aims tofurther improve the availability of theseinterests. We meet regularly on everyWednesday from 18:00 onwards. We holdanime meetups every other week, withjointly chosen anime series. On otherweeks we hold meetings with variousJapan-related topics. Our club room islocated at Mannerheimintie 5 B, 4th floor.Web: http://yama.animeunioni.org/

Yliopiston Taido - Taido Club at theUniversity of Helsinki welcomes you to trainmultidimensional and modern Japanisebudo art @ UniDojo. Web:http://www.yliopistontaido.fi/

Ylioppilaskamerat (YOK) has broughtphotographers together since 1962. Adarkroom and a studio with professionalequipment are available for our members.YOK holds courses in black-and-white

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process, studio lightning, and many more.Membership costs 15 euros/year. Wearrange activity in English upon demand(e.g. in 2012 SLR camera & color-filmprocessing). See our website for info onhow to join! Web:http://www.ylioppilaskamerat.fi/

Ylioppilasmiekkailijat ry / Studentfäktarnarf -Fencing club (foil, sabre, épée) foruniversity students and other well-behavingpersons. Members of all standards, groupfootwork on Tuesdays 7pm at Töölönkisahalli. www.ylioppilasmiekkailijat.fi/kirsi.luoma@helsinki.fi

Ylioppilasteatteri (University Theatre ofHelsinki) was founded in 1926 by theatre

activists. It has established its place as anavantgardistic and experimental youththeatre. Ylioppilasteatteri has over 200members. In a year the theatre produces 4-5 plays in the studio and the summertheatre in Mustikkamaa. Web:www.ylioppilasteatteri.fi

YL Male Voice Choir is a Finnish pioneerof male voice choral music, performingactively in Finland and around the world. Inaddition to its a cappella repertoire, thechoir performs and records with the mostprominent orchestras and conductors of theworld. For a male singer, YL offers the mostexuberant and high-standard activity thatany amateur choir in Finland can offer. JoinYL! Web: www.yl.fi

Department and Faculty Organisations

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry

BOA ry is biotechnology and molecularbioscience students' organization. We alsowelcome everybody else - Finnish andinternational - to join us for fun events ingreat company. We’re especially known fororganizing the Viikki Beer PongChampionship but also for hosting amazingdinner parties, game nights, the bike trip toNuuksio national park and because Santaalways visits our Christmas party! Web:http://boa.huone.net

Lipidi is the food science students’organization. It advances the cause of foodscience students. Lipidi also organizesevents like parties and other stuff like sportsand culture activities. For example itorganizes Jelly party in February. Many ofthe events are open to everyone. For moreinformation contact Terhi Lukkari(responsible for the international affairs, e-mail: terhi.lukkari@helsinki.fi )

MMYL ry is the umbrella organization forthe student groups in the Faculty ofAgriculture and Forestry. MMYL representsall the students in the faculty and looks aftertheir best interests by doing lobbying in theuniversity’s administration. MMYL worksclosely together with other associations andparticipates actively in student life by

organizing parties, events, sports andinternational action. Web: www.mmyl.fi

Markkina-Agraarit –M-A, is a club for thestudents of agricultural economics andmarketing which operates under Sampsa.Web: http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/ma/

Metsäylioppilaat - Are you interested inforests, nature or environment? If you are,you will find people alike you among theforestry students association.Metsäylioppilaat ry (Myo, Forestry StudentsHelsinki) has approximately 300 memberswho are studying forest sciences in theUniversity of Helsinki. Metsäylioppilaat rywas established in 1909, so we have a lotold traditions (and still create new ones !).Web:http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/metsaylioppilaat/english.html

MYY - The Association of Students inEnvironmental Sciences MYY wants towelcome you all to our amazingly funactivities! The organization gathersstudents together from environmentalsciences, hopefully from all around theworld. We are a multicolored bunch ofstudents who put their crazy ideas intoaction and organize all sorts of coolhappenings during the year. Lookingforward to meeting you all! Web:www.helsinki.fi/jarj/myy/english

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Oikos is the student organisation ofConsumer Economics students andNutrition Science students of HelsinkiUniversity. The organisation wasestablished in 1947 and functions mainly inViikki campus. We organize variety ofoccasions e.g. parties, sports events,culture events, excursions to differentorganisations on our fields of study and lotsmore. You are welcome to take part in ourhappenings. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/oikos/

Sampsa is an organisation for agriculturalstudents with four smaller groups. Sampsais very active and Sampsa organises allkinds of activities, for example excursions inFinland and abroad, seminars, parties andother social events. Check Sampsa onFacebook too! Web:http://www.sampsary.fi/

Svenska Studenters Agro-ForstFörening - Swedish-speaking students ofthe Faculty. Web http://www.agro-forst.fi/

Viikin Taloustieteilijät ry/ViTa isassociation for students studying foodeconomics, but we warmly welcomeeveryone who is interested about our fieldof study to join our growing team. Weorganize different kind of activities for ourmembers during the year. ViTa co-operatewith variety of interesting companies on ourfield, but at the same time ViTa is your linkfor having fun and partying hard. Web:www.vitary.fi

Viri Lactis is a small and cosy organizationfor Food Science students as well as all thestudents who love food. Viri was originallyfounded by Dairy Science students at UH in1947. Hence, MILK is of our specialinterest. We arrange events and excursionsthroughout the year. The Cheese and WineParty will be highlighted for new studentssoon in autumn! Info: www.virilactis.comand Facebook-group.

VOLUNTAS - Voluntas is a subject andbenefit organisation for marketing studentsoperating in Viikki. Webhttp://www.voluntas.fi

Vuorovaikeutus - Students ofenvironmental economy. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/vuorovaikeutus

Faculty of Arts

Aistimus – Subject organisation forAesthetics students. You're welcome totake part in the many art related activitieswe provide. You don't need to be anaesthetics student, if art and philosophy areclose to your heart you are close to ourhearts! Web: www.helsinki.fi/jarj/aistimus

Aspekti - Subject organisation for GeneralLinguistics and Language Technologystudents, playground for twisted linguists.Web www.ling.helsinki.fi/aspekti

Bouffe - Are you French? Speak French?Like France/French? Always wanted tohang out with Finnish French students? Weare the association for students of Frenchphilology, come join our activities, partiesand get-togethers! You’ll be sure to findlike-minded people and get to know bothFinnish and French traditions. More info onour FB-group (BOUFFE ry) or on ourwebsite www.bouffery.wordpress.comÀ bientôt!

Daina - Students of Baltic philology andLithuanian and Latvian studies. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/daina/

Dilemma - The organisation of Philosophystudents. Web:https://blogs.helsinki.fi/dilemma-ry/

Divina Compagnia – We are the studentsof Italian philology. We organize dinners,movie nights, parties etc. If you want amoment in the little Italy of Helsinki (that’swherever we are, of course) or just want tohear someone speak Italian with a Finnishaccent, contact us! Our e-mail is stivale-hallitus@helsinki.fi Find out more aboutus and our upcoming events on ourfacebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/114505028610129/?fref=ts

Eidos - Students of art history. Web:http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/eidos/

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Fibula - Students of archaeology. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/fibula/

Historicus - Swedish-speaking historystudents. Web http://www.historicus.fi/

Humanisticum – Do you want to meetpeople studying other majors?Humanisticum is the student organisation ofthe Faculty of Arts that brings together thefaculty's various subject organisations. Wearrange events and parties for all studentsof the arts, promote student interests in ourfaculty, and encourage co-operationbetween subject organisations. Keepposted viahttp://www.facebook.com/HumanisticumWeb: www.humanisticum.fi

ISHA Helsinki - Would you like to becomefamiliar with international-minded Finnishstudents of history? Then ISHA is definitelyyour place! The Helsinki section of ISHAconsists of laid-back people, who are asinterested in you, wherever you come from,as you are of strange Finnish customs.Check out more athttp://blogs.helsinki.fi/isha-helsinki orsend an email to isha-hallitus@helsinki.fiWelcome!

Karavaani is the student organization forthe students of Asian and African studies.We're the number one group for thoseinterested in Asian and African languagesand cultures, and welcome you warmly tohang out, make friends, just chat orparticipate in our events. Web:http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/karavaani/

Katharsis ry is the student organization forthe students of comparative literature. Wearrange different kind of activities. Weorganize excursions (for example culturalexcursions), study circles, parties and otheramazing events. We also publish our ownmagazine Teema. More information fromweb http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/katharsis/You can also find us on Facebook.

KouKi - Organisation for students studyingtranslation and interpretation. Web:http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/kouki/

Kronos - The subject organisation forFinnish-language history studies at the

Faculty of Arts. Est.1945. Critical historicalstudies from ancient times to the 20thcentury. Bread and circuses for the people:cultural activities, trips and parties - whichare usually historical events in their ownright. You can catch us on campus atTopelia (Unioninkatu 38 A, 2nd floor) andonline at our website:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/kronos-ry/

Macondo - Macondo aims to bring togetherstudents (and stuff) from Latin AmericanStudies & partnered degrees to enjoyeverything the Area & Cultural Studies dept.and its associates can offer. We carry outvariety of activities, study trips, career visits& networking and regular socials includingyear highlights Xmass and Spring ball.Don’t get drowned into one hundred yearsof solitude - come to Macondo! Web:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/macondo-ry/

Mythos gathers students of Study ofReligion to participate in different events toenjoy the company of our fellow studentsand to engage in interesting discussions.To stay informed about our variousactivities please feel free to join our mailinglist by sending subscribe mythos-list tomajordomo@helsinki.fi. Web:http://mythos-ry.blogspot.fi/

NEFA-Helsinki - NEFA-Helsinki is thestudent organization for folklore andethnology students of the University ofHelsinki. NEFA organizes different kinds ofevents and excursions for its members.Thus it creates opportunities for students toget to know each other, to exchange ideasand to form social networks. Web:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/nefa-helsinki/

Putkinotko - Students of Finnish literature.Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/putkinotko/

Ráidu – Subject organisation for Sámiresearch.

Repliikki - the student association forstudents of Theatre Research. If you enjoytheatre, opera or dance performances,welcome! We're a small group and veryreachable. See our Facebook Page (searchfor [R]epliikki), join our e-mailing list (sendsubscribe repliikki-lista to

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majordomo@helsinki.fi) or contact ViiviSalokangas viivi.salokangas@helsinki.fi

Rupla - Students of Slavonic languages.Web http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/rupla/

Saga - the student organization for Nordiclanguages. We are bilingual, functioning inboth Swedish and Finnish, although most ofour members also speak English. Whilst wemainly cater to the needs of the students ofNordic languages, anyone is welcome tojoin our ranks free of charge. We organizeacademic dinner parties, normal parties,sports, Nordic movie nights and many otherevents. Web:http://sagahelsingfors.wordpress.com/

Setenta - Students of Spanish, Portuguese,Catalonian and Basque languages. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/setenta/

Siula is an organisation for students ofFinnish and Finno-Ugrian studies. Do youwant to study Finnish, learn to speak itbetter or just have some linguistic fun ingood company? We organize variousactivities like parties and get-togethers,publish our own magazine Siulaset andlook after our students' interests. Join ourmailing list siu-la@helsinki.fi or seewww.siula.org

SUB - The student organization for thestudents of English and everyone interestedin the English language! We organize allsorts of events and advocate issues thatreally matter to our students. For moreinformation, visit our homepage:www.helsinki.fi/jarj/sub We welcomeinternational students!

Symposion - Students of classicalphilology. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/symposion/

Synkooppi - The student organisation formusicology students at the University ofHelsinki. Synkooppi is involved in lobbyingstudent rights as well as organisingrecreational activities such as culturalexcursions, seminars, parties and hang-outs. Anyone studying musicology inHelsinki is welcome to join! Webhttp://www.synkooppi.fi/

Umlaut - Students of German philology.

Vastakarva – subject organisation forgender studies. Join our mailing list bysending a message subscribe vastakarva tomajordomo@helsinki.fi. Web:http://vastakarva.wordpress.com/

VIETTI – a multi-disciplinary organisationwhich gathers together all studentsinterested in research of Russia andEastern Europe.

Faculty of Behavioural Sciences

Aikuiskasvatuksen kilta - A guild for thoseinterested in adult education. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/akk/

Allofoni - Students of phonetics andspeech communication. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/allofoni/

Condus is a student organization thatimproves cooperation among the studentsof The Faculty of Behavioural Sciences andbetween the student guilds of the Faculty.International students are welcome to allour events! More information onwww.condus.fi and by emailinternational@condus.fi

Didacta is the student organization forSwedish-speaking students of pedagogyand future kindergarten teachers. Checkout our Facebook-page or website:http://www.didacta.n.nu/

Ebe ry is an organization for students whoare majoring in early childhood education atthe University of Helsinki. Ebe ry looks outfor student's benefits and organizesexcursions and events. Please visit ourwebsite for more information andinstructions on how to join our mailing list.Web: http://www.ebe.fi/

Foni - Students of logopedics. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/foni/

Helsingin aineenopettajiksi opiskelevat –HAO ry is the student organization for allteacher trainees and everyone interested inthe field of teaching. The university’ssubject teacher training is conducted inboth Finnish and English and HAO aims to

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promote the interests of all students inthese programmes. Join HAO to meet otherstudent teachers and keep up to date onvarious events, such as excursions,seminars and parties. Web:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/hao-ry/in-english/

Intelligenzia is the student organization ofcognitive science. Fire up your frontal lobe,pass the Turing's test and break the doorsof the Chinese room - join us in ourregularly irregular activities around science,art and other fun and games! Contact us atjanne.illi@helsinki.fi orantti.laaperi@helsinki.fi for moreinformation!

Kompleksi r.y. is a student organization forpsychology students in the University ofHelsinki. We have a wide range of activitiesfrom parties to professional excursions,brunches and sports. If youre interested injoining our psych-family, you’ll find us atwww.kompleksi.org or on Facebook

Kopeda - Students of home economicseducation. Web http://kopeda.fi/

Peduca is a student organisation whichbrings together the students of generaleducation, adult education and classteacher education. Peduca's main goals areto supervise the interests of the studentsand to support them in any study-relatedmatters. In addition, Peduca organises allkinds of free-time activities. Get all theinformation in English by joining our mailinglist peduca-kv@helsinki.fi Web:www.peduca.fi

Phenomena – We are teacher students,educational psychology is our majorsubject. We are interested in learning - andmeeting you! Welcome to join our events!You can find us on Facebook or atwww.helsinki.fi/jarj/phenomena

Tekstiilarit ry is the subject organisationfor craft teacher and craft science studentssince 1975. As our member you arewelcome to enjoy good company, our socialspace and shop Putiikki and differentcultural and crafty events. We act inSiltavuorenpenger 10. Webhttp://tekstiilarit.tumblr.com/

Faculty of Biological andEnvironmental Sciences

Biosfääri is the faculty organization for theFaculty of Biological and EnvironmentalSciences. It consists of the faculty's sixsubject associations. The main purpose ofBiosfääri is to further improve thecommunication between the memberorganizations and coordinate the lobbyingefforts made on behalf of the students andtheir interests. FB:www.facebook.com/biosfaari Web:www.biosfaari.net

BOA ry is biotechnology and molecularbioscience students' organization. We alsowelcome everybody else - Finnish andinternational - to join us for fun events ingreat company. We’re especially known fororganizing the Viikki Beer PongChampionship but also for hosting amazingdinner parties, game nights, the bike trip toNuuksio national park and because Santaalways visits our Christmas party! Web:http://boa.huone.net

Helix - Students of biochemistry andmolecular biology. Helix studies naturethrough microscopes and the bottoms ofbeer bottles. We represent the darker sideof biosciences regarding our studentoveralls and our minds. We organizeacademic dinner parties, chilling eveningsat our clubrooms, parties, sports events andexcursions. Contact us athelix-ry@helsinki.fi orhanna.piitulainen@helsinki.fi Web:http://etax.org.helsinki.fi/

Natura is a subject organization forenvironmental ecology students in Lahti.Our mission is to enhance the studentculture in Lahti and supervise student rightshaving a lot of fun at the same time! Weparty, play games and travel. More aboutus on our website and on Facebook. Youare most welcome to join us - you canalways have a good time in Lahti City! Web:http://natura.nettisivu.org/

Svenska Naturvetarklubben - Swedish-speaking students of biology andgeography. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/snvk/

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Symbioosi - Organisation for students ofbiology. Arranges excursions forexperiencing our dear Mother Earth andparties to rock your pants! We love to watchbirds and we like to do nature conservationin a cool way. Join us to find your innerbiologist! Web: http://www.symbioosi.org/

Faculty of Law

Juristklubben Codex is the association forSwedish-speaking law students at theuniversity of Helsinki. For more informationvisit our webpage http://www.codex.fi

ELSA Helsinki –We’re a part of ELSA, theEuropean Law Students - Association! Ourmembers are law students, who want todevelop their skills, visit law firms and otheremployers, learn about other cultures andhave fun with their future colleagues fromdifferent countries. Send a message tovpmarketing@elsa-helsinki.fi to join theHelsinki mailing list. Web: www.elsa-helsinki.fi

Justus is a bilingual and intenseassociation for law students in Vaasa. Webwww.justuswasa.fi

Pykälä - Founded in 1935, Pykälä is thelaw student's association in HelsinkiUniversity. It comprises almost everyFinnish law student in Helsinki, whichmeans that we have about 1800 members.We have our own club space in Sörnäinenand an office in the city center. Pykäläorganises a large amount of parties andother activities. As an exchange studentstudying law, you are always welcome herein Pykälä! Web:http://pykala.fi/ulkosuhteet/for-exchange-students

Faculty of Medicine

Hammaslääketieteen kandidaattiseura -Students of dentistry. Webhttp://www.hlks.fi/

Lääketieteenkandidaattiseura (LKS) -Medical student association. LKS is astudent-governed association of medicalstudents commited to representing thestudents of the medical faculty in matters of

teaching. In addition to this we aim to makesure medical students remember to live alife outside of school by arranging all sortsof activities and parties. We welcome allexchange students to join our events andactivities! Web www.lks.fi

Medicinarklubben Thorax rf - Swedish-speaking students of medicine, dentistryand veterinary medicine. Webhttp://www.thorax.fi/

Faculty of Pharmacy

Yliopiston farmasiakunta (YFK) - YFK(Yliopiston farmasiakunta) is the localassociation for the pharmacy students inthe university of Helsinki. Our aim is toconnect our students and we arrangedifferent kind of activities which we warmlywelcome our exchange students to join! Formore information visit www.yfk.fi

Faculty of Science

GEYSIR - Students of geophysics. Webhttp://www.geophysics.helsinki.fi/geysir/

Helsingin Yliopiston Kemistit ry (HYK) isa student association for chemistry studentsin University of Helsinki. Its main idea is tobe for chemistry students in faculty anddepartment. HYK organizes different kind ofevents, for example dinner parties, movieevenigs, barbequing and excursions. Web:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/hyk-ry/

HYPPY - Students of wood and polymerchemistry.

Lambda is the organisation for theoreticallyoriented data processors, linguists andmathematicians. Webhttp://lambda.cs.helsinki.fi

Limes is an association for all studentsstudying in Faculty of Science. We organizeparties, excursions, game nights, saunaparties etc. Membership is free forinternational students! Our office is locatedin Exactum C132. Web:https://www.limes.fi/en

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Maantieteen opiskelijat ry (MaO) –Geography students association.Established 1971, MaO has supported andbrought together geography students in theUniversity of Helsinki to celebrate goodtimes! Find us at Kumpula campus and inthe internet:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/maantieteenopiskelijat-ry/

Matlu - The faculty umbrella organisation ofthe Faculty of Science. Webhttp://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/matlu/

Matrix is the student society ofmathematics students at the Uni. Besidesbeing the student\'s voice at the departmentwe organize extracurricular activities suchas weekly sports at the Kumpula centre,hikes, parties, culture and businessexcursions, hang-outs and movie and gamenights. Join and meet both Finnish andforeign students! We can be found atExactum room C338. Web:http://matrix.org.helsinki.fi/

Meridiaani –The subject organisation forastronomy students.

Resonanssi - The fuchsia coloured studentorganisation of the physics students at theUniversity of Helsinki. Come join us on ourquest for unlimited knowledge at some ofour various events or just grab a cup ofcoffee or a cone of soft ice in our studentroom in Kumpula. Web:http://resonanssi.org

Spektrum – Subject organisation forSwedish-speaking students ofMathematics, Physics, Chemistry andcomputer science. Web: www.spektrum.fiSynop - Students of meteorology. Webhttp://www.atm.helsinki.fi/synop/

TKO-äly - Students of computer science.Webhttp://www.cs.helsinki.fi/group/tkoaly/index.shtml

Vasara - Students of geology. Webhttp://blogs.helsinki.fi/vasara-ry/

Faculty of Social Sciences and theSwedish School of Social Science

Kannunvalajat - Faculty association forstudents of social sciences. Organizesevents, excursions, parties and lobbying.Anyone studying at the Faculty of SocialSciences can join in! To join the mailing list:send massage "subscribe kannu-news" tomajordomo@helsinki.fi. We've also afacebook page and group for internationalstudents. Web: www.kannunvalajat.fi

CISSI is the international association forsocial scientists in the University ofHelsinki. Its purpose is to welcome newinternational students and to integrate theminto the Finnish student and social life. It isthe first point of contact for any internationalsocial scientist. FB page:https://www.facebook.com/internationalcissi FB group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/179811125487212/

Borderline – Organisation for socialpsychology students within Soc&Kom.

Habitus –Our organisation is for peopleinterested in Sociology. The organisationfunctions within Soc&Kom. Webhttp://sockom.helsinki.fi/Habitus/index.html

J-Komm – Journalistföreningen vidSoc&Kom is a subject organisation forstudents of Journalism at Soc&Kom. Web:http://sockom.helsinki.fi/j-komm/

Kansantaloustieteen opiskelijat (KTTO) -Students of economics. Webhttp://blogs.helsinki.fi/ktto-ry/

Students of Development studies(KEHO) - KEHO organizes documentevenings, board-game nights, parties, sportactivities and all kinds of interesting eventsand fun. We also inform and help studentswith study-related problems. Our magazineKehotus comes out about four times a yearwith a lot of interesting and fun stuff for youto read. For more information and contactdetails, please, check out our website!Web: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/keho-ry

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Kontakti - Sociology student's organisation.It organizes different events, such asparties, cultural and athletic events. It alsocooperates between the faculty andstudents. For any further information youcan send email to the board of theorganisation at kontakti-hal@helsinki.fi,join a group called "International Kontaktiry" on Facebook or visit our webpage. Webhttp://blogit.helsinki.fi/kontakti/

Mana is an organization for the students ofsocial and cultural anthropology at theUniversity of Helsinki. We organize variouskinds of activities from survival camps tobook groups and student parties - all withan anthropological perspective and openminds. Feel free to join our mailing list bysending "subscribe mana-ry" tomajordomo@helsinki.fi for informationabout our upcoming events. Web:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/mana-ry/

Media - The student organisation forcommunications students in the Universityof Helsinki. We organize all kinds ofinteresting events from parties andexcursions to sport activities and culturalevents. All international students are mostwelcome to join all of our activities. Don'thesitate to contact us if you have anyquestions or ideas. Find us on Facebookand check our website! Webhttp://www.mediary.fi/

Moodi - Students of statistics. Webhttp://blogs.helsinki.fi/moodi-ry/Octavia is the society for students studyingsocial work at the Swedish School of SocialScience at the University of Helsinki. Theobjective with the society is to act as acontact between social work students andother actors within the social field, and toorganize field trips and other study relatedactivities, as well as parties and get-togethers. Web:http://sockom.helsinki.fi/octavia/octavia/

Polho - Students of political history.Organizes parties, but also cultural andathletic activities for its students. Allinternational students are most welcome tojoin, especially those interested in meetingour UKK-possessed lot! Our contactinformation can be found on our website.Don't hesitate to ask if you have any

questions or if you are just eager to find outwhat those initials stand for. Webhttp://blogs.helsinki.fi/polho-ry/

Statsvett is an organisation for Soc&Komstudents whose major or minor subject ispolitical science.

Status ry - Students of social psychology.Interaction over all borders. Webhttp://blogs.helsinki.fi/statusjarj/

Stigma is an organisation for students ofsocial and public policy. We organisedifferent kinds of events around the year,from study-relateted activities to parties.Stigma stays in touch with the staff of socialand public policy and looks after theinterests of the students. If you want to readmore or have something to ask, you cancontact us on Facebook. You are welcometo join our events! Web:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/jrj_stig/

Studentorganisationen vid Soc & Kom -Students of the Swedish School of SocialScience. Web http://www.studorg.org/

Stydi is an association for social workstudents at the University of Helsinki. Stydiorganizes different kinds of events andactivities for you. For any questions aboutStydi or its activities, don’t hesitate tocontact us. For more information visit ourwebsite at http://blogs.helsinki.fi/stydi-ry

Taso - Economic and Social HistoryStudents Association is one of the mostactive organisation in the Faculty of SocialScience. All exchange students are mostwelcome to our parties! Web:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/taso-ry/

VOO - Students of Political Science. Webhttp://web.voo.fi/

Faculty of Theology

Teologian Ylioppilaiden Tiedekunta-yhdistys (TYT) - The Faculty Associationfor Theology Students, TYT, is the oldest ofthe student associations at the UH. TYThas about 1500 members and it promotesthe interests of its members by organizingvarious kinds of events and activities fromchurch services to parties. Web: www.tyt.fi

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Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Eläinlääketieteen kandidaattiyhdistys ry- Students of Veterinary science. Webhttp://www.eky-ry.fi/

IVSA Finland is a chapter of theInternational Veterinary Students’Association. The aim of IVSA Finland is to

improve interactions between Finnish andinternational vet students. We organiseexcursions to universities abroad and hostmany local events. If you are aninternationally-minded vet student, we arehere for you! Visit us at www.ivsa.fi

Student Nations

OYV - The Student Nations are studentorganisations, which offer their members awide range of activities and facilitiesincluding sports, clubs, associations,parties, balls and trips. All UH students arewelcome to join the nations. For moreinformation, please visit:http://www.osakunta.fi/node/59

Eteläsuomalainen osakunta (ESO) -19051

ESO is a nonpolitical organization open tostudents from all academic fields, evenfrom outside UH. Our home region isUusimaa. We have activities from academicsitsit to scientific evenings and excursions.We’d love to see more internationalstudents join ESO and experience studentlife in Finland outside of lectures. Ourwebsite has more information andinstructions for joining our mailing list. Web:http://www.etelasuomalainenosakunta.fi/

Etelä-Pohjalainen Osakunta (EPO) -1908This nation was originally founded bystudents from the southern part of theNorthwest region of Finland calledPohjanmaa.Web: http://epo.osakunta.fi/

Hämäläis-Osakunta (HO) - 1653HO represents the part of Finlandsurrounding Tampere.Web: http://www.hamalais-osakunta.fi

1The year of Foundation

Karjalainen Osakunta (KO) - 1905This nation represents the area of easternFinland called Karjala (Carelia) on theborder of Russia.Web http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/ko/

Keskisuomalainen Osakunta (KSO) -1931Students from Central Finland are bestrepresented in this nation.Web http://www.kso.fi

Kymenlaakson Osakunta (KYO) -1933KyO. Academic dinners (sitsit), parties,sports, culture... An excellent way tobecome acquainted with traditional Finnishstudent culture! Our home region isKymenlaakso. You can visit us Tue-Fri 18-21, newcomers especially welcome inSeptember Tue-Wed 18-20. We are locatedin Kamppi, Leppäsuonkatu 11. For moreinfo drop a mail to kyo-fuksiohjaaja@helsinki.fi or visit our FBgroup or web page.http://kymenlaakson.osakunta.fi

Nylands Nation (NN) - 1643This Swedish-speaking nation for studentsfrom around the Helsinki area is the oldestof all the student nations. We welcomestudents from all academic fields. Web:http://www.nylandsnation.com/

Pohjois-Pohjalainen Osakunta(PPO) - 1907PPO represents students from the northernparts of Finland. Webhttp://ppo.osakunta.fi/

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Satakuntalainen Osakunta (SATO) -1652SatO represents students from the areaaround towns Pori and Rauma on the westcoast of Finland.http://www.satakuntalainenosakunta.fi/j/

Savolainen osakunta (SAVO) - 1905Savolainen Osakunta is one of the 15nations at the University of Helsinki. Weoffer many benefits to our members,incl.housing, parties and clubs. You can joinour choir or orchestra, participate in variousathletic events and earn about the Finnishstudent culture. We welcome all membersto share the SavO experience! You can joinour mailing list or follow us on Facebook tolearn more. Web:http://savolainen.osakunta.fi

Varsinaissuomalainen osakunta(VSO) - 1906Members of VSO were originally from thearea surrounding Turku. Webhttp://www.varsinaissuomalainen.fi/

Vasa nation (VN) - 1908Vasa nation is an organisation forOstrobothnian students in Helsinki. Vasanation's location is ideal; the house ofOstrobotnia lies in the middle of Helsinkiright next to the Parliament building.Students from every degree program gatherat Vasa nation, which offers its members avariety of programs such as sports, culture,

different types of events and socialinteraction. Web http://vasa.nation.fi/

Wiipurilainen Osakunta (WIO) - 1653Student nation Wiipurilainen Osakunta(WiO), founded in 1653. Location: DomusGaudium, Leppasuonkatu 11. Inspector:Professor Jukka Kola. Curator: MA KatriinaLipponen. WiO offers cultural activities,sports, parties, a choir, an orchestra,friends, and much more. Freshmen cancome and sign up on Tuesdays,Wednesdays and Thursdays at 6-7.30 pm.Check out our website. We hope to see yousoon! Web: http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/wio/

Åbo Nation (ÅN) - 1643Åbo nation is a student organization forSwedish speaking students. Our room is onthe 4th floor of the Studenthouse and weorganize some sort of program everyWednesday and a bigger party once amonth. Visit our web site for further details.Web http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/abo/

Östra Finlands Nation (ÖFN) - 1924Östra Finlands Nation is the student nationfor Swedish-speaking students fromeastern Finland. We organise plenty ofactivities for our members and internationalguests, ranging from go-carting toacademic festivities. If you feel like meetingpeople from all fields of student life inHelsinki make sure to drop by at ourpremises on the 4th floor of the NewStudent House, Mannerheimintie 5A. Web:www.ofn.fi

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V Studying in Finland

Residence Permit and Right of Residence in Finland

General requirementsA residence permit (oleskelulupa) isnecessary for foreigners wishing to stay inFinland for more than three (3) months.Residence permits must be obtained beforecoming to Finland (For EU/EAA regulations,see below) from the nearest Finnishembassy or consulate. The residencepermit can be applied online. The reasonfor entry must be clearly stated.

Foreigners coming to Finland astourists will usually not be granted aresidence permit in Finland. Only inexceptional cases can a residence permitbe granted after you have already enteredFinland.

Citizens of the Nordic countriesIf you are moving to Finland from anotherNordic country (Sweden, Norway, Denmarkor Iceland), you must notify the localregister office (see contact information onpage 57) no later than one week after themoving date. Remember to bring yourpassport with you when registering.

EU-citizens and citizens ofLiechtenstein and SwitzerlandIf you are a citizen of the EU, Iceland,Liechtenstein or Switzerland you will notrequire a residence permit for Finland. Youwill be free to reside and study in Finlandfor up to three months. If your studiescontinue for longer than three monthsyou must register your right of residencebefore the end of the three-monthperiod. To register you must visit your localpolice (see contact information on pages 54- 55).

To register your right of residence, you willneed:· an EU registration form· your national proof of identity or

passport

· proof of being registered with a Finnisheducational institution and havingadequate health insurance cover

Non-EU citizensYou must apply for a residence permit ifyou plan to study in Finland for longerthan three months. Apply for a visa if yourstudies will take less than three months.You can study for three months without avisa or residence permit if you are a citizenof a visa-free country.

Apply for a residence permit as soon asyou have received an acceptance letterfrom the university. You can submit yourapplication electronically athttp://www.migri.fi/studying_in_finland

If you have submitted your applicationvia e-service, you need to visit a Finnishembassy to verify your identity and topresent the original copies of anysupplements needed for the application. Anapplication cannot be processed until youhave visited the embassy. Take theoriginals of all your documents with you tothe embassy even if you have submittedyour application electronically. Take alsoyour passport and passport photo with youto the embassy. Make sure that yourpassport is valid for your entire stay inFinland or longer. At the embassy, you willalso be fingerprinted for a biometricresidence permit card.

You can also submit the applicationpersonally in paper to a Finnish embassy inyour home country or in a country in whichyou are legally residing.

Applying electronically is the fastestway to get the decision to your application.For further information on applying for avisa, the validity periods of visas and visaapplication fees, as well as a list ofcountries whose citizens do not need visas,see the Ministry for Foreign Affairs website:http://www.migri.fi/studying_in_finland

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Is a visa needed first?A visa is needed if the student has toparticipate in an entrance exam in Finlandprior to being accepted at the educationalinstitution and if he or she is a citizen of acountry that has not signed an agreementon the abolition of visas with Finland. Forinformation on visa applications, please seethe Ministry for Foreign Affairs websitewww.formin.finland.fi > Services >Foreign nationals arriving in Finland

You can apply for the permit in Finlandif you take an entrance exam here and startyour studies soon after the exam. You maystay in the country legally during theapplication processing period, though yourvisa may have expired.

Apply for the permit at a police servicepoint in your place of residence. Contactthe police to find out which service point inthe area provides licence services. Thepolice will forward your application to theFinnish Immigration Service for a decision.

How long is a residence permit valid?A residence permit granted to a student istemporary by its nature. If the studies lastfor more than a year, the residence permitis usually granted for one year at a time. Atemporary residence permit bears the letterB. A new fixed-term residence permit isissued by the police. It must be applied forbefore the expiry of the previous one.The application should be submitted ingood time before the previous one expires.

The police will issue the applicant anew fixed-term residence permit if thecriteria on which the previous fixed-termresidence permit was granted remain valid.The student must prove that he or she hassecure means of support either through agrant, stipend or other funds. The applicantmust have a minimum of 560 euro a month,or 6 720 euro a year, at his or her disposal.

What happens after the studies arecompleted?After completing the studies, the studentmay remain in Finland if he or she can begranted a new residence permit on othergrounds. The permit may be granted, forexample, for continuing studies (within thesame field) or based on family ties oremployment.

A foreigner who has received a degreein Finland can also get a residence permitfor search for work.

Can the decision be appealed against?You may appeal against the decision madeon a residence permit application to anAdministrative Court. Instructions on how toappeal are appended to the decision.

Renewing your Residence PermitResidence permits for students arenormally valid for one year from the issuedate: the date of expiration is printed on thepermit. If you are studying for several years,a new residence permit is required for eachyear. The permit extension for studying isapplied for using the same form as for thefirst residence permit application.When youapply for a new residence permit, you willneed:

· the appropriate form (OLE_OPI)· your passport· information on the your means of

support· information on your health

insurance· a certificate of attendance from a

Finnish educational institution· information on the progress of

studies· a photograph

These documents should be submitted atthe local police office dealing with residencepermits. For more detailed instructions seehttp://www.poliisi.fi/ > Licences >Licences and permits for foreigners

Helsinki Region Immigration PoliceOfficesHelsinki (Mon-Fri 8.00 am – 4.15 pm):Pasilan poliisitalo 2, Pasilanraitio 1100241 HELSINKITel. 0295 470 011

Note: the Helsinki Police Departmenthandles licence matters by appointment.You can make the appointment by usingthe electronic system at www.poliisi.fi orby calling 0295 418 180 (between 13:00-15:00) Please note that this number is onlyfor making appointments for licence mattersand not for enquiries.

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EU citizens: The Helsinki PoliceDepartment has a dedicated queueoperated with queue numbers for theregistration of European Union citizens atthe Pasila Police Station 2. The queue willserve EU citizens until 31.12.2014 fromMonday to Friday between 12:40 and 3:15p.m.

The dedicated queue aims to ease thecongested customer service. Otherapplications will continue to be handled byappointment. The exception to the rule arecompleted documents which may be pickedup from the INFO queue without anappointment.

Espoo (Mon-Fri 8.00 am – 4.15 pm):Nihtisillankuja 402630 EspooTel. 0295 430281Note: the Espoo Police Departmenthandles licence matters by appointmentonly. You can make the appointment byusing the electronic system atwww.poliisi.fi or by calling 0295 413 160(Mon-Fri 9.00 - 11.00 and 13.00 - 15.00)

Vantaa (Mon-Fri 8.00 am – 4.15 pm):Kielotie 1501300 VantaaTel. 0295 430 291Note: the Vantaa Police Departmenthandles licence matters by appointmentonly. You can make the appointment byusing the electronic system atwww.poliisi.fi

Please note that in Helsinki you shouldsubmit your residence permitapplication several months before thepermit runs out and it may take a verylong time to process your residence permitapplication (six to seven months for non-EUstudents). Elsewhere the averageprocessing time is shorter. For moreinformation, see http://www.migri.fi/(Finnish Immigration Service) orhttp://www.poliisi.fi/ (Police).

Student’s health insuranceCitizens of third countries arriving in Finlandfor the purpose of studying are required tohave health insurance, if the period of studylasts for more than three months. Therequirement is the same for degree-seekingand for visiting/exchange students.

The term “third-country national” in thiscontext refers to a person who is not acitizen of either one of the EU countries or acitizen of one of the following countries:Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein orSwitzerland. Students from Quebec(Canada) are also exempted from thehealth insurance requirement.

Health insurance must be obtainedprior to applying for a residence permit andthe health insurance must be valid uponentry to Finland. Students applying for anextension of their residence permit mustalso have valid health insurance.

The type of health insurance policy astudent needs depends on his/her durationof studies in Finland that, in turn, affects theright of domicile in Finland.

What kind of insurance will I need whenmy studies last for more than threemonths?· The insurance deductible must not

exceed 300 euros.· Your insurance must cover medical

expenses in the amount of 100,000euros if your studies in Finland last lessthan two years. A third-country studentwho enters Finland to study for lessthan two years is not usually grantedthe right of domicile, i.e. a homemunicipality in Finland, and therefore isnot entitled to municipal health careservices.

· Your insurance must cover medicalexpenses in the amount of 30,000euros if your studies in Finland last twoyears or longer. A third-country studentwho enters Finland to study for at leasttwo years is usually granted the right todomicile, i.e. a home municipality inFinland and is therefore entitled tomunicipal health care services. Moreabout the right to domicile on page 56.

· Do not take out aregular travelinsurance. It is meant for holiday tripslasting less than three months.

· You must have insurance for yourentire stay in Finland. Your insurancemust be valid at the time of your arrivalin Finland. Take out a one-yearinsurance policy if you intend to study inFinland for one year or longer. Be sureto renew your insurance prior to expiry.

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Do not terminate your insurance policy,or you will have to cover medical andhospital expenses yourself if youbecome ill.

You can apply for insurance abroad at aninsurance company in your home country orenquire about suitable insurance atinternational insurance companies. Finnishdiplomatic missions and the Finnish policewill provide further advice. Up till now,Finnish insurance companies do not grantprivate insurance equivalent to the Finnishhealth insurance scheme as separateinsurance cover.

Foreign countries and internationalinsurance companies offer a wide range ofinsurances. There are several internationalinsurance companies that offer healthinsurance policies: check their websites for

details and contact them directly for furtherinformation on prices and coverage.

Please note that the right to use FinnishStudent Health Service (FSHS) does notexempt a student from having to takeout health insurance.

MARSH Student Insurance Package(SIP)One good option is to take out the MarshSIP insurance which has been pre-approved by the Finnish ImmigrationService. This pre-approval will result in aquicker decision on your application for aresidence permit. For more detailedinformation about the type of coverage youwill need and its cost, please visit theinsurance providers website:www.sipinsurance.eu

Population Registration

Basic information on people residing inFinland is recorded in the PopulationInformation System. Information that isregistered includes e.g. name, date of birth,nationality, family relationships andaddress. Under Finnish legislation, allforeign citizens residing in Finland for aperiod longer than one year are requiredto register their details in the PopulationInformation System. The registrationtakes place at a local Register Office(maistraatti). The information registered isused for such purposes as elections,taxation, health care, judicial administrationand statistical procedures.

A Finnish municipality of residence isregistered for foreigners who have movedto Finland if they intend to stay herepermanently and if they also have aresidence permit for at least one year.Degree students, who study in Finlandfor at least two years, are usuallygranted a home municipality. Having theright of domicile, i.e. a homemunicipality, entitles degree students tofor example municipal health careservices and student discount on theHelsinki region’s public transportation.

To register at the population registeroffice, bring your passport/formal identitycard with a photograph as well as a valid

residence permit with you. Citizens of theNordic countries do not need a residencepermit. For EU-citizens and citizens ofLiechtenstein and Switzerland theresidence permit is the registrationcertificate confirming your right ofresidence, issued by the local police stationin Finland. For non-EU citizens the firstresidence permit is usually obtained in thehome country before arriving in Finland. Formore information on the different kinds ofresidence permits, please see the sectionResidence permit and right to reside inFinland.

More information in English is availableat the Population Register Centre websiteat www.vaestorekisterikeskus.fi

What is a Finnish Personal IdentityCode?Foreign citizens who reside in Finlandpermanently or whose stay exceeds oneyear are given the same kind of personalidentity code as Finnish citizens have. Youwill receive your personal identity codefrom the local Register Office. Thepersonal identity code is used foridentification purposes in banks, hospitals,schools, institutions, by various authoritiesetc.

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A personal identity code is a series ofnumbers, consisting of the person’s date ofbirth, a unique identifying number and asingle-digit control character. The uniqueidentifying number differentiates personsborn on the same day. An uneven numberis issued for men and an even number forwomen. The control character is either anumber or a letter.

For example, in the personal identitycode 131052-308T· 131052 = date of birth

(date/month/year)· 308 = unique identifying number· T = control character.Foreigners residing in Finland for a shorttime only may also obtain a personalidentity code, if it is needed for employmentpurposes. However, no municipality ofresidence is registered for them in Finlandand therefore they do not necessarily havethe same rights as persons residing inFinland permanently. For more information,see http://www.maistraatti.fi/en/

Before you have a Finnish Personal ID-code, the university will give you atemporary code that you can use at theuniversity. When you get your officialFinnish Personal ID-code, remember toinform the Student Services about it! Forthe contact information of Student Services(see page 23 for contact information).

Helsinki Region Local RegisterOfficesRegister Offices are local populationregister authorities. You will find theaddress and telephone number of yourlocal Register Office online athttp://www.maistraatti.fi/en/

HelsinkiAlbertinkatu 25, 00181 HELSINKITel: 029 55 39391Fax: 029 55 36191Official e-mail address:kirjaamo.helsinki@maistraatti.fiOpen: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 16:15

EspooItätuulentie 1, PO box 49, 02101 ESPOOTel: 029 553 9301Fax: 029 553 6326E-mail: info.lansi-uusimaa@maistraatti.fiOpen: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 16:15

VantaaKielotie 15, PO box 112, 01301 VANTAATel: 02955 39331Fax: 02955 36466E-mail:kirjaamo.ita-uusimaa@maistraatti.fiOpen: Mon - Fri 09.00 - 16.15, no newqueue numbers after 16.00. Place ofdomicile and population data phone hours9-11 and 12-15.

Financing of studies

Finland and especially Helsinki is quite anexpensive place to live. Even thoughFinnish universities have no tuition fees,you have to take into consideration that youneed to have enough financial means topay your rent, personal expenses,transportation costs, meals etc.

Please make sure that you make theneeded arrangements for adequate fundingfor your entire period of study beforeleaving your home country. The total livingexpenses of a single student lstudyingin Helsinki range from 700 to 1000 europer month - depending on your spendinghabits. See more about the cost of living onpage 62.

Finding temporary work or a part-timejob in Helsinki can be difficult; especially if

you do not have a sufficient knowledge ofFinnish or Swedish language. Thereforeyou cannot count on financing your studiesin Finland by working while you study.

There are also a very limited number ofscholarships or grants that could cover thefull financing your studies. Most of thegrants offered by the University of Helsinkiand other institutions are relatively small,ranging anything from 150 euro to 2000euro.

Exchange studentsAs a rule, exchange students (i.e. studentswho register for a limited period of studiesthrough a certain exchange programme aswell as through a bilateral or multilateralagreement) are awarded a grant on the

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basis of that programme or agreement.Erasmus and Nordplus grants are alwaysawarded to students in their home country.Please contact the International Affairs orequivalent at your home institution or yourown department for more information ongrants and other benefits they may beoffering.

Visiting studentsVisiting students, who come to study at theUniversity outside the exchangeprogrammes or without any institutional ordepartmental agreements between theirhome institution and the University ofHelsinki, have to finance their studiesthemselves.

Degree studentsInternational degree students must arrangefunding themselves. Look for thepossibilities at your home country. Is therea student financial aid system in yourcountry? What about grants andscholarships for studying abroad?

The University of Helsinki offers somestart-up grants for students accepted tostudy in an International Master'sProgramme. More information is provided inthe next chapter.

Students already studying at theUniversity of Helsinki can apply for e.g. thescholarships offered by the University ofHelsinki Funds. More information isavailable in the next chapter and at the UHFunds websitehttp://www.helsinki.fi/funds/

Postgraduate studentsPhD studies at the University of Helsinkimay be either employed under a contarctwith the university, grant-funded or self-funded. The funding source does notnecessarily influence the content of theresearch, but it does affect the PhDstudent´s status at the University and alsoother practical matters such as immigration,health care, housing options etc.

You can ask for more information fromyour home faculty or department at theUniversity of Helsinki.

PhD students already studying at theUniversity of Helsinki can apply for e.g. thescholarships offered by the University ofHelsinki Funds. More information is

available in the next chapter and at the UHFunds websitehttp://www.helsinki.fi/funds/

Student's incomeThe Finnish government does not usuallyfund the stay of foreign students in Finland.The applicant must show that his or herincome is secured with a scholarship, agrant or other funds with which the studentcan support him- or herself during theacademic year. Students must be able toprove that they have at their disposal atleast 560 euro a month or 6720 euro for ayear. If the educational institution offers freetuition, accommodation and meals, therequired amount can be reduced.

Cost of livingAll students have to pay for theiraccommodation and living expenses as wellas their books and other study materials.The total living expenses of a single studentrange from 700 to 1000 euro per month -depending on your spending habits.

For rent in a student dormitory andresidence hall you should budget about400 euro a month (in a single room). Therent for a studio or family flat is higher; itranges from 500 to 850 euro a monthdepending on the flat and the location.

Lunch at the Unicafe student cafeteriascosts between 2,30 and 4,40 euro forundergraduate and graduate students, forpostgraduate students the cost is 4,50 to6,60 euro. The price depends on the lunchand the method of payment.

Local transportation costs are about 23euro / 30-days travels in Helsinki and48euro / 30-days regional travels fromEspoo and Vantaa to Helsinki (pricesshown include the student discount which isavailable to undergraduate and graduatestudents under the age of 30).

Your student status, and especially theStudent Union membership, entitles mainlyundergraduate and graduate students tovarious services at affordable prices as wellas to an abundance of student discounts.The discounts for postgraduate (Ph.D.)students are more limited.

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Is a student allowed to work whilestudying?Students who have a residence permitgranted on the basis of studying mayengage in gainful employment withoutrestrictions when the work consists ofpractical training or diploma work as part ofa degree.

During study terms when actualinstruction is being given, you areallowed to do an average of 25 hours ofpart-time work weekly. The number ofworking hours is not restricted weekly butthe restriction concerns each term duringwhich work can be periodized according tothe situation. During holidays, i.e. during

summer and Christmas holidays, youcan work full-time without hourlyrestrictions. Income from part-time work done duringstudy terms may be taken into account in adiscretionary manner in assessing theamount of available means required forlivelihood. However, this is not possible inthe case of first residence permits.

Citizens of EU/EEA-countries orNordic countries can work without therestrictions during your studies. You willalso require a Finnish personal identitycode (henkilötunnus) and a tax card(verokortti) but both of these cannot beacquired until you are in the country.

Grants and scholarships

There is a wide range of grants andscholarships offered by the University ofHelsinki and other institutions forundergraduate, graduate and postgraduatestudents. However, there are a verylimited number of scholarships or grantsthat could cover the full financing yourstudies! Majority of the grants offered bythe University of Helsinki and otherinstitutions are relatively small, ranginganything from 150 euro to 2000 euro.

A good way to start is to ask aboutgrants and scholarships from a professor ora teacher in your own department. Inaddition, your fellow students might havesome good ideas. As the range of differentgrants and scholarships is wide and manyof them are ment for a limited field of studyit is very hard for anyone outside your fieldof study to give hints or suggestions onsuitable grants or scholarships to apply for.However, below you will find informationdesigned to make the start a little bit easier.

The University of Helsinki offers thefollowing grants for its students:

International Student Grant· The International Student Grant covers

about 50 start-up grants to qualifiedstudents who are accepted to study inan International Master's DegreeProgramme.

· The amount of each grant is 1000-1500euro.

· The application period is during March-August. Grants are awarded in October.

· More information is available onlinehttp://www.helsinki.fi/newstudents/UH_grants_and_scholarships.shtml

Grants offered by the University ofHelsinki Funds· The University of Helsinki Funds are

based on donations by privateindividuals and various organizations.The total value of grants andscholarships given out by the Funds isannually around 600 000 euro.

· Grants and scholarships are availablefor gifted and successful students,researchers and teachers of theUniversity of Helsinki once a year.

· Application period is in January. Grantsare awarded late March.

· Further information available atwww.helsinki.fi/funds/

Grants for student groups· Student groups planning a study circle

can apply for a study circle grant tocover the expenses of the teacher’ssalary. Application time is annuallyduring October-November. Moreinformation is available in Flammahttps://flamma.helsinki.fi/fi/apurahat-

opiskelijat/HY1002342

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· Grants for student organisations areavailable to student organisations withinthe University of Helsinki who areplanning a study trip or a seminar.Application time is annually duringOctober-November. More informationis available in Flammahttps://flamma.helsinki.fi/fi/apurahat-

opiskelijat/HY1002342

Travel Grant for Master’s thesis students· For advanced students who need to

travel abroad because of their thesiswork.

· No fixed grant.· Application closing dates vary

according to the Faculty or theDepartment.

· Application forms and furtherinformation available at the StudyOffices of the Faculties.

Get Your Master’s Thesis Written!Grants· The aim of the grant is to promote the

finalizing of the master’s thesis byproviding for an intensive thesis writingperiod (1-2 weeks) at one of the fieldstations of the University in Hyytiälä,Kilpisjärvi, Lammi, Tvärminne or Värriö.

· The grant covers room and meals.· Offered twise a year, application time

during the October-November andApril-May.

· More information is available in Flammahttps://flamma.helsinki.fi/fi/apurahat-

opiskelijat/HY1002339

Chancellor’s Travel Grant· For researchers and teachers as well

as post-graduate students at theUniversity for congress or otheracademic travel abroad.

· No fixed grant.· Application instructions available in

Flamma Intranet:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/HY278530

· Further information available from hu-travelgrant@helsinki.fi

Dissertation Completion Grants· For finishing doctoral dissertations,

available round the year.· 1-3 months, 1200 euro a month.· Application instructions and form

available in Flamma Intranet:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/HY278529

· Further information available from theoffice of your own faculty

Support for Dissertation Printing Costs· Available round the year.· The maximum amount per person is the

amount that the doctoral candidate hasused to cover the expenses of printingthe dissertation, up to 1000 euro.

· Application instructions and formavailable in Flamma Intranet:https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/HY278535Further information, tel. 02 941 22976

More information about grants andfunding databases for Degree Studentsand PhD Students

https://flamma.helsinki.fi > Directoryand services > Students > Financing ofstudies > Grants and scholarships and

https://flamma.helsinki.fi > Directoryand services > Researchers > ResearchFunding

How to apply for a grant?1. Make sure that you satisfy all therequirements set for the applicant.2. If a specific form is required, you shouldabsolutely use it.3. Find out in which language you areexpected to write the application.4. Make sure that all necessary informationis given on the application.5. The application should be clear in everydetail.6. Do not chatter. A research plan orexplanation how you use the grant is oftenenough.7. Submit the application before the closingdate.

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Planning a career and finding a job in Finland

Finding a job and planning a career areoften challenging tasks, especially in aforeign country. Career Services guides youwhen you’re developing your careermanagement skills.

The Career Services organizes careerplanning and work life orientation courses incooperation with Master´s programs andFaculties throughout the academic year.Please ask your program/department formore information. You may also participatein the Curriculum for Career course in thespring of 2015 which is open for alluniversity students. Update your skills onour courses and events, or visit ourcustomer service for more information.

There are four steps to successfulcareer management:

• Self-assessment: Recognize yourpersonal qualities, interests, skills andvalues.

• Career opportunities: Explore youroptions in the labour market.

• Decision making: Make careerdecisions and plans to achieve your goals.

• Job-hunting skills: Write a goodresume and succeed in an interview.

You'll find up-to-date information aboutevents and workshops as well as the latestjob openings on the Career Services’website and Flamma.

How to get started with job hunting inFinland?

Finding a temporary job is often amatter of luck and/or right connections −and a working knowledge of Finnish. Bepersistent and don’t give up if you don’tsucceed at first.

• Look for a job you have educationor other competence for. Don’t forget thecompetence you have gained through yourhobbies, volunteering etc.

• Think of possible places of workand opportunities for international students:international companies and projects,embassies, etc. Use your imagination andbe creative, for instance a Chinese studentmay be a good coach for a person about toleave for China in business.

• Look for a place of work where yourcolleagues are educated and know foreignlanguages.

• Make a good CV (curriculum vitae)in good English.

• Sending open applications andphoning the employers afterwards is muchmore effective than just filling in anapplication form. Remember that only 30%of vacancies are announced publicly.

• Be energetic and daring − nothumble, aggressive or arrogant!

• Emphasize your skills: languageskills, computing skills, knowledge ofvarious cultures, etc. Hiring an internationalstudent will for instance enrich theorganization’s working culture and improvethe staff’s language competence.

• There are several languagecourses in Finnish available for internationalstudents. Join in - even a little Finnish isvery helpful, both in job hunting and in yourstudent life.

Remember networkingThe most efficient way to find a job isnetworking, especially with Finns: ask allyour friends, colleagues, teachers etc. forhints about job opportunities. Anotherefficient way to find a job is to contactactively the organizations where you wouldlike to work. In advance, think what you canoffer them (i.e. what you have done before),the skills you have, and what kind a work

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you would like to do. Don’t forget LinkedInand Facebook!

Helsinki region employment andeconomic development offices

The general website for employmentservices is www.te-palvelut.fi/te/fi/ > > inEnglish.

Taxation

If you are a foreign student, your incomewill not usually be taxed in Finland if it issourced outside Finland. On the otherhand, if you work for and are paid by aFinnish employer, you should pay Finnishtax. If you work in Finland, contact the taxoffice and request a tax card. When youvisit the local tax office, take along yourpassport and student's ID card.

For more information about taxation inFinland, please see: www.vero.fi

Helsinki Area Tax OfficePääkaupunkiseudun verotoimisto

Postal address: P.O. Box 400, 00052 VeroVisiting address: Rajatorpantie 8 A, Vantaa(Myyrmäki) (1st floor)

Visiting hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-16:15Tel: 020 612 000

Branch officesKaisaniemi, HelsinkiVuorikatu 14Visiting hours: Mon-Fri 9:00–16:15

In ToSalomonkatu 17, doorway A, 2nd storeyOpening hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00www.intofinland.fi

In To is the service point of the SocialInsurance Institution of Finland (Kela) andthe Finnish Tax Administration for thosecoming to work or study in Finland. It givesadvice and instructions to those moving tothe Helsinki Metropolitan Area about thematters that first arise on coming to Finland.

HousingReserve time for finding an apartmentFinding suitable accommodation in thecapital region can be challenging as there islack of housing in the area. You should startsearching right away when you receive theacceptance letter. The peak time is in thebeginning of the academic year. There is noguarantee that you will get a flat – you haveto be active yourself.

Be prepared to pay 400-600€ per monthBe prepared to have 700-1000€ for livingexpenses per month of which 400-600€ permonth for housing. For residence permityou are required to have 500€ per monthon your bank account but this is not enoughfor living in Helsinki!

Apply for an apartment simultaneouslythrough various channelsIf you get a housing offer – take it! Youprobably won’t get another offer and thereis no temporary housing available.

Be prepared to live further away from thecentre or campus areasThe public transport in Helsinki is rankedamong the best in Europe. You can checkthe transport connections from yourapartment to the campus from the HelsinkiRegion Transport Journey Plannerwww.reittiopas.fi/en

Never send money or your passportinformation to anyoneDon’t send this information to anyone onthe open market before you have seen the

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apartment and signed a contract! An offerthat sounds too good to be true (e.g. astudio flat under 500 euro in the centre) isusually a scam.

Cancel unnecessary applicationsRemember to cancel the unnecessaryapplications after finding accommodation,because there are other students needinghousing on the queue.

Housing optionsBelow are a few options for where to lookfor housing. Some options are targeted onlyfor students and some are open marketoptions.

HOAS – the foundation for studenthousing in the Helsinki region20 % of the students in HelsinkiMetropolitan Area live in a Hoas apartment.Hoas is a non-profit organisation providingstudent housing. For arriving students,Hoas offers rooms in shared apartments aswell as family apartments and friendapartments.

It is advisable to apply for anapartment as soon as you receive aconfirmation on your place of study - butno sooner than four months before youneed the apartment. Your possibilities toreceive an apartment from Hoas areimproved if you are willing to live outsidethe centre and campus areas. However,please remember that applying as soon aspossible does not guarantee that you willget an apartment when your studies begin!Hoas cannot guarantee housing for allstudents.

If you haven’t received an offer by mid-August it is likely that you won’t get a flatfrom Hoas by the beginning of September.Housing applications can be done online onthe HOAS webpages:http://www.hoas.fi/www/hoaswww.nsf/sp?open&cid=homepage

Note: for exchange students comingthrough an official exchange programmethere is a separate application procedure.For those exchange students theapplications can be done online at:http://www.hoas.fi/www/hoaswww.nsf/sp3?open&cid=Content1082A

HOAS also has a Facebook page whereyou can e.g. ask questions.http://www.facebook.com/hoashelsinki

Housing Option for Degree StudentsThe University of Helsinki has a housingquota for Master’s degree students that aremoving to Finland and accepted to one ofthe programmes listed on the Masterprogrammes housing websitehttp://www.helsinki.fi/newstudents/housing_masters_programmes.html

The residence period for theseapartments is from September 1st 2014 toMay 31st 2015 with a fixed-term contract.

Agronomy and forestry apartmentsLatokartano student village providesapartments for students of the Faculty ofAgriculture and Forestry at the University ofHelsinki. http://www.latokartanonyokyla.fi

Forestry apartmentsThe applicant has to be a student offorestry. The freshmen of forestry arepreferred as applicants.http://silvica.kotisivukone.com/11

ForenomForenom is an accommodation andrelocation service provider. The servicecovers the supply of accommodation inapartments from studios to family houses,and from basic apartments to luxuryhousing. Apartments are fully furnished andequipped for quick moving in andcomfortable living. Forenom offers flats forboth short and long term needs. The rentstarts from approx. 500€/month/person(basic apartments). Forenom apartmentsare best rented with a group of flatmates(notice that you have to form the groupyourself!).http://www.forenom.fi/en/index.html

Other websites for rental apartments

Vuokraoviwww.vuokraovi.com

Oikotie (in Finnish)www.oikotie.fi/vuokra-asunnot

HOAS Flea markethttp://www.hoas.fi/www/hoaswww.nsf/sp2?Open&cid=Content07FC5

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VVOwww.vvo.fi/en

Find flat matesYou can get in touch with other newinternational students and potential flatmates on Facebookwww.facebook.com/newstudentsuh

No appartment before arriving inFinland?If you haven't received a housing offer bymid-August it is likely that you won't get aflat by the beginning of September. In thiscase it can be a good idea to secureyourself temporary accommodation for thewhole of September right away. Most flatsand rooms are vacant from the beginning ofthe month. On the list below you will findsome hostel options.

Vuokrahuone.com:http://vuokrahuone.com/

Stadion Hostel: http://stadionhostel.fi/

Cheap Sleep:http://www.cheapsleep.fi/book-bed/

Hostel Suomenlinna:http://www.hostelhelsinki.fi/fi/etusivu/

Eurohostel: http://www.eurohostel.eu/

Other optionsYou can search for a hostel online or try tofind accommodation through couchsurfing.Also visit Helsinki accommodation pagesonline to find temporary accommodation.

Hostels onlineSuomen Retkeilymajajärjestö (SRM)info@srm.fihttp://www.hostellit.fi/?lang=EN

Helsinki accommodationhttp://www.visithelsinki.fi/en/stay-and-enjoy/accommodation

Couchsurfinghttp://www.couchsurfing.org/

Traveller’s home - MatkamajoitusLönnrotinkatu 16 D

00120 HelsinkiTel. +358-44-211 9526info@matkamajoitus.fihttp://www.matkamajoitus.fi/

Contact usIf the semester is already about to start andyou still haven’t managed to find a place tostay you can contact the University ofHelsinki’s Student Services atstudentinfo@helsinki.fi

Please note that the University ofHelsinki does not provide accommodationfor students and we cannot guarantee thatyou will find a place to stay – but we will doour best to inform our students aboutdifferent providers of housing and possiblelast minute housing options.

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Student health care

Finnish Student Health Service -Better Student Health

The Finnish Student Health Service FSHS(in Finnish: Ylioppilaidenterveydenhoitosäätiö YTHS) providesgeneral, mental and oral health careservices.

You can use our services if you arestudying for a Bachelor’s or Master’sdegree at a university or other institution ofhigher education and you have paid yourstudent union membership fee to a studentunion that is affiliated to the FSHS.

Please remember that FSHS onlyprovides basic health care services anddoes not e.g. perform extensive medicaloperations.

Please note that FSHS does not pay anyfurther medical examinations or treatmentin hospital policlinics, even if an FSHSdoctor has issued the referral. It isimportant that you have your individualinsurance for that.

Read more:www.yths.fi/en/internationalstudentsContact us online:www.yths.fi/en/e-communications

FSHS HelsinkiTöölönkatu 37 A00260 Helsinki

Service numbers (on weekdays Mon-Fri) inthe FSHS unit in Helsinki can be seen onour Web site:www.yths.fi/en > Appointments by phone:Helsinki.

What to do when FSHS is closed?If you should require acute treatment whenthe FSHS Helsinki is closed, please contactyour municipal health centre or the publichealth consultation phone tel. 09 10023.The consultation is available in Finnish,Swedish and English and is open 24 hoursin every day of the year.

Health care services and health insurance

Health care servicesMore information on health care servicesoutside of the Student Health CareServices, which were introduced in thesection above, can for example be found onthe Infopankki website,http://www.infopankki.fi/ > Health care

A foreigner who is not a permanentresident of a municipality in Finland mustpay the actual cost of treatment when usingpublic health care services. Therefore it isvery important that you have a privatehealth insurance to cover the costs ofemergency treatment and hospi-talisation. EU-citizens should have theirEU Health Insurance Card.

Health Counselling ServiceFor more information about health careservices or advice about how to treatillnesses, you can always call the HealthCounselling Service (09) 10023. Theservice is also available in English and itoperates around the clock. The service isconfidential and enquiries are answered byexperienced nurses and health careprofessionals. The cost of the call is basedon the operator’s charge plus the localnetwork fee.

Health insuranceAll non-EU citizens are required to havehealth insurance when applying for aresidence permit. For more information, seethe section Residence Permit and Right toReside in Finland.

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All EU citizens should make sure theyhave acquired a European HealthInsurance Card, which gives access tomedical care during a temporary residencein another EU/EEA country or inSwitzerland. Residents of an EU/EAAcountry are entitled to medical care whilestaying temporarily in another EU/EEAcountry or in Switzerland. The EuropeanHealth Insurance Card serves as proof ofsuch entitlement.

Anyone, covered under his or her homecountry’s social security system, whointends to travel to an EU/EEA country or toSwitzerland on holiday, for the purpose ofstudy, on a secondment (temporary work)or to seek employment can apply for thecard. The card is available free of charge.

More information about the EuropeanHealth Insurance Card, can be found athttp://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=509

KELA benefits – residence-based social security

To be eligible for social security benefits,the general rule is that you must be living inFinland permanently. Please note thatstudents, who have come to Finlandonly to study, are usually considered tobe here only temporarily and are thusgenerally not covered under theresidence-based social security system.

Your right to social security benefits inFinland is decided by reference to thelength of your residence in Finland. If youintend to move to Finland permanently, youwill normally be covered by the Finnishsocial security system and will qualify forKela benefits as soon as you move toFinland.

Kela evaluates whether the residence ispermanent or temporary. This evaluationtakes into account the whole situation of theapplicant, which is affected by, for example,an employment contract in Finland, familyties to a permanent resident of Finland or aprevious permanent residence in Finland. Ifthe residence isn't considered permanent,social security coverage may be based onthe lenght of employment. As a furtherrequirement, you are expected to havebeen issued a residence permit valid for atleast one year (assuming a residencepermit is required in the first place).Residence permits are issued by theFinnish Immigration Service.

Persons living in Finland solely for thepurpose of studying cannot normally becovered under the Finnish social securitysystem. However, if you have other reasonsbesides studying for living in Finland, youmay be considered to have taken uppermanent residence in Finland, in whichyou will qualify for social security coverage.

If the circumstances of your residencein Finland change, and you meet therequirements for permanent residence, youmay qualify for social security coveragefrom the date the change became effective.One example of such a change is marriageto a person who lives permanently inFinland.

More informationRegarding residence-based social security,more detailed information is available onthe website of the Finnish Social SecurityInstitution - Kela, at http://kela.fi/web/en >Our Services > Moving to or from Finland.

In To service pointSalomonkatu 17, doorway A, 2nd floorP.O. Box 82, 00601 HelsinkiOpening hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am - 4:00pminfo@intofinland.fihttp://www.infopankki.fi/en-GB/into/

In To is the service point of the SocialInsurance Institution of Finland (Kela) andthe Finnish Tax Administration for thosecoming to work or study in Finland. It givesadvice and instructions on social securityand taxation matters. Please note that the In To service pointdoes not have a telephone service.

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Student financial aid

Finnish citizens studying at highereducational institutions are eligible forfinancial aid, which consists of a grant, astate-guaranteed loan and housingsupplement. The study grant (opintoraha)amounts to about 300-335 euro per monthand does not have to be repaid. Thestudent loan guaranteed by state(opintolaina) is applied for at a bank and itsrepayment begins after the completion ofstudies. The amount of the loan is 400 europer month. The amount of the housingsupplement (asumislisä) depends on therent and the form of housing. Thosestudents who have other (sufficient) incomeor progress poorly in their studies are noteligible for the aid and the aid can berequired to be repaid.

International studentsInternational students who do not have aFinnish citizenship can get financial aid forstudies in Finland if they live in Finland on apermanent basis and they have come toFinland for a purpose other than studying(for example, work, family ties or returnmigration). They have to be registered aspermanent residents in the Finnishpopulation register system and the purposeof residence in Finland is determined byreference to such matters as the residencepermit, registration or acceptance to aneducational institution. More information is available athttp://kela.fi/web/en/financial-aid-for-foreign-students

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Vl Living in Finland

Advice and help for people moving to Finland

Finnish Immigration ServiceMaahanmuuttovirasto

Lautatarhankatu 10 (Customer Service) (P. O. Box 18), 00581 HelsinkiTel. +358 295 419 600 (Mon-Fri 9:00-15:00)migri@migri.fihttp://www.migri.fi/frontpage

Registry Office, for sending additionalinformation regarding matters pending atthe Finnish Immigration Service

No appointment is necessary, but there is aqueue number system in place. Nonumbers dispensed after 14.30 if customerservice is very busy.

Customer service is open Monday-Friday11:30-15:00. Requested details and otherdocuments may be delivered at any timeduring office hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00-16:15.

Please note, no applications can besubmitted directly to the FinnishImmigration Service. Applications must besubmitted at the local police: for moreinformation, see the section Residencepermit and right to reside in Finland in thishandbook.

For application fees, see the webpages:http://www.migri.fi/services/processing_fees

Virka Info - information services ofthe city of HelsinkiVirka Info is a public information servicethat answers questions about the City ofHelsinki and its services at the informationdesk of the City Hall lobby, as well as bythe phone and e-mail. In addition to Finnish

and Swedish, service is also available inseveral other languages.

Visiting address: City Hall, Pohjoisesplanadi11-13 or Sofiankatu 1Postal address: P. O. Box 1, 00099 City ofHelsinki

Virka-info tel. information service+358 (09) 310 11 111 Mon-Fri 9-15virkainfo@hel.fihttp://www.virka.fi/en/info

The Virka Info Public Information servicedesk is open Mon–Fri 9–19, Sat–Sun 10–16.

Information services for immigrantsVirka Info is specialized in helpingimmigrants with questions concerning work,education, housing, residence permits,general legal justice, social and healthservices and any other question connectedwith living in Finland.

An appointment to see a consultant can bemade by phone or in person.

Infopankki - Info Bank

Info Bank is a web portal that containsbasic information about Finnish society andculture, permits needed by those settling inFinland, housing, studying Finnish, findingemployment and starting a business,education, health care, social services,getting help in a crisis, cultural and leisureservices, and NGOs and associations, aswell as links to websites where you will findadditional information. Information isavailable in 15 different languages.www.infopankki.fi

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Ombudsman for minoritiesVähemmistövaltuutettu

The Ombudsman provides independentcounselling and advice to victims ofdiscrimination. The Ombudsman canprovide both legal advice and assist thevictim in reporting the incident to theappropriate authorities. If the Ombudsmanconsiders a complaint as being of principleimportance for the prevention ofdiscrimination on grounds of ethnic origin,he/she can help the victim by providinglegal assistance.

Customer service number: 0295 488 666,weekdays 10:00-12:00

- If you need to see one of ourofficials, you must make an appointmentbeforehand.

- The caller has to pay the standardcall charge, although there is no separateservice charge. We can return your call onrequest.

- If you do not know any Finnish,Swedish or English, you can write a letter ore-mail in your native language, in whichcase the office will have the letter or e-mailtranslated. This will not cost you anything.We kindly ask you to keep your letter to amaximum of two pages.

Administrative issues: 0295 418 855Media contacts: 0295 488 675Switchboard: 0295 411 772Fax: 0295 411 772

E-mail: ofm@ofm.fiPersonnel e-mail:firstname.surname@ofm.fiInternet: http://www.ofm.fi/en/front_page(On the webpages information is availablein 21 different languages)

Postal address:Office of the Ombudsman for MinoritiesP.O.Box 26FI-00023 Government, Finland

Street address: Vuorikatu 24, Helsinki

The Ombudsman for Minorities is anauthority with the basic task of advancingthe status and legal protection of ethnic

minorities and foreigners as well as equalityand non-discrimination and good ethnicrelations in Finland. The jurisdiction of theOmbudsman only covers the supervision ofethnic discrimination: it does not coverdiscrimination based merely on language,sexual orientation, ideology or disability.Preventing discrimination on these groundsstill belongs to other authorities, mainly thehighest supervisors of legality and, inworking life, to occupational safety andhealth authorities. The Ombudsman alsoacts as the national rapporteur on traffickingin human beings.

The grounds of discrimination coveredby the Ombudsman for Minorities are racialand ethnic origin, which includes bothtraditional and new ethnic minorities inFinland. The duties of the ombudsmaninclude: promoting good ethnic relations;and improving the status and rights ofethnic minorities, foreigners and immigrantsin society; the implementation of equality;the prohibition of discrimination accordingto ethnic origin and implementing theprinciple of equal treatment regardless ofethnic background; initiatives, drawing upreports, proposals and recommendationsand issuing public statements ondiscrimination based on ethnicity and thestatus and rights of foreigners and ethnicminorities in Finland; co-operation betweenpublic authorities and organisations workingin the field of combating and preventingethnic discrimination.

Refugee Advice CentrePakolaisneuvonta ry.

The Refugee Advice Centre (RAC) is anon-governmental organisation founded in1988 by other Finnish NGOs. RAC provideslegal aid and advice to asylum seekers,refugees and other immigrants in Finland.

Kaisaniemenkatu 4 A, 6th floor00100 HelsinkiTel. 075 7575 100, fax 075 7575 120pan@pakolaisneuvonta.fiwww.pakolaisneuvonta.fi

Opening hours during Mon-Fri 9.00 am –4.00 pm.

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SOS Center - crisis prevention forforeignersThe SOS center helps foreigners and theirfamily members living in Finland in differentcrisis of life. The center serves adult clients.Help is short term therapeutic conversationhelp. It is important to make an appointmentbeforehand. You will find more informationon the website of the SOS Center athttp://www.mielenterveysseura.fi/en/sos_crisis_center/

Maistraatinportti 4 A, 4th floor00240 HelsinkiTel. +358 9 41350 510

The crisis services are open on Mon-Fri9:00–15:00

Legal Aid OfficeHelsingin oikeusaputoimisto

The Legal Aid Office offers legal aid forpersons living Finland, entirely or partly freeof charge, depending on the client’sincome. You can have advice, documentsor assistance during a trial both in civil andcriminal cases.

Porkkalankatu 13 G, 2nd floor00180 HelsinkiTel. +358 29 56 60120 (Appointments)Mon-Fri 8:00-16:15helsinki.oikapu@oikeus.fihttp://www.oikeus.fi/oikeusapu/en/index.html

Transport and travel

Transport in the Helsinki Regionhttp://www.hsl.fi/EN/

Travel cardThe Travel Card is an electronic card,which makes it easy to use publictransportation in the Helsinki MetropolitanArea. You can use the travel card on localbusses, metro, trams, trains and theSuomenlinna ferry. You can either buy apersonal travel card (advisable is you usepublic transportation regularly) or a multi-user travel card. A multi-user travel cardcan be used by any person holding the cardwho belongs to the same customer group.A personal travel card can only be used bythe owner of the card.

Where to buy the cardA Travel Card can be purchased at any ofthe public transport service points. The cardpayment is 5.00 euro. The validity of thecard is 5 years from the date the card issold. You will need a passport or an ID cardto prove your identity. For more information about the travelcard, please read:https://www.hsl.fi/en/tickets-and-fares/travel-card

LoadingThe Travel Card can be loaded at over 300locations throughout the HelsinkiMetropolitan Area. You can load yourTravel Card at any loading point regardlessof your resident municipality or the period(internal or regional) you want to load onyour card. All loading points display theTravel Card sign.

You can load both value and season forthe card. For single travels value is the bestoption but if you are a regular user aseason ticket will be the cheapest. Aseason ticket can be 14 - 366 days andvalue anything between 5 - 400 euro. Youcan load the period so that it will be validfrom the day the card is loaded or from achosen day during the subsequent 60 days.You can also load two consecutive periodson your Travel Card. The interval betweenthe periods i.e. the end of the first periodand the beginning of the next period can be0 - 60 days. The periods are pricedseparately.

Prices and student discountYou can find the complete list of fares inHelsinki on the Helsinki Region Transportwebsite, http://www.hsl.fi/EN/. Choose"Tickets and fares" in the menu on top.

A student discount is available forundergraduate and graduate studentsunder the age of 30. (Students aged 30 or

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over must receive Student Financial Aidfom the Finnish Social Security Institution(Kela) in order for them to be granted thestudent discount.)

Both degree students and exchangestudent get the student discount for thefirst study year with a certificate that willbe available at the Welcome Fair (27.-28.8.2014 and 8.1.2015) and the StudentServices.

Degree students – second year andbeyondFrom the second study year on degreestudents can update their discount status ata Helsinki Region Transport service point.

Before the student discount can begranted degree student must register aspermanent residents of the municipality atthe Register Office (see the sectionPopulation Registration). Students alsoneed to complete their annual registrationas attending students before the discountcan be granted. Students need to obtaineither a valid year tag on their student cardor a certificate that proves that they areattending students for the following studyyear to get the discount.

For more information about the annualregistration, please see page 20.

Lost cardsIf you have lost your Travel Card, you cancontact the Travel Card customer service,tel. (09) 4766 4000 (Mon-Fri 7:00am-7:00pm, Sat-Sun 9:00am-5:00pm). You canalso contact a Travel Card service point.

InspectionsPersons that travel without a valid ticket willbe charged a penalty fee of 80 euro and theprice of a single ticket. You must have avalid ticket also on the platform area of themetro.

Service points in Helsinki

Central Railway Station Metro Station,Metrostation,Open Mon-Thu 7.30am-7pm, Fri and oneves of public holidays 7.30am-5pm, Sat10am-5pm

Itäkeskus Metro StationOpen Mon-Fri 10am-5.15pm

PasilaOpastinsilta 6 A, HSL Main OfficeOpen Mon-Fri 8.30am - 4pm

You can also use the sales point search onthe Helsinki Region Transport webpages tofind your closest service point:https://www.hsl.fi/en/tickets-and-fares/sales-points

TaxisTo order a taxi in Helsinki, call 0100 0700. Ifthe need for a fare is immediate, foradvance bookings the number is 01000600. The cost of an advance order is 7,00euro (May 2014), and it will be added to thefare as shown by the meter.

For taxi rates please see the website ofTaksi Helsinki,http://www.taksihelsinki.fi/en/ > Taxirates

There is also a rate calculator on thewebsite that helps you to estimate the costof the trip.

Have the pick-up address ready whenyou call, also mention if you have anyspecial requests for the ride (e.g. you needa mini bus, you have a lot of luggage etc.).Also mention if you are planning on payingwith a Visa Electron card.

The central taxi reservation number inEspoo and Vantaa is 0100 7301.

Driving in Finland

Foreign driving licencesDriving licences issued in another EU orEEA country and interim driving licencesissued in the Nordic countries entitle theholder to drive motor vehicles in Finlandequivalent to those indicated on the non-Finnish licence. The driver must be at least18 years old. The right to drive is validregardless of whether the person is inFinland as a tourist or residing permanently.

A person residing permanently in acountry that has signed the Geneva orVienna Road Traffic Convention and whoholds a national or international drivinglicence or an official Finnish or Swedishtranslation of a national driving licence isentitled to drive motor vehicles equivalent tothose indicated on the non-Finnish licenceprovided that the person fulfils the Finnishage requirement to drive such vehicles. The

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afore-mentioned driving licence is valid inFinland for two years from the start of theholder's period of permanent residence inFinland provided that the licence is validand no other reason exists for thetermination of its validity.

The above also applies to drivinglicences issued in Hong Kong, Macao orTaiwan under the regulations of the areaand international driving licences.

The right to drive is based on thepossession of a driving licence issued to aperson living permanently in a country thathas signed the Convention. A drivinglicence acquired in such a country duringtemporary residence (for example as anexchange student) does not entitle theholder to drive in Finland.

For more information, please see:http://www.poliisi.fi/ > Licences > DrivingLicences.

Driving licence permitIf you would like to obtain a driving licencewhile in Finland, you will find moreinformation on the website of the Policehttp://www.poliisi.fi/ > Licences > DrivingLicences. The site gives comprehensiveinformation on the driving licence and theapplication process.

Drunken driving and drugsIn Finland, under the Penal Code, the driverof a motor vehicle is guilty of drunkendriving if he/she has a minimum of 50 mg ofalcohol per 100 ml of blood, or a minimumof 0.22 mg per litre of exhaled air. The limitsfor aggravated drunken driving are,respectively, 120 mg (blood) and 0.53 mg(exhaled air).

A driver can also be guilty of drunkendriving or aggravated drunken driving whenunder the influence of other intoxicants thanalcohol if his/her driving ability is impairedor seriously impaired.

For more information, see the websiteof the Police at http://www.poliisi.fi/ >Traffic > Drunken driving and drugs.

Helsinki by bikeUsing a bike is by far the cheapest - andoften also the fastest - way to move aroundwithin the Metropolitan area. Remember towear a helmet! A great help in findingbicycle routes is the Journey Planner for

Cycling which can be found on the HelsinkiRegion Transport (HSL) website:http://pk.hsl.fi/en

Bicycle rentals

GreenbikeBulevardi 32,tel. 050-550 1020,http://www.greenbike.fiThe shop also sells second hand bikes.

Bicyclean HelsinkiLuotsikatu 2, Katajanokka (May –September)Tel. +358 41 4763 317Selkämerenkatu 6, Ruoholahti (May –September)Tel. +358 41 4763 318Luotsikatu 2, Katajanokka (October – April)Tel. +358 41 4763 317http://www.bicycleanhelsinki.com/

You can also look for more options on theInternet!

RailwaysThe railway network in Finland covers mostof the country reaching all the way fromHelsinki to Kolari, Lapland. There is also adirect connection from Helsinki to St.Petersburg. All long distance trains areoperated by VR – the Finnish Railways.

VR offers undergraduate and graduatestudents studying in Finland reduced-faretravel on long-distance trains. There is anup to 45-55 per cent discount for singletickets. When purchasing and using thestudent ticket, the Finnish student card,valid for the current academic term, mustalways be shown.

You can also get a student discountwith VR and Matkahuolto (long distancebusses) joint student card on bus and trainservices. The card is free of charge but youneed an €8 semester or year sticker asproof of validity. Joint student cards andsemester and year stickers are available atVR ticket offices and Matkahuolto servicepoints.

For further information contact theStudent Services (see page 23) or directlyfrom: VR Ltd, Finnish Railways, informationin English, tel. 0600 41 902(€1,99/answered call + lnc) Mon-Sun 7.00am -10.00 pm or online at www.vr.fi

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Long distance bussesThere are three main private long distancebuss companies and several smaller onesoperating in Finland. Most companies offerstudent discounts for undergraduate andgraduate students. By purchasing ticketsearly you can also get good discounts!

MatkahuoltoUndergraduate and graduate students aregranted a 50 per cent discount on longdistance coaches if the trip covers at least80 km and the ticket is purchased inadvance. In order to benefit from thisdiscount the student must present a validstudent card bearing the Matkahuoltoemblem and issued by a studentorganisation.

You can also get a student discountwith VR and Matkahuolto (long distancebusses) joint student card on bus and trainservices. The card is free of charge but youneed an €8 semester or year sticker asproof of validity. Joint student cards andsemester and year stickers are available atVR ticket offices and Matkahuolto servicepoints.

For more information, please see:www.matkahuolto.fi/en/

ExpressBussUndergraduate and graduate students aregranted a 50 per cent discount of the priceof a normal single ticket for a one-way tripof at least 80 km. The discount is grantedby presenting a student card jointly issuedby Matkahuolto and VR or by presenting astudent card bearing the Matkahuoltoemblem and issued by a studentorganisation. Discount tickets can bepurchased on buses or at bus stations. For more information, please see:http://www.expressbus.fi/etusivu

OnnibusThis bus company operates betweencertain larger cities in the Southern Finland.Onnibus doesn’t offer student discounts,but is otherwise very affordable. Pricesrange between 3 to 20 euro depending onthe route. For more information, please see:http://www.onnibus.fi/en/

Travelling by boatBoat lines - the floating hotels - operatingregularly between Finland and othercountries may grant discounts to students.In order to receive the discount, you mustpresent valid proof of your student status:i.e. a student card or some other proof.Very often, they have special pricecampaigns, when they do not offer anydiscount. In addition, the amount of thediscount varies from one company toanother. Next are mentioned some of theboat lines that offer trips to neighbouringcountries.

Operating companies

Viking Line offers cruises and rides toStockholm and Tallinwww.vikingline.fi

TallinkSilja offers cruises and rides toStockholm, Riga and Tallinwww.tallinksilja.com

Linda line offers fast boat rides to Tallinwww.lindaline.fi/en/

Nordic Ferry Center offers cruises to St.Petersburgwww.ferrycenter.fi

St. Peter Line offers cruises to St.Petersburghttp://www.stpeterline.com

Kilroy Travels HelsinkiKILROY travels is a full service travelagency specialised in student travelling withcomplete travel bureau services. It providesthe cheapest possible flights, hotels, trains,adventure trips, study tours, student andyouth tours as well as regular flight, trainand boat tickets. Travel information is alsoavailable. KILROY issues InternationalStudent Identity Cards (ISIC) and IYTCcards.

Kaivokatu 10 D (Kaivopiha)00100 HelsinkiTel. +358 9 680 78 200helsinki@kilroy.fihttp://travels.kilroy.eu/

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Mail and telephone

MailStamps can, among other places, bepurchased at post offices and R-kiosks.Stamps are also available at theYliopistokirjakauppa shop in Yliopistonkatu3. More information is available online atwww.posti.fi/english/ There are two kinds of letterboxes; ablue and a yellow. In places where bothletterboxes are found side by side, firstclass letters should go in the blue box andsecond class letters in the yellow box. Inlocations with just the yellow letterbox, bothfirst and second class letters should beplaced in the yellow box.

There are dozens of branch offices inHelsinki: for the one nearest to you seehttp://www.posti.fi/english/thepostsservices/postofficesearch/

Telephone

EMERGENCY CALLS: 112(Police, ambulance, fire department and/orsocial worker)

How to make an emergency call:1. If you can, make the call yourself tomake sure that the information got through.2. First, tell what has happened.3. Tell the exact address and municipalityor town.4. Answer the questions put to you.5. Act according to the instructions givento you.6. End the call only when you have beengiven permission to do so.

Regular phoneA regular home phone (lankapuhelin) is notrecommendable for the high price of thephone and connection when compared to amobile phone. However, if you wish to havemore information on this option, you cansee online for phone operators.

Mobile phonesA mobile phone may be the best solution toyour communication needs. They are a

relatively cheap way of communicating inFinland, especially if you tend to move oftenor want to keep in touch with your familyand friends. There are several providers ofmobile phone networks: DNA, TeleFinland,Kolumbus, Saunalahti, Sonera and others.New operators come and go with everypassing year and companies merge to forma new brand: these are just a fewexamples.

For more information visit a phone shopand see which one offers the best deal onphones and network solutions. The pricesof new phones vary from 40 euro to severalhundred euros, depending on the modeland additional features.

You can either first buy a phone andthen choose your operator freely or choosea phone-plus-airtime package. With amonthly charge, you can have a state-of-the-art cell phone and a certain amount ofairtime. Note: most of the phone-plus-airtime packages are fixed term (cannot beterminated before the end of the contract)and the contracts are often up to 24months.

If you have a smartphone (a phone withadvanced computing capability andconnectivity) you can also choose to havean internet connection on top of yourairtime.

Some operators (e.g. Sonera,Kolumbus, Saunalahti and DNA) also offerprepaid subscriptions. To get started, buy aprepaid starting package, which normallycosts round 20 euro and includes varyingamount of airtime. The prepaidsubscription’s coverage area is the wholeFinland, but you cannot usually makeinternational calls. You can recharge yoursubscription with more airtime bypurchasing a refill voucher from a prepaiddealer. It is also possible to reload airtimefrom the Internet.

A word of warning!Using the mobile phone for internationalcalls in Finland can become veryexpensive: especially for the receivingperson! The charge per minute can beseveral euros. Telephone calls are normallybilled on one-month cycle and can add upto a large total - the first bill is usually a

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shocker! Use the phone wisely andremember to pay all bills due before youleave the country.

Calls from Finland· Dial the international prefix (e.g. 00,

990, 994, 996 or 999)· The country code (without the general

prefix 0)· The area code (without the general

prefix 0 or to Spain without 9)· The subscriber's number

Calls to FinlandTo call Finland from abroad first dial theinternational prefix of the country you callfrom, second the country code to Finland(358), third the area code without the prefix0, and fourth the subscriber's number.

Calls in FinlandTo make an automatic call in Finland, thearea code is used with the prefix 0. Fornumber enquiries dial 118, please note thatcalling number enquiries is usuallyexpensive.

Area Codes in Finland02 Turku and Pori03 Häme05 Kymi06 Vaasa08 Oulu09 Helsinki013 North Karelia014 Central Finland015 Mikkeli016 Lapland017 Kuopio018 Åland019 UusimaaMobile Phones: 041, 044, 045, 046, 049,040, 050, 0400, 0500 and many more.

Cheap international calls on the internetThe cheapest way is to use your PC forcalling. You must have a computer with asoundcard, microphone and loudspeakers.A more recommendable combination is aheadset (headphones) with a microphone.

One option is using Skype:www.skype.com

Money and banking

If you are studying in Finland for a longertime it is advisable to open a Finnish bankaccount. Opening an account will be easierif you make some preparations evenbefore you leave your home country. EUregulations regarding opening a bankaccount define that the following documentsare usually needed in order to open a bankaccount:

· Your passport· Residence permit card (if applicable)· Finnish Personal ID number (ifapplicable, see page 56)· A registration certificate from theuniversity· Reference letter from your own bank inyour home country/previous country ofresidence. The Reference letter is acertificate, given by the bank that you havebeen using, of an existing, satisfactorycustomer relationship and taking care ofmatters on time. It is also arecommendation for establishing acustomer relationship. The Reference letter

should be written for the purpose ofopening a bank account· Bank account statements for the past 3months from your own bank in your homecountry/previous country of residence· An address in Finland

NB! The practice of opening a bank accountvaries according to bank and branch inFinland. Each case is decided individuallyby the bank. Also getting acces to internetbanking usually takes two to four weeksafter the account has been opened.

When you open an account, you will begiven a bank card (automaattikortti), bywhich you can check your balance andwithdraw money from ATMs (AutomaticTeller Machines) in Finland: Otto (withdraw)machines are for withdrawing money andmaksut (payments) machines are for payingbills. When a bank account is opened, mostbanks offer service packages for theircustomers. Note: Major credit cards areaccepted throughout the Finland.

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Paying billsIn Finland bills are largely paid on theInternet on-line bank services or on banktransfers. You can move the money directlyfrom your account to your billers with atransfer. Note: getting acces to internetbanking usually takes two to four weeksafter an account has been opened.

Banks also have ATMs that cancomplete these transfers automatically,which cuts down considerably on bank timeand charges. Even then, you are charged afew cents, but it is still much cheaper whencompared to the option below.

If you do not use the on-line service ora machine, bank-to-bank transfers are themost common way to pay your bills. These

transfers, to pay, for example, your rent,can be made for fees that can be very high:the so-called processing fee can be as highas 8.00 euro! Check the rates with yourbank! And use an ATM or the internetinstead...

Money exchangeIf you want to save, change your currencyfree of charge at Forex or a similar service.Three central locations in Helsinki are theRailway Station (Rautatieasema), theStockmann department store and Pohjois-Esplanadi 27. In addition to Forex, there areseveral similar places operating along thesame principles.

Schools and day care

There are some state run and privateinternational schools and privateinternational day care centres in theHelsinki area. Please contact theappropriate schools and day care centresfor further information. Below are links tosome relevant sites.

City of Helsinki Education Departmenthttp://www.hel.fi/hki/Opev/en/Etusivu

Day care and educationhttp://www.hel.fi/www/helsinki/en

English Schoolhttp://www.eschool.edu.hel.fi

Maunula Primary Schoolhttp://www.hel.fi/hki/mauna/fi/In+English

Ressu Comprehensive Schoolhttp://www.hel.fi/hki/ressuy/en/Etusivu/

International School of Vantaahttp://www.edu.vantaa.fi/isv/

International School of Helsinkihttp://ish.edu.hel.fi/

Voting

You have to be a citizen of Finland to beable to vote in the Finnish presidential orparliamentary elections. In the EU(European Union) parliamentary elections,citizens of other EU countries have the rightto vote in Finland. To be able to vote, youhave to be over 18 years old and to have aregistered municipality of residence(kotikunta) in Finland 51 days prior to theElection Day. You should contact your localregister office for registration. A prerequisitefor the right to vote is that you enrol with thevoting register in Finland. In local elections(kunnallisvaalit) citizens of other EU

countries and also citizens of other non-EUNordic Countries (i.e. Iceland and Norway)have the right to vote under the sameconditions as in the EU parliamentaryelections. In local elections, also otherresidents besides citizens have a right tovote, if the persons in question are over 18years old, have a registered municipality ofresidence 51 days prior to the Election Dayand have lived in Finland for the minimumof two years.For more information, please seehttp://www.vaalit.fi/en/index.html

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Climate and survival tips for winter

ClimateFinland’s climate is milder than that of manyother areas of the same latitude. However,owing to the humid atmosphere and seawinds, it always feels colder in Helsinki thanthe temperature might suggest. Althoughthe temperature may on some days exceedeven +30 degrees centigrade in thewarmest summer months, in southernFinland the long-term average is between14 and 18 degrees centigrade for July andbetween -6 and -13 degrees centigrade forFebruary.The annual precipitation in the south isabout 700 millimetres. The ground iscovered with snow three to five months inthe south and up to seven months in thenorth. The average depth of the snowvaries between twenty and eightycentimetres and lakes are frozen sixmonths a year. During the summer, it neverreally gets dark, and in the north, the sundoes not set. In the winter, the days are sixhours long in the south, and in the north,the sun cannot be seen for two months(kaamos).

Some survival tips for winter

ClothingDo not take chances with the winter cold!Warm winter clothing should not beconsidered a luxury. Seek advice fromthose familiar with the climate. Look forcomfort and simplicity in clothing.In order to withstand slush, snow, sleet andrain as well as the sand and salt used onicy sidewalks and roads, winter bootsshould be waterproof, warm, lightweightand stain repellent. Winter clothingessentials might include a down (orpolyester) coat or parka, mittens or gloves,a wool hat or earmuffs and long underwear.Dressing in "layers" is advisable, since youwill often move from well-heated buildingsinto the wet and cold and then back. InFinland all the houses have central heatingand warm water is available around theclock.

Wind chill factorTake into consideration the wind chill factor.High winds blowing on a cold day lower thetemperature even further and a temperatureof -20 degrees centigrade with a wind of 10kilometres per hour (that is quite normal forHelsinki) feels like -25 degrees. Ears,fingers, toes or cheeks that have beenexposed to freezing temperatures for evena short period may be severely damaged. Ifany part of your body should lack feeling orbecome pale or slightly blue, seek medicalhelp immediately. Helsinki is a windy city -round the year!

Food and shopping

Student cafeteriasThe cheapest meals in town are served inthe 19 student UniCafe restaurants run bythe Student Union. Show your Lyyra Cardto get the discount during the lunch timehours: normally between 10:30 am and2:30 pm (these might vary). Check theUniCafe website for updates and menus(ruokalistat): http://www.unicafe.fi/

See appendix E for a Menu and groceryguide.

· University Main Building, Yliopistonpäärakennus, Fabianinkatu 33

· Porthania, Yliopistonkatu 3· Olivia, Siltavuorenpenger 5· Valtiotiede, Unioninkatu 37

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· Rotunda, University Library,Unioninkatu 36

· Metsätalo, Fabianinkatu 39· Topelias, Unioninkatu 38· Ylioppilasaukio, Mannerheimintie 3B· Biokeskus, Viikinkaari 9· Chemicum, A.I. Virtasen aukio 1· Kookos, Haapaniemenkatu 6· Meilahti, Haartmaninkatu 3· Ruskeasuo, Kytösuontie 9

Food at reasonable pricesIn the shops mentioned below, you can buyfood and everyday goods at reasonableprices. Many shops are also open onSundays.

AlepaLimited selection, reasonable prices.

K-shops/CitymarketGood quality, reasonable prices: especiallyPirkka label products.

LidlGood quality, reasonable prices, not theregular Finnish selection.

S-Market/PrismaGood quality, reasonable prices: especiallyRainbow label products.

SiwaSmall local shops with limited selection,reasonable prices. Some Siwas are openalso on national holidays.

ValintataloLimited selection, reasonable prices.

Many others: look around!

Delicacies and special foodsStockmann’s Food DepartmentAleksanterinkatu 52Excellent selection, occasional bargains.

“The Kallio Bazaar”The Hämeentie area of the Kallio District isknown for its range of ethnic food stores.Some of them are listed on the followingwebage:http://www.lintulaakso.net/kallionbasaari/luettelo.php

Behnford’sWTC Plaza (Keskuskatu 6)U.S. and U.K imports and others: Vegemiteand Marmite available!

Tax free purchasesIf you plan to study in Finland for a shortertime and would like to save money on someof your larger purchases, you can buy itemstax-free at most department stores andsome shops (Look for a "tax free fortourists" sticker on the door!). If you presenta foreign passport, you will receive a slip,which will entitle you to a percentage refundupon leaving the country. Remember thatthe customs officials may ask you toproduce the sealed items you declare forreimbursement.

Clothing and furnitureHere you can find tips for finding clothing toget through the three cold seasons (and thewarm one, too). Furniture for reasonableprices can be bought at second hand shopsand flea markets. Good palces to start arethe Recycling Centre (kierrätyskeskus)service points; you can find them online atwww.kierratyskeskus.fi

There are also two Ikea stores nearHelsinki in Espoo and Vantaa, for contactinformation and instructions on how to getthere, see http://www.ikea.com/fi/ >Services in English.

For one-stop shopping, check out theshopping centres in Helsinki and thesurrounding area.

Clothing and other things at reasonableprices

TarjoustaloNot the latest fashion, but cheap. Also sellshousehold items.Vilhonkatu 5 (Kaisaniemi)Hämeentie 111 (Arabia)Turunlinnantie 4 (Itäkeskus)

AnttilaReasonably priced fashion and householditems.Salomonkatu 13 (Kamppi)Itäkatu 3-5 (Itäkeskus)

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SeppäläReasonably priced fashion.Keskuskatu 1 BMannerhiemintie 20 (Forum)

KappAhlReasonably priced fashion.Aleksanterinkatu 21Mannerheimintie 20 (Forum)

H&MReasonably priced fashion.Aleksanterinkatu 48Mannerheimintie 20 (Forum)

There are dozens of others! Talk with yourfellow students to find the best places toshop for clothes. Look for sales!

Department stores in the centre

StockmannAleksanterinkatu 52, especially onthe”Crazy Days” (Hullut päivät) in Octoberand April.

City SokosMannerheimintie 9

Shopping centres in the Helsinki area

ForumMannerheimintie 20 (Helsinki)

KamppiUrho Kekkosen katu 1 (Helsinki)

ItäkeskusItäkatu 1-7 (Helsinki)

JumboVantaanportinkatu 3 (Vantaa)

SelloLeppävaarankatu 3-9 (Espoo)

Iso OmenaPiispansilta 11 (Espoo)

Second hand shops and flea markets

Helsingin kirpputoritOn this webpage are listed 80 flea marketsall over Helsinki. A map is also available.http://www.kirpputorihaku.com/kirpputori/helsinki

UFFhttp://www.uff.fi/Fredrikinkatu 36Hämeentie 4Iso Roobertinkatu 4-6Mannerheimintie 104Runeberginkatu 4 CTurunlinnantie 12

Hietalahti flea marketAt the west end of Bulevardi. Almostanything at reasonable prices, outdoors onthe market square.

Salvation Army Flea MarketPelastusarmeijan kirpputorihttp://www.pelastusarmeija.fiHelsinkiKoulutanhua 6Malminraitti 1Mannerheimintie 90VantaaLiesikuja 1Itäinen Valkoisenlähteentie 15 (outlet fleamarket)

Recycling Centre(Clothes, furniture and other stuff)Kierrätyskeskushttp://www.kierratyskeskus.fi/Kyläsaarenkatu 8 (Large things!)Lönnrotinkatu 45Matinpurontie 8 (Espoo)Hosantie 2 (Vantaa)

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Libraries and cultural centres

Helsinki Metropolitan Area LibrariesThe extensive services and collections ofHelsinki Metropolitan Area Libraries areavailable to everyone and free of charge.The libraries form together the HelMetlibrary network consisting of all the publiclibraries in the capital region. Customershave access to both national andinternational library networks and can veryoften find materials unavailable, reserved orin use in the university libraries. You arenever far from a public library; apart fromthe main library in Itä-Pasila, there arenearly 40 branch libraries in Helsinki alone.

Library ServicesTo obtain a HelMet Library card and userID, you need a valid identification card withyour photograph and date of birth. Inaddition, you need to give your address inFinland. A HelMet Library Card can beused for borrowing books and othermaterials from the Helsinki, Espoo,Kauniainen and Vantaa City Libraries.

In addition to lending books, publiclibrary services include information retrieval,newspapers and magazines, audio books,language cassettes and CDs, DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, console games, video cassettes,sheet music, recordings as well as e-books.

The City Library has more than onehundred thousand books in English andsubscribes to over 200 newspapers andmagazines in English. Items may also beborrowed through the interlibrary lendingservice, if they are not available in anyHelMet Library or in the scientific andspecial libraries in the capital region. Inaddition to free-of-charge workstations, youhave access to several Finnish or foreigndatabases online. For opening hours andfurther information, see the web page ofHelsinki Metropolitan Area Libraries,http://www.helmet.fi/en-US

Virtual libraryYou can also use library services on theWeb. From the websitehttp://www.helmet.fi you have access tothe catalogue database of books and othermaterials. You can search for information;reserve items and renew your loans.

Helmet Web Library is also available viamobile phones.

Pasila Library, main libraryRautatieläisenkatu 8, Itä-PasilaEntrance from Kellosilta 9http://www.helmet.fi/pasilalibrary

The collection contains books, newspapersand magazines in several languagesincluding more than twenty thousand booksin English. As the Multilingual Library inFinland, the library has books in over sixtylanguages. The book stacks of HelMetLibraries are situated in Helsinki MainLibrary. Workstations for using internetemail and other software are also available,as well as a wireless net connection.

Rikhardinkatu LibraryRikhardinkatu 3For opening hours and more, please see:http://www.helmet.fi/en-US/Libraries_and_services/Rikhardinkatu_Library

The library contains a British Collection withmaterial about Great Britain and its culture.This collection is a donation from the formerBritish Council Library. In addition, thelibrary's specialities include a largeselection of Swedish fiction and books onthe arts. The library also has a largecollection of fiction and other material froma multitude of other countries.

Library 10Elielinaukio 2 GMain Post Officehttp://www.helmet.fi/library10

The Library 10 is a combination of musicand IT. The Library 10 has a collection ofover 40 000 music recordings and a widearray of music books, sheet music andvideos. The library also has magazines andnewspapers in English, books on IT,publishing and media, and a countries andtravel area. The library’s well-equippedcustomer workstations can be used inprocessing images, sounds as well asvideos. Also using your own laptop in the

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library is easy. Wireless network andperipherals on loan such as scanners andheadphones enable a customer to build aworkplace according to one’s needs. In addition to traditional library services,Library 10 offers many new services to itspatrons. In the Audio-editing and Rehearsalrooms, one can practice or record music.The Stage functions as a venue for culturalperformances, discussions, and otherexhibits.

Library of the ParliamentEduskunnan kirjasto

Aurorankatu 6FI-00102 Eduskuntalibrary@parliament.fihttp://www.parliament.fi/librarywww.facebook.com/Eduskunnankirjastowww.twitter.com/Edarifi

The Library of Parliament not only servesthe Parliament but also serves anyone whoneeds information concerning Parliament,law or society. The collections includedomestic and foreign literature in the fieldsof law, social sciences and parliaments aswell as materials on the European Unionand the United Nations, the Council ofEurope, the OECD and other internationalorganisations. The Archive of Parliament ispart of the Library of Parliament. Electronicinformation resources are available via theLibrary’s website.

Centre for International Mobility(CIMO)Kansainvälisen liikkuvuuden ja yhteistyönkeskus CIMO

P.O. Box 34300531 HelsinkiTel. +358 295 338 500http://www.cimo.fi (CIMO)http://www.studyinfinland.fi/cimoinfo@cimo.fi

Are you interested in pursuing highereducation studies or practical training inFinland? Do you wish to know more aboutscholarship opportunities in Finland?CIMO's web service www.studyinfinland.ficontains a database of English-languagedegree and non-degree programmes,information about Finland as a study

destination, our higher educationinstitutions, and practicalities concerningscholarships, admissions systems andliving in Finland.

CIMO operates under the FinnishMinistry of Education. It administersscholarship and exchange programmes andis responsible for implementing EUeducation, training, culture and youthprogrammes at national level in Finland.CIMO also promotes and organisesinternational trainee exchanges. In addition,CIMO advances teaching of Finnishlanguage and culture in universities abroad.

Please note that in order to apply fortrainee exchange programmes in Finlandyou have to contact the appropriate contactorganisation in your home country. Pleasedo not hesitate to contact CIMO'sInformation Services by telephone or e-mailfor more information.

Fulbright CenterHakaniemenranta 600530 HelsinkiTel. +358 44 5535 286office@fulbright.fihttp://www.fulbright.fi/

Information service Tietosilta is open forvisitors by appointment.

The Fulbright Center offers severalscholarship programs for Finnish and U.S.citizens for study, research andprofessional opportunities in the UnitedStates and Finland, and providesinformation and advising on studying in theUnited States and Canada.

Deutsche BibliothekGerman Library

Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 700130 HelsinkiTel. 09-669 363, fax 654 010deutsche.bibliothek@kolumbus.fihttp://www.deutsche-bibliothek.org/

For up-to-date opening hours, please seethe website of the Deutsche Bibliothek.

The German library has an extensivecollection with volumes on Germanlanguage literature, linguistics and study ofliterature and the history and geography of

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the German speaking countries. In addition,Deutsche Bibliothek has a Germanlanguage Fennica collection.

Institut FrançaisFrench Cultural Institute

French Institute of FinlandKaapelitehdas C 2Tallberginkatu 1 C 135FI-00180 HELSINKITel. 09-2510 210kirjasto@france.fihttp://www.france.fi/

For up-to-date opening hours, please seethe website of the French Institute ofFinland.

The Institut français de Finlande offersa wide range of French courses for alllevels and organises the internationalFrench language tests and diplomas TCF,DELF and DALF. The Centre also has alibrary and houses the Campus Franceagency that gives advice on studying inFrance.

Istituto Italiano di CulturaItalian Cultural Institute

Vuorimiehenkatu 11 B (Office)Ullankatu 3 A 2 (Library)00140 HelsinkiTel. 09-68113321, fax 68113333iichelsinki@esteri.ithttp://www.iichelsinki.esteri.it

For up-to-date opening hours, please seethe website of the Italian Cultural Institute.

The Italian Cultural Institute offers a widerange of Italian courses for all levels.Furthermore, it gives information aboutstudying in Italy. The Institute also has alibrary.

Russian Centre of Science andCultureNordenskiöldinkatu 100250 HelsinkiTel. 09-436 0040, fax 09-444 784helsinki@ruscentre.orghttp://fin.rs.gov.ru

For up-to-date opening hours, please seethe website of the Russian Centre.

The Russian Scientific and Cultural Centreoffers information on various aspects oftoday’s Russian life. It also organizescultural and scientific exhibitions, concertsetc. The Russian Centre of Science andCulture also has a library and offerslanguage courses for students of all levels.

CaisaInternational Cultural CentreHelsingin kansainvälinenkulttuurikeskus

Caisa is an International Cultural Centre inthe heart of Helsinki. Caisa's main goal is tosupport the multicultural development of thecity by promoting the interaction of peoplefrom various cultures, and by providinginformation to all its visitors about differentcultures as well as about Finnish society.Caisa organises events open to the public,such as cultural festivities and evenings,discussion forums, exhibitions andconcerts. Caisa also provides for its visitorsfree access to the Internet in the Caisa's IT-workroom.

Entrance via Mikonkatu 17 C or Vuorikatu14 or Kaisaniemi metro stationPostal address P.O. Box 4771, 00099Helsinki CityTel. 09-310 37500 (information)Fax 09-310 37511caisa.tiedotus@hel.fiwww.caisa.fi/

Mon-Fri 9:00am - 6:00pm and duringevents

Please also check out INFOPANKKI atwww.infopankki.fi, a web-based service,which provides information and links in 15languages to most areas of life in Finland.

FamiliaMulti-cultural Association Familia Club Ry

Open on weekdays from 9:00am to 4:00pm,Familia offers a unique opportunity to meetpeople from different parts of the world andlearn about various cultures and customs.The club arranges club nights, courses (e.g.Finnish language courses), Play Groups forChildren, cultural evenings, discussiongroups, group outings etc.

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Monikulttuuriyhdistys Familia Club ryYrjönkatu 29 A, 4th floor00100 HelsinkiTel. 09-738 628familia@familiaclub.fiwww.familiaclub.fi

Leisure activities

CheckFor what’s going on in the City of Helsinki:www.helsinki.fi/eng/For various attractions:www.visitfinland.comFor Finnish Art:http://www.fng.fi/frontpage

Tourist and traveller information

Helsinki city tourist & convention bureauPohjoisesplanadi 19Tel. 09-3101 3300Mon-Fri 9-18, Sat-Sun 10-16tourist.info@hel.fiwww.visithelsinki.fi

Espoo tourist informationKeskustorni 10th floor, TapiolaTel. 09-8164 7230tourist@espoo.fihttp://www.visitespoo.fi/

Visiting adress: Tapiola Citizen's Office,Espoo Cultural Centre, Kulttuuriaukio,02100 Espoo

Vantaa tourist information

Tikkurila Citizen's OfficeRatatie 7, Tikkurila01300 Vantaa,Tel. +358 9 8392 2133tikkurila.yhteispalvelu@vantaa.fihttp://www.vantaa.fi/en/tourism

Myyrmäki Citizen's OfficeMyyrmäkitalo Kilterinraitti 6,01600 Vantaatel. +358 9 8393 5455myyrmaki.yhteispalvelu@vantaa.fihttp://www.vantaa.fi/en/tourism

ConcertsThere are two major event sitesLippupalvelu and Tiketti that provide youwith tickets for concerts, summer festivals,entertainment, cultural events and sportingevents in the city. You must register formembership to reserve tickets on-line. Youcan see the monthly programme availableat teir webpages. Show your Lyyra card forpossible student discounts.

Lippupalvelu: www.lippupalvelu.fi

Tiketti: www.tiketti.fi/

Lippupiste www.lippu.fi

TheatresKansallisteatteriFinnish National TheatreLäntinen Teatterikuja 1Tel. 010 733 1331 (tickets)www.kansallisteatteri.fi

Helsingin KaupunginteatteriHelsinki City TheatreEnsi linja 2(tickets from Lippupiste)www.hkt.fi

Svenska TeaternSwedish-speaking TheatreNorra Esplanaden 2Tel. 09-6162 1411 (tickets)www.svenskateatern.fi

Lilla TeaternPlays mostly in SwedishEriksgatan 2Tel. 09-3940 310 (tickets)www.hkt.fi/lillateatern/

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KOM-teatteriKOM TheatreKapteeninkatu 26(Tickets from Lippupalvelu)www.kom-teatteri.fi

RyhmäteatteriGroup TheatrePengerkatu 11 and Helsinginkatu 25(Tickets from Lippupalvelu)www.ryhmateatteri.fi

YlioppilasteatteriStudent TheatreAleksanterinkatu 23Tel. 045 348 1555 (tickets)www.ylioppilasteatteri.fi

Q-TeatteriQ-TheatreTunturikatu 16Tel. 09-4542 1333www.q-teatteri.fi

This list is by no means exhaustive. Formore information on theatre performancesin Helsinki and elsewhere in Finland, pleasesee www.tinfo.fi

OperaFinnish National OperaHelsinginkatu 58Tel. 4030 2211 (tickets)www.ooppera.fi

Museums and art exhibitionsHelsinki City MuseumSofiankatu 4 (Office)Tel. 09-310 36630www.hel.fi/hki/Museo/en/Etusivu

Helsinki City Museum has various divisionsat different addresses with varying openinghours (see the Museum’s website fordetails and opening hours), such as:· Burgher’s House· City Museum· Hakasalmi Villa· Sederholm House· Tram Museum· Tuomarinkylä Manor Museum· Worker Housing Museum

The admission to all museums andexhibitions of the Helsinki City Museum isfree.

Helsinki Art Museumwww.taidemuseo.fi/

The Helsinki City Art Museum hasexhibition space in the Tennis Palace(Tennispalatsi) and in the Meilahti Museum.In addition to holding exhibitions, theMuseum operates as the regional artmuseum for Uusimaa, maintains the KluuviGallery and looks after and augments theCity of Helsinki’s art collections. Thesecollections also include the city’s publicworks of art.

Art Museum MeilahtiTamminiementie 6Tel. 09-310 87031

Art Museum Tennis PalaceSalomonkatu 15Tel. 09-310 87001

For up-to-date opening hours, please seethe website of Helsingin taidemuseo.

Public ArtThere are about four hundred outdoorsculptures, environmental works andhistorical monuments in Helsinki. Theoldest works date from the late 19thCentury, and there are some individualmonuments of an even earlier provenance.

National Museum of FinlandMannerheimintie 34Tel. +358 40 128 6469 (ticket office)kansallismuseo@nba.fiwww.nba.fi/en/nationalmuseum

Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, Mon closed

The museum presents Finnish life fromprehistoric times to the present.

Amos Anderson Art MuseumYrjönkatu 27Tel. 09-684 4460museum@amosanderson.fihttp://www.amosanderson.fi/

For up-to-date opening hours, please seethe website of Amos Anderson

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The Amos Anderson Art Museumspecialises in 20th century Finnish art. Italso arranges a large number of exhibitionson special themes, covering bothcontemporary and more traditional art. Mostof the dozen or so special exhibitions heldevery year concern the visual arts, butapplied arts and cultural history are alsocovered.

Finnish national gallerywww.fng.fi/

The Finnish National Gallery is the largestart museum organisation in Finland and anational cultural institution. The main unitsof the organisation are the Ateneum ArtMuseum, the Museum of Contemporary ArtKiasma, the Sinebrychoff Art Museum, andthe Central Art Archives.

Ateneum – Museum of Finnish ArtKaivokatu 2Tel. +358 294 500 401www.ateneum.fi/

Ateneum houses large collections of bothold and modern art. The Art Museum of theAteneum includes Finnish art from the 18thcentury to the 1960s as well as foreignworks of art from the latter half of the 19th

century to the 1960s (van Gogh, Gauguin,Munch, etc.)

Sinebrychoff – Museum of ArtBulevardi 40Tel. +358 (0)294 500 460www.sinebrychoffintaidemuseo.fi/

Kiasma - Museum of Contemporary ArtMannerheiminaukio 2Tel. +358 294 500 200www.kiasma.fi/

Central Art ArchivesKaivokatu 2tel. +358 294 500 200www.fng.fi/

The Central Art Archives is a diverseinformation centre for visual arts thatcollects and stores materials related toFinnish visual arts in particular.

For up-to-date opening hours of the units ofthe The Finnish National Gallery, pleasesee their respective websites.

Finnish Science Centre HeurekaTiedepuisto 1Tel. 09-85 799Tikkurila (Vantaa)www.heureka.fi/

Opening hours vary; please see thecentre’s website for up-to-date information.

What else?For more information on smaller and uniquemuseums, contact the Helsinki City Tourist& Convention Bureau, Pohjoisesplanadi 19(see above). There are excellent museumsalso in Espoo, Järvenpää, Kerava, Tuusulaand Vantaa. For more information, contactthe local tourist offices. For suggestions,see http://www.museot.fi/

MoviesAll films are shown in the original languagewith Finnish and/or Swedish subtitles. Themajority of films are foreign with a highpercentage of Hollywood features. A weeklyprogramme is available in every cinema.Prices vary from 8.50 to 14.50 euro.Matinee showings tend to be cheaper.

Finnkino – the largest chain of moviethreatres in Finland, several locations in theHelsinki Region http://www.finnkino.fi/

OrionEerikinkatu 15https://kavi.fi/fi/ohjelmisto

A movie threatre run by the NationalAudiovisual Archive that screensindependent and classic films in theiroriginal language, open Tue-Sun. Ticketscan be bought from the box office or online.The box office opens a half an hour beforethe first show.

Kino EngelSofiankatu 4http://cinemamondofi.virtualserver25.hosting.fi/

A movie theatre run by Cinema Mondo thatscreens films from around the world. As a

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speciality there are outdoor shows duringsummer time.

Dubrovnik & KinoEerikinkatu 11Tel. 0201751620http://andorra.fi/

Movie theartres run by the Andorra Cultureand Entertainment Center are used formovie showings during most of the moviefestivals and events in Helsinki.

This list is by no means exhaustive. Formore information on movie threatres inHelsinki area search online.

Movie FestivalsThere are several movies festivals andclubs in the Helsinki Region through out theyear. Below is a list of the largest ones andyou can search online for more options!

Rakkautta ja AnarkiaaLove and Anarchy is an international moviefestival that seeks to screen films thatwould otherwise not be seen in Finnishtheatres. http://hiff.fi/en/

DocPointDocPoint Helsinki is one of the largestdocumentary film festivals in the Nordiccountries. In Finland, it is the only festivalsolely dedicated to documentary films.http://docpoint.info/en

Espoo CineThe Espoo Cine International Film Festivalis concentrated on new European movieswith yearly around 100 movies on show.http://www.espoocine.fi/2013/index

Season Film festivalSeason is an international movie festivalthat holds a special place for films with afocus on women’s issues, femalefilmmakers and actresses, as well as filmsthat question gender roles as a whole.Season also includes the Fashion FilmFestival which shows a wide range ofmovies for fashion lovers.http://www.seasonfilmfestival.fi/

CINEMANIA is your guide to the wideranging film festivals and movie events inthe Capital Region. You can see variousmovie events on their webpages and likeCINEMANIA on Facebook. The printedguide is also in free distribution in libraries,bars and cultural venues around Helsinki.http://www.cinemania.fi/english/

Outdoors activitiesVast areas of forest and waterways as wellas traditional public rights of access provideexcellent opportunities for enjoying thegreat outdoors. The term "public rights ofaccess" refers to specific rights everyonehas when moving about no matter whoowns the land in question.

Everybody has the right to· Walk, ski or cycle freely in the

countryside, except in gardens, in theimmediate vicinity of people’s homes,and in fields and plantations whichcould easily be damaged.

· Stay or set up camp temporarily in thecountryside, a reasonable distancefrom homes.

· Pick wild berries, mushrooms, andflowers, as long as they are notprotected species.

· Fish with rod and line.· Row, sail or use a motorboat on

waterways, with certain restrictions;swim or wash in inland waters and thesea.

· Walk, ski and fish on frozen lakes,rivers and the sea.

It is forbidden to· Disturb other people or damage

property.· Disturb breeding birds, or their nests or

young.· Disturb reindeer or game animals.· Cut down or damage living trees, or

collect wood, moss or lichen on otherpeople’s property.

· Light open fires on other people’sproperty, except in an emergency.

· Disturb the privacy of people’s homes,by camping too near them, or makingtoo much noise, for example.

· Leave litter.· Drive motor vehicles off road without

the landowner’s permission.

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· Fish or hunt without the relevantpermits.

Related sites

Collection of sports and outdoorsopportunities in Helsinkihttp://www.hel.fi/www/helsinki/en

The green areas of Helsinkihttp://www.hel.fi/hki/HKR/en/Green+areas

Outdoor recreation in Helsinkiwww.hel.fi/hki/liv/en/Recreation

Outdoors recreation in Espoohttp://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Culture_and_sport/Outdoor_Recreation

Everyman’s rights in Finlandhttp://www.outdoors.fi/hikinginfinland/rightsandregulations/Pages/Default.aspx

Restaurants and coffee shopsIn Helsinki, there are hundreds ofrestaurants licensed to sell alcohol as wellas dozens of coffee shops. The restaurantsrange from small, intimate eating stops toconference and congress centres andcrowded pubs. Bar and restaurant guideslist some choices, but ask for local adviceor wander around and you may find placesfar more fascinating than those listed.Tipping is not common in Finnishrestaurants and nightclubs, although it isstandard that cloakroom attendants expect2 to 5 euro for taking your coat.

Eat.fiA good way to locate restaurants andcoffee shops is to use the eat.fi websitewhich offers information of almost all therestaurants in Helsinki area. On the site youcan find contact informations of restaurants,locations on map and reviews by othercustomers http://eat.fi/en/helsinki

Restaurant dayRestaurant Day originated in Helsinki, inMay 2011 and it happens four times a year,about every three months. On RestaurantDay anyone can set up a restaurant, café ora bar for a day. It can be anywhere: at your

home, at the office, on a street corner, inyour garden or inner courtyard, at a park, oron the beach – only your imagination is thelimit! More information about RestaurantDay online http://www.restaurantday.org/

RefreshmentsAll alcoholic beverages, except mediumstrength alcohols (max. 4.7% alc.), are soldexclusively in ALKO shops. Mild alcoholicbeverages (wines and strong beer andcider) are sold to 18-year-olds, but to buyspirits you have to be 20. Be prepared toshow your ID. Alcohol in Finland is eitherquite or extremely expensive (dependingwhere you come from…). However Alko’sselections are very wide, the service veryprofessional and you can for example findhigh quality imported wines and beers thatyou might not find anywhere else. Moreinformation at Alko webpageshttp://www.alko.fi/

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Appendix A: From student to students: TSEMPPI’ssurvival guide for new international students and

researchers

The following is a guide to the things youwill need to do before and after you arrive inHelsinki. It was written by members ofTsemppi, the organization forinternationally-minded students andresearchers. We hope this gives you usefulinformation about living and studying inHelsinki, and we look forward to seeing youat our events offered all year round. Please note that you should also checkthe university’s studying pages as theyprovide you with official and essentialinformation about other matters whenstarting your studies at the University ofHelsinki. There are also several usefulmanuals, which you may have receivedduring Orientation Week. You can also findsome useful resources on the University ofHelsinki Orientation website:www.helsinki.fi/orientation.

Things to do before you arrive:

1. Find TSEMPPI on facebook andVisit our blogMoving to another country and starting yourstudies at a new university is a greatadventure, but you might face somechallenges on the way. Remember, you'renot alone! There have been others whohave gone through the same process asyou; they can provide support and help youget settled in!

We at Tsemppi help new internationalstudents adjust to life in Finland andinvolved at the university as quickly andsmoothly as possible. There are also otherpeople and institutions that provideassistance, from your study coordinator, tothe student union and other studentorganizations. While you might get to knowthem in time, we're here to help with anyproblems you might have from thebeginning! You can get the latest updatesabout what's going on with Tsemppi andTsemppi PhD through our Facebookgroups:

Tsemppi:http://www.facebook.com/groups/Tsemppi/Tsemppi PhD:http://www.facebook.com/groups/TsemppiPhD/

The ‘Tsemppi’ group is intended for all,and the ‘Tsemppi PhD’ group concentratesmore on doctoral students and postdocresearchers. You can also find informationabout us on our official blog:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/tsemppi-hy/

2. Arrange housingThe Foundation for Student Housing in theHelsinki Region (HOAS) owns quite a bit ofreal estate in the Helsinki area. They offeraffordable housing to students, includingsingle/shared/family apartments and studioflats.

Note: You should do this as early aspossible! It may take some time for HOASto find accommodations for you, and theywork on a first come first serve basis. Formore information about their apartmentsand the application process, go to theHOAS website: http://www.hoas.fi

While HOAS is by far your best bet, it isalso possible to find apartments on theprivate market. You can either sublet froman individual apartment owner, or rent froma rental agency. Contract length and termsdepend on particular agreements. You'llfind both open-ended month-to-month andlonger term one or two year contracts. Butbeware! It can be very difficult to findhousing on the private market. Mostapartments in Finland are owner-occupiedand the Helsinki market is extremelycompetitive!

Another very convenient option is tolook for a room in a shared apartment. Ifyou are looking for a room to rent or aflatmate to share the costs of a bigger flatjoin the Facebook group for studentapartments:https://www.facebook.com/groups/112489548797522/

Appendix A

Remember that if you are offered a place torent, DON’T TURN IT DOWN thinking thatyou will probably find something better; inall likelihood, you will not find another placeright away and having a roof is essential ina country where temperatures get wellbelow zero in the winter.

3. Mandatory health insuranceHealth insurance is now mandatory forinternational students, for more informationabout exactly what type of insurance isrequired for you, check the following link:http://www.helsinki.fi/newstudents/insurance.html

4. Get your student ID cardWith the official student card you’ll be ableto prove your student status whenever it isneeded. For example, you'll need to show itto get student discounts in numerous shopsand businesses in Finland. It also serves asyour library card and provides a convenientpayment system for the UniCafe studentcafeterias. You'll be using it a lot, so besure to order one! You can order your cardfrom the student service website:https://elisalompakko.fi/lyyra/

Keep in mind that there are thousandsof students ordering the card once thesemester has started and make sure toorder it as soon as you have paid thestudent union’s membership fee. Being amember of the student union is notmandatory if you are an exchange studentor PhD student, but it brings many benefits,not the least health care in the studentunion’s health services (for all except PhDstudents, sorry!), which is definitely a bigplus.

You'll need to have paid the studentunion's membership fee, and submit adigital photograph. The card costs about 15euros and you’ll need internet banking orVisa/MasterCard to pay for it.

The cards will be ready in late-September/early-October. Once your cardis ready (they will send you an email to letyou know), you can pick it up from theStudent Union's central office in the NewStudent House (Finnish: Uusi ylioppilastaloor just Uusi), Mannerheimintie 5A, 2ndfloor. More information about the card andhow to use it can be found at:http://myfrank.fi

5. Pack warm clothesThe average temperature in Helsinki inSeptember is between 8 and 15 degreesCelsius - and it only gets colder from there!But no worries, there are plenty of storeswhere you can buy warm clothes, second-hand and new. And of course, it is notalways cold! Summer in Helsinki might beshort, but it is warm and beautiful. Moreinformation about the weather in Helsinkican be found on the English pages of theFinnish Meteorological Institute:http://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/.

Things to do once you arrive inHelsinki:

1. Get a Finnish identification numberForeigners planning on staying in Finlandfor more than one year need to register withthe Local Register Office (Maistraatti) (seecontact informations on pages 56 - 57).Aside from being a legal requirement,registering will give you a Finnish IDnumber (Finnish: Henkilötunnus). You willneed this number for most of the paperworkyou will have to fill out once in Finland, sobe sure to do this as soon as possible afterarriving. You can find your local office onthe Maistraatti website:www.maistraatti.fi/en

For non-EU/EEA citizens:- Bring your passport (with your valid visa ifyou are from outside the European Union)and your new address in Finland (so thisshould be done after you have arrangedhousing). If you're coming with your familybring your marriage certificate and the birthcertificates of your children.- Go to your respective Maistraatti(population registration office) (see contactinformations on pages 56 - 57). Fill out, signand hand in the form labelled "TheRegistration Information of a Foreigner"(Finnish: Ulkomaalaisen Rekisteröinti-ilmoitus). People there speak English, so donot hesitate to ask them in case somequestion arises.- Fill out, sign, and hand in the form labelled"Notification of Moving/of Change ofAddress" (Finnish: Muuttoilmoitus).- Remember the ID number they give you.You will need this number frequently duringyour stay in Finland.

Appendix A

Citizens of Nordic countries:Citizens of Nordic countries do not need avisa or a residence permit to live in Finland,but you must register your stay in localregistration office Maistraatti if you are stayfor longer than six months. You shouldnotify the office as soon as possible in orderto receive a Finnish ID number.

For European Union nationals:- Go to the Immigration Police Offices(Pasilanraitio 11, Länsi-Pasila, PoliceBuilding 2) and register your right ofresidence. They have a queue dedicatedexclusively for EU citizens from Monday tillFriday between 12:40 and 3:15 pm. Youhave three months to do this, but as youneed to be registered in order to get a lot ofother stuff done (getting the studentdiscount for public transport mostimportantly), do it as early as possible!Take a valid ID card, your enrolment oracceptance letter from the university andmoney to pay the registration fee with you.- After having done that (do not forget totake proof that you registered your right ofresidence with you), follow the steps above(i.e., Maistraatti visit).

2. Get a Helsinki travel cardTo avoid unnecessarily high transportationcosts, it's important to get a Helsinki travelcard as soon as possible. There is areduced rate for Helsinki residents, as wellas for students (though the latter doesn’tapply to doctoral students).

You will receive a special form with auniversity stamp at the Welcoming Fair.Take this to the Helsinki Region Transport(HSL, Helsingin Seudun Liikenne) servicepoint under the main railway station. Bringyour passport, and if you already have it,proof of your registration in the populationsystem and your Finnish ID number. Inorder to get the travel card, you need to livein Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kirkkonummi,Sipoo or Kerava. When you go to get yourcard you’ll need to have a valid address inone of these cities. The card costs 5 euros.

If you plan to travel regularly outside ofHelsinki city limits, and want to pay withtime, you should ask for regional (seutu)time when loading your card. It's moreexpensive, but you will need this option ifyou live in Espoo or Vantaa. If you are

using money instead of time, press number2 to buy a single ticket for the whole region.As a rule of thumb, if you take public transitto school each day then paying by time is amuch better deal, but if you mostly walk tothe university then it may make more senseto load money onto your card and only payper use. For more transportation relatedinformation check out the Helsinki RegionTransport (www.hsl.fi) and the publictransit Journey Planner (www.reittiopas.fi).

3. Get a bank accountOnce you have your Finnish ID number,you should apply for a bank account assoon as possible, as electronic paymentsare used heavily (read: almost solely) inFinland. You will find banks throughoutdowntown, the largest being Nordea(www.nordea.fi), Danske Bank(www.danskebank.fi) and Osuuspankki(www.osuuspankki.fi). For moreinformation see page 75.

Most often when you open a basicchecking account, the bank will provide youwith a Visa-Electron card – a debit card youcan use to access your account atbusinesses in Finland and a few otherEuropean countries.

4. Get a mobile phoneIn Finland your phone and your operatorcontract are separate, so you buy your ownphone and are generally free to movebetween operators at will. If you are notbringing a mobile phone with you, you'll findmany places to buy phones throughoutdowntown, for example in the shoppingcomplex around the Old Student House(Finnish: Vanha Ylioppilastalo). Be sure toalso ask about used phones. You shouldbrowse the different operators for the bestcontract deals. If you don’t already have aphone, many operators offer package dealsthat include a phone. You can check thewebsites of the main mobile phoneoperators in Finland:- Telia-Sonera: www.sonera.fi- DNA-Finland: www.dna.fi- Saunalahti: www.saunalahti.fi- Elisa: www.elisa.fiAnother option is to buy a prepaid SIMcard. R-Kioski shops sell a variety ofprepaid cards; it's worth taking a bit of timeand talking to the shop-keeper about the

Appendix A

different cards (DNA, Elisa, etc), since theycharge different rates per minute..

5. Stock your fridgeMost grocery stores in Finland belong

to one of two large retailing cooperations.The S-group operates a number of supermarkets in and around Helsinki: Alepa (asmall store with long opening hours), S-markets (slightly larger), and Prisma (the S-group's hypermarket). The other mainretailing group is the K-group. They operateK-markets of all sizes - from one to four Ks,indicating the size of the store. Aquadruple-K market is also known as aCityMarket. The K-group also operates themore general department store Anttila.

A good option for cheap toiletries andhousehold supplies is Tarjoustalo (“SaleHouse”), which is located in the ItäkeskusShopping Centre and in the Kaisaniemimetro station. If you would like to buy rarefoods and delicacies, visit StockmannHerkku under Stockmann, which is ratherpricy but a high quality place. The areaaround Sörnäinen (two metro stops eastfrom Kaisaniemi) has a good selection ofshops for ethnic groceries. For lower pricesand slightly different selection of food, Lidlis also a good option, located for examplein Kamppi and Sörnäinen.

6. Health careThe Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS,or YTHS in Finnish) covers allundergraduate and graduate students,including exchange students (provided theyare members of the student union), whohave a valid student card, which entitlesyou to care from the Finnish Student HealthService. Unfortunately, doctoral studentsare not covered. Most basic healthrequirements, including dental care, areoffered. You will have to pay a smalldeductible for many of the services. Formore information about health careservices, locations, and coverage, checkthe FSHS website: www.fshs.fi/en.

Emergency treatment and hospital careare not covered, and we recommend thatyou obtain additional coverage for these.Students from EU/EEA countries andSwitzerland should bring a EuropeanHealth Card or an E106 form, proving thatthey are covered by the health care systemof their own country. They will then be

entitled to the same health care benefits asFinnish citizens. Students from outside theEU/EAA need to have private healthinsurance.

7. Apply for a KELA cardIf studying is not the only reason you'vecome to Finland (for example, if you have afamily, a job contract of more than fourmonths, or you have Finnish citizenship),you should apply for a KELA card, whichentitles you to many different benefits, fromcommunity health care to (in some cases)monthly study allowances. For eligibilityrequirements and benefit details, checktheir website: www.kela.fi

8. Sign up for Finnish classesSome faculties might require you tocomplete a certain number of credits ofFinnish language studies. Even if theydon’t, Finnish is crucial if you eventuallydecide to seek work in Finland. We’re notkidding -- without Finnish language skills,finding even a part-time job is can be amajor challenge! Registration usually takesplace during the first two weeks ofSeptember and the courses are dividedbetween different types of students(exchange, International Master’s students,etc.). Check the web pages of the facultyfor more information:http://www.helsinki.fi/fus/studying/finnishforinternationalstudents.html

Please note that, generally, you have togo to the Department of Finnish (5th floor ofthe Main Building) and register for Finnishclasses by adding your name to the list ofthe different Finnish classes that areoffered. Even though it might be possible tojoin a Finnish class even without havingregistered beforehand, it is stronglyrecommended to do so as classes fill upquickly and those having registered aregiven priority over those simply showing upto first class.

If you miss the registration period, or ifall the classes are full, it should still bepossible to make some arrangements.Degree students are usually given prioritywhen registering for Finnish classesrequired for their degree. A good idea is justto go to the class anyway and try your luck,since there are always a number of peoplewho don’t show up or drop out.

Appendix A

9. Get the most out of the orientationweekAttend the mandatory Orientation Coursefor new international students (at the end ofAugust or the beginning of September -your welcome pack will have more detailedinfo about the time and place). Although thecourse is intended for undergraduate/graduate students, doctoral students new toFinland may also find it worthwhile. Thecourse provides you with valuableinformation about all the official proceduresat the University, and where to go if youneed help finding more information. Notonly that, but you get credits for attending,which in some of the Master degrees isrequired for the degree.

You should also participate in a tutorgroup. You will be placed in a groupaccording to your faculty, and your tutor willshow you around and explain how thingsreally work! It's a great opportunity to get toknow both new and old students from yourfaculty/department. While you could look upsome of the information you’ll get, there’s alot that you can only get from otherstudents!

10. Come to Tsemppi's first events of theyearThe program of Tsemppi's first meeting ofthe year will be packed with especiallyuseful information for new internationalstudents. Be sure to join us, and get toknow other internationally-minded studentsand researchers! The Tsemppi Welcomeparty is also worth checking out, it’s a goodplace to meet both the new internationalstudents and the older members ofTsemppi. More information about theTsemppi program will be posted in latesummer. For location and program detailsplease check the Tsemppi bloghttp://blogs.helsinki.fi/tsemppi-hy/ or ourFacebook pagehttp://www.facebook.com/groups/Tsemppi/

11. Contact your Faculty /Department's StudentOrganisationYou should ask your tutor or advisor aboutgetting in touch with your department'sstudent organization. Most organizations

have a website and mailing list where theypost information about what's going in thedepartment, for example, special classes,conferences, department events/parties,and traineeships. At the moment a lot of theinformation is only in Finnish, but somehave posted some in English too and mostorganizations have someone responsiblefor international students.

They can also help you get a pair ofoveralls (Finnish: haalari), the ‘official’ partyuniform of all Finnish students. Yourdepartment's organization is also a greatplace to start meeting fellow Finnishstudents! For a list of faculty anddepartment organizations, and theirwebsites, check the HYY website:http://hyy.helsinki.fi/index.php. And ifyou find organizations from yourdepartment or which match your interests,remember to sign up for their mailing list.This way you will automatically receiveinformation about their events!

12. Get your IT-account and emailaddressStudents at the University of Helsinki areprovided with an IT account and emailaddress. You should go to Welcome Fair onthe 29th-30th of August (or if you arriveafter that, the User Account Office at theAleksandria Learning Centre), or acomputer lab close to your department, andsign up for your account. You will be givena user name and password that you canuse to access university computers andyour email account. Information about theAleksandria Learning Centre, its locationand opening hours, can be found at:www.helsinki.fi/aleksandria/english

13. Get your night-access keyA number of the University's computer labs,including Aleksandria in the city centre, areavailable for use after-hours. In order to getaccess to these facilities, you need amagnetic access key. For more informationon getting a key:www.helsinki.fi/atk/english/accounts/keycards

14. Get a gym subscriptionThe University of The University of Helsinkiprovides excellent sports facilities andclasses to its students for very reasonableprices. Access to the University's gyms and

Appendix A

various activities/classes (e.g., aerobics,salsa dancing, squash, yoga) for an entireyear costs 92 Euros. For this price you getan unlimited access to the gyms andclasses. You can also pay for shorter timeperiods.

The University Sports Service(Unisport) has facilities in all four of theUniversity's campuses: the City Centre,Kumpula, Viikki and Meilahti. The openinghours for the different facilities are differenton each campus. Opening hours and classschedules can be found on the Englishpages of the University Sports Serviceswebsite: https://unisport.fi/

In order to participate in the classesand use the facilities, go to one of the sportcentres in any of the campuses and signup. Once you've paid, they will give you asticker to put on your student card, or, if youdon’t have it yet, a separate card. There's acomputer close to entrance of the sportcentre. Before going to gym, you will haveto scan your card at the computer andselect what activity you'll be participating in.For the individual and group sport classesyou can register in advance. Using thesame user name and password that youuse for your email account, you can registerfor sports classes online on their website.You can also register at any of the sportcentres, at the counter. Note, if you don'tparticipate in the class you registered foryou will be charged a fee, so remember tocancel in advance if you can't make it to theclass!

ONCE YOU'VE SETTLED IN:

1. Find out what's going on in Finlandand the world Once you've taken care of all the veryimportant things mentioned above, you maywant to look for some English languagenews and entertainment. The following is ashort list of English language media inFinland:• YLE News in English:http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news//• Helsinki Times: www.helsinkitimes.fi• SixDegrees English LanguageMagazine: http://www.6d.fi/6d/• Latest Finnish new in Englishhttp://finlandtoday.fi/

2. Get involved with studentorganizationsBesides the faculty and departmentorganizations mentioned above, theStudent Union (Helsingin YliopistonYlioppilaskunta, aka HYY) has dozens oforganizations for students with commoninterests, including a number ofinternationally-oriented groups. Thefollowing is a list of some of the StudentUnion's international organizations:- Tsemppi:http://blogs.helsinki.fi/tsemppi-hy/- AIESEC: http://aiesec.fi/hy- AEGEE: www.aegee-helsinki.org- ISHA - International Students of HistoryAssociation: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/isha-helsinki/- CISSI - Committee of International SocialScientists:www.facebook.com/internationalcissi- University of Helsinki Debating Society:www.helsinkidebating.org- HYKY - Helsinki's Youth and Student UNSociety: www.helsinki.fi/jarj/hyky- CSSAUH - Chinese Students andScholars Association of Espoo:http://sites.google.com/site/cssa-espoo/A full list of the Student Union'sorganisations can be found at:http://hyy.helsinki.fi/en/organisations/hyys-organisations-committee-organisational-affairs-0

3. Renew your residence permitIf you're from outside the EU, you'll need torenew your residence permit for each yearof your studies. Foreign (non-EU/EAA)students staying more than 3 months needto renew their visa, which is usually onlyvalid for one year at a time. Processing therenewal application may take 4-6 months,so the application should be filed wellbefore the old visa expires. Your passportwill remain with you while the application isprocessed. To renew your visa, you'll need:- A valid passport.- Proof of 6000 euro in your bank accountor a certificate from your sponsoringorganisation demonstrating financialsupport for the next year.- A registration certificate (Finnish:opiskelutodistus), which you can get fromStudent Services in the main building.

Appendix A

- A completed application form for aresidence permit for studies (OLE_OPI).- Proof of progress in studies – e.g.,transcript or letter from supervisor.- Applications can be made at theImmigration Police Offices (Pasilanraitio 11,Länsi-Pasila, Building 2). There is a queuefor EU citizens on during the weekdaysfrom 12:40 to 3:15 pm. Non-EU citizensmust make an appointment.

- Several months after applying, call thepolice to check on the status of your visa(they will not call you). If it's ready, you cango and pick it up.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

TSEMPPIÄ!

Appendix B

Appendix B: List of abbreviations

a (approbatur) = gradeaman. (amanuenssi) = amanuensisass. (assistentti) = assistantaud. (auditorio) = auditoriumcl (cum laude approbatur) = gradedos. (dosentti) = docenth (huone) = roomke (keskiviikko) = Wednesdaykh (kollokviohuone) = colloquium roomkk (kuukausi) = monthkl (kevätlukukausi) = spring termko (koulutusohjelma) = degree programmekrs (kerros) = floorks (kielistudio) = language labl (laudatur) = gradeL (luento) = lecturela (lauantai) = Saturdayleht. (lehtori) = lector, lecturerlk (lukukausi) = term, semesterls (luentosali) = auditoriumlkv, lv (lukuvuosi) = academic yearma (maanantai) = Mondayov (opintoviikko) = (old Finnish) creditop (opintopiste) = (ECTS) creditpe (perjantai) = Fridaypv (päivä) = dayR (ryhmäopetus) = teaching in a grouprh (ryhmätyöhuone) = working group roomsh (seminaarihuone) = seminar roomsl (syyslukukausi) = autumn termsl+kl (syys- ja kevätlukukausi) = autumn and spring termsl/kl (syys- tai kevätlukukausi) = autumn or spring termsu (sunnuntai) = Sundaysv (suuntautumisvaihtoehto) = line of studyt (opetustunti) = teaching hourti (tiistai) = Tuesdayto (torstai) = Thursdaytuntiop. (tuntiopettaja) = teachervk (viikko) = weekvs, vsn (viransijainen) = (official) substitutevt (viikkotunti) = hours per weekvt. (virkaatekevä) = actingY (yleisopinnot) = general studiesyliass. (yliassistentti) = senior assistant

Appendix C

Appendix C: Addresses of some universitylocations

A (A-building) Latokartanonkaari 9, ViikkiB (B-building) Latokartanonkaari 7, ViikkiBiocenter 1 Viikinkaari 9, Biokeskus 1, ViikkiBiocenter 2 Viikinkaari 5, Biokeskus 2, ViikkiBiocenter 3 Viikinkaari 1, Biokeskus 3, ViikkiC (C-building) Latokartanonkaari 5, ViikkiChemicum A.I. Virtasen aukio 1, KumpulaD (D-building) Latokartanonkaari 11, ViikkiE (E-building) Latokartanonkaari 3, ViikkiECO Economicum, Arkadiankatu 7EE (EE-building) Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2, ViikkiExactum Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2 B, KumpulaF (+ number) FabianinkatuFr Franzeninkatu 13HR Hallintorakennus = Administration BuildingHYY Mannerheimintie 5A = New Student HouseInfocenter Viikinkaari 11, Infokeskus KoronaK6 Kirkkokatu 6, Tieteiden taloP (+ number) Porthania = Porthania, Yliopistonkatu 3 (First digit indicates the floor, e.g.

P607 is on the 6th floor of Porthania.)Physicum Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2, KumpulaPR Päärakennus = University Main Building, Fabianinkatu 33 (Usually, Main

Building auditoriums are marked as ls1 (New Side) or aud XII (Old Side),with no indication of the building.)

Ra Ratakatu 6 ASP (+ number) SiltavuorenpengerSSKH Snellmaninkatu 12 / Yrjö-Koskisen katu 3U (+ number) Unioninkatu

Appendix D

Appendix D: Calendar of events and flag days

AUGUST1 Official start of the academic year andautumn term25 – 31 Intensive period27 to 28 Welcome Fair & OrientationCourse for new international students

SEPTEMBER2 Opening ceremony and student carnival15 to Sept. 28 Helsinki Region WelcomeWeeks23 Autumnal Equinox (the length of day andnight is equal)25 Student Union’s Freshman Adventure

OCTOBER10 Aleksis Kivi’s Day - celebrating theFinnish national writer20 to 26 Examination and independentstudy week24 United Nations Day26 Last day of DST (Daylight Saving Time)TBA Rector’s reception for internationalstudents and scholars

NOVEMBER2 All Saints’ Day6 Swedish Day (Svenska dagen)9 Father’s Day20 Universal Children’s Day30 1st Sunday in Advent

DECEMBER6 Independence Day72nd Sunday in Advent8 Sibelius Day,13 Santa Lucia Day - from the SwedishTradition14 3rd Sunday in Advent15 – 21 Examination and independentstudy week22 Winter Solstice (the day of the year withthe least hours of daylight)21 4th Sunday in Advent24 to 26 Christmas28 Holy Innocents' Day31 New Year’s Eve

JANUARY1 New Year’s Day2 – 11 Intensive period6 Last day of Christmas (Epiphany)8 Welcome Fair & Orientation Course fornew international students12 Spring term begins19 St. Henry’s Memorial Day

FEBRUARY2 Candlemas5 Runeberg’s Day - celebrating the Nationalpoet14 Valentine’s Day15 Shrove Sunday28 Kalevala Day - celebrating the FinnishNational epic and Finnish culture

MARCH2 – 8 Examination and independent studyweek8 International Women’s Day19 Minna Canth’s Day – day for equality20 Vernal equinox (the length of day andnight is equal again)22 Annunciation Day29 First day of DST (Daylight Saving Time),Palm Sunday

APRIL3 Good Friday5 Easter Day6 Easter Monday9 Mikael Agricola’s Day - celebrating theFather of the Finnish language27 National Veteran’s Day30 Vappu Eve - a student carnival, startingwith the crowning of the statue of HavisAmanda in the Harbour Market Square

MAY1 Vappu Day - a holiday for students andworkers3 End of the teaching period for academicyear 2014 – 20154 – 10 Examination and independent studyweek4 – 31 Intensive period12 Snellman’s Day - Finnish philosopher +Mother’s Day

Appendix D

13 Flower Day - Celebrating the end ofspring14 Ascension Day24 Whit Sunday

JUNE4 Flag Day of Defence Forces21 Summer Solstice (the day of the yearwith the most hours of daylight)20 – 21 Midsummer - the Finnish nationalholiday celebrating summer outdoors

JULY31 The official end of the academic year

Appendix E

Appendix E: Menu and grocery guideaamiainen breakfastalkoholi alcoholalkoholiton non-alcoholanjovis anchovyappelsiini orangeastianpalautus A place where you returnplates, forks, knives etc. after eating.aurajuusto (also sinihomejuusto) bluecheese, Roquefortbanaani bananabroileri broiled chickenburgeri (hampurilainen) (ham)burgerdippi dipFeta Greek white cheesegratiini gratingulassi goulashhampurilainen hamburgerhapan sourhapanimelä sweet and sourhapankorppu (thin) crisp breadhauduttaa simmer, steamhedelmä fruitherkku delicacyherkkusieni champignon, mushroomherne peahillo jamhiutale flakehunaja honeyhärkä, häränliha beefhöystö ragoutiso big, largejauheliha minced meat (normally amixture of beef and pork)jugurtti youghurtjuoma drinkjuures, juurekset vegetable, vegetablesjuusto cheesekaali cabbagekahvi coffeekahvila café, cafeteriakala fishkalapuikko fish fingerkalkkuna turkeykampela flounderkana chicken(kanan)muna eggkaneli cinnamonkaramelli sweet, candykastike sauce, dressingkasvis- Whatever begins with this word isvegetarian, but it maycontain cheese oregg. See the end of this list.katkarapu shrimp, prawn

keitto soupkerma creamkevyt lightkevätkääryle spring rollkiinankaali celery cabbagekiisseli stewed juice thickened with potatoflourkinkku hamkirjolohi rainbow troutkirsikka cherrykiusaus a type of casserole (usuallyanchovy or ham with sliced potatoes)(muna)kokkeli scrambled eggskookos coconutkotikalja (non-alcoholic) beer like drinkkrepit crêpeskukkakaali cauliflowerkuningatar(hillo) a mixture of raspberry andblueberry jamkurkku cucumberkuuma vesi (kuumaa vettä) hot water fortea or cocoalaji course, dish, sortlammas, lampaanliha muttonlasagne lasagnelehtisalaatti lettuceleike escalope, cutleikkeleet cold cutsleipä breadliha meatlinssi lentillohi salmonlounas lunchlämmin warmmaito milkmakaroni macaroni, pastamakea sweetmakkara sausagemaksa livermandariini tangerinemansikka strawberrymargariini margarinemarinoitu marinatedmarja berrymausteinen spicy, hotmeetwursti Bologna (salami) sausagemehu juice (normally about 50% water)munakoiso eggplant, aubergine(tomaatti) murska crushed tomatoesmustikka blueberry, bilberrymuusi mash(ed potatotes)nakki frankfurter, wienernauta, naudanliha beef

Appendix E

noutopöytä self-service buffetnuudeli noodlenäkkileipä (thick) crisp breadohra barleyohukaiset, ohukkaat thin pancakesomena applepaistos something baked, e.g. a pie.paahtopaisti roast beefpannukakku thick pancakepala slice, cutpaneroitu breaded...pannu something roasted or friedpaprika (sweet) pepperpapu beanparsa asparaguspasta pastapata casserolepekoni baconperhe- family-size, large (e.g. pizza)peruna potatopieni smallpihvi steakpiirakka pie (sweet or salty)pinaatti spinachpizza (or pitsa) pizzapiimä sour milkporkkana carrotporo reindeerporsas, porsaanliha, possu porkpuolukka lingonberrypulla bunpunajuuri red beetrootpunaviini red winepurjo(sipuli) leekpuuro porridgepyre puréepyttipannu fried diced meat or sausage,onions, (mushrooms) and potatoespyörykät (meat, fish, etc.) ballspäärynä pearrahka curdranskankerma sour creamraparperi rhubarbrapea crisprasvaton non-fatravintola restaurant (normally licensed)riista gameriisi ricerouhe crushedrullat rollsruoka food, mealruokakerma cream for cookingsalaatti salad (usually green salad)savu-, savustettu smokedsei, seiti coalfish, coleysieni mushroom (wild)

sika, sianliha porksilakka Baltic herringsilli herringsinappi mustardsiskonmakkara (-keitto) pork sausage(soup)sitruuna lemonsmetana sour creamsokeriton sugar-freesose mashsuklaa chocolatesuolainen saltysuolakurkku pickled cucumbersuuri largesämpylä bread rolltalon ... ... of the housetee teateevesi hot water for tea or cocoatomaatti tomatotonnikala tunatorttu (sweet) tart, pietulinen hot, spicytäyte fillingtäytetty, täytteiset filled withuuni ... ... baked in ovenvadelma raspberryvalkosipuli garlicvalkoviini white winevanilja vanillaveri bloodvesi watervihannes vegetableviillokki fricasseevispikerma whipping creamvoi buttervuoka casserolevähä- low in (something): e.g. low-caloriewokki wokyrtti herb

Some useful abbreviations• G = gluten-free• K = vegetarian• L = lactose-free• V = contains garlic• VE = vegan• VL = low-lactose

Appendix E