Checklist for returning exchange students

Complete, sign the following exchange documents, and deliver them to International Exchange Services within two months of the end of your exchange.*

If you don't receive the transcript of records from your host university within 2 months due to the coronavirus situation, don't worry - but do let us know in that case.

Erasmus exchanges: Upload the documents as PDF versions directly to your Mobility Online account (After the mobility -> "Upload signed Learning Agreement/ Letter of Confirmation/ Transcript of Records from the host university").

Other exchanges: Upload the documents as PDF versions directly to your Mobility Online account (After the mobility -> "Upload Transcript of Records from the host university").

If you are not able to upload the document to Mobility Online, you can send copies of the forms via email to studentexchange@helsinki.fi.

*Last date of the exchange as indicated in the Letter of Confirmation.

1. Transcript of Records

Before returning to Finland, find out how and where to obtain an official transcript of records at your target university. You are responsible for obtaining the transcript before your return to Finland or for providing your target university with a current address in Finland if the transcript is mailed to you.

Did your target university tell you that your transcript of records will be sent directly to International Exchange Services? If you participated in an exchange outside the EU/EEA and If your target university has told you that your transcript will be sent directly to International Exchange Services, we will inform you when it has arrived.

If you worked on your thesis during your exchange studies (Erasmus/Nordplus), ask your supervisor at the University of Helsinki to provide a statement indicating the amount of such work in credits. Also, note that exchange students who receive a grant must complete 5 ECTS credits per exchange month. Check whether your progress complies with the requirements for student financial aid.

2.  Letter of Confirmation

NB! Erasmus, Nordplus, and Nordlys exchange students only

Print the letter of confirmation form from your Mobility Online account under Print Letter of Confirmation. Here you can find guidelines for Erasmus+ grants.

Before returning to Finland, obtain a signature and stamp from your target university on the letter of confirmation form. Please upload the version of the document that is filled, signed, and stamped on your Mobility Online account.

If you forgot to do this before your return, you can send the document by email to be signed by the target university and upload the filled document to Mobility Online. 

3. Learning Agreement

NB! Erasmus exchange students only

Before you left for your exchange, you completed your Online Learning Agreement in the University of Helsinki's MobilityOnline system. During the exchange, there may have been changes to your Online Learning Agreement. Due to system changes, the University of Helsinki does not require students to make changes to their original Online Learning Agreement for exchanges in spring 2025. Make changes to the Learning Agreement only if your exchange destination requires it, using the attached Word document, and request signatures from all parties. Submit the signed version in MobilityOnline.

Check in the University of Helsinki's MobilityOnline system that the Learning Agreement is signed by all three parties. "Yes" should be indicated in the following sections: signed (Student), signed (IO), signed (partner). If your exchange destination has not signed the original Online Learning Agreement, provide them with the PDF version for signing. The PDF version can be found in the University of Helsinki's MobilityOnline system as follows: step “Click to display and download Learning Agreement” > “Show current version” > Print.

Please note that recognition of credits completed during student exchange will be done by your own degree programme. 

Once you have returned to Finland, make sure that the credits you earned during the exchange are transferred to your degree at the University of Helsinki (through inclusion or substitution). 

Make sure the credits you have earned are transferred to your degree as soon as possible! In mid-September, Kela verifies whether your progress complies with the requirements for student financial aid. You must act in good time so that the credits completed during your exchange are recorded on your transcript at the University of Helsinki before October.

Instructions for applying for credit transfer can be found here.

Complete, sign, and submit the following documents to International Exchange Services:

1. Copy of the target university’s transcript of records
2. Letter of confirmation (Erasmus, Nordplus, and Nordplus exchange students only)
3. Learning agreement (Erasmus exchange students only)

Provide feedback on your exchange.

• Log in to Mobility Online with your University username and provide feedback under "Enter the Feedback Questionnaire."
• If you are an Erasmus exchange student, you should give feedback through the EU Survey. After your exchange, you will be emailed the survey together with instructions. You need not submit feedback through Mobility Online.

Apply for credit transfer.

• For the purposes of credit transfer, keep course descriptions or similar accounts of the courses you have completed.

Test how your language skills have improved with the OLS language test for returning students (Erasmus exchange students only). 

You will not receive an invitation message, but we recommend taking a test to see how your language skills have developed during the exchange.

Also, remember the following:

• Register at the University of Helsinki for the following academic year. For more information, see the Student Services site.
• Make sure that the duration of your studies has not changed so that you must reimburse the excess of student financial aid paid to you. For more information, see Instructions. 
• Inform Kela that you have moved back to Finland so as to remain covered by the Finnish social security system.
• Inform The Finnish Digital Agency that you have moved back to Finland.

The SkillMill app

Check out the SkillMill app to learn how to make the most of your exchange experience in working life and how to better highlight your skills in job applications and CVs, so they're not just hidden skills.

Find out more about Hidden Competences on this webpage of the Finnish National Agency for Education.

Maailmalle.net

The Maailmalle.net site offers tools to help you identify your international skills and describe them, for example, when applying for a job. The site also features the toolkit for international job seekers.

Apply to become a peer tutor

Outgoing exchange students need your help! As a peer tutor for outgoing exchange students, you can provide valuable support and share your experiences and tips. International Exchange Services recruits peer tutors in April and September/October and all previous exchange students can apply to become peer tutors. Successful applicants receive a small fee.

Get to know incoming exchange students of the University of Helsinki

You can help international students by acting as a peer tutor. International tutors advise the exchange students and international degree students who arrive at their faculty at the beginning of the term. The tutors receive a small fee. For more information, contact International Exchange Services.

If you wish to meet students arriving at the University of Helsinki from your destination, you can reach them, for example, by posting a message to the Facebook group for the University of Helsinki’s new international students or requesting that International Exchange Services (studentexchange@helsinki.fi) send an email from you to the incoming students.

Maintain your language skills with a language buddy

The Language Centre’s ALICE courses (Academic Language and Intercultural Exchange) enable students to study a language in pairs under a teacher’s supervision, learn informally about the other student’s culture and customs and find out more about practical matters. Your language buddy can be an exchange student. ALICE courses are offered in Spanish, Italian, French, German, Finnish (as the second national language of Finland), Swedish and Russian.

ESN Uni Helsinki

You can also meet incoming exchange students through student organisations to further broaden your international outlook. ESN Uni Helsinki organises a wide range of activities for exchange students arriving in Helsinki, from cultural and sports events to formal academic dinners and trips to Lapland. The events are also open to all Finnish students. Join the fun and make new friends from around the world! If you wish to participate in organising events, contact board@esnunihelsinki.org and help provide exchange students with an unforgettable year! For more information, see Facebook and the ESN website.