The effect of coronavirus on your studies - Q&A

What should I do if I feel ill?

Stay home until you get better. Notify your teacher of any absences as usual. If you suspect you have been infected by or exposed to the coronavirus, check your symptoms using the Omaolo app or contact your local health care provider. Do not come to the University premises before receiving the test result.

One can not participate in contact instruction when sick or in quarantine. In these situations the student should contact their teacher, who will estimate if self-study options can be given while the student is absent.   

At the moment, the university does not require medical evidence of illness from students, and the student health service (YTHS) does not issue sick leave certificates for the time being. In other words, a student may be absent from teaching by his or her own declaration.

Check also FSHS's Instructions for the coronavirus situation.

What should I do if I have coronavirus?

If you get a positive result from a coronavirus test, the health officials will call you, give a quarantine order and ask about your recent contacts and possible exposures.

If you have participated in contact teaching or visited the University premises while infectious:

• Give the healthcare official the contact information of the teachers responsible for your contact teaching classes. Additionally, tell them in which University facilities you have been to (e.g. Unicafes, self-studying spaces), with whom (if you know) and when. The authorities will contact the University.   
• Notify the teachers of your courses and tell them when you have participated in contact teaching. The exposed students will be contacted without addressing the identity of the infected student.

One can not participate in contact instruction when sick or in quarantine. In these situations the student should contact their teacher, who will estimate if self-study options can be given while the student is absent. 

If you have the Koronavilkku application and have been exposed to the virus, please follow the instructions on the app.

What if I am notified about a possible exposure to the virus? 

If you have been exposed to the coronavirus, follow the instructions set by the health officials.
Monitor your condition and avoid close contact with other people. Complete a symptom assessment on the omaolo.fi website and follow the instructions to get tested by public healthcare. Do not come at your place of study before receiving the test result.

Where can I find information on how to deal with the worry caused by the coronavirus situation?

We have gathered information about supporting services that can you help you deal with the worry and anxiety caused by the coronavirus on the instruction page Mental well-being. Read more from the question How the students' mental health and wellbeing will be taken care of this autumn?

How teaching and exams are organized during the first period, September 13 to October 21, 2021 (hybrid, remote, contact instruction)? 

Teaching and examinations are organised so that it is possible to avoid close contact with each other. Mass lectures are held remotely. 

Teaching and examinations in the first teaching period will be implemented as planned. 

• Small-group instruction has been prioritised in the planning of contact instruction. As a rule, mass lectures are held remotely. 
• All degree programmes will provide both contact and remote instruction. Many degree programmes will also provide teaching according to a hybrid model (with some students on site and others online) and/or as blended teaching (with some lectures held on site for all and some online for all). Some of the teaching occasions are on-site for all students and some are remote for all. 
• First-year students of bachelor’s and master’s programmes as well as second-year students of bachelor's programmes have been prioritised in the planning of contact instruction. Practices may vary between different degree programs and courses.
• According to the plans, contact instruction is organised for groups of up to 50 students, taking into account the occupancy limits of the facilities. The response centres of faculties and other other units providing teaching can increase the maximum number of students in groups. 
• Planned onsite examinations can be held so that more than 50 students are present in the same facility, provided that occupancy limits that enable safe social distancing are observed.
• If all planned contact instruction cannot be safely organised, the relevant response centre will decide on the prioritisation of such instruction. 

How teaching and exams are organized during the second period, November 1 to December 31, 2021 (hybrid, remote, contact instruction)? 

When restrictions are lifted on the national level, the amount of contact instruction will be increased, whenever possible. 

• On-site learning will be enabled, for example, by expanding group sizes when occupancy limits rise. 
• Currently planned teaching times and dates will remain valid, and lectures for large student groups groups will be held online as planned. On a case-by-case basis case, other remote instruction can be switched to contact instruction. In hybrid instruction, the number of students attending contact instruction can be increased, or all instruction can be switched to contact instruction. 
• Changes can be planned provided that the capacity of teaching facilities returns to normal. 
• Contact instruction and on-site examinations can be organised according to normal capacity. 
• When planning changes to teaching, plans previously drawn up by teachers and students as well as available teaching facilities will be taken into account. 
• Students need to check course information on the course page from Sisu. If there are significant changes to the course information once the enrolment period has begun, the  teacher will notify students already enrolled to the course. 

How will I know how my courses are organised in the autumn semester?

The final teaching programmes for bachelor’s, master’s, licentiate's and doctoral programmes along with the Language Center will be published in Sisu and Courses on exceptional schedule due to the coronavirus situation.

NB! If Sisu or Courses does not have a location listed alongside the teaching schedule, this generally means that teaching will be conducted remotely. If you are unsure how the teaching will be conducted, please check the information available on Courses or the Moodle page (if one is used for the course). If necessary, contact the teacher responsible for the course.

Please note that due to the coronavirus situation, more changes to the teaching programmes may be required than usual.

Am I able to see from Sisu how my course is organised (on-site or remotely)?

On Sisu you can see if a location has been booked for the teaching. If no location is listed, this generally means that teaching will be conducted remotely. In the case of some courses, there is also a mention about the teaching method (on-site or remote) either on Sisu or Courses. If you are unsure how the teaching will be conducted, please check the information available on Courses or the Moodle page (if one is used for the course). If necessary, contact the teacher responsible for the course.      

If it is only possible to have some of the students in contact instruction, how are these students chosen?

Possible decisions on who will be attending contact and who remote instruction depends on the specific course. The teacher of the course will inform students on the arrangements.    

How will it be ensured that students can participate in back-to-back classes when one of the them is organised as contact instruction and the other one remotely?

Students can participate in remote classes in the self-study facilities. If possible, teaching spaces will also be opened at campuses for this purpose.   

Can attendance in teaching be mandatory?

The student must participate actively in teaching. In the study programme's curriculum attendance can be defined mandatory if it is pedagogically justified or teaching arrangements require it. Mandatory attendance can apply to a singular study module or its part. 

Compulsory class attendance does not apply to contact teaching, unless the completion method in question requires physical presence (such as laboratory courses, traineeships, patient encounters, skills courses). Degree programmes will determine substituting procedures for such courses. If, after checking the course information on Sisu and Courses, it is unclear if a certain course requires attendance, please contact the teacher.

If a student in a at-risk group estimates that they cannot participate in contact instruction, they have to contact the teacher as soon as possible. Students in at-risk groups can be offered independent study alternatives if the teacher estimates that e.g. the content of the course and its learning objectives make this possible. No verification is required from students for at-risk notifications.

One can not participate in contact instruction when sick or in quarantine.

In these situations the student should contact their teacher, who will estimate if self-study options can be given while the student is absent. 

Attendance in remote teaching sessions may be required as specified in the curriculum. 

Does a student belonging to an at-risk group have the opportunity to agree with the teacher on remote arrangements for the course?   

If a student in a at-risk group estimates that they cannot participate in contact instruction, they have to contact the teacher as soon as possible. Students in at-risk groups can be offered independent study alternatives if the teacher estimates that e.g. the content of the course and its learning objectives make this possible. No verification is required from students for at-risk notifications.

Attendance in remote teaching sessions may be required as specified in the curriculum. 

Is it possible to participate in all courses remotely if one is e.g. sick?

If a course or its part is organised as contact instruction and requires attendance, contact your teacher if you get sick. Options for participating in alternative way vary according to the content and learning objectives of the course. 

Can changes to the arrangements still be made at short notice, for example, if the epidemic situation worsens?

Should the epidemic situation worsen in such a way that the guidelines set by the authorities require the closure of facilities and a transition to remote instruction, the necessary changes to teaching will be made.

How many students will study online and how many on site in the autumn?

No student groups have been excluded from contact instruction in the University’s plans for teaching. The only preconditions for organising contact instruction are the more spacious use of facilities, and small groups, to maintain safe social distancing.

This has enabled pedagogical solutions that make it possible to organise parts of courses on site and parts online. Consequently, studying in small groups is also possible in the case of a large total number of students taking a course.

Are some groups (e.g. first/second year students) prioritised in contact instruction?

In the fall of 2021, when possible first-year students of bachelor’s and master’s programmes as well as second-year students of bachelor’s programmes will be prioritised to receive contact instruction. Degree programs and the teachers of the courses decide the implementation of hybrid, remote and contact instruction. Practices may vary between different courses. The amount of contact teaching of an individual student is affected not only by the amount of contact teaching organized in the degree program but also by the course choices made by a student.

Where can I get information on cancelled teaching or changes to methods of completion (e.g., from contact teaching to distance teaching)?

Information on any changes is mainly available on course pages and in the study programme of the Open University. Your course teacher will communicate of any changes.

How can I act responsibly at the University facilities during contact teaching?

You can find the safety instructions for University premises from the section University facilities and services under the question How can I study safely at the University?

How is the orientation week organised this year?

You can find the updated information about the orientation week on the page Orientation and tutoring. Remember you select your own study programme from the drop-down menu. 

How do I know how my course will be organized in spring 2022?

Teaching is being planned according to the premise that no pandemic-related restrictions will be in effect in the spring. 

The final teaching programmes for the spring will be published by the end of November. 

You can find more information on the bachelor’s and master’s programmes' teaching for the spring from the preliminary teaching programmes that are available on the page Where can I Find courses? The preliminary plan for the Language Center is available on the page Language education at the Language Center. 

Are University facilities open?

• Buildings will be opened for studying, teaching, services and cafeteria operations. As a rule, buildings and teaching facilities will be open as usual.
• The libraries, museums and sports and fitness services operates normally.
• The hygiene-related requirements based on the Communicable Diseases Act will remain in force until the end of the year in facilities open to the public. For example facilities must ensure that close contacts can be avoided in customer spaces. The museums, libraries and UniSport will comply in their operations with these latest regulations.

Protective face masks can be used at your own discretion on University premises. 

Are self-study facilities open?

The self-access facilities opened in the summer remain open, in addition to which new facilities for independent study are available from September 2021

Self-access facilities and space for independent study at the libraries 

The self-access facilities and spaces for independent study at the libraries on all of the campuses can be used to attend online lectures, even though quiet work is the usual standard in libraries. The reading and working areas are primarily shared, orange zones, where talking quietly is allowed. In addition, there are red zones dedicated to quiet work in all of the libraries. Further information on library facilities and permitted levels of sound is available in the library rules and the floor maps of library locations.

The libraries in the City Centre, Meilahti, Kumpula and Viikki as well as Learning Centres Aleksandria and Minerva are open, and the group work facilities can be booked for group work as usual. Read more about the opening hours of self-access facilities and spaces for independent study on the library website.

However, please keep in mind the following exceptions:

• In Meilahti, the library facilities in the second floor are dedicated primarily to quiet work. Discussion and attendance in online lectures is permitted in the first-floor facilities. 
• Many of the group work facilities in Aleksandria will remain closed until 31 October. The facilities are being used for another purpose due to the renovation arrangements in place on the City Centre Campus. 
• The sprinkler renovation at Kaisa House produces noise and changes in facility use. The best place to find a quiet space is the second floor, while facilities suited to attending online lectures can be found, for example, in the computer rooms and the space immediately outside the student break room. 
• The Viikki campus library will continue to operate in temporary substitute premises for September. The new facilities was opened on 1 October. The first floor of the redesigned campus library is a busy entrance space dedicated to service transactions, which makes it well suited to attending online lectures. Redesigned group work facilities and quiet reading rooms are available on floors K1 and 2. 

Other on-campus facilities for independent study 

Facilities intended for students’ independent work have been added to all University of Helsinki campuses. Please note that the facilities designed for independent study opened in opened in September 2021 also serve as teaching facilities, making them available for independent study only when they are not booked for other activities. Students need not book the facilities, nor do they have the opportunity to do so.

The new facilities for independent study are divided into spaces with two different purposes: 

Space for quiet work (H)

• Quiet independent study and, for example, following lectures on your computer using headphones 
• Quiet work space is indicated in the charts next to the facility in red. In campus lists Quiet work space is indicated with letter H.

Space for participatory studying (R)

• Active and participatory studying. Attendance in, for example, online instruction where discussion is essential 
• Group work 
• Space for participatory studying is indicated in the charts next to the facility in green. In campus lists Participatory work space in indicated with letter R.

Teaching facilities made available for independent study and their availability can be browsed in the following campus-specific lists: 

• City Centre Campus 
• Kumpula Campus 
• Meilahti Campus 
• Viikki Campus 

The campuses also have lobby space where students can study independently.

Rules for teaching facilities opened for independent study 

• General safety guidelines pertaining to the coronavirus situation must be observed in the facilities  
• Please make phone calls in the other areas or somewhere to the side, so you do not disturb others.
• Keep the rooms tidy and clean up after yourself.
• You may leave for a short period, but no longer than 30 minutes. Leave a note indicating the time of departure, but please remember that a note alone is not sufficient to reserve the space. If you are away for more than half an hour, another customer is authorised to take your place and put your belongings aside – they do not need to ask the staff to do so. The staff is not responsible for things you leave behind at the space.
• No food or drink is allowed in the facilities.

Will there be other restriction on the use of University facilities?

While the libraries and self-access facilities are open, the number of visitors present at the same time can be restricted to enable safe social distancing. Since libraries are an essential part of studying, teaching and research, their service provision will prioritise members of the University community if their visitor numbers have to be limited.

Students can also study independently/in groups and attend events held on University premises by complying with the relevant health and safety guidelines (e.g., safe social distancing, attendance limits and mask use at your own discretion ).

How can I study safely at the University?

Each student is responsible for following these safety instructions in all University premises, also including student restaurants, hallways and entrance halls:

• Do not come to the University premises when ill or in quarantine.
• Avoid close contact with others and take good care of your hand and coughing hygiene.
• Keep a safety distance also when queuing or moving around the campus e.g. between classrooms.
• Protective face masks can be used at your own discretion on University premises, however, following regional recommendations in situations where it is difficult to avoid close contacts.
  • Please put used disposable masks in the classroom bin or in the bins reserved for masks, located near building entrances. 
• Wash or disinfect your hands regularly. Hand disinfectant is available in classrooms and building entrances.
• Use disinfectant towels to clean the keyboard and mouse of shared computers. You can get disinfectant towels from classrooms, library’s customer service or from the building’s porter.
• Facilities with fixed furniture have marked places that should not be used. If the furniture is not fixed, keep a safety distance from others. In some spaces, extra chairs have been moved to the side. Please do not rearrange the furniture so that distancing is not possible.
• Sit in the classroom so that each place can be reached without passing close to the others (e.g. if the furniture is fixed, fill the rows starting from one side, and if the rows are open from both sides, start from the middle).
• Always follow additional instructions given in the facilities.

What is the University's stance on face masks when the University premises are open?

Protective face masks can be used at your own discretion on University premises.

• In the case of traineeships, the safety and security guidelines of the traineeship organisation (e.g., hospitals) are observed.   
• The University is obtaining protective face masks for students and teachers involved in contact teaching.
• The masks provided by the University are intended primarily for working and learning situations.

Read the latest information on masks on the University's website. 

Are student service points open?

You can find all the updated information about the current opening hours/services on the Student Services page.

The student service points will step by step open at the campuses during this autumn semester. More information available in a bulletin published on September 2, 2021.

Can I come for my guidance appointment at the University (e.g., counselling psychologist, master's thesis supervision, academic guidance)?

Majority of guidance appointments will be conducted remotely.  See further information on the individual guidance services on the page Where can I get counselling?.

How can I get my degree certificate during the exceptional situation?

You can ask for your certificate to be posted from your faculty's Student Services. It is also possible to pick up your certificate personally if/when your faculty's Student Service point is open.

How are examinations organised during the exceptional situation period?

Examinations in the autumn will be implemented as a combination of on-site and remote arrangements.

Some of the examinations' titles include the information on if the exam is organised on-site or remotely. If Sisu or Courses does not have a location listed alongside the exam schedule, this generally means that the exam will be conducted remotely. If you are unsure how the teaching will be conducted, please check the information available on Courses or the Moodle page (if one is used for the course). If necessary, contact the teacher responsible for the course.

Contact examinations can be organised, when taken into account the occupancy limits of the facilities and the valid safety guidelines.

Can I participate in an Examinarium examination even though other University premises are closed?

Examinarium exam spaces are in use. Space restrictions will be removed from the Examinarium exam spaces on November 1, after which exams can be booked by a normal room capacity.

If the doors to the building are closed, please call to the porter. (Main entrance to Aleksandria is from Fabianinkatu 28.)

• Attend an exam only when you are healthy and free of symptoms. If you have any symptoms of an illness, reschedule or cancel your exam. If necessary, contact your examiner.
• Protective face masks can be used at your own discretion on University premises.
• Hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes are available in the exam rooms. Wipe the keyboard and mouse before and after the exam.

How the students' mental health and wellbeing will be taken care of this autumn?

Help is at hand if you need it – there are many different support services are here for you. You can find the different services on the page Mental wellbeing.

Guidance Corner provides programme that aims to support the students' study skills and mental wellbeing. The page will updated when the programme is confirmed.

The study psychologists have compiled tips on making remote studying easier and creating routines on the page Support for studies. You can also book a consultation with them, more information available on the study psychologists' page.

Where can I find instructions on online teaching tools?

• Moodle manual for students
• Helpdesk's instructions on how to use Teams and Planner
• Helpdesk's instructions on how to use video communication service Zoom

Can I borrow a laptop somewhere? What if I don’t have access to internet at home? 

Unfortunately the University cannot offer IT equipment nor internet connections for students studying remotely. Please ask your fellow students, student organizations, friends or relatives for such equipment. Remember that you can use your mobile phone as a hotspot for your computer. First check the mobile data deal and cost with your operator.

The IT Center’s new Laptop Lender will serve university degree students and staff 24/7 on the first floor of Aleksandria. Get a Lenovo laptop to use on university premises for four hours at a time from the Laptop Lender machine.

Are steering groups (e.g. faculty councils) meeting normally to assess theses?

The steering groups make decisions in the usual manner. The meetings will happen remotely.

Can I use the Get Your Master’s Thesis Written! Grant (Gradut valmiiksi) during the exceptional situation?

Due to the coronavirus situation, grant recipients should inquire about the possibility of grant visits by directly contacting the station they have received the grant for. The research stations make decisions about receiving grant recipient according to their own consideration. 

The students who have already received the Grant (November 2019 application round) will also be able to postpone their visit to spring 2021 depending on the availabilities of the research stations. 

The Spring 2021 grant application round is cancelled.

The transition period for first- and second-cycle degrees was be extended so that the new deadline for graduating in accordance with the old degree requirements was 18 December 2020. The programmes whose transition period would have finished 31.12.2020 was extended until 31.7.2021. 

Please note: in doctoral education, the extension of the transition period does not concern the deadline for the submission of a doctoral dissertation for preliminary examination, see further information in Flamma.

More information on the transition period

• For undergraduate (bachelors and master's degree) students from the the theme Instructions for students who began their studies before 2017
• For doctoral students from the theme Doctoral degree reform and transfer period

What will happen to my student allowance (opintotuki) if my studies are delayed?

Follow Kela's coronavirus information page and, if necessary, contact Kela's customer service.

You can also read HYY's bulletin on the topic: How does the coronavirus affect your subsistence?

Due to the coronavirus precautions, my graduation will be postponed. Should I apply for an extension normally and will the delays caused by the exceptional situation be taken into account?

Applying for an extension to your study right is sought from Sisu. See the student's instruction. The exceptional situation will be taken into account when deciding on extensions.

How will the public examinations of doctoral theses be organised? 

Public examinations of doctoral theses can be organised and planned to be held on site.

My traineeship in Finland is about to start, is it okay to begin my traineeship as planned?

Traineeships can be completed in accordance with the instructions of the host organization in Finland.

Traineeships can be completed partly or fully remotely. In the university-funded traineeship, the trainee must have an assigned supervisor whose duty it is to provide guidance to the trainee. In remote work, special attention should be paid to guidance.

I’m abroad on my traineeship, what should I do?

See the detailed instructions for traineeships abroad on the Career services instructions.

How can I complete my teacher traineeship during the coronavirus situation?

Follow the bulletin Instructions and Q&A by the Faculty of Educational Sciences.

I am planning to go on a student exchange. What should I do?

Follow the page by the International Exchange Services of the University of Helsinki on the effect of the coronavirus on student exchanges. The page will be updated according to developments.

As the International Exchange Services announcement advises, you should already obtain comprehensive travel insurance before paying any expenses related to the exchange.

Information for incoming exchange student.

Do I need to pay tuition fees if my graduation is delayed due to coronavirus?

If necessary, the students liable to pay tuition fees who are about to graduate can finish their studies during autumn term 2021 without paying the tuition fee. Second year master's students can apply for a special corona grant that covers the tuition fee for the autumn term 2021. The application period is in the end of March 2021 and possible applicants are contacted directly. Please check with your programme for distance studying possibilities. Tuition fees for the spring term cannot be reimbursed and scholarships cannot be postponed. If you have further questions, please contact tuitionfees@helsinki.fi

I’m doing my first year in a Bachelor’s/Master’s Programme. Do I need to pay the tuition fee normally for the next academic year?

The University of Helsinki plans to start the academic year 2021/2022 as announced and is proceeding with the preparations accordingly, which means that the invoices for tuition fees will be sent out as usual in early May. However, if you’re facing unexpected difficulties regarding the payment due to the coronavirus situation, please send a message to tuitionfees@helsinki.fi  to explain your situation before the end of April. We will look into each case separately in order to find the best solution possible.

I’m a first year student and worried that my graduation will be delayed next year due to coronavirus. What can I do in this situation and do I need to pay tuition fees if I have to continue my studies during the third study year?

Teaching and supervision are organized as much as possible in alternative ways to ensure the possibility to continue your studies in this exceptional situation. If your studies are nonetheless delayed due to coronavirus, for example because of course cancellations, this will be taken into account next spring when considering the possible extension of your studies and whether tuition fee will be charged during the third study year.

I was granted a scholarship for my studies and the extension requires that I complete 55 credits during the first academic year. What if I am unable to complete the required number of credits?

The credits will be checked in early June. If you don’t have the required 55 credits registered on Sisu, the Student Services will send you a message to check the situation with you. If you know already at this point that you might not get the 55 credits due to cancelled courses, please contact the Student Services at tuitionfees@helsinki.fi. If you have been unable to complete your courses due to the exceptional situation caused by the coronavirus, this will be taken into account when considering the extension of the scholarship. Each case will be assessed individually.

I need to apply for an extension of my residence permit this spring/summer. What if the current situation causes delays in the processing times? Can I extend my residence permit if my graduation is delayed?

The current situation might affect residence permit processes. We recommend you to follow the latest updates on the Immigration Service's website. The Universities are currently working together with Migri to ensure that you’re able to apply for the extension of your residence permit as smoothly as possible if your studies are delayed due to coronavirus.

Please read first the instructions on this and your faculty’s page and send email to only one of the service addresses at a time in order to avoid congestion.

• If you have any questions about the general measures caused by the coronavirus at the University, please contact coronavirus@helsinki.fi. The respondents at this address are experts of teaching and learning services, specialist staff, occupational health, university premises, cleaning services, conferences and events and IT.
• If you have questions about course arrangements, contact the teacher responsible for the course. For more information on the course, see the Sisu course brochure and the course page.
• If you need guidance for your studies or if you cannot find answers to your questions from your faculty’s corona instructions, please contact your faculty’s student services.

Decisions made by the Coronavirus Management Team can be found on Flamma (user is redirected to the Flamma service).
 

• Coronavirus situation at the University of Helsinki (helsinki.fi)
• National Institute for Health and Welfare: Coronavirus COVID-19 – Latest updates
• FSHS: Current information concerning the coronavirus 

The University’s website has a list of faculty- and unit-specific instructions on coronavirus. You can find up-to-date information about your faculties coronavirus measures from there.