Events for exchange students

Each autumn and spring, before the classes begin, there is an orientation week which is a week full of activities for all new international students. It is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to get to know the campuses and the university and to get all the official matters out of the way.

Please note that if you miss the orientation week, the start of your studies will be more time-consuming and challenging as you have to take care of everything independently.

Degree students might receive some credits for the orientation. Please ask more information from your degree programme.

Autumn 2021

• Orientation Week: 31 August - 3 September, 2021

Due to Covid-19, all administrative matters will most likely be taken care of online, to ensure everyone's safety and equal participation. In that case, all necessary information will be sent to you in the form of newsletters, so please pay attention to the guidelines and instructions in them. Every faculty organizes its own orientation, please follow your own faculty's orientation programme by first selecting your degree programme in the Orientation and Tutoring web page. 

Here below are some important Orientation events for international students:

WEDNESDAY 1.9.2021 

• Link to REGISTERING FOR COURSES IN SISU PDF
• Link to Q&A PDF from the info session: your questions answered!
• Video recording of the info session is published on the orientations page
   
• Link to HOAS PDF and Link to UNIHOME PDF
• Video recording of the info session is published on the orientation page

THURSDAY 2.9.2021

• Orientation event on guidance, supervision and well-being
• Link to pdf presentations and video are published on the orientation page

• ORIENTATION EVENT ABOUT LANGUAGE STUDIES
• Link to pdf presentations are published on the orienation page.

Get to Know Your Campus

The University of Helsinki comprises four campuses. Get to know yours in advance!

• City Centre Campus (Faculties of Arts, Educational Sciences, Law, Theology and Social Sciences, Swedish School of Social Science)
• Kumpula Campus (Faculty of Science)
• Viikki Campus (Faculties of Biological And Environmental Sciences, Agriculture and Forestry, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine)
• Meilahti Campus (Faculty of Medicine)

Hungry?

All Bachelor’s or Master’s students who have registered as attending are entitled to an affordable student-priced lunch at the UniCafe cafeterias on all campuses. For lunch prices and the contact details of the cafeterias, please visit the UniCafe website. You can use your Certificate of student status during the Orientation Week to get a student discount at Unicafe. Students without a certificate can get a staff member discount from UniCafe.

We will sign the HSL forms for the exchange and visiting students who have not yet received their forms by letter. The letters are sent to all who have sent their mail addresses to us by August 31st. The reason we are posting the forms is that due to Covid restrictions, we cannot allow queues or crowds in the buildings. If for some reason you have not received your form by next Monday, you can come to Kaisa house to get it signed. We will have a pop-up signing session at Kaisa house on Monday morning, September 6th at 10-12. Next to student services. We have posted already nearly 500 letters with HSL forms.

HSL forms will be available to be filled in at Kaisa house, please bring along your proof of identification.

Pop-up signature point: Signing HSL forms for exchange and visiting students
Date: 6.9.2021
Time: 10-12
Place: Kaisa house, next to student services
Address: Kaisa House main entrance, 3rd floor, Fabianinkatu 30
University of Helsinki

The Pre-arrival information event will be held on August 20th, 2021, 2-4 PM (Helsinki time) via Zoom, details in the newsletter you will receive closer to the event.

The powerpoint presentation of the event held on August 20th

Together with our student tutors, we will give information on e.g. the following topics: 

- Welcome by Ms. Minna Koutaniemi, Head of International exchange services and education cooperation
- Introduction of the International exchange services and education cooperation
- IT user accounts and other important paperwork
- Registering with authorities
- Housing
- Registration for courses
- Effects of COVID-19 pandemic

You are welcome to join us for an event where we will discuss the formalities of finishing your exchange. 

We would also like to hear your comments and feedback about your stay in Helsinki with us.

Topic: Returning home - info session and online farewell
Time: Wednesday, 8th December, 14:15 - 16:00

Guidance Corner provides low threshold advice and guidance services on, for example, wellbeing, digital skills and job seeking. Some of the Guidance Corner activities are regular weekly guidance and counselling sessions. A new this for international students during this exceptional time of online life is Student life 2.0, which is a series of events organised for international and exchange students. Read more on the guidance corner page!

Throughout the year, the University of Helsinki and its Student Union organise a wide variety of events and parties open to all students. Other student organisations and external parties, such as museums, also organise events for students. Exchange students are more than welcome to join these events, which we have listed in the Instructions for students under student events. 

Nyyti group chats on the following topics:

• 31.8. from 6 to 8 p.m: Into a new fall with the same old eyes?
• 28.9. from 6 to 8 p.m: Time management in studies
• 26.10. from 6 to 8 p.m: Self-criticism and sense of insuffiency
• 23.11. from 6 to 8 p.m: I’m different – can I belong in my community?