Orientation and Tutoring

Each autumn and spring, before the classes begin, there is an orientation week. Orientation week 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.

January 2026

Orientation Week: 7 – 9 January 2026

• Wednesday 7 January: Orientation begins in your own faculty. Please check your programme specific schedule by choosing your degree programme from the drop-down above (to be updated).
• Thursday 8 January: Check-In Event at the Language Centre, Fabianinkatu 26 (attendance in tutor groups during faculty-specific time slots). Please note that DVV will be present at the event.
• Friday 9 January: Housing info at 10-11 am in Zoom (link will be updated here)
  • HOAS Housing info (pdf)
  • Unihome Housing info (pdf) and Unihome staying info (pdf)
• Friday 9 January we recommend that you watch the recording of the joint orientation session on support and advice services.  You can watch the recording on the right side of this page and download the presentations in PDF below. You can turn the subtitles on or off under CC. The presentations below are marked with timestamps if you want to watch a specific part of the recording. Presentations at the event included:
• Rector Sari Lindblom’s speech 2:25 (Available only as a recording.)
• Student communications (PDF) 8:23
• Student advice, guidance and counseling (PDF) 23:53
  • Studying at the university 34:09
  • Individual arrangements 40:02
  • Career Services 44:35
• The Centre for University Teaching and Learning - HYPE (PDF) 58;20
• UniSport (PDF) 1:09:10
  • Break Exercise 1:21:20
• Language Centre (PDF) 1:31:23
• “Adapting to Finnish Culture” (PDF) 1:47:35
• FSHS (PDF) 2:01:20
• Nyyti ry (PDF) 2:12:25
• University chaplains 2:23:35 (Available only as a recording.)
• HYY - The Student Union of the University of Helsinki (PDF) 2:28:04
• Q&A for the event
   
• Degree students: We recommend arriving already a week before the Orientation Week to have the chance to settle in before the activities begin. Your individual tutor group might meet a few days before the Orientation Week.
• Exchange students:
  • If you wish to join the Student Union, please pay the Student Union fee before your arrival. For payment information please see the instructions for annual registration. Remember to bring the receipt with you, if you did not send it already to studentinfo@helsinki.fi!
  • Print a certificate of arrival (if your home university requires one to be signed)
  • Please also see the instructions for registering with the Finnish authorities.

What is tutoring?

Tutoring is a support arrangement for the new students at the University of Helsinki. It introduces you to the Finnish university life and makes it easier for you to settle into the new environment.

You will be assigned a tutor (or a peer counsellor) and a tutoring group. Students are divided into groups on the basis of the faculty or the degree programme in which they begin their studies at the University of Helsinki. The groups are led by student tutors of the same faculty.

What does a student tutor do?

The student tutors assist you with the most important things you need to do during the first couple of days.

For example, your tutor can point out

• where to register as a resident
• where to get your travel card
• where your faculty is 
• who to contact there
• where the most important services on the campuses and around the city are

Tutoring is successful when the members of the tutoring group cooperate. When the group and the tutor work together, each student will get the most out of the tutoring sessions.

Watch also the Welcome to the University video on Unitube.

Get to know different services in Guidance Compass.

• Watch the video on how to register for teaching and exams in Sisu. You can turn the subtitles off and on under "CC".
• If you are an exchange student please watch this video of how to select and register for courses in Sisu.

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)

The campuses also have various learning facilities for independent studying and group work.

Hungry?

All Bachelor’s or Master’s students, including exchange students, who have registered as attending are entitled to an affordable student-priced lunch.

Lunch is served at the UniCafe cafeterias on all campuses and Sodexo restaurants in the University of Helsinki Main Building and in Viikki.

For lunch prices and the contact details of the restaurants, please visit the Student Lunch webpage. For the student-priced lunch you need to present a certificate of student status, which you can print from Sisu. Degree students can also show their student card or Frank app.

• The Ask Me! campaign will run from 12 to 16 January 2026 to welcome new students to the university community and lower the threshold to ask.

Follow the bulletins on Studies Service's frontpage!

Were you unable to take part in orientation? Don’t worry, you still have a chance to easily get to grips with your studies by following these instructions. If this is your first time embarking on studies at the University, welcome!

Start by making sure the following tasks are completed to ensure a smooth start: 

1. Register as an attending student. If you spent your first year of studies as a non-attending student, please register in person.
2. Activate your University of Helsinki user account.
3. Next, take the first steps of a new degree student. Also read the other instructions available to new degree students. They will help you orientate yourself to your studies and find answers to the most frequently asked questions. 
4. If you registered as a non-attending student in the first year of studies, for example, due to military service, take part in the orientation organised by your degree programme.
5. If you missed the orientation, see the instructions for registering for courses. You can also ask for help from Student Services.

If any of your questions remain unanswered or if you need support for getting started in your studies, you can always contact Student Services. The on-site Student Services desks are at your disposal when, for example, you are unsure of the structure of your degree or the courses you should register for.