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.

August 2026

Orientation Week: 25 – 28 August 2026

• Tuesday 25 August: Orientation begins in your own faculty.
  • Please check your programme specific schedule by choosing your degree programme from the drop-down above. If you are a degree student (not exchange student), your orientation programme might start already on Monday 24 August.
• Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 August: Check-In Event at the Language Centre, Fabianinkatu 26 (attendance in tutor groups during faculty-specific time slots). Please note that DVV and Migri will be present at the event.
• Friday 28 August: joint orientation session on support and advice services on Zoom at 9-12 am.
• Friday 28 August: Hoas and Unihome housing info on Zoom at 13-14 pm.
   
• 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 uni-help@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.

Orientation for Master's Degree Students beginning their studies in autumn 2026

Welcome to the Viikki Campus!

Orientation for the new Master's degree students will be held Tue 25.8.2026–Fri 28.8.2026. Most events will take place in the Viikki Campus. Some events will take place in the City Center Campus or will be streamed online. 

The orientation programme for Master's Degree students will be updated here during summer 2026. Preliminary timetable (NB! subject to changes):

Tuesday 25.8.2026

10.00–11.30 Welcome to the University of Helsinki! 

location: Viikki Campus, Forest Sciences Building, hall 110 (B1)

• Deans of the Faculty,
• Education Services, Viikki
• Exchange Services

11.30 – Program in tutor groups

Wednesday 26.8.2026

Master's Programme Day

Get to know the Master's programme staff, degree structure and learn how to plan the studies with your supervising PSP teachers.

Thursday 27.8.2026

11.30–12.30 Check in Event for international students

location: Helsinki City Center Campus: University of Helsinki Language Center (Kielikeskus), Fabianinkatu 26

(the students will get the exact arrival times from their tutors)

Helsinki City Center Campus: University of Helsinki Language Center (Kielikeskus), Fabianinkatu 26
Welcome desk & student ambassadors, HYY & HYY’s organisations, International Exchange Services,
Helsinki Think Company,  UniSport, University Chaplains, Language Center, Finnish Language Studies,
Library, Una Europa, Helsinki Alumni, Sustainability and responsibility at UH, IT Helpdesk, Helsinki Region Transport (HSL), DVV & Helsinki Info

12.30 – Program in tutor groups

Friday 28.8.2026

9.00–12.00 Support and Advice Services: General Orientation 

(online stream [+recorded])

Rector's greetings, Student support and studying, Study psychologists, University pedagogists (HYPE), Nyyti ry, UniSport + Unisport’s break exercise, The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS), University chaplains, UH Student Union (HYY), Language Centre, Adapting to Finnish Culture, Student Communications

13.00–14.00 Housing Info for international students 

(online)

14.30–15.45 Foreigner in Finland 

location: Viikki Campus, Infocenter Oppimistori

Professor Fred Stoddard tells in a humoristic way, what it is like to be a Foreigner in Finland?
Short presentations of student organizations: MMYL, Biosfääri, YFK and ESN

Welcome to study at the EEB programme!

Master's Programme day will take place on Wednesday 29 August 2026.

Programme

Master's programme day is highly recommended for all new EEB students (international and those continuing from our own BSc programmes).

• 9-12: Introduction to the EEB master's programme
  • Biocenter 3 (address: Viikinkaari 1), room 5405 (5th floor)
  • Important information for all new EEB students about the programme, courses and study planning.
  • We will start making study plans in Sisu, so bring your laptop.
  • New students: remember to activate your university user account beforehand.
• 12-13: Lunch
• 13-16: Meet the staff and students
  • We will meet in front of in front of CoolHead Brew, Viikki Gardenia; Koetilantie 1
  • First meeting with your EEB teacher tutor and group
  • We will walk to Vanhankaupunginlahti natural area and do some bird watching. Bring binoculars if you have some!

Orientation for exchange students, arriving in August 2026

Welcome to Viikki Campus!

Orientation for the new exchange students will be held Tue 25.8.2026–Fri 28.8.2026. Most events will take place in the Viikki Campus. Some events will take place in the City Center Campus or will be streamed online. 

The orientation programme for Master's Degree students will be updated here during summer 2026. Preliminary timetable (NB! subject to changes):

Tuesday 25.8.2026

10.00–11.30 Welcome to UH! 

location: Viikki Campus, Learning center (1054), Infocenter

• Welcoming words: Vice dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
• Education Services, Viikki
• Exchange Services

11.30 – Program in tutor groups

Wednesday 26.8.2026

Tutoring program

Thursday 27.8.2026

11.30–12.30 Check in Event for international students

location: Helsinki City Center Campus: University of Helsinki Language Center (Kielikeskus), Fabianinkatu 26

(the students will get the exact arrival times from their tutors)

Helsinki City Center Campus: University of Helsinki Language Center (Kielikeskus), Fabianinkatu 26
Welcome desk & student ambassadors, HYY & HYY’s organisations, International Exchange Services,
Helsinki Think Company,  UniSport, University Chaplains, Language Center, Finnish Language Studies,
Library, Una Europa, Helsinki Alumni, Sustainability and responsibility at UH, IT Helpdesk, Helsinki Region Transport (HSL), DVV & Helsinki Info

12.30 – Program in tutor groups

Friday 28.8.2026

9.00–12.00 Support and Advice Services: General Orientation 

(online stream [+recorded])

Rector's greetings, Student support and studying, Study psychologists, University pedagogists (HYPE), Nyyti ry, UniSport + Unisport’s break exercise, The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS), University chaplains, UH Student Union (HYY), Language Centre, Adapting to Finnish Culture, Student Communications

13.00–14.00 Housing Info for international students 

(online)

14.30–15.45 Foreigner in Finland 

location: Viikki Campus, Infocenter Oppimistori

Professor Fred Stoddard tells in a humoristic way, what it is like to be a Foreigner in Finland?
Short presentations of student organizations: MMYL, Biosfääri, YFK and ESN

Courses and teaching start on Mon 31.8.2026. You will register to the courses together with the help of tutors during the Orientation week.

• 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 Humanities, 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!

Senior Lecturers in University Pedagogy work at every campus. Senior Lecturers conduct pedagogical research in different study programs and develop research-based teaching. In addition, Senior Lecturers provide pedagogical training for researchers and teachers. They also support study programs pedagogically in different ways.

In Viikki campus you must pay for parking. If you need to buy a long-term parking permit, you can follow the instructions for staff in intranet Flamma.

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.