Information for international students arriving in Finland

May

• Introduction day – week 18, Monday 27.4. 
• Labour day holiday – week 18, Friday 1.5.
• School ends – week 22

June

Summer holidays – week 25 >

August

• School starts – week 32

September

• Introduction day – week 38 Monday 14.9

October

• Autumn holiday – week 42
• Introduction day – week 44, Monday 26.10.

November

• Introduction day – week 48, Monday 23.11.

December

Christmas holiday – starting week 52

January

• Christmas holiday – week 1 and 2
• Introduction day – week 3, Monday 18.1. 

February

• Holiday week 8
• No incoming groups in February
   

March

• Introduction day – week 9, Monday 1.3.
• Easter holiday – week 12-13, 26.3.-29.3.
   

April

• Introduction day – week 14, Monday 5.4.
   

May

Labour day holiday – week 18, Friday 1.5.

Introduction day – week 18, Monday 3.5.

Ascension day 6.5.

School ends – week 21

 June

Summer holidays – week 22- >

The introduction day is on Monday, the schedule for this day is:

1. Meeting at Leppävaara Station or Helsinki Railway Station.
2. Buying the Public Transportation Season Card (HSL Card) with Student Discount.
3. Going to the campus and having a walking tour, presentation and lunch in Omnia.

There are several different transportation options to choose from to get from Helsinki Airport to the Helsinki city center. Explore with the available travel options (finavia.fi).

Traveling in the Helsinki metropolitan area (Espoo, Helsinki, and Vantaa) is easy with public transportation. The Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (in Finnish Helsingin Seudun Liikenne, HSL) manages public transportation in the metropolitan area. You can travel with the HSL public transportation ticket on the metro, train, bus, commuter train, tram, and even on the ferry to Suomenlinna.

You can plan your journey on the Helsinki Region Transport’s official website (hsl.fi) or on the HSL mobile application (available for Android (play.google.com) and iOS (apps.apple.com)).

Please note that you cannot buy a ticket on board public transportation. You must have a ticket purchased before boarding the vehicle. Tickets can be purchased from ticket vending machines, HSL service points, or on the HSL mobile app.

To ensure that the bus stops at the station and to make your journey with public transportation as smooth as possible, remember to check HSL’s travel tips (hsl.fi).

To travel by train elsewhere in Finland, you can purchase a ticket from VR (vr.fi), which is responsible for domestic train services in Finland.

If you want to travel by bus outside the Helsinki metropolitan area, you can buy bus tickets from companies such as Onnibus or Matkahuolto.

Student Discount

As a student, you are entitled to a lower-priced HSL travel ticket depending on your age: 

• if you are aged 18 years or over, you are entitled to a student discount (40% on season tickets).
• if you are under 18 years of age, you can buy child tickets (discount 50%).

To receive the legal age (18 years or over) student discount on a season ticket, you need to fill out the “Exchange Student discount ticket application” and return it to an HSL service point. You can find the application form and other requirements for student discount page (hsl.fi).

• Hiisi Homes
• Työväen Akatemia (akatemia.org)
• Suomen Raamattuopisto (in Finnish) (raamattuopisto.fi)
• Forenom

The emergency number (hätänumero) in Finland is 112. Call the emergency number only in genuine emergency situations, when someone’s life, health, property, or the environment is in danger.

You can install the free-of-charge 112 Suomi mobile application (112.fi)(opens in a new window, goes to a different website) on your phone, so, if necessary, the Emergency Response Centre operator will see your location automatically when you make the call through the app.

Those who stay in Finland temporarily and who do not have a place of domicile here will receive medically necessary treatment in the public healthcare system if the person has a European Health Insurance Card.

• If you come from another Nordic country, you can also present an official identity card or passport.
• If you come from Great Britain or from Northern Ireland, you can present your European Health Insurance card, “Citizens Rights” –card or GHIC-card.
• If you come to Finland temporarily from some other country than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Great Britain, or Northern Ireland, you are only entitled to emergency treatment. You can be charged for the costs for the treatment afterwards. You are not entitled to reimbursement for the costs for private healthcare services. You will also not receive reimbursement for the costs for medicine purchases and travel costs in connection with medical treatment.

Information about public health services 

in Vantaa and Kerava (vakehyva.fi)

in Helsinki (hel.fi)

in Espoo, Kauniainen and Kirkkonummi (luvn.fi)

The police (poliisi.fi) in Finland are responsible for maintaining public order, preventing and investigating crimes, and ensuring the safety and security of citizens. Police also issue foreigner’s identity cards.

If you need police assistance quickly, call the emergency number 112. Only call the emergency number in case of emergencies where life, health, property or the environment is in danger.