• Before arrival
• After arrival
• Accommodation
• Transportation
• Income
• Problems?
• Ombudsman for Minorities
• Municipality of Residence
• Food and restaurants
• About Finland

 

Before Arrival

There are many things that you should take care of before your arrival to Finland.

1. Apply for an apartment. You should apply as soon as possible, as at times it might be difficult to find suitable student housing.
2. Get a health insurance from your home country, especially if you come outside of EU/ETA countries. The insurance is recommended also for EU citizens.
3. Apply for visa/residence permit if you need it. The visa requirements vary from country to country, and you can find more information about them at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
4. Buy your travel tickets. There are some cheap fare airline companies operating in Finland. You can check which airlines operate at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport, which is closest to Otaniemi, at the airport's website. In addition, the cheap fare airline Ryanair flies to Tampere, with a bus connection to Helsinki. From Stockholm and Tallinn there are many good ferry connections to Helsinki, and there is a train connection from Russia. Please notice that flying to Finland can be expensive.
5. Take proper care of paper work. Depending on the purpose of your stay (studies or work), you might need to fill out different forms. Information about that should be included among your acceptance papers. Finns are generally very punctual and therefore you should return all the papers by the stated deadlines.
6. Pack wisely. Temperatures in Helsinki vary from -15 degrees in January to +25 in July. If you arrive during autumn, winter clothes can easily be bought here. If you plan to visit Russia, be sure to take your passport with you.