New to Tsemppi?

On behalf of this year’s board, welcome!

Tsemppi is an organization for internationally-minded students and researchers in Helsinki, Finland. While most of our members are at the University of Helsinki, we welcome students and researchers in higher education institutions across the country.

Whether you are a new international or Finnish graduate student, PhD student or Post-doc researcher, we hope you find this website helpful. Tsemppi has prepared various materials geared to your specific stage (Graduate or Postgraduate/Post-doc) and will be organizing events throughout the academic year to help you meet new people in Helsinki. Don’t forget to sign up to the Tsemppi mailing list and join our Tsemppi or Tsemppi PhD Facebook groups!

We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events in Helsinki!

Cheers,

Kate Jurva

President

2011 Tsemppi Board

16 Comments

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  1. #1 Nasri Selim
    10/04/08 Reply

    Hello, I am a tunisian schoolboy. I attend to study computerscience in Finland at the winter session 2011.
    Would you tell me please, if I can apply for a finnish cursus at the University of Helsinki, in order to pass the necessary test vor study beginning.
    How long is the duration of the cursus?

    Thanks a lot
    Selim Nasri

  2. #2 admin
    10/04/26 Reply

    Hi Selim,

    There are a number of courses you can take. Unfortunately they all cost money until you’re actually a student (at which point free courses are available for registered students). But in any case, it’s not realistic to try to learn enough Finnish to write a Finnish entrance exam in any realistic period of time.

    For the University of Helsinki, you would have to complete your bachelor’s degree elsewhere and then apply for one of the English language masters programs, which don’t require any knowledge of the Finnish language.

    Another option is to apply to an English-language bachelor’s program at one of the many universities of applied sciences in Finland. Again, you don’t need any knowledge of Finnish for these, and they’re free (at least for now – that may change in the future). You should be aware that these are considered vocational programs in Finland and won’t qualify you for a master’s degree at a Finnish university.

    You can find more information about bachelor’s programs in English here:

    https://www.admissions.fi/vierashaku/prod_index.html

    Good luck!

    … Ami.

  3. #3 anju
    10/05/27 Reply

    Can anyone tell me that whether its possible to get furnished student apartments in helsinki ,like in tampere.I will be a student at the University of Helsinki.,Vikki Camous.

  4. #4 johanna
    10/06/08 Reply

    Hei Anju,

    It entirely depends upon you being either an exchange student or a degree student: If you are an exchange student and arrive through an Erasmus agreement or some similar agreement, you can get a furnished apartment from HOAS, the main provider of student apartments in Helsinki. If you are a degree student (meaning that you plan on doing your whole degree at UH), HOAS most probably will not offer you furnished apartments, even though in some cases, they did. But still, your best bet normally is to apply for housing through HOAS and ask for a furnished flat and be persistent in asking for it. In case you do not get a furnished flat, there are numerous second hand furniture shops in Helsinki (check for example the Kierrätyskeskus or FIDA shops – they also have a website you can find easily through google search) , so it is possible to find cheap furniture without having to rely on IKEA. Generally, if HOAS offers you an apartment or shared flat, it is recommended that you accept it as there is a serious shortage of flats in the Helsinki area and not all students actually get housing through HOAS and have to find something independently. This is really difficult, which is why you should apply to HOAS as soon as possible. If you do not get housing, you can also ask the Helsinki Student Union for help or try searching on the Helsinki University Black Board (mostly in Finnish): http://www.helsinki.fi/bin/phorum/list.php?f=7 or the housing service or the student union: https://www.lyyra.fi/asunnot.

    But don’t despair, you will eventually find something, even though maybe not furnished. But you still have plenty of time until the term starts, so your chances are very good.

    Best of luck in finding a flat and welcome to Helsinki!

  5. #5 sibel
    10/08/05 Reply

    Hi!

    I am a student from Turkey. I will study at Helsinki University-Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry,for autum and spring semesters. I have a big problem because I haven’t found any place to stay. I applied somewhere for housing but they didn’t offer me a room. So I am in trouble now. Please, can you help me? Thanks a lot.

  6. #6 kevser esra özdemir
    10/08/05 Reply

    hi.ı am from Turkey.ı have won university of helsinki by exchange(erasmus)students.my school is in viikki campus.I found this address through. I’m afraid late .I’m very glad if you’ll have to help me because I have no place will stay now. ı have applied haos but I was late for deadline I’m in a very difficult situation.thanks

    KEVSER ESRA ÖZDEMİR

  7. #7 Susi
    10/08/09 Reply

    hey=)

    i didn´t find an e-mail-adress so i try here:

    i will be at university of helsinki in the spring term. now i want to book a flight. do you already know when the orientation weeks will be. how many days before studies start, should i be in helsinki?

    it would be great if you have an answer=)

  8. #8 johanna
    10/08/19 Reply

    Dear Susi,

    Normally the orientation week for students starting their studies in the spring term takes place in the third week of January, but the exact dates for the next spring term orientation course are not published yet. Generally, you do not need to be in Helsinki until the orientation course starts, all practical matters regarding residence permits, registering for courses etc. are dealt with during the orientation week.

    Welcome to Helsinki!

  9. #9 Rashmi
    10/08/31 Reply

    Hi,
    I am Rashmi from India, i will be applying for 2011 Masters course in information and communication technology. I could not find about the tution fee and estimated living cost, including accommodation, health and food. And also, about the part time jobs, if they help me cope up with my expenses there. Also i am very confused about the visa system of Finland. i read here that it has to be renewd every year of my stay in the country, but after finishing my course, is there the facility of Post Study Work Visa??

    Looking forward for your answer… :)

  10. #10 johanna
    10/09/09 Reply

    Hei Rashmi,

    You can find the information you are looking for on the webpages of the University, for example here: http://www.helsinki.fi/studying/index.html. Check especially the right side bar and the different guides for new students.

    There are no tuition fees at the University of Helsinki, though the cost of living is quite high here. And you are right, as a non-EU citizen you have to apply every year for a new residence permit (but as a student it will normally be granted).

    If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us!

  11. #11 Rashmi
    10/09/11 Reply

    Hi,
    Thankx for the reply.
    i was under the right impression about the cost of living being high in Finland then!
    well but do the part time jobs cover that? because, as there is no tuition fee i do not suppose there will be any scholarship provided by the University.
    Please elaborate on the part time situtaion in Finland for non-EU students.
    Thanks… :)

  12. #12 Zubair Ghufran
    11/04/15 Reply

    Hi.. I am from Pakistan joining UH in September for MSc Molecular Biosciences (Genetics).. I want to know how much is the monthly expenses in Helsinki..

  13. #13 johanna
    11/05/18 Reply

    Hei Zubair,

    Helsinki is quite an expensive city to live in, so with rent and food and public transport you should calculate at least 600 Euros for living expenses.

    Best regards,

    Johanna

  14. #14 Bianca
    11/07/06 Reply

    Moi Moi.
    I will be a student at UH this year and would just like to ask you a couple of questions prior to my arrival.
    I have already registered at the University of Helsinki and the Faculty of Social Sciences as a student (as well as paying the Student Union fee). But I was wondering about the procedure to register for individual courses. I looked through the University’s webpage but could not find information on this topic, pertaining to exchange or international students. Do we have to do that prior our arrival in Helsinki? If so, since I do not yet a student number to access the WebObi page, is there any other method of registration.

    Kiitos paljon,
    Bianca

  15. #15 Kate
    11/08/02 Reply

    Hi Bianca,

    Usually each course has its own registration period on Weboodi, and registration can occur throughout the academic year. To our knowledge, you do not have to worry about registering for courses before you arrive and get your weboodi access. One thing to know, though, is if you are a regular degree student and want to sign up for Finnish courses, registration is always in person at the Main building (Fabianinkatu 33, 5th floor) at the very beginning of September. This year, the registration will begin August 30 and ends September 2, so be sure to get there on time. Check here for more info on Finnish language courses (for exchange and Master’s program students also)

    Good luck!

    Kate on behalf of Tsemppi

  16. #16 Siddharth
    12/01/19 Reply

    Hi.. i am an Indian student and completing my B.TECH in Biotechnology and want to know about a course comprising both MBIOT and PhD in biotechnology..?? And whether UH accepts GRE scores or not???

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