University of Helsinki

Welcome to the Sites of Student Exchange Programmes of the University of Helsinki

Acceptance, Arrival in Helsinki, Student Union Membership, Keys to the Housing, Travel to the Centre of Helsinki

Acceptance

Student Union Membership Fee for Exchange Students

• Benefits of the Student Union Membership
• How to pay the Student Union Membership Fee
• Welcome letter from the Student Union

Arrival in Helsinki

• Arrival dates
  • Some dormitories are available at the earliest from September 1 at 2 pm. (14:00). Please plan your arrival accordingly
  • Please check also the opening hours of HOAS housing offices.
• How to Receive the Keys to My Housing
• How to get to the Centre of Helsinki from airport and from one of the harbours. Central Railway Station and City Bus Terminal are in the centre of Helsinki.
• How to Find Your Way to HOAS, the Dormitory, and Private Housing by Public Transport
• Welcome Desk
• Information Package

Campus Maps (pdf-file), Map of Helsinki

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Acceptance for Student Exchange Period at the University of Helsinki

• Every exchange student must be accepted by one of the faculties of the University of Helsinki.
• The faculty will send you by email or in some cases also by regular post the Acceptance Letter after your application has been considered and you have been accepted usually at the latest in mid-June or early December.
• For university bilateral agreement exchange students (not Erasmus) and for ISEP, AEN, MAUI and North2North exchange students the International Exchange Services will also send an Acceptance letter.
• It is very important that you should notify the faculty and also the International Exchange Services immediately, if you need to cancel your exchange period or if there is a change in your exchange period.
• Contact information >>

Student Union Membership Fee for Exchange Students

The Student Union welcomes all new exchange students to join their activites. Welcome Letter from the Student Union to new Exchange Students.

Exchange students can choose if they pay the Student Union (HYY) membership fee. The International Exchange Services strongly recommends that all exchange students pay the fee, because they receive a lot of benefits as members of the Student Union (for example student discounts, Lyyra Card, Student Health Services etc.). The membership for academic year is 89 EUR and for semester 46 EUR . More information on website of Student Union >>

How to pay the Student Union Membership Fee

You can pay the fee at your home bank or in Helsinki at the Welcome Desk (Welcome Fair).

Invoice for payment of the Student Union Membership fee.

HYY Member Benefits and Services

HYY members can use the many benefits and services offered either directly or indirectly by the Student Union. Information on the benefits of Student Union Membership, see the Student Union – benefits, services and fun activities bulletin.

You can also get to know the services through the links on website of Membership Benefis and Services >>

Arrival in Helsinki

Please read this information carefully. It will help you in many ways upon your arrival. Exchange students should arrive in Helsinki on the arrival dates, so they are here when the Orientation Course and the courses start.

Arrival Dates

• Autumn / fall Semester 2011:
  • August 31 - September 1, 2011
  • Exception: September 1, 2011 for students whose housing will be at Leppäsuonkatu 9, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29, Hietaniemenkatu 14 and Vuolukiventie 1: These dormitories are available from afternoon at 2 pm. (14:00 hours) on September 1, 2011.
• Spring semester 2012:
  • January 4-5, 2012.
  • N.B. January 6 (Epiphany) is a public holiday and HOAS and the university are closed that day.

How to Receive the Keys to My Housing

Every student is responsible to collect his/her keys him/herself. Read carefully the information on opening hours of office of the housing provider before you make your travel arrangements to Helsinki.

In some cases you can't avoid arriving in the evening or during the week end, please note that in this case you have to reserve a hostel room for 1-2 nights, and then collect your keys during the opening hours of the housing provider for example HOAS. Please note also that you must pay the hostel room yourself.

Housing from HOAS (Foundation for Student Housing in Helsinki Region)

• You will receive the keys from HOAS office:
• Please arrange your arrival so, that you have time to get your keys from HOAS Office (open on weekdays Mon-Fri).
• Opening hours of HOAS offices
• Kamppi: HOAS office in Kamppi>>Contact info>> Kamppi local office, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29 (serves most of the international students).
  • Opening hours Mon-Fri 9 am. - 4 pm. (9:00-16:00 hours)
• Kannelmäki: Your housing is in Kannelmäki (Kitarakuja and Klaneettitie) the HOAS office is in Kannelmäki at Kitarakuja 1. HOAS office in Kannelmäki>>Contact info>> Kannelmäki local office
  • Opening hours Mon-Fri 1 pm. - 4 pm. (13:00-16:00 hours).
  Housing from Private market

• You should agree with the lessor (landlord or landlady) at what time and where to receive the keys.
• Contact the lessor in good time before your arrival and agree about the arrangements on your arrival.

How to get to the Centre of Helsinki

In most cases students arrive at Helsinki Airport (20 km from the centre of Helsinki), at one of the four harbours of Helsinki, or at the Helsinki Central Bus Station or at the Helsinki Central Railway Station.

From Helsinki Airport to the Centre of Helsinki:

• By bus:
  • Regional bus line number 615. Timetable >>.
    • Price of single ticket 4 EUR (March 2011).
    • Travel time to the centre 40-45 minutes.
    • The bus drives to Rautatientori (Railway Station).
    • Route map >>
  • Finnair City Bus. Timetable>>
    • Price of single ticket 5,90 EUR (March 2011)
    • Travel time 35 minutes.
    • Drives to Finnair City terminal at the Railway Station.
• By taxi:
  • Regular taxi, price about 35-40 EUR to the centre of Helsinki (March 2011)
  • Airport Taxi (Yellow line), price from for starts from 25 EUR (March 2011)

From one of the Harbours to the Centre of Helsinki

It is possible to arrive by boat (ferry) to different harbours in Helsinki.

South Harbour (Eteläsatama)

• Olympia terminal, address Olympiaranta 3
  • By tram number 3T to HOAS office in Kamppi (address Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29) travel time 22 minutes.
  • By tram number 3T to central Railway Station travel time 12 minutes.
  • By train from the central Railways Station to Kannelmäki (address Kitarakuja 1) travel time 15 minutes (train and walk).
  • Route map>>
• Makasiini terminal, address Eteläranta 7
  • By tram number 3T to HOAS office in Kamppi (address Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29) travel time 20 minutes.
  • By tram number 3T to central Railway Station travel time 10 minutes.
  • By train from the central Railways Station to Kannelmäki (address Kitarakuja 1) travel time 15 minutes (train and walk).
  • Route map>>
• Katajanokka terminal, address Katajanokanlaituri 8
• By tram number 4T or 4 to HOAS office in Kamppi (address Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29) travel time 30 minutes.
• By tram number 4T or 4 to central Railway Station travel time 15 minutes.
• By train from the central Railways Station to Kannelmäki (address Kitarakuja 1) travel time 15 minutes (train and walk).
• Route map to Kamppi or route map to railway station.

West Harbour (Länsisatama), address Hietasaarenkuja 8

• West terminal
• Travel time from West harbour to the centre 25 minutes.
• By bus number 15 A to HOAS office in Kamppi (address Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29) . Bus number 15A has a stop at Fredrikinkatu near HOAS office at Kamppi, travel time 10-15 minutes (route map)
• By bus number 15 A to Elielinaukio at the central railway station, travel time 20- 25 minutes (route map).
• By bus number 15V to Ruoholahti Metro station (route map) and then by metro or tram number 8 to HOAS office in Kamppi (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29)
  • By metro from Ruoholahti to Kamppi metro station. Travel time 12 minutes (2 minutes by metro and 10 minutes walk)
  • By tram number 8 to HOAS office in Kamppi (address Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29) from Ruoholahti, travel time 20 minutes (10 minutes walk and 10 minutes by tram)
• HOAS office in Kannelmäki ( address Kitarakuja 1): By train from the central Railways Station to Kannelmäki travel time 15 minutes (train and walk).

Vuosaari harbour, address Provianttikatu 5

• Hansa terminal
• By bus number 90 B to Rautatietori (central Railway Station) and then by metro to Kamppi or by tram number 3 T to Kamppi travel time 45-66 minutes. From Kamppi stop to HOAS office in Kamppi (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29) 5-8 minutes' walk.
• By bus number 90 A from Vuosaari harbour to central Railway Station, operates only very early in the morning or late in the evening. Travel time 30 minutes.
• By train from the central Railways Station to Kannelmäki (address Kitarakuja 1) travel time 15 minutes (train and walk).

By Train to Central Railway Station

• The central Railway Station in the centre of Helsinki
• To HOAS office in Kamppi (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29)
  • By metro travel time 10 minutes (walk and metro)
  • By tram number 3 T travel time 10 minutes (walk and tram).
• To HOAS office in Kannelmäki (address Kitarakuja 1 )if your housing is at Kitarakuja or Klaneettitie
  • By train from the central Railways Station to Kannelmäki travel time 15 minutes (train and walk).

By Long-Distance Bus to the City Bus Terminal

• In the centre of Helsinki
  • To HOAS office in Kamppi (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 29) 5-8 minutes walk.
  • Kannelmäki office (Kitarakuja 1): by metro to central Railway Station travel time 10 minutes (walk and metro) and then by train from the central Railways Station to Kannelmäki travel time 15 minutes (train and walk).

How to Find Your Way to HOAS, the Dormitory, and Private Housing by Public Transport

In Helsinki Metropolitan Area the public transportation is operated by Helsinki Region Transport HSL. On their website you will find a lot of information, for example on Timetables and routes & Tickets and Fares.

HSL has a service to plan your travels in Helsinki area: the Journey Planner. It helps you to find your way for example to HOAS and then to your dormitory.

Welcome Desk

The International Exchange Services arranges at the beginning of each semester a Welcome Desk for new incoming international students.

Information Package

The Information Package contains (for example):

• Personal Data information
• A certificate for cheaper food at the student cafeterias (before you receive the Lyyra Card)
• Orientation Programme, Orientation Handbook, Maps etc.
  

You can receive more information on Arrival and start of studies by email.