Orientation and Welcome Fair

Each autumn and spring, before the classes begin, there is an orientation week 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.

The orientation week gives you an excellent opportunity to get a lot of information which makes the start of your studies and life in Finland as smooth and pleasant as possible. You get a lot of practical information about e.g. the University, bureaucratic necessities and student benefits, while getting to know other international students.

You will also be assigned a tutor, who is a student at the University and can introduce you to the Finnish student life.

The orientation week includes:

• Welcome Fair with Info Sessions for both exchange and degree students
  • Autumn 2013: 29th - 30th of August, at 10:00-17:00 hours, Language Centre Fabianinkatu 26
  • You can pick up materials, different certificates and ask questions, get information on practical matters, language courses, IT and library services, student services, travel and travel discounts, student union and student organisations etc.
  • More specific information available on the Orientation website.
• Faculty's own orientation meetings
  • Studies at the faculty (course registration, exams, degree structure etc.), facilities at the faculty and it's departments etc.
  • More specific programme available on the Orientation website
• Tutoring for 10-12 hours by a fellow student.
  
  

Tutoring

Tutoring is a support arrangement for students at the University of Helsinki, which introduces Finnish university life to new students and makes it easier for you to settle into the new environment.

The faculty assigns you a tutor (or a peer counsellor) and a tutoring group. Students are divided into groups on the basis of the faculty, department or master's programme where they study in Helsinki. The tutors also study at the same faculty.

The tutors assist new students in getting through the most important things during the first couple of days. Your tutor can point out where to register as a resident, where to get your city transport travel card, where your department is, and who to contact there, where the most important services on the campuses and around the city are.

Tutoring is successful if the members of the tutor group cooperate. When the group and the tutor work together, each individual student gets the most out of the tutoring sessions.

Helsinki Region Welcome Weeks

Once you have received information on your studies and the University at the orientation and Welcome Fair, you can turn your attention to what the City of Helsinki and the entire Metropolitan Area has to offer to you.

The Helsinki Region Welcome Weeks is a month-long event bringing together all old and new Helsinki Region residents, as there are a growing number of internationals and internationally-minded people in the Greater Helsinki Area. The purpose of the events organised during the Welcome Weeks is to help you make new friends, get information - and have fun doing it.

For more information please see the Helsinki Region Welcome Weeks website.