Welcome to study Economics

Welcome, new Economics student! We are excited for you to start your studies at the University of Helsinki, in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Our Master’s Programme in Economics is demanding, but you can rest assured that you will receive a high-quality education; graduates of the programme are hard currency in the labour market. This page provides you with important information to help prepare and get excited for your arrival. For example, you might be interested in taking part in Aalto University’s Math Camp before the courses start in September, or get to know our Economics building on Arkadiankatu, in the heart of Helsinki. You can also find the structure of your studies and an introduction to student life through this page.

We look forward to meeting you in August!

Preparing for Your Studies

Aalto University Math Camp in August

If you would like to prepare for your studies before the semester starts we highly recommend you to join the The Aalto University Math Camp that will take place in August. The camp is a brief review of basic mathematical concepts and an introduction to some more specialized tools that will be used throughout the first year of Master’s studies, and it is open to University of Helsinki students.

R Club

The R Club will meet twice a week at the Economicum building during the first teaching period. This short course is designed to introduce you to the basics of R and its application in the field of economics. R is a powerful statistical software widely used by economists for data analysis, modeling, and visualization. In this course, you will learn how to use R to manipulate data, create graphs and plots, conduct basic statistical analyses, and develop econometric models. By participating in the R Club, you will have the opportunity to improve your practical skills in R that will be highly beneficial in the econometrics courses of our program.

Structure and Courses

The structure of the Master's Programme in Economics is highly systematic serving well students who wish to graduate in two years. In addition to core courses, the programme includes field courses in economics, as well as optional courses from different fields.

You can take economics courses from each of the three Helsinki Graduate School of Economics () universities: University of Helsinki, Aalto University and Hanken School of Economics. The Helsinki GSE unit offers the most extensive selection of economics courses in Finland.

More detailed information can be found on the .

More Information

In the , you will find practical information for the University of Helsinki students in one place, for example:

•  providing instructions and bulletins regarding your studies. Remember to always select your own programme in the dropdown menu at the top of the page.
• A section  in the Instructions for students.
• Information and tools in order to  in the Instructions for students.
•  where you can filter and look for available courses.

If you have any questions regarding your studies, please .

Do you wonder what it is like to study at the University of Helsinki? How is student life or housing in the City of Helsinki? You can chat directly with our student , or other University of Helsinki students on our . The student blog posts on the chat platform are also a great way to get an overview of student life in Helsinki.

Kindly note that for questions related to admissions you should contact the .

The Student Association of Economics (Kansantaloustieteen opiskelijat ry - KTTO ry) at the University of Helsinki was founded in 1959. It is committed to safeguarding the interests and improving the general welfare of its members in the fields of leisure, study and work. .

The discipline of economics is housed in the on Arkadiankatu street, which also accommodates the economics departments of and the , as well as the . The discipline of economics has a teaching and research staff of close to 40 people. In total, more than 100 economists work at Economicum. The building was designed by architect Einari Teräsvirta. The oldest parts of the building were completed in the 1960s and 1980s, and the latest addition in 2003. Economicum is also right next to the Finnish Museum of Natural History, which also functions under the University of Helsinki!

The teaching starts officially on 31 August 2026, but you should participate in the orientation activities (Orientation week 25–28 Aug 2026) for the new students already before the classes begin. You will be assigned to a tutor group led by a senior student, or student tutor. You will learn more about studying in our programme and get support with administrative matters. This will make it easier for you to start your studies and life in Helsinki.

The detailed information concerning the will be published in the Instructions for students. Remember to select your programme in the dropdown menu to access the information relevant to your degree programme.

You should also get in contact with your academic mentor and make the initial during the orientation week.

The international students in the Master's Programme in Economics can apply to the UNITalent Programme. It is designed to support international students in building professional networks in Finland and to gain insight into field specific working life. Students take part by attending monthly group meetings with hosting organisation for a period of three months. During the programme, the University Career Services also provides training in career management skills. The continuation of the programme will be decided in spring 2026.