Apply to University of Helsinki's TRAINEESHIP PROGRAMME FOR INTERNATIONAL MASTER STUDENTS and become one of the best!
We offer you our full support for your traineeship period, including
The University of Helsinki as a responsible employer and only offers paid traineeships.
In 2026, the call for applications is open April 8th-29th.
The programme is aimed only for international students pursuing their Master's degree at the University of Helsinki. The target group of the programme is international students who do not speak Finnish or who are learning Finnish. According to research, international jobseekers face additional barriers to employment, partly due to language skills. With this programme, the University supports its international students' entry to the Finnish labour market.
The traineeship is conducted as a part-time work (55%, 20h/week), leaving time for studies as well. The salary of a trainee is €825 per month for a part-time (55%) trainee. Training period is primarily from 1st September to 31st December.
The available positions for the traineeships in 2026 will be open for application on April 8 2026 (available positions listed here below).
Please submit your application through the University’s recruitment system by clicking on the Apply link, which appears at the bottom of each job ad. Please note that you will be asked to register into the system before you get to apply. Please use other than your helsinki.fi account to register. You will receive a message from the recruitment system, once your application has been registered to the system.
Altogether 38 exciting trainee positions were filled across different departments and services in the University in the call for 2025. The list of available trainee positions in 2026 will be listed here:
Yes. The purpose of the training program is to provide work experience for individuals who may lack local networks and, in particular, those who do not speak Finnish fluently. Having a Finnish background or “heritage” does not exclude you from the target group, if you clearly have lived abroad most of your life.
The program is intended for Master’s students at the University of Helsinki. Traineeships are typically integrated into Master’s studies, and this ensures that participants are roughly at the same academic stage, and also regards to worklife skills.
No. The trainee must be in Finland for the entire duration of the traineeship (except for short absences such as vacations). Traineeships are recommended to include more onsite work than regular UH employment because meeting colleagues, observing their work, and interacting in person significantly enhances the learning experience.
Yes, you can apply, and we have selected trainees in this situation previously. However, a traineeship is usually most suitable once the initial tasks related to moving to Finland are completed and the studies are in a less hectic phase.
Learn more from the experiences of our trainees!
Diego Bonmatí Salazar was a trainee at the International Affairs team. During his traineeship, he worked on a range of international cooperation–related tasks, including supporting high-level meetings, international networks, events, and programme communications. He was also involved in work related to the University’s membership in the Universitas 21 network, as well as the Nordic and North America programmes.
Diego’s traineeship exceeded his expectations from the very beginning. Already in his first week, he found himself helping to organise a lecture by Nobel Laureate Professor Shinya Yamanaka. Coming from a Master’s in Neuroscience, this was a particularly exciting experience, as he was able to contribute to the organisation of the event while also attending the lecture itself. Diego participated also in several high-level meetings between the University leadership and international delegations. This offered him a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on how international university partnerships are built, which topics are prioritised, and how strategic decisions are discussed at institutional level.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the traineeship for Diego was the level of trust and responsibility he was given. He was constantly encouraged to contribute, share ideas, and take an active role in the team, including in high-level meetings. This gave him valuable insight into Finnish working culture, which he experienced as open, low-hierarchy, and based on mutual trust. Diego describes the traineeship as an experience where he truly felt like part of the team rather than “just a trainee,” and one that gave him both concrete skills and a deeper understanding of how a globally connected university operates.
Kshitiz Pokharel completed his traineeship in 2025 with the Research Services team, working in doctoral education. He currently studies in the Master’s Programme in Agricultural Sciences. He has five years of professional experience in Nepal, from coordinating agricultural programmes at a college. He joined the international traineeship programme to apply his skills in a new context. During the traineeship, he supported the team in organizing Base Camp courses and other events and contributed to the Doctoral Stories initiative.
This traineeship significantly influenced my career direction. It helped me identify my strengths and areas for improvement when working in diverse teams, encouraging me to pursue career pathways in both the professional and academic fields in Finland. This opportunity strengthened my leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities. I also learned practical aspects of event coordination and team management, which helped me understand how collaborative work functions in an international academic environment. Furthermore, through organizing Base Camp courses for doctoral researchers and interviewing current doctoral researchers through the Doctoral Stories initiative, I got the chance to interact and network with people who are following the career path that I want to pursue after my Master’s degree. Also the career coaching sessions were extremely valuable in helping me manage my time effectively, prioritise tasks, and develop essential professional skills.
Initially, I felt unsure about adapting to a new workplace culture, but this experience has made me much more confident and comfortable. I was pleasantly surprised by the work culture every day. Even small contributions were genuinely appreciated, and colleagues regularly checked in to ensure I am enjoying my work and progressing well. In every task we did, our team involved us from the very beginning, from planning to implementation. This helped me to understand the programme at a basic and foundational level and created a sense of being an integral part of the programme. I valued the supportive atmosphere, the balance between work and life, and the shared responsibility across the team. This culture of trust, respect, and encouragement was one of the most striking experiences for me.