How could I get in touch with my tutor? Will he/she pick up my key and meet me at the airport?

All exchange students will be assigned a fellow student tutor. He or she will contact you a few weeks before your arrival. You may then arrange for pick-up of keys and meeting in Åbo or Vasa.

I have an exam and I will miss the orientation course. Will this be a problem?

You must plan to arrive so that you can take part in the compulsory Orientation. Information about studying and course registration will take place during the course, and it is very important that you do not miss out on this. If you arrive later, you will also not receive tutor support. Please note that it may be possible to have your examinations sent to Education services/International affairs. We can arrange a room and supervision for you if we know about the exam beforehand.

When should I expect to receive a housing offer?

TYS and Retrodorm usually send their housing offers around 2-4 weeks before arrival; Lärkan in Vasa about 4 weeks before arrival.

I would like to rent a starting package. What should I do in order to receive it?

You may pick it up yourself upon arrival or your tutor might be able to help you with that. Please see the information available at the Starting Package storage website (Åbo): tyy.fi/en/students/starting-package-storage/borrowing and Vasa: studentkaren.fi/english/starting-package

How do I pay the Student Union fee?

Sign the User Agreement form at Education Services/International affairs. Log into Selfservice using your Åbo Akademi University username and password. Pay the Student union membership fee using the Paytrail service. The payment must be done with a credit card or using Finnish online banking services. Please print a receipt of the payment.

How can I order the Student Card?

You can order your student card 1-2 workdays after you have paid the student union fee. Order your student card at frank.fi/en/.

How do I obtain a Finnish personal identity code?

Every exchange student studying more than three months in Finland must obtain a Finnish personal identity code. You will also need it if you want to use the free of charge student card app Frank (instead of ordering a physical card, which costs). We always invite the Local Register Office in Åbo to come to our campus in the beginning of the semester, but if you can’t attend, please see the instructions below how to reserve a time there by yourself.

Non-EU citizens
When applying the residence permit to Finland you had the possibility to apply for the personal identity code already in advance. If you did not to this, please visit the Local Register Office in order to get the code. Even if you have the personal identity code, you must visit the Register Office to inform them of your address in Finland.

How to reserve a time at the Register Office:
Go to: http://www.maistraatti.fi/en/ > Time Reservation System > Personal law services > Registration of foreigners (Ulkomaalaisten rekisteröinti) > Select office: for Åbo: Lounais-Suomen maistraatti – Turun yksikkö or for Vasa: Länsi-Suomen maistraatti – Vaasan yksikkö; You will now be able to reserve a time.

After receiving the personal identity code, please send the decision scanned by e-mail to exchange@abo.fi from your abo.fi-e-mail or present the decision at Education services so that we can enter the information in the study register.