During the exchange

Below are some things that you will need to do during your exchange studies with us, as well as some important information that you may need during your exchange.

Upon arrival

Collect your key to your apartment

You should have already arranged how and when you will collect your apartment key before you arrive to Finland. If not check here first: Before arrival to Finland

Orientation week

As a new exchange student, you will begin your studies with us by taking parking in a mandatory orientation week.

The orientation week is a very important part of your exchange studies which helps you get started with your studies at ÅAU and with your time in one of our cities.

More information about the orientation week can be found here. Orientation Week Information

Tutors

Incoming exchange students to Åbo Akademi University can choose if they would like to have a student tutor for their stay in Finland.

A student tutor is a fellow student at Åbo Akademi University, who helps with practical matters related to starting studies and settling in in a new city.

Tutors for exchange students

Registration at the University

The first day of the orientation week is the official arrival day for all international students and this is the day when you should register as attending at the University.

The International Office in Vasa is in Academill (F4), Strandgatan 2, 65100, and is open from 09:00 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 15:00.

Things to bring with you when you register:

Official ID (passport or driving license)
Receipt of the paid Student Union fee, if you choose to join the Student Union.

After you have registered with us you will receive:

Åbo Akademi IT Username and Password
- This is needed to log into all university systems, including your ÅAU email address, Peppi (course registration system) and more.
Study Certificate (only in Vasa)
- This certificate is needed in contact with the Digital and population data services (DVV) and the Finnish Immigration Service.
- After registration you can download the certificate in Peppi.

Signing of documents for your home university:

- It is very important that you PRINT OUT and fill in any documents that you need signed by us for your home university i.e., Certificate of Arrival for Erasmus+ students. We will only sign your documents for you if they have been printed out and brought with you to registration.
- If you have electronic documents you can e-mail them to us at exchange@abo.fi.

It is common that the exchange student tutors bring their tutor groups to the office to register at the same time, so check with your tutors first.

Registering for courses and exams

You should register/enroll for courses and exams that are in your approved learning agreement, once you have arrive to the University and registered yourself as attending.

Once you have registered as attending, you will receive your ÅAU username and temporary password so you are able to log into our student systems.

Course and exam registrations are made in our student system called Peppi.

We will have a Peppi session during the orientation week where we will inform you how you can register to courses and see your timetable.

Updating your personal information in Peppi

Once you have been able to log into the student systems and Peppi, you should make sure that you update your personal information and contact details in your profile page. You should update your address in Finland as well as a telephone number that we can contact you on during your stay.

Applying for a Finnish Personal ID Code from DVV

All exchange students need to obtain a Finnish Personal Identity Code after they have arrived in Finland. A Finnish ID code is a number sequence with 11 characters, formed on the basis of one’s date of birth. The ID code is needed for a variety of things, such as to open a bank account etc. It is also mandatory for our university systems.

Already have a residence permit?

Most students with a residence permit should already have a Finnish Personal ID code stated on the residence permit card.

How to apply for a Finnish Personal ID Code

You can only apply for a Finnish Personal ID code after your have registered at Åbo Akademi University as an attending exchange student, and received your Letter of Attendance from us.

Instructions

Fill in the online application form which is available at the following link: https://dvv.fi/en/international-student
Meeting with DVV in Åbo and Vasa You will need to visit DVV after you have arrived in Finland and filled in the application.
1. Åbo: Digital and population data services (DVV) will book a date for when ÅA exchange students can go and visit them at their office. Please visit DVV in Åbo at the following times: 9 January between 9-12 and 13-15. The address is Itsenäisyydenaukio 2, 1st floor, 20800 TURKU. If you cannot go the the DVV’s office during these days, you will need to visit them by yourself. If this is the case, please check the instructions on how to book an appointment yourself below.
2. Vasa: Digital and population data services (DVV) will book a date for when ÅA exchange students can go and visit them at their office. Please visit DVV in Vasa at the following time: 9 January between 10-12 and 13-14.The address is Wolffintie 35 B, 2^nd floor, 65200 VAASA.
3. If you cannot go the the DVV’s office during these days, you will need to visit them by yourself. If this is the case, please check the instructions on how to book an appointment yourself below.If you cannot make the specific date that DVV will book for ÅA exchange students, you should book an appointment time yourself directly with DVV.
4. If you have family members who want to register, you should book a 15 minute appointment per person if you have already filled in the electronic application for your municipality of residence in advance (and have already received a Finnish ID number) https://dvv.fi/en/municipality-of-residence/third-countries. For family relationships (marriage, parenthood) you should book a 30 min appointment https://dvv.fi/en/turku-en (or more if you have many cases to register). These 30 min times are also good to book if you have not yet received a Finnish ID number from Migri. Instructions for how to book a time:
  - Go to the following link: https://isl.ajanvaraus.fi/frontend/
  - Change the page into English at the top right-hand corner of the page
  - Choose “International Relations” which can be found under “Personal Law Services”
  - Under “Select Service Location” choose “Service location in Vaasa/Åbo”
  - Click “Select time”
  - You will then be able to book an appointment that suits you best.
Please remember to bring with you for the appointment:
- Your passport / ID
- Complete Finnish address (check your rental agreement or bring it with you)
- Study Certificate from Åbo Akademi University (you can download it in Peppi)
Please inform us when you’ve received your Finnish personal ID code by sending an email to exchange@abo.fi.

Application for right of residence at the Finnish Immigration Services (Migri)

Non-EU citizens: residence permit

Students from non-EU countries should have applied for a residence permit and should have their residency card when they come to Finland. They do not need to visit Migri.

EU Citizens: Registration at the Finnish Immigration Services

EU/EEA citizens need to register their right to reside in Finland as a student if they stay in Finland for longer than three months without traveling somewhere outside of Finland. You will need to do this even if you have applied for a Finnish ID code.

Registration of the right of residence of a citizen of the European Union costs 54 euros
Complete the application form and attach all required documents at the Enter Finland website https://enterfinland.fi/eServices/info/europeancitizens
Select the service point where you need to go to prove your identity and book an appointment.
What do you need for registration at Migri?
- National proof of identity or passport
- Study Certificate from Åbo Akademi University (you can download it in Peppi)

Citizens of a Nordic Country

Citizens of a Nordic country (Denmark, Iceland, Norway or Sweden) register their right of residence at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) when they apply for their Finnish ID code. They do not need to visit Migri.

Internet connection in accommodation

Depending on your accommodation you need to make sure you have internet access.

Exchange students in Åbo

If you are staying in an apartment offered by TYS, you have wired internet ready in the apartments, you need to have RJ45 cable to use it. If you want to make the connection wireless, you need a wireless router. In addition, Iltakajo and Yo-kylä exchange student buildings have Eduroam wireless as well.

Exchange students in Vasa

If you are staying at an apartment offered by Lärkan, a Wi-Fi exists but you need a router which is registered with the phone company DNA. You can find more information here.

Finnish bank accounts/international payments

Opening a bank account in Finland is hard and can take a long time. Exchange students need to first apply for their Finnish personal ID number (during orientation week) before you can open a bank account and some bank accounts still take several weeks to open.

We do not recommend exchange students to open bank accounts in Finland if you are staying only for one semester.

For your international payments before and after arriving to Finland we recommend that you use either Wise or Revolut.

Students staying for a whole academic year may feel that opening a bank account in Finland is useful. If you need a bank account in Euros we suggest that you open an international account with Wise or Revolut. Please note that it is your responsibility to check plans, fees, and exchange rates yourselves.

During the exchange

Documents during the exchange

Certificate of Stay – Confirmation of Arrival/Certificate of Stay and Confirmation of End of Study Period will be issued exclusively as an Åbo Akademi University certificate upon the students’ arrival / departure. No other types of forms will be signed. We will not fill in and sign printed forms from other institutions.

Learning Agreement – You should already have an approved and signed learning agreement/online learning agreement before you arrive to ÅAU. If you need to change courses in your approved learning agreement after you have arrived, please check the next section of this page for more information.

Certificate of Study – Once you have registered as attending with us, you are able to download an official Certificate of Study from our student system Peppi. You can use this certificate to prove that you are a student of Åbo Akademi University.

Follow the following instructions to download the certificate:

Log in to https://studie.abo.fi using your ÅAU user account
Choose the option ”E-certificates” from the top row
You will then be taken to a page called ”new order” and there you select the typ of certificate you want to download. Either a study certificate or a transcript of records
Choose if you want the document in English or Swedish
Select ”order”
You the find the document in the ”Documents” tab at the top of the page
Select the document you want to download (the newest one you have ordered is at the top of the page) and select download.

Changing your approved Learning Agreement

Once students have a confirmed and signed learning agreement, signed by both universities, students are permitted to make changes to their learning agreements once only during the mobility.

The reason for changing the learning agreement needs to be valid i.e., course timetable clashes, a class is full, or the student feels the course is too hard.

Assessment and grading scales

A course is assessed on the following scale:

5 (Excellent)
4 (Very good)
3 (Good)
2 (Satisfactory)
1 (Sufficient) F (Failed)

For more information on course types and grading, please check here.

Finnish Student Card

You can get a Finnish student card only once you have paid the Student Union fee and you have been registered as attending at the University.

You can either get an electronic student card on your phone via the Frank App, or you can order a plastic student card for an additional fee.
The student card is also accessible in the Tuudo app.

By activating the student card, you get cheaper lunches at the student restaurants as well as cheaper tickets for buses and trains and discounts in shops. More information on the Student Union can be found here: The Student Union and student card.

Before you get your electronic student card via the Frank app, you can show your student union payment receipt in all university restaurants to get student prices on lunch.

Please note, that it takes a day after registration to be able to activate the electronic student card in the app.

Åbo Akademi University Email Account

You will have your own ÅAU email address for the duration of your exchange studies with us. You will receive your username and temporary password after you have registered as attending with us.

We will have an information session during the orientation week where you can find out how to set up your ÅAU email account, change your password, and sync your emails to your phone.

All personnel at the University, including the international office, will use this e-mail address to reach you during your stay here. Please read your e-mail frequently to ensure that you do not miss important information.

When contacting teaching or staff of Åbo Akademi University, always use your ÅAU email account so the person knows that you are a student of the university and does not treat your email like spam.

If you want to use another e-mail address instead, you should active the forwarding setting for the ÅAU e-mail. This can be done in SelfService.

Libraries and Library Facilities

Students do not usually need to purchase course books during their studies, these are available at the ASA-library in Åbo and at Academill in Vasa.

The ÅAU libraries organize information sessions for exchange students so that students can get the most out of the resources and databases provided. Information on how to obtain a library card can be found here. To see the library collections please visit the search portal Alma.

All academic and social services available to Finnish students are also provided to exchange students. Moreover, the computer facilities are of very high standards, and students have access to several computer rooms at the University.

Exchange students will be provided with usernames for e-mail and computers when registering at the University, and will after registration have immediate access to all computer rooms.

Accessing Eduroam

You can access our WiFi called Eduroam with your Åbo Akademi username and password, that you will receive after you register as attending with us during the orientation week.

Many universities use Eduroam, so you can try with your own credentials or use username@abo.fi and your password.

If you cannot connect with your username, please download and install the eduroam Configuration Assistant Tool (eduroam CAT).

A sustainable exchange

Please read through our sustainable exchange guide which we have created for incoming exchange students. You can find information there on how to travel to Finland in a sustainable way and other tips for your time in Finland.

Healthcare and Well-being during exchange

Healthcare for exchange students

EU and UK citizens should use the public health services when in Finland, and students who have private health insurance should make an appointment with a private health care provider.

In emergency situations you should always call 112.

Finnish student Health services is not available for exchange students.

EU and UK Citizens

If you are an EU or UK Citizen and you get sick on your exchange and need to visit a public health care professional, you will need to book an appointment for this. You will need to show your European Health Insurance Card when visiting the health care professionals in Finland, so please make sure you bring the card with you on your exchange and that it is in date.

The European Health Insurance card entitles you to receive treatment if you fall ill or have an accident. You will also receive treatment if your long-term illness requires it. The card also entitles you to receive treatment related to pregnancy and delivery. You will pay the same amount for your treatment as permanent Finnish residents do.

Non-EU Citizens

If you are a non-EU Citizen and you need to visit a health care professional, you should contact your health insurance provider that you organized insurance with for your stay in Finland. Your health insurance company will be able to give you more information on what private health care services you should contact in Finland for your needs.

Please read more about Health services in Finland and Private health services here.

More helpful information can be found here: Healthcare in Finland

Medical Help In Finland

Åbo

Students in Åbo should start with calling Turku health stations appointment telephone: +358 2 266 1130 Mon-Fri 8:00–15:00. More information can be found here.

Evaluation of the need for care and health care guidance

The Turku health stations’ reception services assessment and counselling phone service for treatment needs is offered to the public on weekdays. A call-back system is in use. Listen to the recording carefully and leave a call request. You will be called back during the same day. You can also handle matters at the health station’s information desk during opening hours. Please note that there’s no information desk in the evening appointments’ waiting room. Please find more information here.

You should always call 116 117 before you go to the emergency room to evaluate what kind of care you need.

If you are informed that you should go to the emergency department at TYKS hospital you can find more information here.

Vasa

Students in Vasa start with calling +358 6 21 9000 to have your health needs assessed. That telephone number is open Monday–Thursday from 08:00–15:00 and Fridays 08:00–14:00.

If you need medical help outside of the telephone hours, you can call +358 116 117 for a medical assessment. You can find more information here.

You should always call 116 117 before visiting the emergency room at Vasa Hospital to have your needs assessed. They will then advise you if you need to go to the emergency room. If you need to go to the emergency room at Vasa Hospital, you can find more information here.

Homesickness and culture shock

Going abroad, whether on a holiday or for a longer period of time always entails new things. New country, new languages, new experiences, new foods and maybe even a new you!

Culture shock

Culture shock can involve feelings of anxiety and uncertainty due to living in a new country or place where cultures feel different from what you are used to.

Examples of culture shock can be:

Not understanding the norms
Experiencing different styles of communication
Missing food or norms from your home country or that you are used to
Tiredness and stress from speaking in another language

There are a few stages of culture shock which are normal when living in a new country for a extended period of time. These are:

Honeymoon stage – everything seems amazing! Your new country is fascinating and exciting and you feel happy all the time. You are enjoying all of your new experiences, and you feel like this might be the best decision you have ever made.
Anxiety stage – After a while you may start to have some doubts. You may start to notice that not everything is so perfect with your new country and start noticing things that you dislike.
Adjustment stage – After some time, you will slowly start to see things differently. You will not only see the negative things anymore but also start to see the positive things again and see that they can exist together.
Acceptance stage – Now you really start to understand how things work in the new country and start to feel used to things, and at home. By now you have probably made some friends and found some hobbies, things that you like doing and a routine.

Good to remember:

No culture is static! Cultures are changing and adapting all the time.
Multiple cultures can exist in the same spaces
Everyone is an individual
Different cultures and different individuals meeting is important and enriches us all

Try this:

Think of your exchange as a whole journey, not just the first days or weeks
Be curious and open to trying new things
Talk to people, both your new friends and your own friends and family back home
Keep your good routines, they help you!
Remember it is normal to feel all the above stages including homesick and lonely
Be patient and kind with yourself

Well-being and mental health support during exchange

Exchange studies are an amazing experience but are not without their challenges. If you face mental health challenges during your exchange, please contact us at exchange@abo.fi to let us know.

You should also contact your home university as soon as possible as you are still entitles to mental health support from your home university during your exchange studies with us.

There is also different types of mental health support available for you during your time in Finland:

MIELI Mental Health Finland – is a mental health organisation whose mission is to promote mental health, provide crisis counselling and prevent mental health problems and suicides. By visiting their website you can find their crisis helpline or chat and write to someone if you prefer. MIELI Crisis Helpline in English 09 2525 0116
HELSINKI MISSIO – offers free counselling from professional helpers for young people. You can ring and talk about anything that is important to you. Visit their website to schedule your call.
Åbo Akademi University Student Priest – When you are at a crossroad in your life, when you are thinking about relationships, studies, faith or just want to talk to someone, you can turn to the student priests. The student priests are bound by professional secrecy and are at service in questions about baptism, marriage, confirmation and other church services. The student priest in Åbo is Mia Pusa, mia.pusa@evl.fi, phone 040 3417296.The student priest in Vasa is Camilla Brunell, camilla.brunell@evl.fi, 044-4808 326.

Intercultural preparation course

The CHARM-EU alliance presents a brand new short course in intercultural. The course takes less than an hour to complete and is available for everyone to watch.

The course is about intercultural dynamics and addresses themes such as time, space, communication, categorization and stereotypes.

Click here to find more information about the course and to watch it.

Survival Guide

Please read our annually updated Survival Guide for further information about living in Finland and studying at ÅAU.