Welcomedegree2012abo

Checklist:

CHECKLIST:

Read through the Welcome Guide and other material sent to you by Åbo Akademi Univer-
sity. Find out as much as possible about Finland and the city.

Arrange with adequate insurance (See information on page 8-9). Note, requirement for visa.

Apply for a residence permit (concerns all non-EU students). (See information on page 5-6.)

Confirm your intention to study at Åbo Akademi University. (See information on page 4.)

Apply for housing. (See information on page 7-8.)

Book your trip so that you arrive in Åbo during the registration period which ends 7 Septem-
ber. Try to arrive in time for the orientation course. (See information on page 9-12.)

Draw up a budget for your stay in Finland. (See information on page 18-20.)

Accept your housing offer by paying the housing deposit fee.

Bring the original copies of your secondary school leaving certificate and Bachelor’s degree
certificate (when applying to the Master’s level) as well as original transcripts and other of-
ficial statements issued to you by your former school or university. You will need these when
you register. (See information on page 11.)

Make sure that your luggage is properly labelled and that you are carrying valuables and
important information concerning your studies and your trip in your hand luggage.

Cover: Rolf Niskanen, photograph: Tage Rönnqvist

WELCOM E GUIDE 2012/2013
2

Welcome to Åbo Akademi University

WELCOME TO ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY

Congratulations! You have been offered a study THE UNIVERSITY
entitlement at Åbo Akademi University. You
might have several questions concerning the Åbo Akademi University is a Swedish‑language
start of your studies - this guide aims to answer university, which means that the main language
most of the questions that new degree students of teaching and administration is Swedish. Cur-
may have before accepting the study offer, when rently the university also offers 8 Master’s de-
preparing for their studies as well as in the initial gree programmes taught in English and new
stages of the studies. programmes are being planned. There are also
double degree programmes offered in coopera-
Please read this guide carefully. Follow the in- tion with partner universities. However, the main
structions given and if you have any further part of the curriculum is taught in Swedish.
questions; do not hesitate to contact the Office
of Academic and Student Affairs (contact infor- The university was founded in 1918 in order to
mation at the end of this guide). When you ar- provide higher education for the Swedish‑speak-
rive, you will receive more information about ing minority in Finland. About 7000 students are
the studies as well as more detailed information currently enrolled. About 1000 of these are inter-
about living in Åbo/Turku (you can also read the national students studying either for a whole de-
Survival Guide at http://www.abo.fi/student/en/ gree or for shorter periods as exchange students.
guider).
Åbo Akademi University has two main cam-
An orientation course for international degree puses in Åbo and Vasa. Åbo Akademi University
students will be arranged in the beginning of the comprises 12 departments:
term. For more information about that course,
please see the chapter on arrival and registra- Faculty of Arts
tion. Faculty of Education
Faculty of Theology
We want to welcome you to Åbo Akademi Uni- Department of Psychology and Logopedics
versity! We hope you will feel at home at our uni- School of Business and Economics
versity and that this guide will facilitate the early Department of Social Sciences
stages of your studies. Department of Law
Department of Political Science
Welcome! Department of Natural Sciences
Department of Biosciences
Department of Information Technologies
Department of Chemical Engineering

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
3

Contents

CONTENTS ACCEPTING YOUR PLACE
OF STUDY
Accepting your place of study...................................4
Confirmation form.................................................................................. 4
Immigration Requirements.........................................5 CONFIRMATION FORM
Nationals of the Nordic countries.................................................... 5
Nationals of the EU/EEA Countries.................................................. 5 It is vital that you complete and return the form
Students from outside EU/EEA......................................................... 5 for confirmation of your intention to study at
Applicants already resident in Finland.......................................... 6 Åbo Akademi University to the Office of Aca-
Working in Finland as an International student........................ 6 demic and Student Affairs no later than 31 July,
Housing in Åbo.................................................................7 2012 by 16.15 (Finnish time = CET + 1) (post-
Insurance............................................................................8 marks not accepted, the form must reach the
Students from outside the EU/EEA................................................. 8 Office of Academic and Student Affairs before
MARSH Student Insurance Package (SIP)..................................... 9 this date). This form is sent to accepted students
Arrival...................................................................................9 together with the letter of admission. If you fail
Travelling to Åbo/Turku........................................................................ 9 to send in the confirmation form, you will lose
Arrival time...............................................................................................10 the right to enroll at Åbo Akademi University.
Orientation Course...............................................................................11
Registration.....................................................................11 On the confirmation form, admitted students
Register as present................................................................................11 must choose between the following options:
Register as absent.................................................................................12
Limited Study time...............................................................................13 1) To accept your study place
Student cards..........................................................................................14 2) Not to accept your study place.
Studying at Åbo Akademi University...................14
Academic Calendar..............................................................................14 The rules regarding accepting a study place are
Degree structure....................................................................................14 somewhat different depending on which group
Assessments............................................................................................15 of students you belong to and what level (un-
Swedish for international students...............................................15 dergraduate or master) you have been admitted
Academic advising...............................................................................16 to. Please see the confirmation form for details
Extract from the criminal records...................................................16 regarding your confirmation.
Drug tests during studies .................................................................16
Accessibility..............................................................................................16 Please also note that confirmation is not the
Support services...........................................................16 same as registration. After confirming your in-
Office of Academic and Student Affairs......................................16 tention to start your studies you also need to
Libraries......................................................................................................17 register at the university. Note that if you plan
Computer services................................................................................17 on postponing the commencement of your
Keys..............................................................................................................17 studies you must first confirm your intention to
Student Union........................................................................................17 accept the study entitlement by the deadline af-
Health Care...............................................................................................18 ter which you have the right to register as absent
Career services........................................................................................18 (please see the chapter on registration for more
The Centre for Language and Communication......................18 information).
Living in Åbo..................................................................18
Budgeting.................................................................................................18 The form can be sent electronically as an e-mail
Climate.......................................................................................................20 attachment to admission@abo.fi or by fax or
Local transport........................................................................................20 regular mail, please see the contact details at the
Social Life...................................................................................................20 end of this guide. If you confirm by e-mail, please
Further information.....................................................21 write your complete name, date of birth and the
Contact Information............................................................................21 subject/programme you have been admitted to
Internet......................................................................................................21 in the e-mail. Please note the deadline!
Useful www-sites...................................................................................22
My Notes..........................................................................23
Map of the campus......................................................26

4

Immigration Requirements

IMMIGRATION son who has been registered after the authori-
ties have established whether the requirements
for registration are met. A residence permit is
REQUIREMENTS granted for one year at a time or for the dura-
tion of the time of study (if this is shorter than
one year).
The first thing that must be addressed immedi-
ately after receiving the admission letter is the The following documents will be required:
application for a residence permit. If you are a
non EU/EEA-national it is very important that • A completed application form (can be col-
you apply for a residence permit for students as lected from the local police station)
early as possible. Due to the many applications • A valid passport or other ID accepted by the
during the summer months, extra time must be authorities
reserved for the application. • The admission letter issued by the university
• An account of the applicant’s financial situ-
In this chapter the basic principles of the state ation
regulations regarding entry visas, the right to • One passport sized photograph
reside and work permits are presented. Please
check the information given by the Finnish Im- The application is handed in at the local police.
migration Service for more details: The address of the police station in Åbo is:
http://www.migri.fi/studying_in_finland Address: Eriksgatan 40‑42
Phone: 071 874 0261
The Finnish Immigration Service is the govern- Office hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri. 8.00 am ‑ 4.15
ment authority responsible for issuing permits pm, Tue 9 am ‑ 4.15 pm.
and visas to enter Finland. Contact the Finnish
diplomatic mission closest to you.

STUDENTS FROM OUTSIDE EU/
NATIONALS OF THE NORDIC EEA
COUNTRIES Students from countries that are not EU/EEA
member countries, who wish to stay in Finland
If you are a citizen of Sweden, Norway, Denmark for more than 3 months, must be in possession
or Iceland, you do not need an entry visa or a of a residence permit already when entering the
residence permit to study in Finland. Citizens country. The application for the permit should
of the Nordic countries may reside, work and be submitted to the Finnish diplomatic mission
study in Finland without any limitations. More in the student’s country of origin, or if the stu-
information about mobility between the Nordic dent lives abroad, the Finnish diplomatic mis-
countries can also be obtained from the Hallå sion in your country of residence. The fee for the
Norden web site: www.hallonorden.org. first residence permit for studies is 250 euros.

The application for the residence permit must
be made in good time before departure, pref-
erably immediately after receiving the admis-
NATIONALS OF THE EU/EEA sion letter to Åbo Akademi University. The ap-
plication can be completed online. If you have
COUNTRIES submitted your application via the e-service,
you need to visit a Finnish embassy to verify
Students from the EU countries need to register your identity, provide your biometric data (fin-
their right to reside in Finland if the period of gerprints) and to present the original copies of
study in Finland exceeds three months. A writ- any supplements needed for the application. An
ten certificate of registration is given to a per- application cannot be processed until you have
visited the embassy.

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
5

Immigration Requirements

Note that it can take a long time to process the Note that Åbo Akademi University will not is-
visa application and, as students must register at sue a new admission letter to a student. You
the university by 7 September 2012, you must should therefore not give away your original let-
pay particular attention to the visa application ter or lose it.
and reserve enough time in order to ensure
that you are able to arrive and register by 7 Åbo Akademi University works closely with the
September at the very latest. Immigration office’s unit for residence permits.
Among other things we send detailed lists of
Apply for the visa immediately after receiving all admitted students to the Immigration office
the admission letter. Should you have problems in order to faciliate the application process. It is
with the application process, please keep the In- however the students responsibility to make the
ternational office at Åbo Akademi University in- application for a residence permit in time and
formed of this. meet the requirements.

To obtain a residence permit for Finland, the ap-
plicant must fulfil the following conditions:

• The applicant must be at least l8 years of age.
APPLICANTS ALREADY RESI‑
DENT IN FINLAND
• The applicant must have received the admis-
sion letter issued by Åbo Akademi University The local police station will provide the neces-
(the electronic admission letter is sufficient). sary information for renewal of the visa or resi-
dence permit. (See the address above.) The po-
• The applicant must prove that he/she has lice should be contacted before the residence
sufficient funds to cover the expenses for permit expires. The following documents will be
the study period in Finland. (This is normally required:
done by showing proof of having at least
6000 euro (500 euro per month) as scholar- • A valid passport
ship or a deposit in a Finnish bank account.) • The acceptance letter issued by Åbo Akade-
mi University
• The applicant must have sufficient insurance • Evidence that the applicant’s finances will
and show details of a comprehensive health cover all expenses in Finland or a statement
insurance coverage. Your insurance must of financial support (grant, loan, family sup-
cover medical expenses up to the amount port).
of 100,000 euros if your studies in Finland • Details of a comprehensive health insurance
last less than two years. Your insurance must coverage
cover medical expenses up to the amount
of 30,000 euros if your studies in Finland last If you are renewing a residence permit for on-
two years or longer. (Please see the chapter going studies you will also need to show a tran-
about Insurance for more information.) script of records and a certificate of enrollment.

• In some cases the applicant must also prove
knowledge of English language (please con-
tact the diplomatic mission for more infor- WORKING IN FINLAND AS AN
mation about this.) INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
For more information, please see the informa- Students should not rely on finding a job while
tion provided by the Finnish Immigration Ser- studying in Finland. Finnish language skills are
vices enclosed with the admission letter. often required by employers. The Career Servic-
es at Åbo Akademi University offers career guid-
If you have a conditional offer, please note that ance also for international degree students.
the conditional admission letter is valid when
applying for the residence permit provided that Please note that Åbo Akademi University does
you fulfil the condition stipulated in the letter. not offer any financial support to degree stu-
dents. There are no grants for students at the

6

Housing in Åbo

bachelor or master level. The rent includes electricity, water and heat.
There are also apartments for families.
CITIZENS OF THE EU/EEA AND THE NOR‑ It is possible to apply for housing three months
DIC COUNTRIES before the need for accommodation. The ap-
International students who are citizens of the plication for housing must be submitted to the
Nordic, the EU or the EEA countries are allowed housing office no less than six weeks before
to work without restrictions in Finland and they starting the studies. A copy of the letter of admis-
do not need a work permit. sion to Åbo Akademi University must be faxed to
the housing office, see instructions in the online
application form.
STUDENTS OF OTHER NATIONALITIES
In the housing application the applicant should
Students are allowed to work without a work indicate if she/he wants a furnished flat.
permit within certain limits. A work permit is not
needed for part‑time work (25 hours a week) In all flats the tenants have access to a private
during term time or full-time work during holi- or common shower and a toilet, laundry facili-
days (the periods May 1 ‑ September 30 and De- ties and cooking facilities in a shared kitchen.
cember 15 ‑ January 15). The flats do not have a telephone or household
utensils, curtains, bedding, pillow, towels or car-
In order to work more than 25 hours per week pets. These have to be provided by the students
during term time, students must obtain a work themselves.
permit. The work permit is subject to a charge
and the application should be submitted to For more information about the types of flats
the local police station (see address above). Al- offered by the Student Village Foundation, see
though international students coming from www.tys.fi. The electronic application form is
third party states (outside the EU) can work and also available through these pages.
earn income during their studies, they must still
make the above‑mentioned deposit of 6 000 In order to be able to move in to the flat/room
euro (500 euro/month) to finance their studies that the foundation is able to offer, the student
and living costs when applying for an extension must confirm the intention to move in and pay
to the residence permit. the refundable deposit before the lease begins.
This usually means that the students must pay
For further information: the deposit fee via an international money trans-
http://www.migri.fi/working_in_finland. fer. Please make sure that this fee has been paid
in time as you will otherwise not be able to move
in upon arrival. Bring the receipt of payment with
you. Please note that this sum is a deposit and
cannot be used as a payment for the rent. This
HOUSING IN ÅBO amount is refunded to the tenant when giving
up the room (provided it is in good condition).
The foundation may use the deposit to pay any
Universities in Finland are not responsible for possible debts or damages to the room.
the accommodation of students. Students must
themselves apply for housing before arrival. The Turku Student Village Foundation
Please find some alternatives presented below.
Inspektorsgatan 4 Phone: +358 2 275 0200
FI ‑ 20540 Åbo Fax: +358 2 2376 932
E‑mail: info@tys.fi www.tys.fi
STUDENT HOUSING
Applications should be received by the hous-
The Turku Student Village Foundation (TYS) is ing office no later than six weeks before the stu-
an independent foundation that provides hous- dent’s arrival. Admitted degree students should
ing for students. The monthly rent for these flats get in touch as soon as possible with the Turku
varies from approximately 200 EUR to 450 EUR. Student Village Foundation in order to make

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
7 7 7

Insurance

reservations for housing. INSURANCE
Note that there is a shortage in housing at
the beginning of the autumn term. Therefore,
please do not rely on finding a room after ar- Please note that health insurance is one of the
rival; make the arrangements beforehand. obligatory requirements for obtaining a resi-
dence permit for studies.
The Student Union at Åbo Akademi University
administers accommodation for students in All registered students who are members of the
Tavasthem and in Domus, both located on the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University are
campus of Åbo Akademi University. Both have entitled to use the services of the Student Health
flats with no furniture and the minimum time to Care Centre in Åbo. It does not, however, provide
live in Domus is one year. Please find the contact emergency or hospital services. The student
information below: must therefore have a health insurance that cov-
ers such cases.
Åbo Akademis Studentkår
Tavastgatan 22 If you are a national of an EU or EEA country
FI ‑ 20500 Åbo your national health care insurance is valid in
+358 2 215 4650
Finland. To prove this you will have to bring a
ks-karen@abo.fi
“European health insurance card” issued in your
home country.

PRIVATE MARKET FLATS For more information, please see:
If you do not want a student flat or if you are http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.
unable to get housing through the Student Vil- jsp?langId=en&catId=559
lage Foundation, you can rent an apartment
elsewhere in Åbo through a housing agent or by A person, who comes to Finland to study, is
for example placing an advertisement in a local normally considered to be living in Finland for
paper. You can also check the advertisements in a limited period only and does not meet the re-
the local newspapers or online. The following quirement of permanent residence. This means
websites can be helpful if you know some Finn- that they are not entitled to the Social Insur-
ish: www.oikotie.fi, www.vuokraovi.fi. ance Institution (Folkpensionsanstalten FPA/
Kansaneläkelaitos KELA) benefits.
There are some agencies that specialise in of-
fering temporary accommodation for shorter In addition to health insurance, we strongly
times. One such service provider is for example advise students to arrange already in the home
Forenom. When using their services, you do not country with travel insurance and insurance
need to make a contract directly with the owner for personal possessions against theft, loss or
of the apartment but instead Forenom will take
breakage.
care of those issues. You can find out more about
their services at http://www.forenom.fi/en-US/.

There are also some possibilities to find a room
through different communities and websites. STUDENTS FROM OUTSIDE THE
The Student Union’s Lyyra site has a listing of EU/EEA
possibilities to sublet rooms, https://www.lyyra.
fi/asunnot/. Students and scholars coming from outside the
EU/EEA-countries must have their own medi-
Please note that the demand for private market cal insurance in order to get a residence permit.
flats for students is quite high in the beginning How much the insurance must cover is depend-
of the autumn term. ent on the length of the intended studies.

A student from outside the EU/EEA area who

8

Arrival

enters Finland to study for less than two years Please note that any communication or ques-
is not usually granted the right of domicile, i.e. tions about this insurance should be directed
a home municipality in Finland, and therefore to the insurance provider.
is not entitled to municipal health care services.
Consequently, the student must have private
insurance which covers the cost of medical treat-
ment up to €100 000.
ARRIVAL
A student who enters Finland to study for at
least two years is usually granted the right to
domicile, i.e. a home municipality in Finland
and is therefore entitled to municipal health
TRAVELLING TO ÅBO/TURKU
care services. Consequently, the student must
have private insurance which covers the cost Åbo, or Turku in Finnish, is situated about 160
of medical treatment up to €30 000 (primarily kilometres west of Helsingfors (Helsinki in Finn-
medication costs). ish, also the capital of Finland) and is easiest
reached by airplane, train or bus. There is an
In order to avoid the costs which in case of international airport in Åbo/Turku (TKU) with
intensive care or difficult operations can rise regular flights to Helsingfors, Stockholm, Copen-
hagen and Riga. There are other possible less fre-
unbearable, students coming from outside the
quent connections as well.
EU/EEA-countries must have their own medical
insurance. It is also possible to travel to Åbo in one of the
following ways:

MARSH STUDENT INSURANCE VIA HELSINGFORS
PACKAGE (SIP)
There are direct buses to Åbo from the Helsinki-
Åbo Akademi University has partnered with Vantaa airport (HEL) (see the time schedule be-
the Student Insurance Package (SIP) provider low for departures). The price for a single ticket
is about 30,50 euros (April 2012) and the ticket
MARSH and we recommend this insurance pack- can usually be bought on the bus. Please look for
age to all degree students from outside the EU/ the so‑called Express Buses with a sign stating
EEA area. The insurance can also be bought by Turkuun (To Turku) outside the airport, platform
EU students if they wish to have private health 5. The bus connections are frequent and the
insurance during their stay in Finland. journey between Helsingfors and Åbo takes ap-
proximately 2 hours and 30 minutes if travelling
This insurance has been pre-approved by the by bus.
Finnish Immigration Service. This pre-approval
will result in a quicker decision on your applica- The timetable below is taken from www.ex-
pressbus.fi/timetables-and-tickets. There might
tion for a residence permit.
be some smaller changes in the times. Note
that you can buy tickets for the buses either on
For more detailed information about the type board by cash or credit card, or on the Internet. If
of coverage you will need and its cost, please you choose to do so, note that student prices are
see the information leaflet included in the wel- only available for full-time students with a Finn-
come package and visit the insurance providers ish student card.
website.

http://www.sipinsurance.eu/

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
9

Arrival

Helsinki air- Åbo (bus sta- Helsinki air- Åbo (bus sta- Helsinki air- Åbo (bus sta-
port tion) port tion) port tion)
00.30 2.50 9.50* 12.35 16.55* 19.35
1.25 3.45 10.50* 13.35 17.50* 20.40
3.30 5.50 11.55* 14.40 18.55* 21.35
4.55* 7.30 12.50* 15.40 19.50* 22.35
5.55* 8.30 13.55* 16.40 20.50* 23.30
6.55* 9.35 14.20* 17.10 21.50* 00.30
7.45* 10.40 15.20* 18.10 22.50* 01.30
8.50* 11.35 16.15* 19.10

* Note that you have to change to another bus ARRIVAL TIME
in Esbo/Espoo (some 20 minutes after departure
from the airport). The driver will inform you of Since it is very important that the new interna-
this and help you with your luggage. tional students settle in, find their way around
and get acquainted with the study system at
If travelling to Helsingfors by ferry (e.g. from Ger- Åbo Akademi University, it is strongly recom-
many), there are trains or buses from Helsingfors mended that all degree students participate
to Åbo that run approximately every other hour. in the Orientation course arranged at the end
of August/beginning of September (see be-
It is also possible to take a connecting flight low).
from Helsingfors to Åbo. Usually the price will
be slightly reduced if the ticket is booked at the All new international degree students must reg-
same time as the international flight. ister before 7 September 2012. If they fail to do
this they will forfeit the right to register. If stu-
dents face serious problems in arranging their
travel to Finland for example due to residence
VIA TAMPERE issues, please contact the International office by
If you travel to Åbo via Tampere-Pirkkala Airport, the end of August.
http://www.finavia.fi/airport_tampere-pirkkala,
Students are strongly advised to find housing
you can take a train to Åbo. The trains run ap- before their arrival. If you arrive during a week-
proximately every other hour between 7 am and end or in the evening it might not be possible to
9 pm, please check the train schedules at http:// obtain a key from the housing office or landlord.
www.vr.fi/en/index.html. In this case you can, for example, stay at one of
the youth hostels in Turku. “Hostel Turku” is lo-
You can also take the bus from Tampere to Åbo, cated at Slottsgatan 39, tel. +358 2 262 7680, fax.
you can find the schedules at http://matkahu- +358 2 262 7675, e-mail: hostel@turku.fi. This
olto.fi/en/. youth hostel is open every day from 6-10 a.m.
and from 3 p. m. - midnight. It is wise to make
reservations in advance. The bus number 1 from
the airport continues to the harbour and passes
VIA STOCKHOLM (SWEDEN) by the hostel.
If you travel to Åbo via Stockholm, you can take a More information about temporary accommo-
connecting flight or one of the four daily ferries. dation can be obtained from the Turku website:
The voyage by ferry takes about 10 hours and http://www.turkutouring.fi/en/palveluhakemis-
costs around 10-15 euros (day fare) or approx. 20 to/2221. Here you can find a list of all hotels in
euros (night fare). During weekends the price is the region. You can also find contact details for
higher. A cabin costs extra. hostels and Bed & Breakfasts. Please note that
you should reserve a room in advance as August
is high season for tourism in Åbo.

10

Registration

ORIENTATION COURSE students. The students who will be assigned to
act as tutors will introduce the university cam-
Participating in the Orientation course is strong- pus as well as the city of Åbo and she/he will also
ly recommended to all new degree students. be available to answer questions concerning
Depending on language abilities and on the practical arrangements. The tutor can also be
programme or the subject that the student is contacted by the student in case she/he has any
admitted to, the students have the possibility to questions. The students will meet their tutors on
participate in either the orientation course ar- the orientation course. Please observe that a tu-
ranged for new students (held in Swedish), the tor is not a teacher, but a fellow student.
orientation course for international exchange
students (held in English) and the Orientation
day for International degree students.

The course aims to introduce the new environ-
ment, the university and study related matters
REGISTRATION
that the student needs to know in order to study
successfully at Åbo Akademi University.
Students who have accepted the study entitle-
The orientation course for new students is ar- ment by 31 July 2012 can register either as pre-
ranged between 27-31 August 2012. The pro- sent or as absent.
gramme varies depending on the subject or
programme that the student is admitted to. The The registration must be made during the reg-
course is held in Swedish. istration period between 27 August and 7 Sep-
tember 2012. First-year degree students who
The International office organises an internation- have not registered by 7 September will lose
al orientation course for all exchange students at their right to register.
Åbo Akademi University. The course is primarily
intended for students who will only spend one Note that a student must register every year.
term or one academic year at Åbo Akademi Uni- The registration procedures for new students
versity and who will not complete a degree here. is however different than for older students. All
However, parts of the course are also suitable for students that have been registered during the
international degree students. The International previous year receive information about regis-
orientation course is held in English 29-31 Au- tration as well as a registration form before the
gust 2012. start of the autumn term.

All new international degree students must If you already have a study entitlement at Åbo
participate in the orientation day for interna- Akademi University, note that in order to accept
tional degree students, arranged on 3 Septem- the new entitlement, you must register accord-
ber 2012. ing to the procedures for new students during
the registration period (27.8-7.9.2012).
The different programmes of the orientation
courses with confirmed dates will be sent to all
accepted students by mail during the summer.
The programme along with other useful infor- REGISTER AS PRESENT
mation will also be available at http://www.abo.
fi. The initial registration must be made in per-
son at the university between 27 August and 7
September 2012. The academic year starts with
an orientation course (see above).
STUDENT TUTORS
Åbo Akademi University has a system of student Students studying at the campus in Åbo regis-
tutors for all new degree students. The students ter at the Office for Academic and Student Af-
will be grouped in so called tutor‑groups with fairs, Tavastgatan 13. The office is open between
one or two older students and a group of new 10‑12 am and 1‑3 pm (13-15) every weekday.

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
11

Registration

At registration, the student is required to pro- have registered at the university will receive
duce the following evidence of his/her qualifi- a matriculation number. Registered students
cations for inspection: will have to use their matriculation number for
course registration, registration for examina-
• Original admission letter issued by Åbo Aka- tions and whenever they request the university
demi University. to issue a transcript of their study record.
• The original copy (and transla-
tion) of the following documents Please note that the university will withdraw
proving eligibility for admission: the offer of admission, if it is discovered that
Secondary school certificate or a student does not possess the required quali-
school‑leaving examination certificate, fications for the programme to which he/she
University diploma or transcript of complet- has been offered admission, or if the university
ed university studies (applies to students ad- receives proof against the authenticity of the
mitted to one of the Master’s Programmes submitted documents. Please note that Åbo
taught in English or to Master’s level studies). Akademi University has the right to investigate
• Passport or other evidence to prove the ap- the authenticity of any documents that students
plicant’s identity. hand in with their application. If a falsification
• Receipt of the payment of the Student Un- of degree certificates or language results is dis-
ion membership fee. Bank giro forms for this covered, the students will lose the right to study
purpose are available at the Office for Aca- even if he or she has already enrolled.
demic and Student Affairs. Payment is com-
pulsory for degree‑students and optional for
doctoral students.
• A carefully completed registration form (the REGISTER AS ABSENT
registration form is handed to the student
during registration). To register as absent means that the student will
not actively study during the time for which he/
Students who have not provided the universi- she is registered as absent for. During this time a
ty with certified copies of the secondary school student can not register any credits or enroll in
leaving certificates or university degree diplo- classes.
ma when sending in their application, must do
so at registration. A student can register as absent either in person
or through an ombudsman if he/she is not able
The original degree certificates (secondary and to register him/herself. The registration as ab-
university) must be handed in at registration sent must be made before 7 September 2012.
for inspection. The certificates will be returned If a students fails to register as present or absent
to the students a few weeks after the registration before this date, he/she will lose the right to reg-
period. The registration is however immediate ister. A registration as absent can at any time of
meaning that even though the certificates are the academic year be changed to present.
handed in for inspection, the student is regis-
tered and will receive the matriculation number If a student wishes to register as absent, s/he
(i.e. student number) and other information at should contact the Office of Academic and Stu-
the time of registration. dent Affairs (see contact information at the end
of this guide), for example by e-mail. The student
The information on the registration form will be will get a form for registering as absent that s/he
registered in Åbo Akademi University’s study should fill in, print out and sign, and then send
register (STURE). Information about enrolment to the Office of Academic and Student Affairs
will also be sent to the national application and either as scanned by e-mail, by fax or by regu-
acceptance register (HAREK). For more informa- lar post. However, the student needs to make
tion about the acceptance register, please see sure that the form reaches the office before
www.oph.fi or contact the Office for Academic the end of office hours on 7 September, other-
and Student Affairs. wise the student will lose his/her right to register
at the university.
A certificate of enrolment will be issued to reg-
istered students upon request. Students who

12 12

Registration

Students registering as absent should also note LIMITED STUDY TIME
that they need to submit original degree cer-
tificates and official translations (secondary
and university) for inspection when they reg- All new students need to take into consideration
ister as present for the first time. If the student the limited time of study available.
is unable to submit these documents upon reg-
istration, or if there is proof against the authen- The study time is 5 years for students who aim
ticity of the documents, the university will with- to obtain both a bachelor’s and a master’s de-
draw the offer of admission. gree, with the exception of psychology where
the study time is 5½ years. For students studying
Students registering as absent will receive a ma- only for a bachelor’s degree the study time is 3
triculation number. years, and for those studying only for a master’s
degree 2 years (psychology 2½ years).
If a student registers as absent he or she does
not need to pay the Student Union fee for the A student accepted for studies for a lower as
term(s) he or she is registered as absent. well as a higher university degree has the right
to graduate within a period of time of maximum
If you intend to register as absent please note two years more than the total targeted study
the regulations concerning the time limitation time. A student accepted for studies for only a
on the study entitlement available at www.abo. lower university degree can exceed the targeted
fi/student/en/begransadstudietid. Students are study time with a maximum of one year, and a
allowed to register as absent for a total of two student admitted for studies for only a master’s
academic years or 4 terms. degree has the right to graduate within a period
of time of maximum 2 years more than the tar-
If a student registers as absent during the first geted study time.
academic year of his or her studies, registration
documents will be sent to the students during A student is considered to have started his/her
the following summer. It is therefore important studies when accepting a study place at a uni-
that students update their contact details if versity.
these change. Please also note that the univer-
sity will not issue a new admission letter. When All students have the right to be registered as
the student applies for the residence permit the absent, without a particular reason, for 4 terms
original admission letter must be used. in addition to the time mentioned above. In
practice, this means that a student who chooses
Students can change the registration from ab- to postpone the start of his/her studies for one
sent to present at any time of the academic year has used up two of the four terms during
year. A student should however always consult which s/he has the right to be registered as ab-
a study advisor, the programme coordinator, sent without a reason.
his or her teacher tutor or professor if he or she
intends to change the registration during an A student has the right to be registered as ab-
ongoing term or in the beginning of the spring sent because of military service, maternity, pa-
term in order to make sure that there are avail- ternity or parental leave during which the study
able courses and that he or she can make a suit- time will not be affected.
able study plan. Note that some programmes
are set up in such a way that it is not possible to More information about the study entitlement
start the programme in the middle of the term and possibilities to receive extra study time can
or from the spring term. be found on the Internet, at the Offices for Aca-
demic and Student Affairs and at the Academic
If a students changes the registration from ab- Offices. Extra study time can be granted for 2-4
sent to present during the academic year the terms for studies for a lower as well as a higher
registration procedures described above must university degree or 2 terms for studies for only a
be followed. The student must also pay the stu- lower university degree or for only a master’s de-
dent union fee for the ongoing term, even if the gree. If extra study time has been granted once
term is mid-way. there is still a possibility to apply for extra study
time for one additional year at most. After that

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
13

Studying at Åbo Akademi University

the right to graduate ends. STUDYING AT ÅBO
AKADEMI UNIVERSITY
STUDENT CARDS
All students studying at a Finnish university are
members of the Student Union at the university ACADEMIC CALENDAR
in question. The membership fee in 2012-2013
is 109 euros for the whole academic year. The The academic year starts on 1 August and ends
membership fee must be paid before registra- 31 July. Both terms are divided into four teach-
tion at the university. ing periods.
After having paid the Student Union fee and
registered, the student can apply for a student
ID card. The student union fee is paid through a AUTUMN TERM:
bank using a specific bank giro form, which can
be obtained at the Office of Academic and Stu- Period I: 3 September – 26 October
dent Affairs before registering. Period II: 29 October – 21 December

In autumn 2012 the student card used is called
Lyyra. The student card is ordered with an elec- SPRING TERM:
tronic ordering form at http://portaali.lyyra.fi. A
digital photo is required. It will take 3-4 weeks Period III: 7 January – 15 March
to process the cards and each student will be Period IV: 18 March – 31 May
personally contacted when the card can be col-
lected at the Student Union office in Kåren (Ta- Examinations will still be conducted during the
vastgatan 22). last week of May.

The student card entitles the holder to use the
Student Health Service and to discounts on e.g.
meals in the student cafeterias, long-distance DEGREE STRUCTURE
buses and train tickets and also on ferries and
flights, theatres and other cultural events etc. It All the departments at Åbo Akademi University
also works as a university library card. The Lyyra offer the undergraduate degrees of kandidat (in
card costs about 17 euros. Please note that in or- pharmacy the undergraduate degree is called
der to be able to apply for the Student ID card, farmaceut and in law rättsnotarie) and magister
you must have registered at the university as (within technology the master degree is called
present and obtained a student number. Diplomingenjör, which is equivalent to Master of
Science in Technology). These degrees are usual-
ly internationally compared to those of Bachelor
(kandidat) and Master (magister).

Students are generally admitted to a degree
programme leading to both a Bachelor’s and a
Master’s degree. The Bachelor’s degree consists
of 180 credits (3 years of full-time study) and the
Master’s degree of 120 credits (2 years of full-
time study) (Master’s degree in Psychology 150
credits, 2 1/2 years). However students are also
admitted directly to the Master level for Master’s
studies or to one of the Master’s degree pro-
grammes (some of which are taught in English).

14

Studying at Åbo Akademi University

Most departments organise their courses in de- CHEATING
gree programmes. These usually have a similar
structure; they consist of a major subject and Åbo Akademi University takes cheating and
one or two minor subjects in addition to general plagiarism seriously. In 2008, the Åbo Akademi
and language studies. All course work is meas- University Senate approved the Procedures for
ured in credits (studiepoäng in Swedish). A nor- Handling Cases of Plagiarism. These can be read
mal workload is 60 credits per academic year. at: https://www.abo.fi/student/en/etik_plagiat.

Courses are divided into three categories ac- More information about academic and practical
cording to their level: basic, intermediate and issues regarding your studies will be given dur-
advanced studies. Basic and intermediate stud- ing the orientation day for international degree
ies are part of the Bachelor’s degree while the students.
advanced studies are taken within the Master’s
degree. At the end of the Bachelor’s degree stu-
dents write a short Bachelor’s thesis. Within the
Master’s degree a longer Master’s thesis is writ- SWEDISH FOR INTERNATIONAL
ten. An internship can form part of the Bache- STUDENTS
lor’s degree.
Students admitted to a Master’s Programme
taught in English are required to take the course
CREDITS Swedish as a foreign language level 1 (5 credits).

All courses are measured in credits, which in Fin- Students admitted to the regular Master’s level
land are called studiepoäng (opintopiste in Finn- studies (i.e. programmes officially taught in
ish). A full course-load is 60 credits per academic Swedish) are required to take 10 credits of Swed-
year and equals about 1 600 hours of work. ish (Swedish as a foreign language, levels 1 and 2).
However, in order to successfully be able to pur-
sue their studies these students are required to
learn Swedish in accordance with the language
GRADES requirements for each programme. The main
The grading system uses a scale from A-E (5-1) language of instruction at Åbo Akademi Uni-
where A (5) is the highest score while E (1) is versity is Swedish. This means that, for example,
the lowest pass. Some courses are assessed on when making study plans students must take
a pass or fail basis only with no further grading. into consideration that many courses are taught
The master thesis can be graded on a different in Swedish, and therefore knowledge of Swedish
scale from laudatur, eximia cum laude approba- might be required for some courses. For exam-
tur, magna cum laude approbatur, cum laude ple when selecting minor subjects this is some-
approbatur, non sine laude approbatur, lubenter thing that must be considered.
approbatur and approbatur, laudatur being the
highest grade. The master thesis in technology International students admitted with the right
(diplomarbete) is graded on a scale from A (5)-E to complete both a three-year Bachelor’s degree
(1) with A being the highest grade. and a two-year Master’s degree are required to
pass a Swedish language test. Students with
knowledge of Swedish can take a test in Sep-
tember in Åbo. If they pass the test (which equals
level four of the language courses) they need not
ASSESSMENTS participate in any Swedish language courses.
Courses are assessed either by a written exami- Åbo Akademi University also recommends all in-
nation at the end of the course or by essays and ternational students to take the course Finnish as
papers handed in during and/or after the course. a foreign language level, 1 (5 credits). The course
There are no set examination periods at Åbo is not compulsory.
Akademi University. The written examination is
usually done on the last day of the course or a
few weeks later.

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
15

Support services

ACADEMIC ADVISING DRUG TESTS DURING STUDIES

All departments have Student advisors who pro- In certain limited cases, students may be ob-
vide academic advising. In addition, all subjects ligated to present a drug test certificate. This
have student and teacher tutors who can assist primarily concerns situations where testing is
you with academic matters. You will meet these necessary to ascertain a student’s ability to func-
people during the orientation for new degree tion, provided that certain additional conditions
students. specified in detail by law are met.

You can also turn to the International office for
help. Note, however that the International of-
fice can not advise you in matters related to your ACCESSIBILITY
studies (i.e. study plan).

Teaching is, as far as possible, planned so that
MINPLAN students with different types of special needs
are taken into account. In case of any problems,
MinPlan is an electronic tool for making a study please contact the Office for Academic and Stu-
plan on-line. It is also an electronic support for dent Affairs. We will help contacting the people
planning the studies and the entire degree at who are able to actuate in these matters.
Åbo Akademi University. MinPlan (“My Plan”)
can be found at www.abo.fi/minplan.

To log on, the user name and password for Åbo
Akademi University is required. Manuals and
help in using MinPlan is available at http://www.
abo.fi/student/minplanmanualer/?setlanguage
SUPPORT SERVICES
=en.

OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AND
EXTRACT FROM THE CRIMINAL STUDENT AFFAIRS
RECORDS
The Office of Academic and Student Affairs com-
Students admitted to the University in 2012 or prises a Student Office and a Academic Office. At
later may be requested to provide an extract the Student Office you can obtain for example
from the criminal records for the assessment different types of certificates. This is also where
of their ability to study. Such an extract may you register.
be requested only from students whose stud-
ies include practical training or other activities The Academic office is where you find for exam-
involving work with minors. The extract will be ple the department’s Head of Academic affairs
requested before the beginning of the practical and Study advisors.
training or other activity. To ensure the safety of
minors, it is necessary to ascertain that the stu- The following are also part of the Office of Aca-
dent about to begin practical training has no demic and Student Affairs:
criminal record of certain serious crimes (sex of- • International office
fence, murder, aggravated assault and battery, • Career services
aggravated burglary and robbery and narcotics • Learning center
offence). • National student financial aid
• Research and Innovation

16

Support services

LIBRARIES cy of some sort).

The Library of Åbo Akademi University consists
of a main library, the ASA-library (“course book li-
brary”) and departmental libraries. Borrowing is KEYS
free of charge. Students can also use the libraries
of the University of Turku. In order to access the buildings you need a key
that is programmed for you. You can receive the
Most books on the reading lists for courses and key, after you have registered, by paying a de-
examinations can be found in the libraries, so posit fee of 35 euro at the Cashier’s office, Dom-
students do not need to buy many books for kyrkotorget 3.
their studies. The libraries also have journals,
newspapers, e-books and e-journals, reading-
rooms and computer facilities. The student ID
card functions as a library card.
STUDENT UNION
All students studying at a Finnish university have
to be members of the Student Union at the uni-
COMPUTER SERVICES versity in question. The compulsory member-
ship fee for 2012-2013 is 109 euros for the whole
The Computing Centre (Datacentralen) provides academic year.
computing services free of charge for students
and staff at Åbo Akademi University. All students Your membership in the Student Union will en-
will receive a free account in the computer net- title you to health care, a student card, and re-
work, which enables them to use the computer duced prices for lunches at student cafes, travel
services provided by the university. There are tickets, tickets to theatre and concerts and will
several computer classes with computers for enable you to to utilize the Student Union ser-
student use. vices and participate in the activities of the Stu-
dent Union.
Students who register during the first week of
registration can obtain the user account at regis- The Student Union aims to create an atmos-
tration. If you register during the second week of phere of friendship among the students. For this
registration you must go to the Computing Cen- purpose it organises different kinds of events
tre to complete the user agreement in order to and subsidises the students’ societies. The stu-
obtain the user account. Note that this can only dents’ societies arrange excursions, parties, cul-
be done after registration. tural events etc. Although the events are often
only advertised in Swedish, they welcome also
English speaking students.
E‑MAIL
The Student Union office is situated in the
Your e‑mail address at the university will be “Kåren” building at Tavastgatan 22. The Student
Firstname.Lastname@abo.fi. The e-mail account Union has a mailing list for all international de-
is part of the user agreement and you receive gree students. More information on this will be
it after signing the user agreement. Please use given during the Orientation course.
the university e-mail account as this is the ad-
dress that teachers and other personnel will use There is also a student society for all internation-
when contacting you. Also note that whenever al degree students, ISTU - International students
the university needs to send out information of Turku Universities http://org.utu.fi/tyyala/istu.
concerning all students, that information will
be sent to the university e-mail addresses (for For more information on the Åbo Akademi Uni-
example information about university elections versity Student Union, see: http://www.karen.
or reforms or other important information that abo.fi/index.php?language=en.
needs to be sent to all students, for example if
there is an event at the university or a emergen-

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
17

Living in Åbo

HEALTH CARE Swedish and Finnish courses for international
students. Note that courses in Swedish and Finn-
The Finnish Student Health Service provides ish can be compulsory for degree students de-
health care for students enrolled at the universi- pending on which type of degree programme
ties. A health care fee is included in the Student or master programme a student is enrolled in
Union membership fee. By paying the fee, stu- (please see the chapter on Studying at Åbo Aka-
dents are eligible for student health service. This demi University).
insurance covers regular medical consultations,
physiotherapy, psychotherapy, x‑ray and labo-
ratory testing as well as general and specialized
dental care. The Finnish Student Health Service
is open during office hours. The health service
is located on Kyrkovägen 13. For appointments
LIVING IN ÅBO
call 046 710 1050 (046 710 1047 for dental care
and 046 710 1045 for mental care). The city of Åbo has approx. 175,000 inhabitants
and is a lively port. Åbo is also a town of students,
If students get ill during the weekend or eve- culture, sports, industry, tourism and commerce.
nings and need medical attention, they can For more information, please see www.turku.fi.
turn to the communal services of the health
care centres maintained in their own districts of
residence. Students from EU‑countries need to
obtain a European Health Insurance Card from
a health insurance service in their home country BUDGETING
before departure. Nationals of other countries
must arrange their health insurance privately Finland, together with most countries in the Eu-
before departure. Please see the chapter about ropean Union uses the euro (EUR, €) as national
insurance. currency.

1 USD = 0.76 EUR
1 EUR = 1.32 USD (April -12)

CAREER SERVICES Students do not have to pay any tuition fees at
Åbo Akademi University.
Åbo Akademi University has a Career Service
unit (Arbetsforum) that helps students with ca- Before leaving their home country the stu-
reer planning as well as practical issues around dents should, however, make sure that they
finding a job (part‑time, during vacations or af- have enough funds for the stay through grants,
ter graduation). The Career Service unit in Åbo scholarships or private funds. The total monthly
is situated at Henriksgatan 1 b, and in Vasa on expenses of a single student are on average 600-
Strandgatan 2. More information about the Ca- 800 euro. The university does not offer any finan-
reer Services will be available on the Orientation cial aid to international students and students
day for international degree students. should not rely on finding a job while in Finland.

Also note the financial requirements for obtain-
ing a residence permit.
THE CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE
AND COMMUNICATION
HOW EXPENSIVE IS FINLAND?
Åbo Akademi University has a Centre for Lan-
guage and Communication (Centret för Språk och To give you an idea of the cost of living in Fin-
Kommunikation) that offers language courses land, the approximate prices of the following
for students. Language courses are offered on a items might be useful:
basic, intermediate and advanced level. It is also
possible to take specialized courses in certain
languages. The language centre also provides

18

Living in Åbo

Selected mean prices Unit Euro in possession of insurance (in addition to health
(EUR) insurance, a travel insurance and insurance of
personal belongings is recommended).
Milk (whole) 1l 0,84
Butter 500 g 2,33 At the beginning of the term there are a num-
Cheese, Emmenthal 1 kg 13,13 ber of expenses (deposit fees etc.) that students
should be prepared for. It is important to bring
Eggs 1 kg 3,25 some cash (euros) with you as you will need
Potatoes 1 kg 0,80 some money during the first days of your stay
Wheat flour 2 kg 1,21 (travels, student union fee, housing and living
expenses). Note that it can take several days to
Wheat bread 500 g 1,65
make an international bank transfer.
Beef, ground 1 kg 8,74
Beef roast 1 kg 13,54 A student coming from outside the European
Sausage 1 kg 4,24 Union must also prove that he/she has sufficient
funds to cover the expenses for studying in Fin-
Tuna fish, tinned 150 g 1,49 land. This is done by depositing in a Finnish bank
Coffee, packaged 500 g 4,25 the sum stipulated by the Finnish Immigration
Caster sugar 1 kg 1,00 Service, at present 6000 euro for one year (500
per month), or provide a certificate that testifies
Oranges 1 kg 1,46 a monthly payment of a sum corresponding to
Petrol 95 E 1l 1,56 the monthly expenses in Finland (approx. 500
Source: Statistics Finland, Price statistics 2012 euro per month).

The following table can give you an idea about A new deposit is required at the beginning of
some of the living costs in Åbo. Note that all the each academic year. If a student holds a schol-
prices are approximate prices. arship, the awarding body should provide the
authorities with an acceptable guarantee of pay-
Euro Euro ment. Citizens from EU and EEA member states
do not need this deposit when applying for a
Student lunch 2.50 Cup of cof- 2 residence permit.
fee
Theatre a p - local bus 2,50 We want to emphasise that the university is not
prox. ticket (nor- able to provide financial aid of any kind to inter-
15 mal fare) national students. International students must
Cinema 6,80- Beer (at res- 4,50 therefore finance their studies through private
12,50 taurants) funding or scholarships from a sponsoring body
outside Finland.
Museums, en- 4-7 Photo cop- 4
trance ies (50) (uni-
versity card)
Turku hostel, a 18 SCHOLARSHIPS
bed in dormi- The Centre for International Mobility ‑ CIMO
tory (http://www.studyinfinland.fi/) and some other
organisations grant scholarships for advanced
undergraduates, postgraduates and research-
FINANCES ers, for studies and research in Finland. Interna-
tional students are eligible for state support, if
Although there are no tuition fees for degree their residence in Finland has been granted for
students at Åbo Akademi University at the mo- other purposes than studies and can be consid-
ment, students must be members of the student ered permanent. The university does not have
union (the annual membership fee in 2012 is 109 scholarships and does not run financial support
euros). The fee for the residence permit or regis- schemes for international students.
tration of right to reside must be covered each
year. In addition to these fees students must be

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
19

Living in Åbo

BANKING good. The price for a single bus ticket is 2,50 EUR,
while a card for one month will cost you 29 EUR
The easiest way to transfer money from abroad is with a student discount. Distances are, however,
to open a bank account in Finland, which allows fairly short, so you can also walk to many places.
direct money transfer from foreign accounts. Åbo is ideal for cycling, too, so investing in a bike
Finnish banks cash bank‑to‑bank cheques and is not a bad idea.
travellers’ cheques at very low cost.

Contact your local bank in order to find out if you
can open a bank account in Åbo through them
before your departure. SOCIAL LIFE
All major credit cards can be used in Finland in
most places. The most common credit card is EATING OUT
VISA. For example the bus from the Helsinki-
Vantaa airport to Turku accepts payments by There are a number of cafeterias administered by
credit card. Note however that you may not be the Student Union that serve snacks and lunch-
able pay with credit card at the university nor for es (about 2.50 euros). These are not open in the
example at the Student union. evenings. There are also many restaurants and
pubs in Åbo. You can have a reasonable meal at
a café for around 9 euros.

CLIMATE
SPORTS
Due to the warm Gulf Stream, Finland has a
milder climate than many other areas equally far You can practice virtually any sport in Åbo. You
up north. Finland also has four distinct seasons. will find several centres offering fitness classes
close to the campus area. The university has
Here in Åbo, in the southern part of Finland, the teams for several sports and a sports secretary
seasons are milder compared to the northern who will help you with your interests. The annual
parts of the country. During the autumn (Sep- fee for sport activities arranged by the Sports Of-
tember‑November) the temperature is usually fice of Åbo Akademi University is 20 euros.
around 5‑10°C and it is a good idea to bring an
umbrella or a raincoat as well as a winter coat, as In the Student Union building, Kåren, there is a
you will most likely get the opportunity to use gym for members of the Student Union. The gym
it. The amount of hours of daylight will decrease fee for a year is 40 EUR for one semester and 70
during the autumn. The winter lasts from No- EUR for one year. An annual rowing competition
vember until March and there is generally snow between the student unions takes place in the
from December until March. The temperature is beginning of the autumn term in the river Aura.
usually below zero and around -5°C, but it can
also be colder, even ‑20°C (it is highly unusual For more information see http://www.abo.fi/stu-
that the temperature drops below ‑20° in Åbo). dent/motion/?setlanguage=en.
As the spring season begins (March‑May) the
days will get longer and warmer. The tempera-
ture is around 5‑10°C. The summer lasts from
June until August. In the end of June the sun will CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT
be up almost around the clock. This phenome- There are two main theatres in Åbo (one Finn-
non is called the Midnight Sun. The temperature ish-speaking and one Swedish-speaking), two
can rise up to 25°C (even higher in July-August). dance companies, a philharmonic orchestra and
several concert halls. The cinema shows the re-
cent movies in original language with subtitles
in Finnish and Swedish.
LOCAL TRANSPORT
If you prefer to perform yourself, there are stu-
The bus connections within the city are very dent choirs and orchestras, student theatres and

20

Further information

art classes. For more information on the student abo.fi
choirs, student orchestras and student clubs, Department of Social Sciences, rad-soc@abo.fi
contact the Student Union of Åbo Akademi Uni- Department of Law, rad-ratt@abo.fi
versity. Department of Political Sciences, rad-stat@abo.fi
Department of Natural Sciences, rad-nat@abo.fi
Department of Biosciences, rad-bio@abo.fi
Department of Information Technologies, rad-
it@abo.fi
FURTHER INFORMATION Department of Chemical Engineering, rad-kem@
abo.fi

General Information, studinfo@abo.fi or admis-
If you have any questions regarding the start of sion@abo.fi
your studies or registration, please do not hesi-
tate to contact the Office of Academic and Stu-
dent Affairs of Åbo Akademi University, please
find the contact information below:
INTERNET
On the Internet you can find information about
Åbo Akademi University at the following ad-
CONTACT INFORMATION dress:
Gurli-Maria Gardberg, International Officer www.abo.fi.
Phone: +358 2 215 4891 The information provided online is often more
Reception hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 10 am ‑ 12 updated than the one in printed publications.
noon (CET+1) Please refer to the Internet for the most recent
information.
Annikki Abrahamsson, Secretary
Phone: +358‑2‑215 4836 For information specifically aimed at new stu-
Reception hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri 10 am ‑ dents, please see:
12 noon, 1-3 pm (CET+1) http://www.abo.fi/student/en/fornyastud-
erande
Office of Academic and Student Affairs/
The International Office For information regarding the studies:
Åbo Akademi University http://www.abo.fi/student/en/studieinforma-
Tavastgatan 13 tion
FI‑20500 Åbo
Fax: +358 2 215 3230 For study advising:
e‑mail: admission@abo.fi http://www.abo.fi/student/en/studieradgivning
www.abo.fi
Pre-arrival information, please see:
Each department has a head of students affairs http://www.abo.fi/admission and
and a student advisor. Among other things they http://www.abo.fi/student/en/fornyastud-
provide study advising and can answer specific erande
questions related to the degree programmes.
If you are admitted to a Master’s programme
taught in English you can also contact the pro-
gramme directly.

Faculty of Arts, hf-studieradgivare@abo.fi
Faculty of Education, rad-ped@abo.fi
Faculty of Theology, rad-teol@abo.fi
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, ipl-
studiechef@abo.fi
School of Business and Economics, rad-hank@

W E LCO M E G U I D E 2012/2013
21

Further information

USEFUL WWW-SITES Residence in Finland

Please find below a number of useful sites on the http://www.migri.fi
Internet concerning living and studying in Åbo Finnish Immigration Service, entry visas, resi-
and Finland. dence and work permits
FINNISH CULTURE
STUDYING IN ÅBO/FINLAND
http://www.culture.info/finland
http://www.abo.fi Finland - Art and Culture destination
Åbo Akademi University
http://www.kaapeli.fi/~hurrarna/etext.html
http://www.abo.fi/student/en/ Finland-Swedish Websites
Information for students at Åbo Akademi Uni-
versity

http://finland.cimo.fi/
STUDENT ORGANISATIONS
Guide for International Students in Finland http://www.abo.fi/karen
The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University

http://www.syl.fi/english
SOCIAL ISSUES The National Union of University Students in Fin-
http://www.tys.fi land (SYL/FSF)
The Student Village Foundation in Åbo/Turku
(Housing)
GENERAL INFORMATION
http://www.yths.fi
The Finnish Student Health Services http://virtual.finland.fi
Virtual Finland
http://www.kela.fi
The Finnish Social Security Institution (FPA) www.visitfinland.com
http://wikitravel.org/en/Finland
http://www.skr.fi/default.asp?docId=12256
Grants for Foreigners http://www.travel.fi/int/
Travel in Finland

http://www.turku.fi
INSURANCE General Information on Åbo/Turku
http://www.sipinsurance.eu/
MARSH Student Insurance Program http://at8.abo.fi/cgi-bin/en/get_weather
The current Weather in Åbo/Turku
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main. http://www.helsinki-hs.net
jsp?langId=en&catId=559 The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat’s
Information on European Health Insurance English-language international version
Card

FINNISH STATE REGULATIONS
http://formin.finland.fi/english
Finnish diplomatic missions abroad

http://www.poliisi.fi/english/pi278en.htm

22

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