Mobility specification

Country:Finland

Institution:University of Oulu

City:Oulu

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Arts / Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages - Ugro-Finnic languages

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?it's alright

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?First of all, I was surprised by the division of the semester into two more parts, which also affected my schedule. For example, in the spring semester I had 7 courses enrolled, two courses were taught during the whole semester, the remaining 5 courses were divided into the 3rd and 4th part of the academic year. Another surprise was the examination period. Apart from the fact that most of the courses are completed by handing in a written paper, presenting a (group) project, etc., if the teacher requires a written exam, the exam is written at the end of PART of the semester and not at the end of the semester as such. Personally, I only ended two courses with a written exam, both exams were "open book essay" so we could bring our own materials, and both exams were written in the last class of the part of the semester, since there was no explicit "examination period" at the university.
Also new was the requirement to hand in a "Learning Diary" for some of the subjects. This is basically a diary in which we are required to reflect on topics covered in lectures, mention what information was new to us, what we already knew, how the information from lectures contributes to the knowledge we already have, etc. If I may advise, it is ideal to write down at least the points you would like to mention in the learning diary directly during the lecture, it will simplify the work a lot and save time.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Before the start of the semester, an orientation day is organised at the university where students receive all the necessary information.
The exchange students are divided into groups (usually by programme) and get to know their kummi student (a Finnish student who is supposed to check once in a while how the exchange students are doing, help them if needed, etc. - I was lucky with both kummi students, but I know that the exchange students who came in the autumn had minor problems with their kummi not being interested in them at all, so they ended up with ours).
In addition to the various ESN events, there are a number of clubs and associations at the university - these are based either on programme or interests and hobbies. It's admittedly a bit harder (at the beginning of your stay) to get to know Finnish students, but once you get that "barrier" down, they're really great people who are always happy to have you join them at their events.
The biggest celebration of the year is "vappu" (although the holiday is May 1, it is celebrated the day before), which various events lead up to more or less from the end of February/beginning of March.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Food is really expensive. So is entry to museums, galleries, etc.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?In Oulu, I recommend shopping for vegetables and fish at the market (Kauppahaali) in the city centre.
Don't be afraid to ask if the business offers a student discount - most cafes and restaurants and some supermarkets offer student discounts, just show them the student card you get from the university (or ISIC).

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

How does public transport work in the city?runs like clockwork

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?For buses within the city - OSL app (HSL in Helsinki)
For trains VR Matkalla (I also recommend the app, but you can also use the website)
For buses outside the city - Matkahuolto
For ferries to Sweden or Estonia - Viking Line (for Stockholm or Åland Islands I recommend leaving from Turku, it's usually cheaper than Helsinki)

The train connections are really good in Finland, I only used buses when there are no trains to the place (e.g. to Inari, practically in the north of Lapland).

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?perfect

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Since Oulu will be the European Capital of Culture in 2026, most of the museums and galleries are being remodeled, but if you're going there for the spring semester of 2026 or later, it's definitely worth going to the technical museum and gallery.
There are also plenty of nice places to picnic in town, especially in May.
It's also worth going to Nallikari beach, either in the winter when the sea is covered in ice and you can skate there, or in the spring/summer to enjoy the daylight by the fire in the middle of the night.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Traditionally Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, by ferry to Sweden or Estonia.
Rovaniemi is crowded with tourists in winter because of the Santa Claus village, so it's a matter of how much you're willing to push yourself there, but if you do, it's definitely worth to pay a visit at the Arktikum Science Centre and Museum, or the Korundi Cultural Centre.
It's definitely worth going to northern Finland/Sweden/Norway as well, especially if you want to enjoy some peace and quiet. The area around Inari is really beautiful, the Siida museum of Saami culture and history is very interesting. Honestly, apart from that, you can hike around the area (but in winter only with someone who knows the area so you don't get lost) or enjoy (quite overpriced) tourist attractions like dog sledding.

Share your best experience:It's really hard to choose the best experience. I really enjoyed Inari, although there is not much to do there, but on the other hand the view of the Northern Lights is worth it.
During the vappu celebration period, it is absolutely amazing to see all the students in overalls with patches, as every day a different union has an event. Thirdly, I'll never forget riding our bikes back to the dorms around 1am in early May and the sun was just coming up (and by the end of May, it wasn't even setting properly).

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?If you're staying in the dorms right by the campus, it takes almost an hour to get there from the airport (as for the dorms, I'd recommend choosing the ones on Tirolintie, they're like 5 minutes by bus from the university, 15/20 minutes by bike, and even though there's something going on every weekend, there's still places to hide at).
The bus drivers sometimes don't know English and will start speaking to you in Finnish, so ideally learn at least a few basic phrases.
You only get on the bus through the front door, and you either buy a ticket at the driver's terminal by putting your card there, or if you have purchased a ticket through the app you scan a QR code. When getting off the bus, always greet the driver with at least a wave.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?I would take something small with me to remind me of home.
Definitely a small speaker, and if you have a mini projector, that will come in handy too.
Clothing that can be layered (e.g. leggings under pants) - this winter was the mildest one in 30/40 years according to the locals, but there were still a couple of times when the temperatures dropped below -20.
You can take crampons, it tends to be quite slippery in winter, but with good shoes you can manage without them.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?Amazing experience, definitely recommend it to everyone.