Mobility specification

Country:Finland

Institution:University of Oulu

City:Oulu

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2025/2026

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Economics and Administration

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?they have tons

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Informality of teaching - at the first lecture the teachers told us that we were to address them by their first names, no titles or surnames. :) It was a bit strange to get used to.
Also, the semester is divided into 2 parts, each part has subjects that are taught several times a week (usually 2-3 times) in the form of lectures.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?The university has a Kummi programme - these are students who help in the first weeks after arriving at the university. They can be contacted with any problem. There are also several societies at the university, depending on the field/faculty you are studying.
There are several events during the semester. There is a regular Café Lingua, where board games are played and you can meet and talk informally with other international students as well as locals. There are also Movie Nights, where you can also meet students while watching films.
There are really many activities and students can choose according to their interest.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling
Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Special aids and technologies (e.g., text-to-speech software, hearing aids)
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Crisis intervention
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:9800 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?I guess nothing surprised me in terms of finances. But you have to take into account that Finland is quite an expensive country, so planning ahead and making a budget is a good thing.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?On the university's website you can find instructions on where to find second-hand shops, not only for clothes but also for room furnishings or kitchen utensils.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

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

And what about transport outside the city?mostly fine

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?After arriving in Helsinki, I took the train to Oulu. I bought my ticket through the VR website (or app) - the local train operator. I recommend buying your ticket as soon as possible - the price increases as the train departure date approaches (I bought my ticket about 1 month before departure).
You can also take buses - via Flixbus or Matkahuolto. All the information can be found on their website.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Since I was at Erasmus in the fall semester, you definitely need to experience the Lumo Light Festival - the Festival of Light that takes place every November.
Oulu is located by the sea - the most famous beach is Nallikari, where you can get a great view of the Northern Lights (and if you're brave, you can swim too :) ).
The university has its own botanical garden with over 4000 species of plants - definitely worth seeing.
At the end of the summer, the World Air Guitar Championships are held here - highly recommended :D

What are the must-visit trip destinations?200 km north is the town of Rovaniemi, where Santa's Christmas Village is built. It is an amusement park that is open all year round and offer various activities. And an interesting fact: the border of the Arctic Circle passes through the park.

Share your best experience:Lumo light Festival

💅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
Train

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Keep an eye on the university website and emails. There is usually an online webinar about 2 months before the trip to give you useful information. Otherwise, there is almost nothing to worry about, communication with the university is great and they are very willing to help you with anything.
The only thing to prepare for is the darkness. Oulu is in the north and although you won't experience a true polar night, you need to count on a period when there is little sunlight. It looks like the sun comes up at about 9:00 am and by 3:00 pm it's dark. Even with the sunrise, it's mostly cloudy, so you can't see the sun.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Warm clothes - in winter the temperature here stays around 0 and below. I also recommend warm boots, ideally ones you won't slip in.

🥳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?If you like winter and winter activities, Oulu is the place to be. :)