Before Arrival 

Important! 

In case the exchange in Finland lasts more than 3 months, for exchange students coming from high-risk tuberculosis countries there is a voluntary and free-of charge tuberculosis screening. Maahanmuuttaneet ja maakohtainen suositus tartuntatautien seulontaan - THL Such students will be contacted by Turku UAS international coordinator after arrival and advised to contact the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Unit (Tartuntatautien torjunnan yksikkö).

Tartuntatautien torjunnan yksikkö

Kunnallissairaalantie 20, building 1G, 4th floor, 20700 Turku

Tel.+358 2 2661143 / E-mail: sote.tartuntataudit@varha.fi

Health care

For all exchange students your local health station in Turku or Salo is the primary provider of health care services of accidents and illness.

• Turku health stations
• Salo adult health care services

EU nationals and citizens of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein who possess a European health care card, and citizens of Quebec:

• Request for the European Health Insurance card from your home country and take the card with you to Finland

• We strongly recommend travel health insurance for all incoming exchange students

Students from other countries:

For a doctors appointment you need to use the private health care centers. You need to have health care insurance covering your medical expenses as required to achieve the residence permit to Finland (see below).

Insurance

• Turku UAS has taken out an accident insurance for incoming exchange students. The insurance covers accidents occured during student’s course curriculum and direct travel between the university campus and place of accommodation.
• Turku UAS strongly recommends all the exchange students to take out a comprehensive insurance (health, travel, accommodation) for their exchange period.

Students from outside EU member states and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

• To achieve a residence permit to Finland you need to have a private insurance to cover your medical and pharmaceutical expenses. More information at Finnish Immigration Service MIGRI

Students outside of EU and ETA countries need a residence permit or visa to study in Finland. Remember to start the application process immediately after you receive the letter of acceptance.

Finnish Immigration Service's instructions for exchange students

Visa
If you are staying in Finland maximum of 90 days you might need a visa. Check the Finland Foreign Affairs Ministry's country specific list for required travelling documents.

Residence permit
If you are staying more than three months you need to apply for a residence permit through Finnish Migration Services. You can find the application procedure at migri.fi
Remember to apply for the Finnish Personal Identity Code together with the residence permit. More information here.

Orientations are held at the start of the semester. All the orientation days are mandatory for new exchange students. During the orientation you will receive all the necessary information regarding your studies at Turku UAS as well as some useful tips for your exchange life in Turku or Salo.

General orientation is held by the International Student Services and is aimed for all the Turku UAS incoming exchange students. The general orientation includes presentations and information of the practical matters (accommodation, starting package, online systems) as well as student organizations and about the Finnish culture. 

Each Turku UAS faculty holds their own faculty orientation where the faculty and the courses will be introduced to the exchange students.

See the orientation dates on the right.

Student tutors are Turku UAS degree students who are interested in meeting people from different cultures. 

You don't have to apply for a student tutor, all the exchange students who have applied to Turku UAS by the dead line, will be assigned a tutor.

Your student tutor will meet you when you arrive and help you with practical matters at the beginning of your stay in Finland. She/he will contact you by email before your arrival; please remeber to also check your junk e-mail folder as sometimes messages can be automatically directed there. Please respond to your tutor as soon as possible and always keep her/him informed on your situation. If you for some reason do not hear from your tutor, please contact the International Student Services (international.office[a]turkuamk.fi).

Your student tutor will also keep you informed about any free time activities with other Turku UAS students.

Please note that your student tutor is most likely to be able to help you with your arrival if you arrive during weekdays between 8.00-22.00.

Starting package in Turku

The student unions of the universities in Turku (TYY, ÅAS, Novium and Turku UAS) run a starting package storage where exchange students can borrow a package with household items which they then return before they leave Turku.

If you are interested in borrowing a package you can book and pay it before you arrive, see all the information from their website www.tyy.fi/startingpackage

Along with e.g. different cloud services, Turku University of Applied Sciences will increasingly require students to have their own laptops during schooldays.

What kind of computer do I need?

Read the general instructions for acquiring a computer on IT Services page . Your degree programme recommends acquiring at least basic/high-quality basic/an efficient device.

We are sure that you will be pleased with your decision to come to Turku and Turku UAS. During your curriculum you will learn the latest know-how available on your field of study, and on your leisure time you will be able to join the various activities organised for exchange students.

• Services for students  
• Living in Turku  (e.g. living costs)

• Your home university has nominated you as an exchange student to Turku UAS.
• You have applied to Turku UAS through Mobility-Online and uploaded all the required application documents.
• Turku UAS has accepted your application and sent you the letter of acceptance via email.
• You have applied for accommodation.  
  • Students coming to Turku: You have applied housing from the Student Village Foundation (TYS).
  • If these housing options are full, check other possibilities at www.tuas.fi/accommodation.
• Non-EU students: You have applied for a residence permit or visa.
• You have taken out a comprehensive insurance (health, travel, accommodation) for your exchange period.
• You have sent the necessary Health Documents (If they are required from you, please see Required Health Documents above for more details).
• You have been in contact with your student tutor and informed them about
  • your arrival (date, time and place),
  • your accommodation and key pick-up,
  • if you want to rent a starting package,
  • any changes to your original plans.