Living in Turku
Turku, a city of 180,000 inhabitants, is a lively town with an international atmosphere. Whether you are interested in culture or sports, strolling in the city or wandering in nature, you can find it all in Turku.
Although one of the biggest cities in Finland, Turku is still small enough that you can go almost everywhere by foot or bike. A perfect way to get to know Turku is to take a stroll along the river Aura, which crosses the city centre.
As home to nearly 40,000 students, Turku provides endless possibilities for studying and leisure time. In a student city you are never alone!
Living in Salo
Salo is a city in the southwest of Finland with 53,000 inhabitants. It is only 52 km to the east from Turku and 114 km to the west from Helsinki, the capital of Finland. All your interests can be fulfilled in Salo, it does not matter if it is sports, art or nature. Due to Salo being a smaller city, you can easily reach every place you want by feet or bike. The city centre of Salo offers you shops and a shopping centre called Plaza. TUAS campus is located in Salo´s industrial area in the Salo IoT Campus. This offers the students an early connection to the future employers. Under the same roof you can find TUAS and about 50 companies, which offers the students an opportunity to work with companies.
Salo offers students many activities directly in front of their doors. Salo offers a lot for sport enthusiasts, a big swimming hall, a horse stable and the opportunity to join the regional sport clubs. In addition a bowling alley, an athletic area and a huge dance floor.
For nature lovers the Teijon kansallispuisto National Park is only 30 minutes away.
Accommodation
Our students can apply for a student apartment from the Turku Student Village Foundation . The apartments are located about 1-3 km from our campuses. TUAS does not have accommodation services to offer. Thus it is the students' responsibility to find an accommodation for the period of their studies.
Living costs
You have to be prepared to cover your own living expenses (such as rent, food, transportation, etc.). The cost of living in Finland is high, which is worth bearing in mind when planning your finances. Unfortunately, TUAS does not offer scholarships to students for living costs.
Estimated monthly living costs in Turku:
- Rent (usually incl. water, electricity, heating, internet)
- Student apartments: EUR 280–370 /month
- Other accommodation providers + private market: starting from EUR 400 /month
- Student lunch EUR 2.70 * 22 days = EUR 59.40
- Monthly bus card EUR 36 / month single ticket for the bus EUR 3
Other living costs:
- Mobile phone calls average EUR 0.07/min, EUR 0.07/sms
- Mobile data package starting from EUR 10/month
- Movie ticket EUR 9–17
- Glass of wine or beer EUR 4–7.50
- Pizza or kebab in cheaper restaurants EUR 9-12
- Normal restaurants, main course EUR 15–30
- Coffee in a regular cafeteria EUR 2.5
- Coffee in a student cafeteria EUR 1
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Communal gym, single entrance EUR 5 (+ EUR 5 deposit for the pass card)
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Bus ticket Turku-Helsinki with the Finnish student discount card about EUR 18
- Helsinki Airport - Turku, normal price (no discounts) EUR 30.50
Working during studies
If you are a Nordic or EU/EEA national, you do not need any special permits for working in Finland during your studies. There are no restrictions as to how many hours per week you are allowed to work, but you should take care that work does not get in the way of your study progress.
Non-EU students can work within certain limits on a student residence permit if the work is practical training included in the degree or if the amount of part-time work does not exceed 25 hours a week. There are no limits in terms of hours on full-time work outside term times (summer and Christmas holidays specifically).
For more information about work regulations concerning international students, see the web service of the Finnish Immigration Service Migri.
Finnish people and culture
Finnish people in general are down-to-earth, friendly and easy to get along with. They appreciate the basic values of life; honesty, modesty and friendship have traditionally been highly appreciated.
Many Finns enjoy an active lifestyle; nature and environment are important to them. In Finland, anyone can take a stroll in a forest, ski in snowy fields or swim in a lake. Along with nature, Finland’s cities offer all the features of an urban lifestyle.
90% of Finns speak Finnish as their mother tongue. There is also a Swedish-speaking minority in Finland, and Swedish is the country’s other official language. Most Finns speak English quite well so you should get by in shops, banks, etc., speaking English. However, by participating in a Finnish language course you’ll learn the basics of Finnish and have fun at the same time!
Safety in Finland
Finland is a safe and well-organised society, into which it is easy to settle. It is stable both politically and economically, and the number of crimes in Finland is low.
However, in a new environment it is always best to remain safe. Use your common sense, as you would anywhere else. If something happens, get in touch with the local police (tel. 112).
