Exchange students at Aalto School of Business join from partner universities around the world for one or two semesters. They bring diverse perspectives and experiences that enrich the academic and social life of the BIZ community.
INTERNATIONALITY, INTEGRATION AND CULTURE
International students do not come here just to study, but to also learn about a new culture. Remember that they might need a bit more assistance and help with matter that might seem obvious to Finnish people.
Take your international students to parties and events, and introduce them to club activities (attend some non- alcoholic events as well). International students can also get involved in volunteering. Speak English at all tutor meetings and make sure others do the same. Ensure that everyone feels a part of the group!
International students come from various countries and many cultural differences may be encountered. To avoid misunderstandings, teach international students about Finnish culture and what is ok and what is not, especially at parties. Also, remember to ask about their culture as well!
TRAVEL PLAN
The Travel Plan is an Excel spreadsheet that the Student Exchange Services gives to the Tutor Coordinator. The spreadsheet contains a list of all exchange students and their plans related to their exchange. It also states if the exchange student wants to be picked up at the railway station and/or if they want their (AYY/HOAS) apartment keys picked up for them. The Tutor Coordinator will distribute the Travel Plan information to Exchange Tutors. Each tutor will only receive the Travel Plans of their own exchange students.
RAILWAY STATION PICK-UPS
One of the Exchange Tutor's responsibilities has been picking up their exchangees from the airport. However, we've made a slight change to that and nowadays the Exchange tutors are required to only pick up their exchangees from the Helsinki Central Railway Station. This is one the reasons Exchange Tutors get the higher compensation (200€) for tutoring and the pick-up service is mandatory.
NOTE! Please make sure that your exchange student knows before the departure where to meet you.
RETRIEVING AND/OR HANDING OUT KEYS
Exchange students can indicate on their Travel Plan that they want someone to pick up keys to their AYY or HOAS apartment in advance. Picking up keys for the AYY apartments can be done at the AYY Central Office (KETO) by each tutor. However, only the Tutor Coordinator can pick up the HOAS keys from their office in Helsinki. So, the Tutor Coordinator will pick up all the HOAS keys and distribute them to the Exchange Tutors from Espilä etc. The technicalities will be shared later.
OTHER
When the exchangee gets to their apartment, tutors should check with the exchangee that all keys work properly and the apartment is clean and habitable. Remind the exchange students that they have to fill out the housing inspection form within a week.
OFFICIAL MATTERS, STUDIES AND LIVING for exchange students
Residence permit and registration of EU-citizen's residence + Finnish Personal ID-code (henkilötunnus).
IN ANY MATTERS RELATED TO REGISTRATION YOU CAN GUIDE YOUR EXCHANGE STUDENTS TO SEND A MESSAGE TO incoming-biz@aalto.fi
Residence permit
Non EU/EEA countries
Citizens of countries other than the EU/EEA countries, who intend to stay in Finland for more than three months, must obtain a residence permit. This is done prior to the exchange through the Finnish diplomatic mission.
EU/EEA countries
EU citizens and citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland do not need a residence permit to move to Finland but must register that they reside in Finland, if their stay lasts longer than three months. This is done at the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) before the three month period ends. Please note: if students travel outside of Finland, calculation of the three months period starts from the beginning. But if EU/EEA citizen wants to have a Finnish personal ID-code, the registration of residence must be done at Migri. Help the exchange students to find their way to the office (Käenkuja 3 A in Kallio), if they request help.
Finnish personal ID-code
If the right to residence in Finland is granted, the person is usually also registered in the Finnish Population Information System. At that point the person receives the Finnish personal identity code.
ENROLLMENT AT AALTO AND COURSES
Aalto IT account
Exchange students can activate their Aalto IT-account independently before their arrival. They will receive an activation email from IT Services (Welcome to Aalto University), and by clicking the link they can start the activation. They can do it with an email address and phone number in international format (without strong authentication = Finnish online banking codes).
Instructions to how to activate your user ID: https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/how-to-activate-your-user-id-without-strong-authentication
The student should do the activation independently. If there is a problem with this, then the only way to activate an Aalto IT-account is to visit the IT-Services personally after arrival. It is not possible to enroll in courses before the user ID activation is completed.
ENROLLMENT TO AALTO UNIVERSITY
Exchange students at the School of Business don't have to personally enroll as an attending student at Aalto University. Student Exchange Services enrolls students on their behalf.
ENROLLMENT TO COURSES
Registration to the courses is done before the exchange and the learning services (LES) will guide the exchangees through this.
BANK ACCOUNT AND CHANGE OF ADDRESS
OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT
All exchange students don't need a bank account in Finland and they manage with their own debit or credit cards. But those who need a bank account have faced difficulties when opening bank accounts in Finland.
Osuuspankki has been a good choice for exchange students, because it grants an account and Visa Electron to all Aalto students regardless of their country of origin or the length of stay. Their policy on net banking is, however, strict, and it's hard to get. Nordea grants an account and Visa Electron to all Aalto students residing in Finland at least 6 months (they also consider students residing over 3 months). Nordea has an internet banking service for foreign citizens, which the customer can get after 3 months of opening the account. S- pankki has also provided good (but maybe a bit slow) service for exchange students.
Tips for exchangees:
- Make and appointment at the bank well in advance
- Students should have at least the following documents: residence permit (and Finnish personal ID-code), acceptance letter and certificate of attendance, passport, address in Finland, account details available.
Closest banks to Otaniemi campus:
- Osuuspankki Tapiola (Länsituulentie 8)
- Nordea Tapiola (Kauppakeskus Ainoa)
- S-pankki (Iso-Omena, Sello)
Notification of change of address
Exchange students don't get home municipality in Finland, so they don't need to visit Maistraatti, unless they want to do a notification of change of address ( = temporary move if residence lasts longer than three months) there. It can be done at the post office too: https://www.posti.fi/fi/henkiloille/muuttoilmoitus
INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE
Private health clinics
Students coming to Finland outside of EU countries will need a residence permit. One of the requirements of the residence permit application is a valid health insurance. Students who have private insurance are encouraged to use the insurance to get assistance from private health clinics such as Terveystalo, Mehiläinen, Aava etc. It is recommended to book a time by calling (to ensure service in English, and because some online booking systems require a Finnish online banking code).
Private clinics close to the Otaniemi campus:
- Terveystalo Tapiola, Länsituuli 7, Kauppakeskus Ainoa
- Mehiläinen Tapiola, Länsituuli 10
- Aava Tapiola, Länsituuli 12
Municipal health care
Students coming from EU countries do not need a residence permit and therefore are not obligated by law to have a private health insurance. Aalto, however, has recommended that EU students should have a valid health insurance while living in Finland. Incoming students have also been advised to obtain the free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from their home country. This card will entitle the person to get medical help from the municipal health care services at the same price as those who reside in Finland permanently.
If the exchangee is in need to use the services of a municipal health center, see the websites of Helsinki or Espoo to find out the nearest health care center or hospital. In case of a sudden illness requiring immediate treatment, one should call the medical helpline 116 117. In life threatening situations, the national emergency number is 112.
