Details

• Finland
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

Since the (summer) semester starts much earlier than at WU, I recommend taking this into account as soon as you begin selecting courses at WU and starting to plan your semester abroad well in advance. This is especially true for courses and where you want to live (HOAS, etc.), as there are deadlines for those. I booked my flight about 2–3 months in advance and arrived 3 days before the semester started.

2. Accommodation

We received a list of potential apartments and websites where you can apply. There are no traditional on-campus apartments. However, HOAS and others offer apartments in the surrounding area, some of which are in Espoo. There are also many options in Helsinki directly (which I would recommend). I applied to HOAS and UNITY. Since I could book directly with UNITY, I ultimately decided on that option because it gave me guaranteed housing, whereas with HOAS you have to wait about a month before getting a response. UNITY is a kind of hotel where you can also stay long-term. They also offer a student rate. I really liked the location. It’s very quiet and safe, but also central (10 minutes by tram to the main train station, 5 minutes to Lidl, and about 17 minutes to the university). It is relatively expensive, though, but also very nice, and a lot is included. In general, I’d say it’s important—especially with options like HOAS—to keep an eye on the deadlines and look for alternatives in case you don’t get a spot for example.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is quite large, and students from different academic areas mix. There are many different cafeterias for lunch, as well as cafes and supermarkets right on campus. The selection is much wider and more affordable (costing about €3.50 with a salad). In most English-language courses, you’ll meet many exchange students, often fewer Finnish students. Classes rarely start before 9:15 a.m. Classes usually last 1.5 hours—rarely more than 3 hours. Most classes have about 60 students. Attendance requirements rarely reach 80%; they’re usually much lower or nonexistent. There are various requirements you must meet to pass the course, but if you complete them diligently, passing the course (with good grades) shouldn’t be a problem. Course Recommendations: - Swedish (very easy and you can learn it quickly) - Sales: Sustainability Value-Based Selling (purely online course that you can take flexibly) - People Management (less effort) - Global Logistics and Distribution Networks (instead of BLP!!)

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transportation is excellent. You can get anywhere quickly and easily. It’s very safe here. I never once felt uncomfortable, no matter where I went. KY is a university club that organizes many different events, especially at the beginning (trip to Lapland, etc.). I didn’t notice the city itself “offering events,” so if there were any, they were through the university. Especially at the beginning (January–March), it’s very cold, which is why there’s not much to do outside and generally few people are outsicde. Most activities are really expensive. You should be aware of that—whether it’s a restaurant, bar, or activity, everything costs a lot.

6. Testimonial

It was a great experience, especially for yourself—no matter where you go. Finland is a place I would never have moved to otherwise, but I learned so many new things and the nature is incredible. However, it’s expensive, and it was extremely cold throughout my entire stay (from -24 to 16 degrees from January to early June), which took some of the joy out of it for me sometimes. If that doesn’t bother you, I can recommend it :)