FINLAND - ISEP University of Helsinki

To be eligible to participate in this program, students must meet the following requirements:

• Good academic and judicial standing during time of application AND time of participation in program
• Undergraduates must have completed at least two semesters of study at Lake Forest College AND have junior status or higher before participation. 
• At least 18 years of age by the program’s departure date. 
• Be able to stay at the host program for the duration of the semester, including through the exam and travel periods
• Students must have a declared major, and at least 4-5 courses taken within that major, to be academically prepared.
• Minimum GPA of 2.75.  

Students applying to ISEP must apply for an Exchange option (in any country) as a first choice but may apply to a Direct option as a back-up. Direct options may have an additional cost (see a financial section for more information).

The main university area is located in the beautiful neoclassical center of Helsinki, the capital of Finland since 1812. The new capital soon grew into the cultural center of the country. With its large population, Helsinki is able to sustain a rich variety of cultural activities. There is an abundance of restaurants, bars, theatres, museums, and sporting events.

The University of Helsinki operates on 4 campuses; City Centre Campus for Human Sciences, Kumpula Science Campus, Meilahti Campus for Medicine, Viikki Campus for Life Sciences. ISEP students can apply to all faculties on all campuses. Please review Academic Notes for requirements and restrictions, and refer to Courses in English for information on subjects (both found in Academics tab). More information can be found on the website.

To learn more about the visa process for this country, please visit the ISEP Country Handbook for Finland. 

The University of Helsinki is a versatile, multidisciplinary university with an international academic community of 40,000 students and staff members in the vibrant city of Helsinki. Teaching is based on research, and both teaching and research are of the highest standard. UH’s technology resources, learning spaces, and especially laboratories are highly ranked by students.

Economics, Psychology, Communication, Political Science, Veterinary Medicine and Law have restrictions regarding acceptance (both for local and exchange students). They only accept students who are majoring in the subject in question and have completed enough courses in the discipline in their home university prior to arrival. For Veterinary Medicine students must be on the graduate level at the home university. 

English Philology only accepts students majoring in English. Other foreign languages: the student should be a major or minor in the language at the home university. These studies are considered case by case. 

Exchange students should choose the majority of their courses from one Faculty. Within one Faculty, they can choose courses from several disciplines. Students are welcome to choose some courses from other Faculties, too.

Courses are broken down into two categories: lectures and individual study. A full-time course load for exchange students is 30 Finnish credits for one semester, and 60 Finnish credits for an academic year. 1 Finnish credit = 1 ECTS credit. 

All courses are measured in Finnish credits and each one equivalent to one ECTS credit. A full-time study load is 30 credits for a semester and 60 for an academic year. One Finnish credit equals 27-28 hours of work, and exchange students are required to complete 20-30 Finnish credits per semester. 

To Earn 4 Lake Forest credits, students must take 25 Finnish credits.

To Earn 3 Lake Forest credits, students must take 18.7 Finnish credits.

The number of credits listed here is estimated, and GEO will work with you, your advisor, and the registrar to ensure you are earning enough credits to keep you on track for graduation.

COURSES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH

Most of the departments offer lecture series and seminars in English. Independent study and book examinations can be arranged in most fields when no classes are offered in English. 

Language Courses: Beginner- to intermediate-level Swedish and Finnish. Finnish courses for international students are divided into five levels, and after completing the fifth level students may continue on to the Finnish Language & Culture Program. 

Please review the ISEP country handbook for more information on the education system.

The University of Helsinki, the oldest and largest university in Finland, celebrates its 375th anniversary in 2015. Its students make up a quarter of all university students in the country. Several subjects are taught exclusively at the University of Helsinki and it also offers many courses in English. The number of international students surpasses 2,700, with a total student body of 36,000.

ORIENTATION

The orientation program for international students, including a Welcome Fair and a Faculty Orientation Course, is arranged in late August and early January. 

ARRIVAL DETAILS
Students should arrive before the Welcome Fair starts. The host will provide arrival directions with acceptance packet.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

International students have many opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities in different clubs (arts, athletic, choirs etc.) since there are more than 250 student organizations at the Student Union available. International students are welcome to participate. The Student Union and its Clubs and different activities bring together international and Finnish students for cultural exchange, social activities, and travel. The academic clubs of the faculties and/or departments welcome also international students. 

At ESN (International Erasmus Student Network) of the Student Union, there is a “Buddy Project - Getting by with a little help from your friends,” a project that matches international and Finnish students. ESN arranges also a lot of activities for exchange students.

For all approved programs for guaranteed financial aid transferability, students pay their Lake Forest College tuition plus a program fee. The program fee for a semester with the ISEP Exchange to the University of Helsinki includes orientation, on-site director, college fees, housing, and a stipend to cover the equivalent of 19/meals per week.  

Here is an estimated budget for the Fall 2019/Spring 2020 programs:

Tuition rates and program fees are subject to change each year, but this information was up-to-date as of February 2019. We will notify applicants, and update this page if the program fee or other estimates change.

You can discuss with Financial Aid your specific aid package and your expected family contribution.

Deposits to other programs, if required, are paid by the student to the host program, and will appear as a credit on your study abroad term bill from the College.

Keep in mind that you may spend more or less in certain areas like personal expenses, travel, meals, or airfare, depending on exchange rates and your own spending habits. Classroom or lab fees are not included in this estimate and will depend on your course registration choices.  

Don’t forget to apply for scholarships! A great listing can be found here.