Hi all you Harvardians! This is Pinja and Lyra from the University of Helsinki in Finland! This fall, Her Campus Helsinki had a chance to collaborate with Her Campus Harvard as Sister Chapters and together we decided that a fun way for us to get to know each other would be to share some thoughts on how college life differs in Finland from the States.
1. Almost everyone completes a Master’s degree
In Finland, we don’t actually have colleges, but rather universities and universities of applied sciences. Those who go to a university almost always end up graduating with both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree, as a Bachelor’s degree alone doesn’t stand out much in the Finnish job market. Most students continue with their Master’s straight after getting their Bachelor’s and they can also take courses from both degrees at the same time. Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are usually done in the same subject, though it’s also very common for people to apply for a different subject after completing their Bachelor’s degree.
Because basically everyone completes their Master’s degree, students here also study for quite a long time. In theory, doing both your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees should take 5 years, but most people study longer than that, usually 6-7 years. This is due to a number of reasons, the biggest one being work, as most students in Finland have a part-time job alongside studying in order to stay financially independent. Many people also start a family while studying and our universities are very flexible in terms of granting maternal and paternal leaves.
2. Most students live in student houses
Finnish universities don’t have on-campus dorms. Instead, we have student houses all over Helsinki and the metropolitan region, where students from different schools live together. Most students live in these houses because they are very affordable – especially if you live in a shared apartment. A typical shared apartment has 2-3 students living together and each student has a bedroom of their own while the kitchen, common area and bathroom are shared. Electricity, water and internet are usually included in the rent, which is subsidized by the government. Many students also rent apartments from the private sector, which is a lot more expensive as Helsinki is one of the most expensive cities to live in.
3. Sororities
Finnish universities don’t have sororities. However, the University of Helsinki has hundreds of different clubs dedicated to all sorts of activities from wine tasting to football and there are usually no prerequisites for joining. The most popular clubs are subject organizations for students with the same major: events are organized throughout the year, from hiking, movie nights and, of course, partying. Subject organizations are usually responsible for hosting sitsit, a seated meal where singing and toasting are vital. Many international students claim that one has not truly experienced Finnish student life until they’ve participated in a sitsit.
4. Universities have students from all age groups
It’s not unheard of to have people in their thirties or even fifties sitting next to you during a lecture at a university in Finland; in fact it’s quite a common sight. As many people start their family while studying, they end up taking years off and only come back to finish their degree after their kids are old enough to go to the nursery. Many may also be offered a permanent job from their own field while still studying and they can end up putting their studies on hold for quite a while. And as it’s very easy to change study fields, many may decide to start a completely new degree in their forties or fifties – lifelong learning is encouraged and approved.
5. There are no tuition fees – yet
There are currently no tuition fees in Finland, although the Finnish government has proposed introducing tuition fees for students coming from outside the EU and Schengen area. In addition, Finnish students receive around 400€/month of study grant from the government that is determined by their study progress, i.e. they must earn a minimum number of credit per academic year. But even so, many students still don’t have enough money for Helsinki’s high living costs and they have to either take up a part-time/full-time job or take a student loan.
6. You choose your major before applying
When you apply to a university in Finland, you have to know your major beforehand and apply for that specific subject and/or program. Being accepted is usually based on a combination of your subject entrance exam and your high school matriculation results, but once you get in, there are many minor subjects for you to freely choose from regardless of your major. This is called the students’ ‘academic freedom’, which is quite unique to Finnish universities. Changing your major is also possible, although that can be quite a difficult process.
Hope you’ve enjoyed reading our brief introduction to student life in Finland, you can follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Her-Campus-University-of-Helsinki-137724736397786/), Instagram (@hchelsinki) and Twitter (@HCHelsinki) for more inside looks into our chapter and daily lives!
Check out our article about college life at Harvard on Helsinki’s page here.