Before departure

What kind of qualities would you like to develop? What kind of expectations do you have for the study period abroad? Do you wish to develop your language skills, problem solving skills, communication skills, knowledge of different cultures, ability to work with people from different backgrounds etc? Do you wish to gain new attributes such as perseverance, adaptability etc. Is your aim to develop self-confidence and self-knowledge?

If your faculty is using for example the ePortfolio, you can use it as a tool to define your goals for the exchange.

The course XYHX009 Intercultural Professional Competencies 3 ECTS credits, organised by the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication of JYU, offers you tools and ideas for strengthening and highlighting your internationalisation and working life skills and gives abilities to encounter a new studying environment. During your exchange period you will gain and utilise the tools with short guided assignments and after returning home, you will report and reflect on your learning experiences in a way that serves you as becoming an international expert of your field.

Familiarize yourself with the course programme of your host university. Choose courses that you can include in your degree or which deepen your academic expertise.

Some universities ask you to send your study plan with your application. The plan informs your host university about the courses you would like to take during your exchange period.

Most European universities use European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) which aims at facilitating the comparison of studies between different EU countries. One credit of the University of Jyväskylä corresponds to one ECTS credit. In case your host university does not use the ECTS credits credit transfer must be checked individually based on the extend of the course (number of contact hours, amount of literature etc).

Most universities offer student housing and assist their incoming students in applying for it. Usually exchange students need to send an application for accommodation to the host university. Send the application form well in advance in order to avoid difficulties in getting accommodation. Be aware that the quality of student housing may vary greatly!

In case a university does not offer student accommodation, contact the International Office of the host university or former exchange students for tips on renting an apartment yourself. You can also look for housing through different services such as:

• Wimdu: http://www.wimdu.fi/  (global)
• Housing Anywhere: HousingAnywhere.com (global)
• Dormy: www.dormy.at (Austria)

Unless you are renting a room from a trusted company / organisation, it is not recommended to rent a room without seeing it. In case you plan to apply for housing in the private sector, it is recommended to first book housing for the 1st week of your stay e.g. in a hostel and then look for housing after arriving to the host city. Check what is included in the rent (electricity, gas etc) and what are the terms of ending the lease.

In some of the above services you can also lease your own apartment e.g. for a student arriving in Jyväskylä for a mobility period. The most trusted site among exchange students to lease your apartment is the Apartment Forum run by the Student Union. The forum connects students looking for accommodation to their future apartments.

You can sublet your Soihtu or KOAS apartment to another student under certain conditions. Please see the Soihtu and KOAS websites for more information:

• Soihtu: https://soihtu.fi/en/instructions/temporarily-assigning-an-apartment-to-someone-else/
• KOAS: https://www.koas.fi/en/tenants/lease-and-rent-payment/

Students studying or doing an internship abroad through the University of Jyväskylä exchange programmes are required to register for attendance by 31 July in the OILI service or, if you cannot register to OILI or do not have internet banking services in a Finnish bank, by paying the Student Union membership fee to the Student Union's account and by showing the receipt of the payment at the Student Services. Remember to pay the student healthcare fee as well. If you have social security coverage in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you do not have to pay the healthcare fee. Visit Kela’s website for information about how to proceed if you have social security coverage in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or the United Kingdom. More information: https://www.jyu.fi/en/study/annual-registration-and-duration-of-studies. 

NB! Please notice that  if you are liable to pay tuition fees for your studies at JYU, you also need to pay tuition fees to JYU during your student exchange. Please read more at Student exchange and internships of students liable to pay tuition fees.

All students nominated to JYU student exchanges will receive a travel scholarship, the amount of which is determined by the exchange programme, length of the exchange and the host country. You shall receive information on how to apply for your scholarship from the International Office (or Nordplus Coordinator in Nordplus exchanges).

• Erasmus students receive a daily scholarship
• Nordlys / Nordplus students receive a monthly scholarship
• Bilateral, FIRST and ISEP scholarship is a fixed amount either for one or two semesters

The minimum duration of an Erasmus student exchange period is 90 days (or one semester) and one semester in other exchange programmes. The maximum duration of student exchanges is 12 months and 6 months in Erasmus traineeship programmes.

In case your Erasmus exchange is prolonged by at least 14 days, you can receive a daily scholarship for the extension of your exchange. Nordlys, bilateral and FIRST students should contact the International Office to find out whether the prolongation of exchange is possible. ISEP exchange cannot be prolonged.

In case your exchange is shortened, you are asked to pay back your daily /monthly scholarship accordingly. In ISEP, FIRST and bilateral exchanges the amount to be returned is defined by the International Office.

There will be no tax deduction of the scholarship, but the Finnish tax authorities will be informed about your scholarship. Moreover the travel scholarship is not counted as income in case you are a receiver of Finnish Study Aid (opintotuki).

In order to be fully focused on your studies abroad, you need to brush up your language skills before going abroad.

Recommended language courses for outgoing exchange students:

• English: obligatory courses defined by your home faculty + XEN0022 English Academic skills for Exchange students (outgoing)
• French: find more information here: https://movi.jyu.fi/fi/opintotarjonta/kielitarjonta/ranska/vaihtoon
• other languages:
  • all preparatory courses offered by the Language Center
  • Each One Teach One
  • OLS (Online Linguistic Support) courses for Erasmus students
  • Euromobil language learning programme for students studying in English, German, French, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian and Czech

• Duolingo (iPhone, Android)
• Memrise, Mango Languages (Android)

Being interculturally competent does not mean just good language skills. The University of Jyväskylä has set the following learning outcomes for student exchanges:

After the exchange, the student has enhanced /developed:

In order to receive tools to reach the above learning outcomes, the following courses / resources are recommended:

• one’s academic expertise
• interpersonal relationships and one’s social networks
• language skills, interaction skills and cooperation skills within multilingual and intercultural contexts
• abilities to analyze and reflect on cultural elements in his / her own communication
• understanding and respect for cultural diversity
• an interest  in global phenomenon and new perspectives
• XYHX003 Fundamentals in Intercultural and Multilingual Communication by the JYU Language Centre
• XYHX009 Intercultural professional competencies by the JYU Language Centre
• Online Cultural Training Resource by the University of the Pacific

Get to know the local culture and norms before your exchange because this may help in adapting to your new environment. Majority of people who travel abroad for a longer period of time face a culture shock during their stay. This is completely normal. More information about culture shock, how it may manifest and how to recover from it can be found for example at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock and https://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-Culture-Shock-in-a-Foreign-Country.

The residence permit and visa regulations change often - therefore it is recommended to check the valid requirements on the web site of the embassy or consulate of the country in question before applying for your permit/visa.

In case you are entitled to Finnish student financial aid (opintotuki) for your studies at the University of Jyväskylä, you can apply for the same study aid for your studies abroad. Please contact Kela for more information. 

In order to receive student financial aid during the exchange, you have to study as much as you would in Finland (5 credits per month)

Check that your travel documents are valid. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that your passport should be valid at least six months after your return.

While travelling you need to have a valid travel document (a passport or identity card) with you even in the Schengen area.

TIP: Take a copy of important documents, such as your passport, and keep them separate from the originals. Please make sure you have saved the contact information of your of next of kin to your mobile and wallet with an ICE (in case of emergency) marking. Also save important phone numbers such as the International Office of your exchange destination, Embassy of your home country, insurance company and the number which you can report to in case you misplace your credit card.

If you are studying abroad for more than three months, you usually need the residence permit or visa of the host country.

A citizen of the Nordic countries does not need a residence permit or a visa for staying in Nordic countries.



EU citizens usually do not need a residence permit to travel in the European Union member states if their trip is less than 3 months. If they are staying longer than that they usually need to register at the local police station.

EU citizens usually need a residence permit or a visa to study outside the European Union. You need to apply for the visa through the embassy of the host country before the exchange. Make sure you apply for the visa early enough because the application process may take months.



Non-EU citizens usually need a residence permit or a visa to study in the European Union member states. The residence permits and visas should be applied for well in advance before entering the country since the application times can be even several weeks long. Instructions for applying for a visa: http://ec.europa.eu/immigration/

When traveling to another Schengen country, it is recommended by the Finnish Immigration Service that you should not renew your residence permit to Finland before departuring for your exchange. Instead you can apply for a residence permit to Finland while being abroad (at the local Finnish embassy) or after returning back to Finland.

In case your residence permit to Finland is ending before the new one (for your host country) has started and if you are a citizen of a visa-free country, you can reside in Finland for max. 90 days.

In case however you are a citizen of a country where visa is required, and your residence permit is ending before your new residence permit to another Schengen country is starting, you should renew your residence permit while being in Finland.

Finnish Immigration Office advices student's to renew their residence permit to Finland earliest three months before your residence permit to Finland expires. If your residence permit to Finland has expired whilst you are in exchange you are required to apply for a new permit before your arrival to Finland. Fill in your residence permit application in EnterFinland service before you visit the Finnish Immigration Office in Finland or the Embassy abroad. You are required to have a valid residence permit to enter the country. 

The renewed residence permit will be sent as a signed letter within Finland. If you are abroad when your residence permit is sent you can get a friend to collect it from Posti by giving them the power of attorney. If you are outside of Schengen area you are required to have a valid residence permit to re-enter to Schengen area. Finnish Immigration Service does not sent residence permits outside Finland.

You can find information on residence permit requirements by country on the list below. The practices for residence permits and visas change often and therefore it is recommended to check the valid requirements in the web site of the embassy or consulate of the country in question.

Contact information for foreign embassies and consulates in Finland can be found at http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?app=33&contentlan=2&culture=en-US.

You usually need to attach a proof of sufficient funds to the visa application. Sometimes the officials state a certain amount of money the student will need to have for each month of stay. The following documents are suitable for this purpose:

• A document of your travel scholarship (International Office will send a certificate of travel scholarship to all students who have been accepted to JYU exchanges)
•  A document signed by your parents stating that they will finance your studies
• A bank statement in English

By presenting your European Health Insurance Card, you will receive medical treatment on the same terms as the local residents during a temporary residence in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland. However, not all doctors and hospitals operate within the reimbursement system, which means that any costs you incur outside the system will have to be paid by yourself. As a general rule, public health services are covered by the reimbursement system. You can get the card free of charge from Kela if you are covered under the Finnish health insurance system. For further information see the European Commission webpages.

The applications and all other documents usually need to be translated into the language of the receiving country or English. The documents need to be recent. Usually they can be in maximum 6 months old. The photograph requirements also vary according to the country. You should always check the recent information from the appropriate embassy or consulate.

Official translations are offered e.g. by the Language Services of the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication. More information on official translators and interpreters can be found at the webpages of the Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters.

Some countries require an international criminal record certificate to be presented with the visa application. You need to obtain that from the country of your nationality. However, some countries require the certificate also from those countries you have resided a certain amount of time. From Finland you can get the certificate from the following address:



Oikeusrekisterikeskus

Rikosrekisteri

Wetterhoffinkatu 2

PL 157

13100 Hämeenlinna

tel. +358 (0) 29 56 65650

fax: +358 (0) 29 56 65783

e-mail: oikeusrekisterikeskus(at)om.fi

http://www.oikeusrekisterikeskus.fi/fi/



You can print out the application form from the webpages but you can also write your own application. Return it by fax, mail or e-mail. The certificate costs 10 €.

The requirements for visas and residence permits change quite frequently so it is advisable to always check the current information from the appropriate embassy or consulate. Please find the country-specific residence permit and visa information here.

EU citizens can obtain a European Health Insurance card. The card ensures that you will get the same access to public sector health care (e.g. a doctor, a pharmacy, a hospital or a health care centre) as nationals of the country you are visiting. If you have to receive medical attention in a country that charges for health care, you will be reimbursed either immediately, or after you go to your home country. The idea is that you are given the care you need to allow you to continue with your stay. However, it is important to note that the card does not cover all your health care costs while abroad. Therefore a private travel insurance is a recommended addition for all. Please also note that the European Health Insurance card does not cover you for private sector health care providers. You can obtain your European Health Insurance card from your home country.

If you are a non-EU citizen or if you are a EU citizen traveling outside EU/EEA area or Switzerland, you should always obtain a private travel insurance.

No matter where you travel, it is always good to check that you have at least valid tetanus and polio vaccinations. Find out if there are any other vaccinations required/recommended for your host country by calling the FSHS's (Finnish Student Health Care Service) nation-wide travel consultation callback service at +358 (0)46 710 1092. Before calling, please fill in the Vaccinations and Health Survey (EN / FI) of the FSHS. It will help FSHS to determine your vaccination needs. If you need tetanus or hepatitis vaccinations, please contact the FSHS in Jyväskylä directly.

Check your need for vaccinations about three months before your departure. It will take about two weeks for vaccination to reach full effect and some vaccinations might also require a booster. Take the certificate of your vaccinations along.

Tetanus, diphtheria, polio and MPR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations are free of charge at Jyväskylä FSHS. For other vaccinations you can ask for a prescription from FSHS and buy the vaccination from the pharmacy.

If you have long-term medication, you should take enough medicine for the duration of your exchange. Bring the prescriptions along as well. Finnish prescriptions can be used in all EU countries. Note however that your medicine might not be sold in your host country or it might be sold with a different brand name.

You can get a free health certificate from FSHS. If the exchange institution requires also a laboratory or imaging such as chest x-rays to prove that you do not have certain illnesses such as tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, syphilis or malaria, the patient is required to pay for these tests themselves. These examinations and tests can also be done in private clinics and the laboratory examinations can also be done in Fimlab. You can get a referral for these tests from FSHS.

• Find out the basic things about medical care abroad in advance at https://www.choosehealthcare.fi/student-medical-care-abroad/
• Finnish Embassy or the Embassy of your home country will help. Find out the contact information in advance!
• SOS International (International alarm center owned by Nordic insurance companies) for citizens of Nordic countries https://www.sos.eu/en/ 24h/+45 7010 5050

In addition to a health insurance, you should get a travel insurance covering, for example, the loss or theft of your luggage. Some universities (e.g. in Australia, in the US) and exchange programmes (e.g. ISEP) require you to take a specific insurance. Other countries and universities allow you to take your own insurance but they may require a certain kind of insurance for the residence permit. Please ask your insurance company for a certificate of your insurance in English if you need to have a proof or your insurance.

Students going abroad to complete an unpaid study-related internship are insured by the University of Jyväskylä. The insurance covers accidents at the workplace and during commutes (excluding traveling from Finland to the target country and vice versa). You can get a certificate of this insurance through your home department or from JYU Career Services (T-building, 2nd floor).

Students completing a paid internship are normally insured by the employer (make sure to confirm this with your employer). In a paid internship accidents are usually covered by the employer's insurance.

Consider also obtaining a regular travel insurance to cover losses other than those to your luggage and accidents at the work place. Additionally, your employer might require you to have liability insurance which you have to obtain yourself. Discuss insurance matters in detail with your employer so you know what insurances you need to obtain. Students participating in the Erasmus+ work placement have liability insurance provided by the University of Jyväskylä.

In addition to Finnish insurance companies, an offer for insurance can be requested from international insurance companies recommended by the Finnish Immigration Service https://migri.fi/en/insurance.

Book your flights as soon as possible after you have received the letter of admission from your host university. You can compare prices of different airlines online.

Some travel agencies may require an ISIC card (International Student Identity Card) in order for you to purchase student-priced tickets. You can combine the ISIC card with your student card (https://www.frank.fi/en/studentcard/) or order a separate ISIC card (www.isic.fi/en/get-your-isic).

Check the baggage regulations (weight limits, safety regulations) from the website of your airline company. In case your baggage has excess weight, you will have to pay extra for it. Excess baggage can also be transported by air cargo, which can be cheaper to certain countries than paying the fees for excess baggage. Some of the cargo companies are situated at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport (e.g. Travel Cargo), so it’s possible to leave your things to be transported also before your flight.

The website of the Finnish Civil Aviation Administration has information on the latest safety regulations during flights, custom regulations etc.: https://www.finavia.fi/en/airport/baggage.

Remember to check what the voltage and plug type used in the country where you are going to is: http://wikitravel.org/en/Electricity

There are no border controls if you travel within the Schengen area.

If you have a valid residence permit in one of the Schengen countries, you have a right to move and reside freely within the Schengen area for a maximum of 3 months. When travelling in the Schengen area you must still carry a valid travel document (passport or ID).

• Weather pro
• XE currency
• Packing pro
• Tipulator
• Perfect World Clock
• Skyscanner (Flights)
• Hostelworld
• Airbnb
• Uber
• Wifi-Finder / Wefi
• Google translate

You can use the Visa Electron card abroad to withdraw money from Visa ATMs and also pay in many places. There is usually a charge for the withdrawal.

It is recommended to have an international credit card (e.g. Visa or MasterCard) in case your Visa Electron gets misplaced. As a student, you can get an international credit card if you meet the requirements of the bank.

Euros can be used in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. In case you need other currency, please make a currency order through your internet banking service.

Ask the former exchange students and your bank whether it is worthwhile to open a bank account in the host country. Internet banking makes it easy to handle your domestic account from wherever you are. In some countries, opening and closing an account may, however,  be a difficult and sometimes even an expensive procedure.

The cost of bank transfers within the EU is the same as that of bank transfers in Finland, if the transfer fulfills the conditions of an EU payment. A transfer is an EU payment when it is in euros, the recipient’s bank account number is in IBAN form (International Bank Account Number) and the BIC or SWIFT code of the recipient’s bank is given in the payment details. It is good to know the international bank account and bank code numbers whenever making payments to other countries.

Save the numbers of all your debit/credit cards and the service numbers for closing them on a piece of paper, in your phone etc. where they are safe but easily accessible, if needed.

Order extra online banking codes from your bank so that you do not run out of them during your exchange. This is recommended especially when travelling outside of Europe.

Remember to inform the local register office (Digital and population data services agency) and Posti of the change of address. This should also be done by foreign nationals who study in Finland. You may do it online at http://www.posti.fi/changeaddress/ if you have access to Internet Bank codes, an electronic ID card or a Posti username. Alternatively, you can visit the nearest Digital and Population Data Services Agency or post office in person. For more information, please visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's website.

First and second class letters up to 50 grams will be forwarded abroad free of charge. If you wish other items to be forwarded abroad, purchase a Move Mail Service from the post office or at https://www.posti.fi .

Try to promote the University of Jyväskylä to local students because the balance of the exchanges is essential for the continuity of exchanges. If you wish, you can take brochures of the University of Jyväskylä with you to your host university. You can get them from the International Office. Ask your own department for brochures as well.

If you get an opportunity to present JYU at an event in your host university, you can use the promotional Power Point presentation which is available at https://www.jyu.fi/en/university-services/university-communications/materials.

Basic information on Finland, studying and Finnish way of life can be found e.g. at Study in Finland website.

Learn the basic facts (faculties and study areas) about the University of Jyväskylä before you leave. The University of Jyväskylä offers a lot of courses in English in all faculties as well as excellent services for incoming exchange students, such as the orientation programme, student tutors, student housing, university sports etc. Information for students interested in studying at JYU is available in English at http://www.jyu.fi/studywithus/.

If you are a Finnish citizen, you are entitled to vote in Finnish elections while being abroad. Voting normally takes place in Finnish embassies.

More information:

www.vaalit.fi

https://um.fi/edustustot

Acquaint yourself with the host country before your exchange period. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland gives travel advice by country in Finnish. You can also find good tips about safety abroad in Finnish at https://um.fi/matkustaminen. You can also find travel advice given by other countries from their website, such as https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice or https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/. Check also that your passport is valid. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland recommends the passport to be valid for at least six months after your return date. It is also advisable to take copies of all the important documents, such as your passport and letter of admission, in case of theft/loss and to keep these copies in a different place from the originals.

If you are a Finnish citizen, or residing in Finland for long-term, the University of Jyväskylä recommends that you make a travel registration to the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs before departure. This way the Finnish  authorities can reach you in case of a crisis. You can make a travel registration:

It is important to inform the local Finnish embassy or consulate if there is a crisis and you have not made a travel notification earlier. Remember to do another travel notification if you leave the host country for example during holidays. Make sure that the University of Jyväskylä has your current contact information (e.g. your phone number).

Please also check from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your home country, if they have a similar travel registration system.

TIP: Thefts are common in bigger cities. Be alert e.g. at airports, on public transportation, cafés etc., where large crowds give thieves a possibility to steal without you noticing.

• On the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• In the mobile application of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Finnish)
• By sending a text message: Write MATKALLA departure date-return date destination information (for example: MATKALLA 13.01.-25.05.2017 LONDON). The dates need to be in the form dd.mm.yyyy. The number of the service is 16 358 and it works with DNA, Elisa and Sonera service providers. For other service providers the number is +358 400 358 300.

The University of Jyväskylä does not guarantee your personal safety during your stay abroad or during any trips. You are obligated to acquaint yourself carefully with the safety situation and customs of your host country and area before you begin your studies abroad.

Everyone who receives the university travel grant has to sign a liability form, which obliges the student to get to know the safety situation of the host country and to take care of adequate insurance coverage. In a possible crisis or accident situation the university will inform the student's next of kin if needed.

In case of such crises as natural disasters and catastrophes, please follow the advice of the authorities of the host country. The embassy of your own country is also likely to assist you, so please follow the website of the local embassy as well. The Finnish embassies abroad assist Finns and permanent residents of Finland in case of crisis. If you are a citizen of a European Union member state and your home country does not have a mission in the host country, you may also contact the embassies or consulates of other EU countries in case of emergency.

Please study useful information about preparations for a crisis abroad before your exchange at https://um.fi/preparation-for-a-crisis-abroad. 

TIP: Save the contact information of your emergency contact person on your mobile phone and in your wallet marked as “ICE” (in case of emergency). Save also other important numbers on your mobile phone, such as the telephone numbers of your insurance company and the nearest embassy of your home country.