Welcome to HAMK, you’re here to make a change!

Are you curious to see who’s also going to HAMK? Or maybe you wish to make new friends with HAMK’s students?

Via HAMK’s virtual student community Goin’ Connect, you can find other students from the same nationality, study programme or campus. You might even find students who are into the same things as you!

The guidance for registration can be found from your acceptance letter and from email sent to you

Please check this video about Goin’ Connect to more information.

In case of  any problems, please contact reception@hamk.fi

Visit the local bank at your country of origin and make sure that banking services are available when you are in Finland.

It will take some time – sometimes even couple of months – to open a bank account in Finland, so it is important to have international banking services from your own bank.

International banking services are also needed when you pay for the deposit and/or rent for the first month of the accommodation. Opening Finnish bank account can take few months, so it is important that you have working bank account until that.

Please notice that it is not a good idea to bring much cash with you to Finland. Here you cannot pay for example rent in cash so internationally working bank card and banking services are crucial. Also traveller’s checks are not accepted in Finland.

Check out different accommodation options available and fill the application. We strongly advice you not to come to Finland before you have an accommodation arranged.

Kindly remember that you can only apply to HAMK´s accommodation in the campus that you are studying. If you look accommodation on the free market, you can choose to live which ever city you like, but remember to check the public transportation connections to the campus.

You can easily get to Finland by plane, by boat, or by car. Make sure that you have the valid ticket for your chosen means of transportation.

Arriving by plane

Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL) is the largest airport in Finland, and it is located near the capital city of Helsinki. The airport located in Tampere is another airport that our international students often arrive at. All HAMK campuses can be reached by public transport from either airport. Besides Helsinki and Tampere airports, there are several other national airports, such as Rovaniemi and Kittilä in Lapland. Direct international flights are available from those airports but note that they are far away from the major cities in southern Finland as well as from all HAMK campuses.

Airport pick-up (Helsinki-Vantaa)

We have an airport pickup service for specific dates available! See it from our Arrive to HAMK section.

Local public transport

Finland is a large country with considerable distances between its municipalities. Yet, public transport works well within and in between cities. You can travel to almost everywhere in Finland by bus or by train. You can also fly to some destinations within the country. Some bigger Finnish cities can offer transport services by tram and, in case of the capital – Helsinki, also by metro. Within cities, you can reach suburban areas with local transport. 

In Finland, you can get student discounts for public transport.

But in order to get student discount, you need to have valid student card. Read more about our student association HAMKO, how to become a member and get the student card which gives you an access to many discounts.

To plan your travel within Finland, use route services perille.fi to get your itinerary suggestions. For example, you can type in “Helsinki airport” as the place of departure and one of HAMK´s campuses as the place of destination. The service will provide you with itinerary suggestions.

By train

The rail network in Finland stretches from Helsinki to Kolari in Lapland. VR is the Finnish Railway Service. You can check the routes and stations on the VR website. Some train services and parts of the routes may be replaced by buses due to track work. Those bus transport services are organised by VR, so you do not need to get extra tickets. Read more about the replacement buses.

By bus

Another option to travel in between cities in Finland is by bus. There are three major bus connection services providers in Finland.

Matkahuolto (there is also national parcel transport service provided by Matkahuolto. Matkahuolto is used as a public transport in some cities. See the section below for more information.)

Onnibus

Express Bus

The best way to find out which bus suits you the most is to visit bus operators´ websites. You can also use route services perille.fi to get more detailed itinerary suggestions.

Local transport by major city

There are different public means of transport available in different cities in Finland. When you are travelling inside a city, it is good to use the local public transport route planner to navigate and to get the tickets.

In Helsinki you find the information in the link HSL area and zones (you need to check the zones you travel through and buy a ticket accordingly).

Häme Region (Kanta-Häme: Evo, Forssa, Lepaa, Mustiala, and Riihimäki campus)

Local transport and journey planner:

Reittiopas

Tickets and prices

Waltti travel card

Taxi:

Taxi Häme phone number: +358 (0)100 0700
Please notice that taxis in Finland are very expensive so always check the distance and price before taking the taxi!

Bike:

There are also electric scooters available on the streets. You can scan the QR code on the scooter and follow the instructions from different service providers.

Tampere Region (Pirkanmaa: Valkeakoski campus)

Local transport and journey planner:

Nysse

Tickets and zones

Travel card

Taxi:

Taxi Tampere, phone number: +358 (0)1004131
Please notice that taxis in Finland are very expensive so always check the distance and price before taking the taxi!

Bike:

Nysse City bikes

There are also electric scooters available on the streets. You can scan the QR code on the scooter and follow the instructions from different service providers.

There are many things to be considered if you wish to bring your family to Finland with you.

Read more about it from here:

Bring your original school and work certificates (master’s students) with their official translations in either Finnish, Swedish, or English.

You will need the documents when you register your arrival in campus. Your original documents will be checked and your study place will be cancelled, if you don’t have the certificates with you.

If you plan to develop your career in Finland, you should also bring the original work certificates with you. If you are studying in the Master’s Degree programme, work certificates are mandatory part of your registration process and you need to have those with you.

In Finland, employers usually request the original work certificates to be sent during or after the recruitment process. It is good to have your certificates notarised. If the certificates are not in one of the three languages: Finnish, Swedish or English, the official translation is required.

Students studying for higher education degree are entitled to the services of the Student Health Foundation (YTHS). Check payment due dates on Kela´s website.

Here’s how to pay your university student health fee.

You can read more and apply for special arrangements for studying here.

If you want to plan your studies further, you can find all the information you need here.

Here you will find all the information you need to start studying.

All students at HAMK must ensure they have sufficient funds to cover tuition fees (if applicable) and living expenses for the entire duration of their studies. Before arriving in Finland, make sure you have a realistic financial plan. 

Note: International students who come to Finland solely for their studies are generally not eligible for government financial aid for students. Read more from Kela’s pages. 

The cost of living in Finland varies based on individual lifestyle, location, and housing choices. As a student, we recommend budgeting approximately 950–1,200 EUR per month to cover essential expenses. Below is an estimated breakdown of typical student costs: 

• Rent: 400–650 EUR 

• Food: 400–500 EUR 

• Other expenses (leisure, internet, phone, etc.): 100 EUR 

Tip: Students in Finland can benefit from a variety of student discounts on transport, dining, and leisure activities. For example, train tickets can be 30–50% cheaper for students. To access these discounts, you need a valid student card. Learn more about student union membership and student card benefits here. 

International exchange and degree students are allowed to work in Finland with certain restrictions. Students from outside the EU/EEA can work up to 30 hours per week on average during the academic year. However, finding a part-time job can be challenging, especially in the first two years, due to language barriers and competition. Even in roles requiring minimal Finnish skills, job opportunities are limited. 

While internships at HAMK are mandatory and work experience is valuable, we encourage students to prioritize their studies, make meaningful connections, and fully embrace student life. It’s also important to note that job availability varies significantly between campuses. Do not rely on finding a part-time job immediately upon arrival—students should have sufficient financial resources to support their studies without one. 

Additionally, work should not interfere with your studies. Balancing coursework with part-time jobs can be demanding, and wages often do not fully cover living expenses, especially for students paying tuition fees. Learning Finnish can improve job prospects, but it’s crucial to set realistic expectations regarding work opportunities. 

Finally, if you work in Finland, you must pay taxes. Before starting employment, you need to apply for a tax card and/or tax number from the Finnish Tax Office (Vero). 

By planning ahead and understanding these challenges, you can better navigate student life in Finland. 

To register your arrival at HAMK, you need to visit your campus Student Services. This is a mandatory and important step, as your study place is conditional until HAMK has checked your eligibility and your final original degree certificates after your registration at campus.

If you are not able to complete the registration process by the given dates or have given incorrect information during the application process, your study place will be cancelled and you must return back to your home country.

Please see more instruction from above: Mandatory Steps

After you arrive in Finland, it is important that you register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV). With DVV, you take care of Finnish personal identity code (if you have not received one) and municipality of residence. Check out the registration instructions here. Registration of a foreign student | Digital and population data services agency (dvv.fi).

If you have a Finnish identity code, you can apply for an identity card – Police (poliisi.fi). A Finnish identity card allows you more access to banking and mobile phone SIM card services.

Important:
When you apply for a identity card it is highly recommended to make an appointment for the police station in advance! This is especially important when visiting the police stations in Forssa and Hämeenlinna.

You can book an appointment online without logging in via the “Appointment Booking | Electronic Services of the Police” section on the police’s website, or by calling +358 295 41 800.

If no appointment slots are available, you can also contact the police via email at passi.hame@poliisi.fi.

You need a valid student card or a stamped KELA meal subsidy card to get the student discounts for lunch and other student benefits in Finland.

Check how to get a student card from student union HAMKO and see the differences between a stamped KELA meal subsidy card and a student card here: Student cards – HAMKO.

You can get a stamped KELA meal subsidy card from the Student Services points on HAMK campuses. Check Student Services – HAMK for more information on opening hours of the service points.

After you have enrolled for the academic year, you will receive an automatic message requesting you to activate your HAMK user ID.
You can activate your HAMK user ID via self-service user registration.

You will receive an email once your HAMK user ID has been created. Before receiving the email you can not activate your ID.

This HAMK user ID gives you access to all HAMK’s student systems.

For more information and in case of an error, please contact ServiceDesk. Service desk is a customer services system that HAMK uses for advising students and staff. By using the ServiceDesk, a customer services ticket will be generated specifically for you and for your matters. The IT department can keep track with your questions and offer advice to you by following the same ticket.

NB: you can log in to ServiceDesk only after you already have acquired and activated your HAMK student ID. If you don’t have a HAMK student ID yet, please contact the IT department by the email it@hamk.fi instead. That also creates a ticket automatically. When you contact the IT service, remember to include a descriptive subject line and detailed description!

Once you have activated your HAMK user account, log in to HAMK’s M365 environment, where you’ll find all the Microsoft tools.

In the left-hand menu, you’ll find your Outlook email, where we will send emails related to your studies.

Remember to log in to your new student email a few days before your studies begin to check if you’ve received any additional instructions for starting your studies.

Please note that we will no longer send messages to your personal email; instead, we will communicate with you through the school’s email (and other internal communication channels).

M365 – Microsoft Tools

Your student email in Outlook

Which username should I use to log in?

You can log in to all HAMK services, such as your email and other M365 services, using either the short or long username, along with the password you created.

The short username is written in the format: username12345.

The long username is written in the format: username12345@student.hamk.fi.

All students must have their own laptop.

The operating system of the laptop should be Windows (64-bit). The professional software used at HAMK is Windows software.

Using a MacOS computer in your studies

You can study on a macOS computer, but for only a few educational programmes, the applications available for macOS alone are sufficient. These include teacher training and social and health education programmes.

Most programmes require students to install software on their own computers that is only available for Windows computers.

Other necessary items

In addition to your own computer, you’ll need headphones (for watching videos) and an external mouse (to make it easier to use applications), as well as a camera for tele-editing. Your computer is connected to the data projector via an hdmi cable, so make sure you have an hdmi (type A) socket on your computer or, if necessary, get an hdmi (type A) adapter for your computer.

Starter Kit of Digital Skills will help you to start using HAMK online tools, equipment, environments and methods used in higher education studies.

The Starter Kit course contains 14 parts. Before starting your studies, we recommend that you complete at least parts 1-6. You should also follow the guidelines for your field of study to find out which parts are compulsory and the timetable for completion.

When you see this pattern ⬡ it is possible to complete the section with a competency mark. Remember to take advantage of the completed badges.

Below is the table of contents of the digital starter kit and the average time needed to complete each section.

1. Welcome to the Starter Kit of Digital Skills

2. Basic digital services for students (1h)

3. Learn online learning environment ⬡ (0,5-1 h)

4. Study planning | Pakki ⬡ (1h)

5. Microsoft 365 – supporting communal work

6. For internal communication Tuudo and Viva Engage (formerly Yammer) ⬡ (0,5h)

7. Teams – for teamwork ⬡ (1h)

8. Manage documents with OneDrive for Business ⬡ (1h)

9. Online meetings with Zoom ⬡ (1 h)

10. Office software ⬡ (2-5 h)

11. Library and web library HAMK Finna ⬡ (0,5-1 h)

12. Studying and well-being ⬡ (0,5 – 1 h)

13. How do you display your open badges?

14. Feedback on Digital Starter Kit

Instructions: 

Log in to Learn-Moodle using the link below, and sign in via the HAMK-login link at the top. Then, from the top menu, select the Search link and look for the Starter Kit of Digital Skills (choose the correct year). The enrolment key is “Digistarter-25”.

Enrolment key is: Digistarter-25

If you have any questions related to Starter Kit of Digital Skills, please contact to askus@hamk.fi.

The student mobile app Tuudo is free and can be downloaded from the Android, iOS and Huawei AppGallery app stores.

The app allows us to offer students a comprehensive and modern service package.

Students can buy software from a few places at student prices or purchase software free of charge. Microsoft offers the full Microsoft 365 ProPlus package (including Word, Excel and Powerpoint) free of charge to students during their studies. The Microsoft 365 package can be installed on five PCs/Macs and five tablets. You can install some professional software on your own computer, subject to certain restrictions. For example, the software cannot be used for commercial activities. The software required for your studies is described in the study information in the Pakki.

When you start your studies, you should only install the Microsoft 365 package and Chrome browser (see instructions below).

What types of licences can applications have?

The most common types of application licences are:

• open source – usually freely available
• educational licence – sometimes includes access to students’ own computers
• commercial licence – for commercial use
• trial licence – limited duration and purpose of use

When you install an application on your computer, always find out what the terms of use are.

Microsoft 365-services

Under an agreement with Microsoft, students have access to Microsoft 365 in the cloud. Microsoft 365 is a collection of different applications and services that are cloud services. You can access them online from anywhere.

Services include:

• Outlook Mail and Calendar
• People
• OneDrive for Business Sites
• Tasks
• Microsoft 365 WebApps i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote
• Viva engage
• Delve
• Sway
• Class
• Notebook
• Groups
• Planner
• Forms
• Teams
• PowerApps and Flow

For more information of M365 visit here

Installing a Microsoft 365 package

Installing a Microsoft 365 package Students will have access to many Microsoft applications during their studies. As soon as you start your studies, you will need Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook and OneDrive for Business.

Download and installation instructions for the Microsoft 365 ProPlus package can be found here.

Installing web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, etc.)

Your computer already has a web browser such as Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge or Safari (MacOS). Internet Explorer is no longer recommended, use Edge instead. You need at least one other web browser on your computer, because not all web services and applications work properly with one and the same web browser.

Install at least Google Chrome browser on your computer, including MacOS, with installation instructions here.

Online meetings

Students have access to Teams for remote meetings and group work. For distance learning, the Zoom cloud service is also used for online sessions, depending on the course. Teams requires installation on your own computer to use all its features and can be downloaded from the web.

For more information:
Teams
Zoom

MOT-​language engine

Students can use the MOT language engine (a cloud service), which offers a dictionary, language checkers and machine translation.

Access MOT language engine here