Åbo Akademi University sent out the Acceptance Letters to all admitted students on March 31st, 2023 and all students should have also received a Welcome Letter from the program. Having received these letters we hope you are excited about this next chapter in your life, but you might also be filled with questions about what to do next? No worries, we in the program have compiled a list of things to do after you get your letter. We know that the process is different for all students depending on country of origin and nationality, however, we wanted to gather a general checklist to help you with the process of arriving safely here in Turku Finland.
Checklist after receiving your acceptance letter to the program
✅ Accept or decline your position. This is the first step all students should do, namely to either accept your position or decline it and we kindly ask all students, regardless of the decision, to do so as soon as possible. If you choose to accept your position, we are happy and eager to meet you in the fall, and the earlier you accept your position the sooner you can start with all the necessary preparation to start your studies. Alternatively, if you decide to decline your position, for whatever reason, it means that your position will most likely go to a student on the waiting list. In other words, the earlier you decline the more time you will give to another student to start the process of starting their studies at ÅAU.
✅ Book an appointment at the Embassy. Yearly, we have students that are unable to start their studies in the fall as scheduled, many times due to delays with the embassy. This is why we want to stress the urgency of booking an appointment at the embassy in time and as soon as possible. This process can be time-consuming and the estimated time duration for each applicant can easily be extended. There are various reasons for this, mainly that there are many students who aspire to arrive in Finland in the fall, leading to the embassies having plenty of workloads. Additionally, many of the applications are handled during the summer, when many are on vacation, and the staff is fewer than usual. Due to these reasons, we kindly ask all incoming students to book a time at the embassy in good time, since it does take longer than one might assume. In other words, let us repeat, book your appointment at the embassy in good time.
✅ Plan your arrival in Turku, Finland. Every student’s process to arrive in Turku is different, depending plenty on the student’s country of origin and nationality. However, planning one’s travel is essential. As there are different requirements for entering Finland we kindly ask all students to see the Finnish Immigration Service’s webpage for more detailed information.
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- Additionally, health insurance is mandatory for all students who are non-EU/EEA nationals coming to ÅAU. The university has information on this (see here). There are many different insurances you can apply for, but some of our students (and alumni) recommend Swisscare insurance.
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- We also recommend that when you plan your arrival to Turku, to also book your flight tickets in advance. The prices are usually cheaper the earlier to purchase them and this also helps you place a timeframe for your travels. However, do not book your ticket too early so you do not risk having to rebook the ticket, if you would not have gotten a residence permit by the time of your planned travel.
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- When you have started the process of all the necessary paperwork that is needed for you to start your studies, start looking for an apartment. This can also be a long process, since many students, national and international, are in looking for an apartment in the fall. Many students apply for housing via TYS, or Turku Student Village Foundation. TYS has many housing opportunities in different locations in Turku, but the accommodations that are closest to the campus of ÅAU are Aitioipaikka, Ikituuri, Nummenranta, Tavastia, Tyyssija, YO-kylä Itä, YO-kylä Länsi, and YO-talot. However, the other locations that TYS also has accommodations at are also an approximately 15-30 min bus or slightly longer bike ride from the campus and Turku city centre.
Lastly, if you have any questions regarding the admissions process kindly reach out to the admissions office at ÅAU. If you have program-specific questions, such as about courses or program structure, you can reach out to any of the personnel at the program. However, kindly note that during the first week of your studies, called the orientation week, you will most likely receive answers to all the questions you might have, which aren’t essential for you to know before your arrival. In other words, focus on arrival, and then you can focus on further issues and questions. We kindly also recommend you take a look at our blog page on Starting Your Studies.
Good luck with each and everyone’s process of arriving in Turku, Finland. We eagerly await your arrival.