Travel to Turku
Turku is located on the south-western coast of Finland, 160 km west from Helsinki. You can reach Turku by air, sea, road and rail. Turku has an international airport just 10 km away from the city centre. Finnair and SAS/Blue1 have frequent flights to Turku from Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen.
The frequent buss service between Turku and Helsinki Vantaa airport is also handy traffic connection. Coaches leave every one hour right in front of the international terminal. For timetables and prices, visit www.expressbus.com.
There is also a ferry from Stockholm to Turku leaving Stockholm twice a day. The journey across the gulf takes about 10 hours. To get more information about the timetables and prices, visit www.vikingline.fi or www.siljaline.fi.
Residence permits
Students from outside of the European Union and EEA countries must have a residence permit for a stay longer than three months. Aresidence permit is issued by a Finnish embassy or consulate, and must be applied for before the arrival in Finland. A residence permit for students costs 55 €. For furhter information on the conditions on granting the permit, please go to the websites of the Minstry for Foreign Affairs of Finland www.formin.fi and the Finnish Directorate of Immigration www.migri.fi
Right to reside
Citizens of EU-countries, Liechtenstein and Switzerland staying in Finland for more than three months will need to register their right to reside in Finland. This permit can be obtained from the Turku Police department (www.poliisi.fi/turku), and it costs 40 €. Citizens of Nordic countries can handle registration at a Register Office (www.maistraatti.fi/en) by filling in an Inter-Nordic Migration form.
Insurance
If you are a citizen of an European Union country, your national health care insurance is valid in Finland. Please make sure you have a European Health Insurance card or form E128 from your home coutry with you before you leave.
Citizens of third countries arriving in Finland for the purpose of study or student exchange are required to have health insurance if the study period lasts for more than three months. Health insurance is a requirement for obtaining a residence permit in order to study. Your health insurance must be in effect upon entry into Finland. Please visit the Finnish Directorate of Immigration www.migri.fi for more information.
Student budget
You need a minimum of €550 / month for basic expenses in Finland. The rent in student accommodation is €180 - 260 and approximately €200 is required for food. Naturally this amount will depend on personal consumption habits. Also, please note the following expenses in the beginning of your stay: Student Union membership fee (€46) the student ID card (€17), sports fee (€ 25), electronic key (€ 35), residence permit (€55), and starting package deposit and fee (€65).