Become a student tutor or kummi student for the academic year 2023-2024

The application for tutors and kummis for the academic year 2023-2024 has ended. The application to become a tutor or kummi for the academic year 2024-2025 opens in January 2024.

You can use the same application form to apply to become a tutor for international degree students and/or a kummi student for exchange students arriving in autumn and/or spring. 

For questions and further information: opiskeluntuki@oulu.fi.

Tutors and kummis are senior students, who are trained for their roles. A good tutor/kummi is: 

• conscientious and responsible,
• motivated and committed to their role as a tutor, 
• has made progress in their studies, 
• committed to attending the tutor training sessions, 
• present and available to students in the autumn at the start of their studies and/or in January 2024 for the exchange students.

You don't need  previous tutoring or guidance experience, the most important thing is that you are genuinely enthusiastic and willing to help new students in their transition to university! Please note that you will need time in the Spring for training sessions and for creating a guidance plan. In the Autumn, you will need to be present at the start of orientation week and tutoring hours in the autumn are typically 10-15h, in addition with some preparation time. If you are a kummi student for exchange students during Spring term, you need to be available already during the first week of January.

Student tutor's most important tasks are:

• to integrate a new student to the University and to the student community
• to familiarize a new student with….
  • pre-arrival information (arrival in Oulu, Housing)
  • the  other students
  • the  services for students
  • the University as a learning environment
  • the degree programme and how to study in the University of Oulu - tips for studing
  • planning studies and time management
  • the student life and free time activities
  • the Finnish culture and habits

Kummi student's tasks are mostly the same.

New tutors and kummi students are mainly trained during the Spring semester in cooperation with the Academic Affairs, faculties and OYY.  The students attend joint training sessions organised by the Academic Affairs between March and April, and are also required to attend faculty-specific training sessions. OYY organises their own training sessions in both Spring and Autumn. The trainings are held in Finnish and English. The training also includes a self-paced Moodle course.

In addition to the compulsory training, voluntary peer support activities are organised for tutors and kummis, where they have the opportunity to meet each other in an interdisciplinary way. These include, for example, monthly tutor breakfasts throughout the Autumn.

In order to be able to tutor, you need to participate in the trainings:

Training sessions in English: 

15.3. 16:30-18:00 Kick-off
22.3. klo 16–18:00 Tutoring international students
29.3. klo 16:30-18:00 Tutor training
5.4. klo 16:30-18:00 Tutor training

+ independent Moodle course during Spring 2023.

To be a tutor or kummi, you must attend the training sessions.

Tutors and kummis are paid a tutoring fee for the completed tutoring report. The fee is paid for the number of tutoring hours given to the group, with one tutoring hour being 60min and the fee being 14,10€/h. Typically, 10-15 hours of guidance is provided for new students, although this may vary. Please note that you are not paid for planning and preparing the tutoring sessions.

Depending on your faculty, you may also receive credits and/or a work certificate for tutoring. To make sure whether you are eligible for credits, you can contact your faculty's Academic Affairs Service Team and address your message to the tutoring contact person for your degree programme.