Before Exchange

• Get to know the courses offered by the university you are applying and think about which ones you want to take. If you need help with choosing your courses, ask for help from the international coordinator of your faculty/degree programme.
• University of Oulu recommends that students study 30 credits per semester/60 credits per academic year during the exchange period. The host university may also have requirements concerning the courses and/or the amount of credits per semester. You need to comply with them.
• Have your study plan/Learning Agreement approved and signed by your faculty’s/degree programme’s international coordinator at the University of Oulu
  • NB! In Europe, 1 study point (opintopiste) in the University of Oulu is equal to 1 ECTS point
• In case you make changes in your course selection, inform your faculty’s/degree programmes international coordinator about the changes. Erasmus-students need to mark the changes on their Learning Agreement in the table called “Changes to Learning Agreement”.

• Attend the orientation for outgoing students organized by the University of Oulu. You will receive an email invitation to the orientation.
• Even when going on exchange, it is compulsory to register as present in the University of Oulu and pay the student union membership fee to the Student Union. Otherwise you won’t be able to transfer the credits completed during your exchange to your degree at the University of Oulu.

Inform the local register office (Maistraatti) and Posti of the change of address. Read more about the change of address.

• After you have received the Acceptance Letter from your host university, apply for a grant in the SoleGRANT system. Estimate the starting and ending dates of the exchange period as precisely as possible. You can usually find the information from your host institution’s webpage (look for an Academic Calendar).
• NB! Students going on Erasmus exchange: The orientation and a possible language course organized before the beginning of the semester are included when counting the length of the exchange period.
• Read more about the grants

• Take a copy of your passport and a few extra passport photos with you.
• Apply for a residence permit or a visa from Finland or from your home country well in advance.
  • Read more about residence permits and visas for students travelling inside EU
  • Read more about residence permits and visas for students travelling outside EU from the website of your host country’s embassy

• All students going on exchange need to have a comprehensive travel insurance. Make sure that it covers your exchange studies and possible travels to other countries during you exchange period. Remember to take the travel insurance certificate with you.
  • The insurance provided by the University of Oulu is not valid during an exchange period.
• Get a European Health Insurance Card from KELA if you are eligible for it.
• Make sure you have all necessary vaccinations. Read about Travel health advice services by FSHS
• If you are on regular medication, take some medicine with you, as well as check its availability in the host country. Read more about taking your medications and prescriptions with you when travelling abroad

• Remember to apply for housing in time. Finding an apartment varies depending on the destination and exchange programme. Host universities and their international coordinators often help with housing.
• Helpful information about housing can be found in the feedbacks given in SoleMOVE by previous students.

• Book your flights in time. Remember to check the timing of a possible orientation week so that you’ll be at your destination in time.
• Some airlines sell student priced tickets and you might need an international ISIC-student card for that. Read more about the ISIC-card
• Find out what the electric voltage and the plug type are in your host country. Take a transformer and an adapter with you if needed.

• Erasmus students need to take a compulsory OLS language test before and after exchange. Students will automatically receive a link to the language test by email. Read more about language tests and certificates
• Print out a copy of the Letter of Confirmation document from the Forms: Student Exchange page and take it with you.