Student Guide
"It was just so nice to see a blend of nature and modern buildings on campus. This makes Aalto unique."
International students liked the fact that, even though the campus is in the capital region, you can still enjoy Finland's great nature and unique climate. For instance, you can easily go to the seashore for a walk for a change of pace between your study tasks. Besides, it is even possible to see the northern lights on campus, such as in the Bay Area near the student housing! Such a unique school environment is something you cannot not experience at any other university.
"The entire way in which students are taught is more practical. We can already use the software that has been used in industry when we are doing a basic course here, which is really useful."
Aalto University allows students to gain hands-on experience relevant to their fields of study and future careers even when they are still in the middle of their studies. There are also many other events and extracurriculars where students can network with companies, which makes it more realistic for students to find work in Finland after graduation.
“I think the student culture here is very very unique. (…) It shows how much they care about the students’ well-being”
The student culture at Aalto is the reason why some choose Aalto; its wide variety of student events, the possibility to buy or rent things at affordable prices, as well as the trustworthiness of the school system are impressive. One student described that Aalto offers an environment in which students can feel “a sense of autonomy and freedom to be myself”. Another student also mentioned Aalto's wide range of optional courses and minors. Aalto allows you to customize your curriculum so that you can explore more than one field. Such flexibility also attracted international MA students.
“The first 6 months were really bumpy, but it got better. I think it’s a combination of adjusting to the culture, new country, and study programme”.
If you come from countries that have totally different climates and school systems, adjusting to a new environment might not be easy at first. According to interviewees, making friends or finding a new community also seems a bit tricky at the beginning. How, then, can you overcome such challenges? What information will help you?
In interviews, all students emphasized the importance of participating in the orientation events and student events; during the orientation week, new students are added to a group or guild, and they get a letter about the event that happened during the whole term. The orientation week thus helps new students find something they can attend and join a new community. Additionally, individual counseling (Individual counselling by study and career counselling psychologists | Aalto University) and “Beat the Blues” events organized by Starting Point of Wellbeing help support new students’ psychological well-being; as one student majoring in mathematics shared her experiences in overcoming the culture shock and anxiety about her school life after getting support from the above-mentioned service and event.
"You need to think in long term, like the next five years, where you think you will be standing or what you will be working on."
Studying in a master’s programme is “preparing for the implementation part of working life”. As Aalto offers a lot of opportunities where you can learn about companies and organizations, you should look not only at what you are studying now, but also at what should be implemented in your future working life, she said. Aalto is a great place where you have the chance to think about the future already in the process of your studies. Of course, studying is not the only part of university life. “Try to participate in events, you will find a community that you can enjoy”, another student said. Finding new friends and enjoying student life is also important for your better study well-being!
"Finnish is not an easy language, but it’s totally possible to learn and use it!"
International students also find it important to learn Finnish in order to fully enjoy their life in Finland; if you consider future careers in Finland, learning the basics of the Finnish language is a big asset. The Aalto University Language Centre offers Finnish language courses from beginners to advanced level, and you can also join courses focusing on working life and Finnish in your own field. Learning with classmates will keep you motivated and make studying a lot more fun!
Aalto Cares About Your Wellbeing
Follow Aalto’s wellbeing operations on Instagram @aaltowellbeing to hear about our events, training, and workshops on wellbeing and building our community. You are warmly invited to join us in various wellbeing activities. Welcome to the Aalto community!
The Starting Point of Wellbeing offers students easy access to counselling and advice on matters of well-being and study ability. The services available to you include drop-in (no reservation) advising/counselling sessions, peer support groups, and online materials. You can also make an appointment to receive individual counselling.
On these page you will find information and interesting references to improve wellbeing at Aalto University!