Frequently Asked Questions
Many of the questions below are directed toward Exchange and ASP students. However, some are relevant for all students applying for studies, or currently studying, at the University of Lapland. Applicants for degree programmes should also have a look at the Frequently Asked Questions for degree studies webpage.
If you have a question that is not answered from the list below, please feel free to contact the international office at admission[at]ulapland.fi.
About the Application Process
Can I apply to several faculties? (Exchange + ASP Students)
You can apply to several faculties, but may only study as an exchange student at one of the faculties if offered a study place. However, it is possible to take courses from different units and faculties after being accepted as an exchange student.
What happens to my application form after it has been submitted to the University of Lapland by the deadline date? (Exchange + ASP Students)
Once received, your application will be reviewed by the relevant faculty. After a decision has been made, all applicants will be informed of the result. Successful applicants will be sent an acceptance package, which will include a formal letter of admission, a welcome letter, a confirmation sheet, an arrival information sheet, registration form for exchange students, housing information, and a copy of the University of Lapland’s "Study in Lapland" guidebook. Please be patient in waiting for the admission letter - applicants are only accepted to study at the University of Lapland after a decision has been made by the faculty, even if one is applying through the Erasmus network. (Please note that the University of Lapland reserves the right to examine each potential applicants’ eligibility and determine formal acceptance accordingly)
When will I receive the decision of acceptance? (Exchange + ASP Students)
The decisions of acceptance are made by the relevant faculty. If accepted, you will receive your letter of admission in an acceptance package, by mail, within one month after the deadline for applications has expired. The acceptance package includes all necessary information on how to proceed with preparing for your arrival to Rovaniemi and the University of Lapland.
Will I get my learning agreement back? (Exchange + ASP Students)
We will sign your learning agreement that you have filled in with your exchange student application form and return it to you with the acceptance package.
What do I do after receiving a letter of admission?
1) Return the confirmation sheet to the University’s International Office by mail or fax.
2) In order to arrange accommodation, one should return the student housing application form immediately to Domus Arctica Student Housing Foundation (DAS). Note: if the form is sent late (after 15 July for Autumn semester or after 15 November for Spring semester), then we cannot guarantee student housing for you .
3) Make the necessary travel arrangments to travel to Rovaniemi (flight/train tickets), and if required, make visa and residence permit arrangements. Note: Do not postpone making such arrangements, especially visas, as this could cause inconvenient delays with ones study plans.
4) Once your travel (and possible visa) arrangements are settled, then submit the arrival information sheet and the registration form for exchange students as soon as possible to the University of Lapland. Note: In Finland, July is the most popular Summer holiday month. Therefore, answers to possible inquires will take extra time.
Can I take courses from different units and faculties other than the faculty I was accepted to?
It is possible to take courses from different units and faculties during your studies. However, workshops and studio studies at the Faculty of Art and Design are restricted to enrollment for Art and Design students only.
About Arrival
Will my student tutor meet me at the airport/train station when I arrive?
Normally, your student tutor will be waiting for you at your pre-arranged residence . However, if you decide to arrive before or after the suggested arrival days mentioned in the acceptance package, we can not necessarily arrange for a student tutor to meet you right after your arrival. If you arrive on the recommended days and let us know your travelling schedule (arrival information sheet) early enough, we will try to arrange a student tutor to meet you in front of your residence with your key. If that is the case, you will also receive an email message from your student tutor prior to your arrival to Rovaniemi and can arrange the first meeting with him/her at your residence.
How do I get the key for my appartment when I arrive in Rovaniemi?
Normally, your student tutor will pick up the key for you from the student housing foundation Domus Arctica (DAS) prior to your arrival. The student tutor will wait for you with the key at your residence when you arrive. In case you do not arrive during the recommended days or you have not informed us about your exact arrival time early enough, you need to pick up your key from the student housing foundation during their opening hours .
Do I need to inform the International Office about my arrival time to Rovaniemi? Why?
Yes. It is very important that you tell us the exact time of arrival in order for us to be able to arrange for a student tutor to wait for you at your residence with the keys to your apartment.
I will arrive later than the recommended days. Can I register for courses on the internet before arrival?
Unfortunately not. The University of Lapland use a Student Information System called webOodi. Once you have been registered as a student and received your ICT user account you can start to register for courses.
Will I get a student card, ICT user account, and ulapland email address prior to my arrival in Rovaniemi?
Unfortunately not. You will get your student card, ICT user account, and email address after you have been registered as a student at the University of Lapland. Normally, you will receive these things during the orientation programme or in couple of weeks time after your arrival.
About Studying
Can I get a scholarship for studies from the university?
Unfortunately the University of Lapland does not have scholarship programmes for foreign nationals.
What are the tuition fees for international students?
The University of Lapland does not charge tuition fees from students enrolled in regular degree programmes. However, there are some compulsory fees connected closely with the studies. Before registering, a student studying for a degree must pay the annual membership fee (85 € in 2010-11) of the Student Union of the University of Lapland (LYY). After paying the fee, the student receives the official student card and is entitled to the services provided by the Student Union and the Finnish Student Health Care Service (YTHS). Visiting and postgraduate students do not have to pay the membership fee, unless they want to have the Finnish student card. In addition to the compulsory fees and study materials, you must be able to pay for your food, housing, clothes social life etc.
Where can I find the Academic Calendar for the current academic year?
You can find it here.
What courses are available for international students to take?
Have a look at the International Programmes and Courses page to see all courses available to international students for the current academic year.
Does the university provide accomodation for international exchange/degree students?
All accepted students are eligible to apply for student housing through the local student housing foundation Domus Arctica (DAS).
About Completion of Studies
Is it possible to extend my exchange at the University of Lapland? If so, how should I proceed with my extension request? (Exchange + ASP Students)
Before inquiring about an extension of exchange here, a student must contact their home institution’s coordinator and ask for an extension of exchange. If the home institution agrees that a student can study for a longer period of time than originally planned, the student and coordinator of the home institution should contact the faculty’s international coordinator at the University of Lapland. The faculty coordinator will provide a new certificate of admission for the student, if accepted by the dean. If the decision is positive, the student should be registered as a student for the following semester at the Student Services office in the E-wing and inform the Head of International Student Services about the extension. Also keep in mind that a student might need to contact the student housing foundation (DAS) to extend one’s rental agreement.
Before inquiring about an extension of exchange here, a student must contact their home institution’s coordinator and ask for an extension of exchange. If the home institution agrees that a student can study for a longer period of time than originally planned, the student and coordinator of the home institution should contact the faculty’s international coordinator at the University of Lapland. The faculty coordinator will provide a new certificate of admission for the student, if accepted by the dean. If the decision is positive, the student should be registered as a student for the following semester at the Student Services office in the E-wing and inform the Head of International Student Services about the extension. Also keep in mind that a student might need to contact the student housing foundation (DAS) to extend one’s rental agreement.
Which documents do I need to obtain before going home? Where do I get them from? (Exchange + ASP Students)
All students need to obtain their own (Erasmus) Letter of Confirmation and Transcript of Records. In the Letter of Confirmation, it is stated that you have been a student at the University of Lapland for a certain period of time. You may obtain your Letter of Confirmation from the International Office or ask for it from one of the Faculty Coordinators. Please note that the Letter of Confirmation is only given to students at the very final stage of their exchange period. This is important to remember since the ending date of the exchange that is in writing on the letter can only be a maximum of 7 days after the date on which the student actually retrieves the letter from the international office.
To obtain the Transcript of Records, go to the secretary of your Faculty in the Student Services office or to the following relevant Faculty Study Secretary:
Faculty of Education: Leena Tähtisaari
Faculty of Law: Katja Louhelainen or Miia Kyyhkynen (their office is located at the Faculty of Law)
Faculty of Art and Design: Pirjo Hirvonen or Raili Heikkilä
Faculty of Social Sciences: Rauni Räisänen or Sari Mantila
Arctic Studies Program: Pirkko Pulkkanen / ISC
Make sure that the transcript of records is correct and that no earned credits are missing. If something is missing, please leave the following information to International Coordinator at the Faculty: give your student number, your home address to send the transcript to and tell her/him how many credits you should have altogether and which courses are still missing. The final version of the transcript will be send to you by the end of Kanuary or end of June.
Both of these documents are very important and you will need them at your home university, so don’t forget them!
There are credits and courses missing in my transcript of records. What do I do?
If there are corrections necessary to your transcript of records, please contact, first, the teacher/tutor of the course and ask them to update your grade/credits in theWeboodi Student Information System. After the correct grade/credits have been entered into Weboodi , contact the relevant faculty study secretary and provide them with your home address and a request for the updated transcript of records. The secretary will send the corrected transcript to your home address.
How can I return my apartment key to Domus Arctica (DAS)?
You can return your key during opening hours to DAS or put the key into an envelope with your name on it and place it in the post box at the DAS office. Never leave the key to your apartment or to your flatmate or friends.