Students selected for exchange will receive an Erasmus+ grant for the duration of their exchange. The amount of the grant is determined by the length of the exchange and the destination country.

A minimum duration of 2 months is required to be eligible for the Erasmus+ grant.

The grant is paid in two installments: 80% before the exchange and 20% after. The grant may be partially or fully reclaimed if the student fails to complete all required exchange-related tasks.

More information on funding can be found on the Student Guide Funding the exchange.

It is important to get to know a foreign country, and especially its culture, well in advance. Libraries and international associations have many books on different countries and their customs. Knowing what to expect in the country you are going to avoid unpleasant surprises. It’s also worth asking people who have already been on an exchange or internship about their experiences of the country and culture. The better you know the country beforehand, the easier it will be to live and work there.

Everyone who studies abroad is an ambassador for Finland. You should be prepared to be asked to tell people about Finland, where you live, and where you went to school. People abroad ask a lot about Finland’s history in particular. It is a good idea to take along school presentation material, photographs, Finnish music, and anything else that tells about Finland. Small Finnish souvenirs and gifts, recipes, or even sheet music, can also prove very valuable, so it’s worth taking the trouble to carry them with you. An open attitude towards the most bizarre concepts of Finland is the best currency abroad. It is always worth giving a good impression of yourself, Finland, and Finns.

You should allow enough time to apply for your passport. Depending on the number of years you are applying for, it can take between a couple of weeks and a month. You apply for a passport by writing an application to the police in your municipality. When applying for a passport, you must bring two identical photographs and your old passport or identity card.

Every citizen of a Member State of the European Union has the right to reside temporarily (usually for less than three months) in any EU country. For stays of less than three months in another Member State, a valid passport or identity card is required, but you do not need to apply for a residence permit. If you stay in another Member State for more than three months, you must apply for a residence permit for that period. The following documents are usually required when applying for a residence permit:

• a valid passport
• a certificate confirming that you have been admitted to a course of study
• a certificate from your higher education institution (in English)
• a declaration of sufficient financial resources (e.g. study grant decision, scholarship decision)
• certificate of health insurance (Kela e-forms for EU countries)
• photographs
• a certificate of residence and a medical certificate may also be required

The documents required and the procedures for applying for a residence permit vary somewhat from country to country. In the country of destination, the application for a residence permit is submitted to the relevant authority, usually the police. The application for a residence permit should be submitted within one week of the date of arrival.

If the host country is not an EU/EEA country, the normal procedure is to apply for a residence permit and visa at the embassy of the host country in your home country before you go on exchange. In addition to these documents, other documents may be required, such as a letter of invitation from the host institution.

Visas are not required to study in the EU or EEA, but are required for most non-European countries. Visas are usually applied for at the embassy of the host country in your home country. Students applying for visas and residence permits should have at least a passport, 2-3 photographs, a certificate of enrollment, proof of financial support, and proof of health insurance cover in the country of origin. It is advisable to apply for a visa well in advance, as it can take a few weeks to obtain one. Tour operators and travel agencies are usually very familiar with visa issues. You can also check visa requirements with the embassy of the country you are planning to visit.

Students are responsible for their own passport and visa requirements for studying abroad. If you are staying abroad for more than 3 months, you should check with your embassy well in advance to find out about the residence permit regulations in the country you are studying in!

All students going abroad from Humak are covered by Humak’s travel insurance. The insurance card will be sent to the student’s home address once all required documents have been submitted. Some institutions or countries may require a specific type of insurance, so it is important to check this before departure.

Finland has a medical agreement with the EEA countries and Hungary. Finnish citizens are therefore entitled to treatment in other EEA countries.

If you are going to an EU/EEA country, you must obtain a European Health Insurance Card before you leave. This card provides medical cover for a temporary stay in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland. Anyone covered by Finnish social security who is planning a holiday, study, work assignment, or job search in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, can apply for a European Health Insurance Card.

You can apply for a European Health Insurance Card at Kela offices. The application form is also available on the Kela website. You can apply for the card at any Kela office.

The European Health Insurance Card entitles the holder to health care necessary for medical reasons during a stay in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland. Each country provides medical care in accordance with its own legislation and system. The traveller will receive the same medical care at the same cost as the nationals of the country concerned.

For example, in the event of a sudden illness or if a pre-existing chronic illness requires essential treatment. If you seek treatment from a doctor or hospital that is not covered by the national scheme, you will have to pay the full cost yourself.

If you study abroad for a maximum of one year, you will also be covered by Finnish social security for the duration of your studies, i.e. you will be insured in Finland. Before leaving, you must always notify Kela of your move or temporary stay abroad. Without an application, social security will end at the time of departure.

The host institution will usually help you find accommodation. If you do not want or need this, or if you have allergies or other medical conditions to take into account when considering accommodation, you should inform the International Coordinator as soon as possible. It is advisable to find out about accommodation in your home country through your unit coordinator or by contacting the coordinator of the host institution directly. At the same time, it is a good idea to find out how the accommodation is equipped. It is also important to note that the standard of equipment in student halls of residence varies!

Note! In your home country, it is not advisable to make any arrangements for accommodation etc. or to pay for travel tickets before you have received confirmation of your departure date.

Anyone going abroad to study should check that their basic vaccinations are in order. These include:

• Tetanus
• Diphtheria
• Polio

Students should find out what vaccinations are required and recommended in the country of destination. The vaccination requirements (compulsory) and recommended vaccinations can be checked by the student health service, the local health center or the public health department. Vaccination costs and doctor’s fees are not reimbursed.

It is a good idea to take your international student card with you. It gives you a wide range of student discounts in many different countries. The most typical discounts are for travel, accommodation, museums, theaters, and cultural events.

The best-known student card abroad is the ISIC card. It is available from Kilroy Travels. Showing the card gets you flights at student prices. It can also be useful when traveling with a travel agent in your destination country (Kilroy also operates in most of them), or when you are otherwise travelling in Europe. For example, in some countries you can get a discount on train fares by showing your ISIC card. Also, many camping lodges have better rates for ISIC card holders.

The IYTC/Euro26 card is a combined international youth card. If you are under 26 and not a full-time student, you must have an International Youth Card to be eligible to purchase Kilroy Travels Youth Passes. The card also gives you great benefits both in Finland and abroad.

Being updated.

Being updated.

After the exchange, the student must bring the following documents from the exchange institution:

1. Transcript of Records

• The certificate contains information on the studies completed under the study agreement.

2. Erasmus Letter of Confirmation

• The exact period of study abroad and the host exchange institution are mentioned here. If the student is unable to prove that they attended the host institution, the grant may be recovered.

3. Report

• All students going on exchange have a reporting obligation. The report is a condition for the award of funding. The written report and the Erasmus certificates issued by the host institution must be submitted to the coach and the lecturer in charge of the programme within one month of the return. The report will be written by the student as part of the compulsory exchange preparation course. Guidance is available from the lecturer/lecturer in charge of the module.
• Download the cover report template here.
• Attach the report to the Microsoft Teams Humak Team files in the Student International Exchange Reports folder so that other students can familiarize themselves your international exchange experience.