The following services are available only for HAAGA-HELIA exchange students and double degree students.

Arrival form

All exchange students who are accepted to HAAGA-HELIA for the autumn semester 2012 should provide their arrival details to HAAGA-HELIA International Services through the ARRIVAL FORM  by 1 August 2012. If your arrival plans change later, please send an email about the changes both to esn-tutor(at)helga.fi and to international(at)haaga-helia.fi .
 

Pick-up service

Volunteer HAAGA-HELIA student tutors from ESN-HELGA pick-up the incoming exchange students from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport or the central railway station in Helsinki, and take them to their apartment. The pick-up service is free of charge for the incoming exchange students. The pick-up service is available only on Monday 13 August from 9.00 to 23.00 and Tuesday 14 August from 9.00 to 23.00. Students who wish to use the pick-up service have to specifically mention this in their arrival form (see above). If you have any questions regarding your pick-up, please contact ESN-HELGA at esn-tutor(at)helga.fi.

Info Package

The students who arrive during pick-up (see above), which is strongly recommended, will receive an info package at the airport. If you arrive before or after the pick-up, you will receive the info package from the International Services of your home campus. Please bring the package with you to the orientation on Wednesday 15 August 2012. The package includes:

1. Keys to your HOAS apartment (Students living in Porvoo and Vierumäki will get their keys when they arrive at Porvoo or Vierumäki)
2. Orientation programme
3. Map of HAAGA-HELIA campuses
4. Important forms, such as: student certificate, student meal benefit card, library card form, Helsinki travel card application form and application form for a discount card on long-distance trains and buses
5. Helsinki map and brochures

Orientation

HAAGA-HELIA International Services will arrange an orientation for all new incoming exchange students before the beginning of courses. The orientation dates in the autumn semester 2012 are 15.-17.8.2012. Students should make travel arrangements accordingly.

It is very important to participate in the orientation because it will give students essential information on various practical matters such as studies, housing and living in Finland. The orientation is also a great possibility to meet other exchange students and make new friends. ESN-HELGA will organize evening programme during the orientation. Students will receive a detailed orientation programme upon their arrival from their International Coordinator at HAAGA-HELIA or their tutor.

Student tutor

Each exchange student will have a student tutor. Tutors are volunteer degree students of HAAGA-HELIA who are interested in foreign languages and different cultures. Tutors give support to exchange students, particularly at the beginning of their exchange period. A tutor’s most important task is to be an exchange student’s friend and help with all of the practicalities involved in moving to a new country. Tutors pick up exchange students from the airport, take them to their apartments and tell them about life in Finland. Tutors also take the exchange students to the various officials to go through arrival formalities. In addition to this, they show them, for example, good shops, cafes and other places to go. Tutors help exchange students to get hobbies and create a normal life in Finland.

ESN-HELGA coordinates the tutoring activities at HAAGA-HELIA. Your tutor should contact you by e-mail before your arrival. If you have not heard from your tutor by one month before the beginning of the semester, please contact ESN HELGA’s tutor coordinator at: esn(at)helga.fi.