Information for new degree students
Welcome to start your studies at Haaga-Helia!
On these pages, we have collected all of the important material that you will need when starting your studies at Haaga-Helia.
Your right to study as a degree student at Haaga-Helia will start in August 2023.
Read more information about accepting your study place and enrolling for the academic year, check the programme for the compulsory orientation days (evenings for Master's degree students) and find other useful information for new degree students.
You will receive an email with a link to the admission results letter when all the results of joint application have been published. If you have access to the My Studyinfo service (Finnish social security number and online banking codes with e-identification enabled, mobile certificate or an electronic ID-card needed), you can also access your results letter there.
If you need a separate acceptance letter, please contact Study Services. Contact information can be found below.
After you receive your study offer, you will be invited to offer-holder information webinars and to Haaga-Helia’s Howspace platform (for bachelor's degree students). We will also invite new bachelor's degree students to use the Goin' to Haaga-Helia app, which allows you to connect with other new students and your classmates before the start of your studies.
Welcome to Finland event
Are you a new international degree student who is moving to Finland to start your studies at Haaga-Helia?
If yes, you are warmly invited to the Welcome to Finland event.
- Helsinki-based students should join the event on Pasila campus on 14 August 2023 at 9:00-16:00 in classroom 1010 (ground floor).
- Porvoo-based students have their event on Porvoo campus on 17 August 2023 at 13:00-16:00 in classroom 2624 (second floor).
Welcome to Finland event covers the following topics:
- Essential registrations
- Health and safety
- Bank accounts
- Useful local apps
- Employment in Finland
This event is most useful to those international students who have not previously lived in Finland.
DVV registration
Remember to register with the Finnish Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) when you start your studies in Finland. The registration is free of charge and beneficial for you. You can find information on how to register and other useful information about registration on Registration of a foreign student | Digital and population data services agency (dvv.fi).
Remember to pay the student healthcare fee
Degree students who have enrolled as present for the autumn 2023 semester must pay a compulsory student healthcare fee by 30 September 2023.
Orientation for Bachelor's degree students
The information on the Orientation Days below concerns Bachelor’s degree students only.
Orientation days for students starting their bachelor's degree studies in August 2023
The orientation days for students starting their studies in Haaga-Helia's bachelor degree programmes in autumn 2023 are mainly organised between 14 to 18 August 2023.
The degree programme specific timetables and programmes for the orientation days will be published on this page in June 2023. Below you will find all the information available at this moment.
Attending the Orientation Days is compulsory. In case you cannot participate, please contact the Study Services of your own campus.
Orientation Days' general programme
- Orientation to studies at Haaga-Helia UAS
- Meeting other students from your study group
- Hearing the best practices from tutors/alumni
- Getting to know your own Guidance Counsellor
- Getting familiar with the digital tools needed during studies
- Registration for the courses of the first semester
Orientation Days' timetables
- Business Information Technology, Pasila campus, Helsinki 15.—17.8.
- International Business (full-time studies), Pasila campus, Helsinki 15.–17.8.
- International Business (blended learning), Pasila campus, Helsinki 16.–17.8.
- Aviation Business, Porvoo campus, Porvoo 16.–18.8.
- Digital Business Innovations, Porvoo campus, Porvoo 16.–18.8.
- Hospitality and Tourism Experience Management, Haaga campus, Helsinki 14.–17.8.
- Sport Coaching and Management, Vierumäki campus, Heinola 14.–18.8.
Please note that after the official programme of the orientation days, several student organisations also organise a voluntary programme for new students.
Introduction to Digital Learning Environments course
Bachelor's degree students starting their studies in autumn 2023 will learn about Haaga-Helia’s electronic systems in the Introduction to Digital Learning course.
This online course will be your first online learning experience, and it needs to be completed already during the first Orientation Week.
It is recommendable that you take part in this course if you are not familiar with Haaga-Helia’s electronic systems. In this course, you will learn about Haaga-Helia's electronic systems, which will help you to cope with future courses. At the same time, you will practice online learning and independent work.
More information about this course during the Orientation Days.
- Open Moodle in your browser and log in with the Haaga-Helia domain and password you received by e-mail and text message.
- Click "Site Home" from the top menu.
- In the Search courses section, type "Introduction to Digital Learning Environments".
- When you find the right implementation, click on its name and enter "digistart" in the Enrolment key field.
- Click "Enroll me" in the course area.
- Complete the course on your own.
To begin your studies at Haaga-Helia, you must identify yourself. You will receive instructions for the identification via email. You will receive your Haaga-Helia username and password after you have identified yourself.
If you have not received the email, please check your junk mail. Also please make sure to keep up with the given schedule.
For more information, see electronic identification.
To join the autumn 2023 semester on-campus studies, it would be desirable to be present on 21 August 2023 when contact lessons begin. It is required to be present at Haaga-Helia Campus on 4 September 2023 at the latest. After this, the next possibility to join contact lessons is in January 2024.
If you receive your student residence permit after 4 September 2023 you are required to continue your studies online until end of the autumn semester. Online studies, which are virtual courses, will start early September 2023. You will receive further information about our comprehensive online courses in August 2023 via email.
In case you are still waiting for your student residence permit application decision and cannot be present in Finland after January 2024, you have the following two options:
- Your paid tuition fee for spring semester 2024 will be transferred to autumn semester 2024. You will be marked as a present student in our register for spring semester 2024. Please note that these semesters (autumn 2023 and spring 2024) are included in your study right time. Please note that you are not allowed to complete any study credits during spring semester 2024 at Haaga-Helia. According to Finnish law, new students must enrol as present during their first academic year.
You will continue your studies in August 2024 if you receive your residence permit by then.
- You can resign from your studies and apply for a tuition fee refund. By doing this, you will lose your study right and we will inform Finnish Immigration Services about your decision. According to Finnish law, a sum of EUR 1,500 will be deducted from your autumn semester 2023 tuition fee when processing the refund if you have done degree studies during autumn 2023 semester. Please note that you are responsible for any additional service fees charged by the bank.
In case you receive a negative decision on your residence permit application and can’t join your classroom degree studies at Haaga-Helia Campus, you can choose either to appeal for the Immigration Services decision or apply for a tuition fee refund. If you decide to apply for tuition fee refund, you will lose your study right.
According to Finnish law, a sum of EUR 1,500 will be deducted from your autumn semester 2023 tuition fee when processing the refund if you have done degree studies during autumn 2023 semester. You will receive a full refund of your paid spring semester 2024 tuition fee.
Please note that you are responsible for any additional fees charged by the bank.
Support for students
As a student of Haaga-Helia, you will be supported throughout your studies and you get to enjoy several student benefits. Your student card will give you access to various student discounts: lunch, sports and public transportation among others.
As a degree student, you will be entitled to use the Finnish Student Health Services. To be able to use the Finnish Student Health Services, you must pay the compulsory student healthcare fee to Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland) by 30 September 2023. Exchange students and open university students are not entitled to use FSHS services and thus, are not liable to pay the fee.
Haaga-Helia's Student Union Helga is a community and a safety net for students: Helga is your very own voice, an advocate of interests, and a service provider. Helga develops the student culture in Haaga-Helia and takes care that every student is welcomed into the community. Coveralls, tutors, and events are the most visible part of operations – in the background, Helga works continuously around subjects that concern higher education and municipal politics as well as security in students’ personal finances and other social questions in order to guarantee you the best study experience.