Every year, Finnish universities welcome thousands of exchange students from all over the world. They immerse themselves in Finnish culture, embrace nature experiences, meet new friends and try to uncover the key to Finnish happiness.
Wouter Janssen from the Netherlands, Victoria Hafke from Germany and Talha Yılmaz from Turkey all chose Finland for their exchanges to discover a unique place and learn about Nordic culture, lifestyle and wellbeing.
“Finnish nature attracted me, and I was also keen to learn the secret behind the concept of the happiest people,” Janssen says. He has spent a semester at Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki. Back home, he studies economics and business economics at Tilburg University.
Welcome events
Universities host gatherings where students can join extracurricular activities, learn about campus services or seek career advice.Photo: Linnea Varamäki/LUT
During the first weeks of the semester, Finnish universities’ student-led exchange committees organise daily welcome activities. Buddy programmes with Finnish students helped newcomers choose courses and adapt to their new environment.
“It was extremely easy to meet and get to know people through all the events and activities planned for us,” says Hafke, a business student from Vallendar University. She spent a semester at Hanken School of Economics.
Yılmaz, who studies industrial engineering at MEF University in Istanbul, chose an exchange at the Lappeenranta campus of Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT), in southeastern Finland. He agrees that adapting to the new environment and making friends was straightforward.
“Everything was well organised, including a welcome pack with a mobile SIM card and information about the area, and an orientation week filled with activities across campus,” Yılmaz says. During the semester, both universities continued to offer about one event per week.
Preparing for professional life
Each year, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) designates several students as ambassadors who help answer the questions of incoming students.Photo: LUT
Janssen, Hafke and Yılmaz enjoyed studying in Finland, and highlight several aspects they particularly appreciated.
“Finnish universities use modern educational approaches to prepare students for professional working life by focusing on teamwork, analytical skills and social interaction,” Yılmaz says. “Group work with people from different cultures is excellent training for future international careers.”
Janssen and Hafke noted the flexibility in course selections, allowing bachelor’s and master’s students to participate in the same classes. Grading is typically based on assignments, academic papers and group projects, along with a final assessment.
“The focus in Finland is more on the overall learning process rather than just passing exams,” Hafke says.
Yılmaz adds that professors are supportive and make courses engaging. Hafke and Janssen were surprised that students address professors by their first names, but this informality made them more approachable.
All the courses completed in Finland will be credited at the students’ home universities.
Balancing life and studies
Talha Yılmaz (front) found the time to go rowing on a nearby lake and to travel to a dozen different cities during his term abroad in Finland.Photo: Talha Yılmaz
Yılmaz perceives the Finnish educational system as student-friendly, encouraging a healthy balance between studying and enjoying free time.
Outside his classes, he explored 11 Finnish cities and visited Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia; and Riga, Latvia. He also learned about Finnish culture, baked Finnish cinnamon buns, made the most of free tri-weekly sauna sessions and even took a dip in Lake Saimaa near his student apartment. Hiking, fishing and canoeing on the lake also topped his list of favourite activities.
Janssen and Hafke participated in the numerous tours the exchange committee organised, visiting Tallinn, Stockholm and the far north of Finland, hiking in national parks and attending social events. One highlight was a private trip to a lakeside holiday cottage in central Finland.
They wanted to experience this aspect of the Finnish way of life, so they and a group of friends rented a cabin in the middle of the forest with a sauna, a hot tub and a rowboat. “It was wonderful,” Hafke says. “Finnish nature is truly beautiful, and there are many activities available.”
All three received their own student overalls, an essential feature of Finnish student life, and took part in sewing evenings to attach patches that will become cherished souvenirs of the events they attended.
The key to happiness
Victoria Hafke (left) and Wouter Janssen visited the far north of Finland on one of the numerous tours the Hanken School of Economics exchange committee organised.Photo supplied by the interview subjects
At the time of writing, their term abroad was coming to an end. All three students were preparing to return home with mixed emotions.
“It has been a 100-percent great experience,” Hafke says. Janssen agrees. He hopes to carry with him the calm and relaxed Finnish way of life, which he believes is one of the keys to Finnish happiness.
Yılmaz mentions the good balance between work and free time, and says he has learned that it is possible to enjoy different parts of life without compromising professional performance.
Hafke and Janssen talk about their impressions of Finland as a well-organised country with a large degree of interpersonal trust. For instance, they note the supplies of firewood for anyone to use in national parks, and grocery self-checkouts where no one inspects your receipt.
Janssen adds that if he had to choose again, he wouldn’t change a thing.
For more info about studying in Finland, start with ThisisFINLAND’s study resource page.
By Catarina Stewen, January 2025
