Welcome to the University of Oulu!

Welcome to the University
of Oulu!

Welcome to the University of Oulu
2008-2009

International Relations
April 2008

Tervetuloa !
Welcome!
This booklet includes important information regarding
your arrival to Oulu as well as on your
actual exchange in Oulu.
Please, make sure you read it through!

Upon Arrival in Oulu
You will have a local student kummi to help you when you arrive. You should find a letter from
your kummi in this package. If you arrive by train or bus, your kummi will meet you at the
railway station or at the bus station. If you arrive by aeroplane, your kummi will meet you in
Linnanmaa campus (not necessarily at the airport).
If for some reason there is no one to meet you, you can contact the International Relations,
tel. 553 4042 or 553 4047. There will be someone to answer the phone Mon - Fri between
9am and 4pm. If you arrive outside these hours and you are not able to reach anyone, you can
find temporary accommodation in, for instance, Best Western Hotel Apollo, estimated cost
per night EUR 65-130, or in Hotel Turisti, estimated cost for single room EUR 55-75. They are
both located approx. 200 metres from the railway station:
Hotel Apollo Hotel Turisti
Asemakatu 31-33 Rautatienkatu 9
90100 OULU 90100 OULU
tel. 52 211 tel. 5636 100
www.hotelapollo.fi www.hotellituristi.fi
Note! If you call from outside Finland, the phone numbers are +358-8-52 211 or +358-8-
5636 100. If you call from Finland but outside Oulu area or use a mobile phone, please dial
08-52 211 or 08-5636 100.
HOW TO GET FROM THE AIRPORT TO LINNANMAA CAMPUS AREA
The airport of Oulu is in Oulunsalo, ca. 15 kilometres from the centre of Oulu. Linnanmaa
campus is ca. 6 kilometres from the city centre. There is a direct bus connection from the
airport to Oulu and to Linnanmaa campus. The bus stop at the airport is located right outside
the terminal and bus number 19 is the only bus route leaving from the airport – you will not
have difficulties finding it. During daytime the bus runs about 3 times per hour, and after 9
pm and weekends usually once per hour. For exact timetables, please, visit www.koskilinjat.
fi/in_english. The bus costs approx. EUR 5 to Linnanmaa campus and approx. EUR 3,80 to the
centre of Oulu (prices as in April 2008). Please note that after 11 p.m. you will have to pay
double fare. It might be a good idea to notify the bus driver that you want to get off at the
Linnanmaa Campus (bus stop on a street called “Linnanmaantie”).

FOR STUDENTS NOT LIVING ON LINNANMAA CAMPUS AND/OR RENT-
ING FROM OTHER THAN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
If you are not renting your room from the International Relations, check with your landlord
what area you will live in and make sure your kummi knows your address. If you are renting
from the private market, make sure you know how to obtain the key upon arrival.
If you are renting from PSOAS student housing foundation, the key can be picked up only
during their office hours. Make sure you know what the opening hours are and how you can
pick up your keys.
IN CASE YOU MISS THE AIRPORT BUS
You can also take a taxi from the airport to campus, the taxi fare being about EUR 30. There
is also an airport taxi (a mini-bus) that waits at the airport exit. The airport taxi takes in about
nine people and it costs about EUR 15. If you miss also the mini-bus and there are no taxis
anymore there is a direct taxi phone close to the luggage carousel. You just have to pick up
the receiver and you are automatically connected to the taxi operator. You can then order a
taxi to the airport.
IMPORTANT!
As soon as you have finalized your travel plans inform both your kummi student and International
Relations about your arrival by using the attached arrival information form. If the
information does not reach the kummi student at least 7 days before, we cannot guarantee
that you will have someone to meet you upon arrival.
You can also fax or e-mail the information. We need to know your arrival date and time as
well as the means of travel (train, bus, or aeroplane).
e-mail: international.office@oulu.fi
fax: +358-(0)8-553 4041
phone: +358-(0)8-553 4042 or 553 4047

ACADEMIC You will have CALENDAR a local student kummi to
help you when you arrive. You should find a
letter The academic from your calendar kummi in this the package. University If you of Oulu is quite flexible, but remember to contact
arrive your departmental by train or bus, coordinator your kummi to will know meet when the courses you have chosen begin and also
you when at they railway end. The station International or the Relations bus station. organises the Orientation Week at the beginning
If of you each arrive semester, by aeroplane, all new exchange your kummi students will are recommended to attend it if possible.
meet you in Linnanmaa campus (not necessarily
Academic at the Year airport). 2008-2009:
Fall Semester 2008
• If for some Official reason Arrival there Dates is no September one to meet 5-7
you, • you can Orientation contact the September International 8-10 Relations,
• tel. 553 Independence 4042 or 553 Day 4047. December There 6 will (national holiday)
be • someone Semester to answer Ends the approximately phone Mon - December Fri 15
between Exceptions: 9am and 4pm. If you arrive outside
these • hours In the and Faculty you are of not Medicine able to teaching reach begins already in August. The Faculty’s exchange
coordinator you can find will temporary inform those accommo-
whose studies begin in August of the official date.
anyone,
dation If you are in, for unsure instance, when Best your Western studies Hotel begin, contact your depratmental coordinator
in Oulu! IWXMQEXIH GSWX TIV RMKLX SV
%TSPPS
in • Hotel Turisti, Modern estimated Nordic cost Architecture for single room programme begins in October. For students participating
in the 8LI] programme EVI FSXL the PSGEXIHGE arrival dates will be QIXVIW announced later.
from the railway station:
Academic Year 2008-2009:
Spring Hotel Semester Apollo 2009 Hotel Turisti
• %WIQEOEXY Official Arrival Dates 6EYXEXMI January ROEXY 2-4
9• Orientation January 5 and 7-8
• 3909 Easter April 3909 10-13
• XIP May Day May XIP 1 (national holiday)
• www.hotelapollo.fi Semester ends approximately www.hotellituristi.fi
May 31
ORIENTATION Note! If you call WEEK from outside Finland, the
TLSRI RYQFIVWEVI SV
The Orientation Week -J ]SY is organised GEPP JVSQ in *MRPERH order - to FYXSYX help the new exchange students to get to
side know Oulu the area university, or use the a mobile city and phone, the other please exchange students. During Orientation you can
HMEPSV
register to university, sign you tenancy agreement with the International Relations, sign up for
Finnish language courses, learn about Finnish culture and so much more.
We strongly recommend that all incoming exchange students participate in the Orientation!
HOW TO GET FROM THE AIRPORT TO
LINNANMAA If you arrive after CAMPUS Orientation AREAWeek, your kummi is there to help you with the same matters.
The The Orientation airport of Week Oulu schedule is in Oulunsalo, is published ca. on our website at www.oulu.fi/intl/ and you will
receive OMPSQIXVIW
the schedule JVSQ upon XLIarrival GIRXVISJ from 3YPY your - kummi 0MR student.
RERQEEGEQTYW MW GE OMPSQIXVIW JVSQ XLI
city centre. There is a direct bus connection
from the airport to Oulu and to Linnanmaa
campus. The bus stop at the airport is located
right outside the terminal and bus

Kummi student -
Your guide to Oulu and the
University
Kummi is a Finnish word that means a ‘godfather’ or a ‘godmother’. The kummi students are
Finnish students who study at our university. Moreover, they have been trained to take care
of a group of exchange students. All the international students arriving in Oulu will have a
Finnish kummi student. A kummi student is a consultant on local practicalities, a guide to your
physical surroundings and a helping hand in the jungle of bureaucracy. She/he will help you
around in the beginning of your exchange period. Later, when you have accommodated better
to the Finnish way of life, your kummi student will no more be needed, but will hopefully
stay a friend.
Your kummi will take you around a lot during the first days. You will go to the International
Relations, the bank, the city centre, the grocery shop, around the campus, etc. Talk to your
kummi and ask questions. Here’s a guide to the Finnish culture – you can learn a lot from your
kummi, if you just make an effort!
On the other hand, remember that you are supposed to also manage on your own. Don’t
make your kummi to do things you could do yourself. Your kummi is a helper, not a servant.
She/he will support you in your endeavours to adapt to a new society, but you still have to
wash your own laundry.
Your kummi is there for you. However, being a kummi is not a full-time job. Learn to find
information also yourself. The Guide for Exchange Students, for example, will answer many of
your questions when your kummi is not around. You can also always visit our website www.
oulu.fi/intl/. Information about the City of Oulu and activities around the town you can find at
www.oulu.ouka.fi/english/. Also, it helps a lot to ask the Finnish students and teachers, other
staff members, and other exchange students.

10
Have a Local Kummi Family
By participating in the Kummi Family Programme you will have a chance to get a local friend
family, a Kummi Family, who can offer you a peek to the everyday Finnish life. Several families
from the Oulu area have volunteered to be a Kummi Family for international exchange students
with whom they can spend some free time together.
Having a Kummi Family means that you will have your own friend family who is ready to take
you out from the study environment every now and then, show you around a little bit and
perhaps invite you to visit a Finnish family. It also serves as a great tool for cultural exchange
for both the family and for you. The time spent and things done together are all up to the
families and students and their time resources.
Participating in the Kummi Family Programme is optional but highly recommended by several
previous exchange students that have had Kummi Families during their exchange. For many
it has offered special and fun experiences and a friendship that will last even after the time
in Oulu. For some pictures and information on the program and happenings within, check:
http://www.oulu.fi/intl/exchange_students/kummifamily.htm.
Currently we have over 150 Kummi Families, all different kinds: young and old couples, families
with or without children, families with only a single mom or dad. All of them are interested
in foreign cultures and sharing time with an international student. Maybe that student could
be you?
Kummi Family is a great chance to discover culture! However, it also means that the student
needs to be willing to share his/her culture and devote some time to the family. Kummi Families
are an immense help to the exchange experience and we hope to give them motivated
students!
If you would like to have a Kummi Family, fill in the information form and return it to International
Relations by mail, fax or upon your arrival. However, you need to return your application
to Interntational Relations by Sept 15 or Jan 15 even if you arrive later during
the semester. Information form together with the Principles of the programme can also be
printed from the web page mentioned above. More information about the programme will be
given during the Orientation.