Planning your arrival in Finland !!

At this moment, you should be planning for your travel to Finland. So, it is the time to know some of the important practical stuffs for your arrival.

1. What to bring and what not?

You can bring any non-prohibited stuffs. If you are bringing, hair gel, bath gel, hair oil or similar stuffs; keep it in Luggage; not in the hand carry. If you are carrying hard-disk or magnetic data devices; keep it in hand carry, not in the luggage. If you are bringing homemade food stuffs; seal pack them well. Foods, not packed properly can be confiscated in the Airport. Umbrella is allowed, on luggage only. Sealed packed Shaving Blade on luggage is allowed. You can visit the website of the concern airline to confirm what are allowed in hand luggage and what not. For example, if you are traveling with Finn Air, you can browse through http://www.finnair.com.

Travelling to Helsinki: Routes and some tips to avoid hassle

I believe, you should have visited a couple of travel agents by now and query about flight booking. So, as you might have noticed by now that the cheapest flights to travel to Finland is via Delhi either by AeroFlot or Finn Air or Austrian Air.
Following are the most common routes Nepalese Students follow while travelling to Finland:

• Kathmandu - Delhi - Helsinki (Finn Air) 
• Good: Cheap and Best, Very good Service, Transit in only one place: Delhi
• Bad: Very long transit (about 15 hours) while travelling from Kathmandu to Helsinki
• My Preference: FIRST
• Kathmandu - Delhi - Paris - Helsinki (KLM and Air France) 
• Good: Relatively affordable price, Good Service
• Bad: Transits in two places: Delhi and Paris
• My Preference: SECOND
• Kathmandu - Delhi - Istanbul - Helsinki (Turkish Air) 
• Good: Relatively cheaper price, Good Service 
• Bad: Transits in two places: Delhi and Istanbul
• My Preference: SECOND
  

Applying for Student Resident Permit 2011

Update [18 July 2011]: I came to know from official sources that they did not force everybody to verify the document for Students Resident Permits. Hence, I would suggest to apply without verification however be prepared to verify as well since they may ask for it from selected students as well. 


Note: There is slight change on document preparation for this year, each document needs to be verified for its authenticity from the concern ministry followed by Foreign Ministry before being accepted by Finnish Embassy. Hence, plan earlier to apply for Resident Permit and discuss properly with Embassy about verification process to avoid the delay and prepare the set of acceptable documents.

Firstly, you won't apply for Visa, you will apply for Resident Permit. According to rule of Finland, if you are staying more than 90 days, you will apply for Resident Permit, not Visa. Visa is for those who want to stay less than 90 days.

You don't need any of the documents as you require on other countries. You need only following documents:

• Passport
• Two Color Photo (visa size, normally our passport size photo of Nepal does not match the visa size)
• Academic certificates
• Acceptance Letter (which will come on your admission package)
• Health insurance covering up to € 30000 for one year. 
• you can do it on insurance companies of Kathmandu or using online insurance services for example Everest Insurance which will cost around 300 USD per year.
• If you can buy online, you can also buy from International Student Insurance, it is the cheapest one by keeping maximum deductible amount. If you keep the deductible amount to maximum, the cost of the insurance would be around 150+ Euro, but you won't benefit from Insurance in general. If you really want to get maximum benefit of Insurance, then you should the deductible amount to minimum, which will make the cost of the insurance to be around 350+ Euro. 
• A bank balance certificate showing you have at least € 6000 (Minimum NRS 600000) on your own account. (This amount is to prove that you have enough living expense for one year which will be later needed to show them on Traveler's Cheque while collecting Resident Permit) 
• IELTS or TOEFL result

Why Finland?

 - By Santosh Kalwar

First and foremost, I am grateful to the owner and CEO of this website who have given me an opportunity to jot downs few pointers for those who have decided to pursue academic career in the country of ‘fifty thousand lakes’. Well, welcome!

My article is entitled, “Why Finland?” Despite so many countries and  highly acclaimed professional institution in the world, you have decided to visit Finland (Terveteluo—welcome in Finnish).

There are always two sides of the coin. Let me discuss some positive side of visiting Finland. In my opinion, you have made very good choice simply because there is no hurdle for paying tution fee.  While studying many students find extremely difficult to maintain work and life balance and when you get free education then you do not feel too much burden in your shoulder.

If you are a person who likes the Nature, then you are far more then welcome. You will defintely love this place. An extreme showcase of the Nature is displayed only in the Finland. I can rest assure you that if you haven’t found the God yet, you will discover only in Finland.

Learning FINNISH language

I am republishing this post since many requested to post some good links and books that can help them to learn Finnish Language before arrival to Finland.

I don't think there are any good Finnish learning center in Kathmandu. Please check it once on Bishwa Bhasa college, it might have, but I don't know. Else, there are no other institutions  which offers Finnish language.

So, the best way to learn Finnish is to learn online or by buying some good books.

Following are links of some selected books to buy for beginners:

• Finnish for Foreigners 1
• Beginner's Finnish (with 2 CDs)
• Say It in Finnish
• Spoken Finnish
• Finnish-English / English-Finnish Dictionary

Following are some links for learning Finnish:

• Tamy
• Tampare University of Technology Links
• There are some links here as well: TKK's Finnish Course Links"> TKK's Finnish

Finland is not ready for international students

- By Undisclosed Author

(Identity of the author is kept secret on request)

"Hell ! I just wanna get out of this city, its so crowded, much crowded. Though it is my own hometown, my Dhaka, but I really can not tolerate uncertain future caused with unstable and statelessness of Bangladesh"

Exactly, it was my motivation to leave Bangladesh in 2004. It had been about complete six years now, but this country,Finland, does not make me feel like my own. 

When I arrived here, I just loved it. I just wanted to hug it on a whole. I came here for my Master's Degree. I did not realize when two years passed while struggling with damn freezing cold winters and bright, sunny and greenery summers. It is a gifted land on Summer while tragic on winters. Education is comparatively average while compared with other European countries except it is absolutely free here. If somebody asks me today to list topmost five reasons to choose Finland on European or American continent for study purpose, I would say, topmost four reasons are just because it is free education. Fifth least priority reason could be it is a safe country. I said it is least priority reason since Finland alone is not safe country in Europe or American continent. 

Confirmation to College 2010

Congratulations to all of those who got admission for 2010 August Session !

Good News! Don't worry anything about the place and locality since in almost every city where you are admitted, you will find at least few other Nepalese students and as you know, generally Nepalese are very cooperative and helpful for helping their friends.

What Should you do after getting Admission on a college?

• Confirm your position on college by filling Confirmation form received on Admission Package
• Fill and return Housing Application Form as well to ensure your accommodation. Start looking and booking other housing facility immediately located on that city as well since finding a room on most of the city is another big headache.
  

Life in Lappeenranta

- By Baburam Subedi
Published here with the permission of the Author
Original Post can be found here: Life in Lappeenranta

Being student here in Lappeenranta, I am going to write down my experiences during my study hours (in Lappeenranta), which I hope will help to new comers to figure out the overall life style of Lappeenranta and all of Finland.

As you come to Lappeenranta by train from Central Railway station, Helsinki ( Fare With student card €20, without student or VR card, €40) Most of your assumptions from Nepal has already become contrary to the fact. You will not find Europe according to your immagination. If you had come from Suvarnabhumi Airport Thailand, you consider Vanta airport very small. As you see everywhere forest in the way to Lappeenranta, building of your imagination start to collapse slowly. Coming to Lappeenrata in Train is very easy as it informs each and every locations through voice and in monitor in Finnish, English and Swedish. As you get down in Lappeenranta, you will call your tutor. Here tutor are students responsible for helping new-comer students. Don't forget to get the phone number of your tutor from Nepal. As you can ask with college/ University through email. They will provide you all details. I am emphasizing tutor here because he posses the key of your new room and he will take you to room from train station. You may feel little bit cold in August just as you come to Finland being new to here, don't worry ''-30'' or even more in coming winter will coach how to face cold in Finland.

Studies and Jobs in Helsinki

Dear Friend,
Thank you so much for writing to me.

Hi, I am preparing for studies in #############  for Masters in ########### as I have been accepted in this University. I guess this University is good.

1) Do you have any idea how to obtain health insurance. Is it good to take from Nepali insurance company or other European insurance company?

Health insurance should cover up to € 30000 for one year. You can do it on insurance companies of Kathmandu OR using online insurance services if you can buy online. If you have any friend/relative abroad, ask them to buy it from https://www.schengen-visa-insurance.com/, since it is the cheapest one I have known yet. It would cost about 50-100 Euro per year depending upon your age. 

If you want to do it in Kathmandu, Everest Insurance also provides customized health insurance service for Finland for 250 USD per year. 

2) I want to focus my studies well and also want to generate at least living expense in Helsinki, is it possible to get a job in first 6 months?

May be. But, I suggest you to focus on studies primarily since you are coming for Master's degree, your studies will keep you fully occupied. Though, it is very tough to get a job even in Helsinki, I feel, you can find something in 6 months to make your living.

Should I come to Lappeenranta?

Hello,
I have recently selected as a master's student in Lappeenranta University of Technology. Now I need some practical information as listed below:
1. Education quality at LUT.
2. States of international students.
3. Job availabilities during study.

Hope you can help me in these case. Badly in need of these information. Awaiting for your reply.


Dear Friend,
To summarize in one sentence, Think TWICE before coming to Lappeenranta. Let me answer your query as a whole. Lappeenranta University of Technology does not have good reputation among international students. It is heard to be keeping deaf eyes towards international students. However, its education quality is considered in average while comparing with other average European universities. But, this university can not be compared with other good universities of Finland due to their non international friendly policies and behaviors in action.

But, LUT's Business Department holds a good reputation and international friendly.

Jobs are very difficult in Lappeenranta. Similar with other smaller towns of Finland, it holds very less probabilities of getting jobs, almost impossible during your studies.