Presbyterian College
Brown Commons
Clinton, SC 29325
(864) 938-3777
oip@presby.edu
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Spring: October 15
Fall: March 15
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Finland

Åbo Akademi University

Term To Study: Spring 2016
Application Deadline: Oct 16, 2015
Program Category: One-Country
Program Type: Exchange
Link 1: CLIKCK HERE for Åbo Akademi University website
Link 2: CLICK HERE for Student Handbook
Link 3: CLICK HERE for courses offered in English
Program Locations: Turku
Contact Phone: 864-938-3777
Contact Name: Office Of International Programs
Contact Email: oip@presby.edu
Estimated Costs: Estimated costs

Housing: €220-320 per month (300 € security deposit)
Visa: € 300 (residence permit)
Laundry: € 2 per load
Transportation: € 30 per month
Printing: 3.3 cent per page, printing quota of € 6 per quarter for free
Program Description

Finland

Finland is situated in northern Europe between Sweden and Russia, and is a bilingual country known for its beautiful unspoiled nature. It is also well known for its welfare system, high standard of education and technical exports.

Finland is traditionally a bilingual country, with Finnish and Swedish as the official languages, which originates in it once being a part of Sweden (until 1809). Finland has since then always had a Swedish-speaking population, which today is a minority consisting of only 5% of the total population.

Finland’s greatest asset is the vast unspoiled nature which can be found anywhere in the country. The majority of the population lives in the coastal areas, which means that much of the nature is completely untouched. In Lapland in the north, you can see the northern lights (Aurora Borealis); the eastern parts have untouched forests; and along the coast, especially in the southwest, you find the unique archipelago. In addition to this, Finland is known as the land of the thousand lakes, although the actual number of lakes lies around 188,000.

Finland has a good infrastructure which makes it easy to travel around the country. You can also easily travel to other countries from Finland. You can take a one of the daily ferries to Sweden or Estonia, and even make a daytrip to St. Petersburg, Russia without a visa.


Institution
Åbo Akademi University is the only Swedish-speaking multi-disciplinary university in Finland, and is a leader of research in such fields as biosciences, computer science, democracy, human rights, material sciences, process chemistry and psychology. The university has three campuses, of which two offer courses in English. Åbo Akademi University is a small university with only 7,000 students, but is, despite its size, one of the most international universities in Finland.

Åbo Campus
Main features include
• Large library with access to e-resources and all course books
• Student tutors for all international students
• Computer rooms available to all students
• Student restaurants on campus
• Safe and clean environment
• Friendly atmosphere

City of Åbo
Åbo (Turku in Finnish) is located on the southwest coast of Finland and has a population of 180,000. It was the capital of Finland until 1812 and is actually the oldest city in the country. Åbo is a lively cultural city and offers museums, theatre, dance and music, and is also the home of approximately 35,000 students. It is a big enough city to offer everything you need, but still small enough to get around easily. Åbo is also an excellent starting point to explore the rest of Finland; e.g. Helsinki, Lapland or the Åland Islands; or nearby Stockholm, Sweden; or St. Petersburg, Russia. Just outside of Åbo lies the stunningly beautiful archipelago which is quite unique.

Program in brief
Åbo Akademi University enrolls an average of 600 international students per year from 60 different countries. All international students will have a Finnish tutor to help with the adjustment to life in Finland. The student tutor will meet the exchange students upon arrival and arrange meetings with his/her tutor group regularly. In addition, the optional Friendship Programme offers international students a chance to be paired with a local family in order to improve language skills and cultural understanding.

Academic Program and areas of study
Åbo Akademi University is the only Swedish-language multidisciplinary university located outside of Sweden. It comprises 12 departments offering bachelor, master and doctoral studies in the following divisions: Arts, Education and Theology; Social Sciences; and Natural Sciences and Technology.

Åbo Akademi University offers a wide variety of programmes and courses taught in English. Recommended fields of study, which offer at least 30-60 ECTS taught in English annually, are:
Arts/Humanities
Biosciences
Business Studies/Economic Sciences
Chemical Engineering/Chemistry
Cultural studies (interdisciplinary)
English Language and Literature
Information Technologies: Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems
International studies (interdisciplinary)
Law and Human Rights
Political Sciences
Scandinavian studies (interdisciplinary)
Social Sciences
Theology

Other fields of study that offer around 20 ECTS taught in English annually are:
Environmental Studies (interdisciplinary)
Development studies (interdisciplinary)
Intercultural Communication
Psychology
Visual Studies
Women’s Studies

In addition to the courses offered at Åbo Akademi University it is also possible to take courses at the University of Turku.

Orientation
Åbo Akademi University has a mandatory three-day orientation which takes place the week before teaching starts. The orientation programme covers registration, the study system, introduction to computers and library resources, tours of the university area and town, Finnish history and society, health care, the student union, student life, registration for language courses, academic advising sessions, etc. Please see www.abo.fi/exchange for details and programme.

Housing and meals
Housing is guaranteed for all international exchange students. Most international students live in shared apartments, though each person gets his or her own room. Single apartments are also available in limited quantities. Each apartment has a bathroom. A refundable 300-euro housing deposit must be paid prior to arrival, and students must apply for housing themselves (not through the university). Students must pay for their own housing.

There are several student restaurants on campus which offer student lunches for a very affordable price (2.60 euro), but they are not open in the evenings. All apartments have kitchen access for preparing meals.

Student activities
There are a number of student organisations at the university that international students are also welcome to join. Almost every subject/department has its own student organisation, and there are also various sports clubs and organisations for different types of interests. They organise excursions, parties, sports activities, competitions etc. The student union also plans events for its members. Students can also use the gym on campus, take part in different classes like zumba, pilates and salsa, or use the facilities of other gyms in town for a small fee or to a reduced price. The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) organises trips and other events for international students.


Vasa Campus
Main features include:
•Large library with access to e-resources and all course books
•Student tutors for all international students
•Computer rooms available to all students
• Student restaurant and café on campus
• Safe and clean environment
•Friendly atmosphere

City of Vasa
Vasa (Vaasa in Finnish) is situated on the west coast of Finland, approximately 370 km north of Åbo, with direct connections to Helsingfors (Helsinki) and Stockholm, Sweden. The region is one of the most innovative in Finland and an important center for Finnish-Swedish culture. Vasa is a bilingual city with a population of approximately 65,000 and has a large Swedish-speaking minority (23%). The city also has a lively university feel, as it is home to over 10,000 students. The city of Vasa overlooks the unique World Natural Heritage Site of Kvarken, and the archipelago can be found just outside of the city. Vasa also offers a variety of cultural events, including theater and museums.

Quick Facts

Population: 5262930
Capital: Helsinki
Per-capita GDP: $ 36700
Size: 338145 km2
Time Zone: (GMT + 02:00 hours) Kaliningrad

US State Department

Travel Warning: YES
See :
Country Specific Info.


Presbyterian College Office of International Programs