Arrival Practicalities
We have collected here some practical info that you might find useful when planning your study abroad period at SAMK. You can also find a lot useful and practical information in the SAMK Attitude brochure >>!
Coming to Pori? Check out which places the international students of SAMK recommended: Map of Pori
Accommodation
There are several student houses available for the students of the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences. All rooms are furnished with bed, table and chair. Any additional commodities like bed linen, towels and kitchenware have to be brought or bought by the student himself. The accommodation application procedure and more information about the accommodation itself will be sent to selected students along with the letter of acceptance. International contact persons will make the reservations for the incoming students according to the applications.
Do not forget to pack the following
*Valid identification document: passport / identification card (Note: please check that your passport is valid for the whole period of your stay in Finland. The EU/EEA citizens should also bring their passport if they are planning to travel outside the European Union, e.g. Russia)
* Debit / credit card
* European Health Insurance Card / Insurance documents
* Details of your destination (name, address, telephone number)
* Letter of acceptance from SAMK
* 2 passport size photos
* Copies of important documents
* Adaptor for electrical appliances (220V)
Documents
*Admission: Exchange students will be enrolled at SAMK for a semester or for 1 academic year. The host faculty will send the student a letter of acceptance and an information package, which includes more detailed information about the accommodation and other practical details.
*The Learning Agreement: When planning your study schedule in Finland, you should check the requirements of your home university and fill in a learning agreement. The learning agreement is a confirmation of the list of courses and makes the credit transfer easier after the study exchange. The agreement must be approved by the student, the home university and SAMK University before the student’s departure for an exchange. It should be updated immediately when changes occur.
*Residence permit / Visa: please see under ‘Destination Finland’ the ‘Immigration Formalities’!
Taking the plane
Most international flights to Finland arrive at Helsinki-Vantaa airport. From this airport, there are good domestic flights and bus connections going to other Finnish towns and cities. There are flights from Ryan Air going to the Tampere airport and flights from Wizz Air going to Turku Airport You can also take a plane from Helsinki directly to Pori.
Taking the bus
There are connections between almost all the cities in Finland and buses drive every day. You can get a very good discount on bus rides with a special student card for public transportation. Please contact the international contact person of your host university for more information. The Matkahuolto bus service provides good connections between Pori – Rauma – Huittinen and Helsinki (city and airport). There is also a bus connection from Helsinki-Vantaa airport to these cities. For timetables and price information, please visit the webpage www.matkahuolto.fi.
Taking the train
There are train connections between several cities. There is also a train connection to Finland from Saint Petersburg and Moscow. You can get a very good discount on train rides with a special student card for public transportation. For timetables and price information, please visit the webpage http://www.vr.fi/eng/.
Taking the ferry
It is also possible to travel to Finland by ferry from Sweden, Estonia, Germany, and Poland.