Student Life at SAMK
Facilities at SAMK
• Library: The Library of Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) operates in campuses providing library and information services to students and personnel as well as to researchers. The library is open to the public. The library provides you with a study space with network connections, up-to-date collections, modern premises and professional personnel. In addition to lending, guidance and information retrieval services, library also provides customers computer terminals for database browsing and other online information searches. Services are developed in co-operation with teachers, students and staff.
• Computer rooms: When starting studies, each student will get a personal access code for intranet, e-mail and computer systems. Each student will get free secured hard disk space for saving documents. This space is solely at the student’s disposal. It is also possible to save documents to the general hard disk space which everyone with access codes is entitled to. The computer class rooms and gym located on the campus area are available for 24/7. All you need is an electronic admission card which serves as a key. You can get this card from our caretaker on a small deposit. During one semester you can print 1000 pages free-of-charge. When printing, you can see on the screen a window popping up, with information about how many pages are still to be printed. In addition, you can check your remaining quota by clicking the dollar sign on the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Color prints will decrease your quota with two pages per one print.
• Self-study room: The self-study rooms are located in the 24-hour area with access at all times.
• Gym with showers and sport halls: There are several gyms with showers and sport halls available in some particular faculties, not in each of them.
• Student restaurants and cafeterias: All the campuses have student restaurants and cafeterias, which are open during lunchtime. For lunch you can choose a vegetarian or non-vegetarian meal.
Meals are subsidized by Kela. University students are entitled to a discount on the meal price in student cafeterias covered by the meal subsidy scheme. The discount is given to students who show a valid student card, or a meal subsidy card issued by Kela (Social Insurance Institution of Finland). The meal subsidy cards are delivered to new students at the beginning of the academic year. Students have to pay with their student cards for their complete lunch about 2,60€.
Student Tutor
Each international student at Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) is introduced to a student tutor right in the beginning of studies. A student tutor is a fellow student, who has volunteered to help new students with practical matters concerning the studies but also with life in the new country and city in general. In most cases the incoming international students will get a message from their tutor student already before arriving to Satakunta.
Orientation Days
SAMK arranges orientation days for new international degree and exchange students in the beginning of each semester. The programme during the days is drawn up to help the students settle into student life and the new environment as quickly as possible. The programme introduces students to the various services, regulations and systems at SAMK. During the orientation programme the students will meet their International contact person and make more detailed plans for their study programme at SAMK.
Student Union ‘SAMMAKKO’
Satakunnan ammattikorkeakoulun opiskelijakunta (SAMMAKKO) is the student union for all the students enrolled at SAMK. SAMMAKKO is a member of the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applies Sciences (SAMOK). The purpose of the student union is to help students with matters related to studying and student life. In each school, there is a student association present.
After paying the membership fee, you will receive your student card. This card will give you many discounts and benefits in shops, restaurants, museums, theatres, public indoor swimming pools and public transportation. Please note that the ISIC card is not valid on Finnish Railways. If you want to become a member of SAMMAKKO, please visit the student association in your school or the following web site: www.sammakko.fi. The student union membership fee is € 20 for 1 year and € 11 for 1 semester. It takes about 2 to 3 weeks for the card to be made after application and payment
Student Events
* Get Together Day: At this event exchange students from each faculty meet to spend a whole day together and have fun! The programme for the spring 2010 included cross-country-skiing, sliding, barbecue and sauna. The programme for the autumn 2010 included a game marathon, a barbecue, sauna and swimming in the sea.
* LOIKKA: Throughout the day you can do and try different sports and get health checkups as well as other funny things, like joining a football cup or glow bowling. All the different activities are for free and offer a great opportunity to meet a lot of students!
* International Café: the exchange students represent their home country in a small fair by offering for example typical food, music, literature or drinks.
* Christmas Dinner: every autumn term SAMK organizes for all exchange students, international tutors and staff a big Christmas Dinner. If you are lucky you might see the real Santa Claus!
Read also the Attitude(pdf), a handbook for exchange students for good tips about living in Satakunta and studying at SAMK !