Starting instructions for studies

Studies begin:

• Monday 26th August 10.15 AM at Kouvola Campus.
• Participation in the orientation days is mandatory for all students. Orientation days programme 2024 (pdf)
• Prepare to present the original documents (school certificates, identification document) you used when applying at the beginning of your studies. The student selection is conditional until information about your qualifications used for applying has been checked. Qualifications are verified either from the national database in Finland or students must present the original documents by the given deadline 9 September 2024. Detailed timetables for checking of the documents will be given by Student Affairs Office in August.
• Lectures according to weekly timetables (Select “Group search” and paste the group code IBKV24SP > Search. Select the group from the search results > Add. Hide search results.)
• Study plan in the study guide

Instructions for students from outside Finland

The contact days in this programme are delivered in-class on the Kouvola Campus, Finland. If you are unable to be present on campus when the studies begin due to delays in the residence permit process, contact your Student Affairs Advisor for further instructions. All students must be present on campus by 9 September 2024. The next possibility to start studies after that will be in January 2025 with a new group. Information on Xamk refund policy

Contact information

• Student Affairs Advisor Emilia Kiesilä, tel. +358 50 572 4607, Xinfo service
• Studies Coordinator Hugh Clack, tel. +358 44 702 8758, hugh.clack(a)xamk.fi

Dear new Xamk students,

First of all, all my sincere congratulations are directed to you regarding your admission to XAMK’s Bachelor of Business Administration Degree. My name is Amine Boumaggard and I am a second-year BBA student in Digital International Business at XAMK Kouvolan Campus.

As I heard about the new students intending to move to Kouvola and choosing Xanmk as a starting point for their brilliant future career goals, I was thrilled about the idea of sharing my experience with all of you (as I am also an international student). Right after graduating from high school, back in Morocco, I was left with different options of where to pursue my university studies which two of them happened to be in Finland. Ending up choosing Xamk for its great reputation, its Digital degree which was not offered in lots of universities, I haven’t had any regret about this choice I made 2 years ago. Not only do I not regret it, but I would say it is one of the greatest decisions I have made in my life. There certainly might be a few of you who would think this is an exaggeration (which is fine), I have been through that as well and have been reconsidering lots of things before moving. Finland is firstly a great country, a country of freedom and opportunities, a country of self-development and growth, and a country that welcomes everyone no matter where they come from with open arms and a lot to offer. In a narrower frame, XAMK as an institution is full of opportunities for all degree students (entrepreneurial societies, exchange studies, internship offers, and the list goes on). Before coming here, there are a lot of things to do and consider in order to start your new adventure comfortably:

When it comes to student housing, as there are lots of international students (degree students & exchange students), it gets a bit harder as time passes to find a student housing option so I would recommend you start looking for one starting from now to look at which option is the most convenient for you.

Regarding transportation, the distance doesn’t matter that much as there are busses not so far from all the student apartments to get to the city center ( you can get the bus to the university from the city Center). For people of you who don’t feel comfortable using the bus as a means of transportation in Kouvola, there are lots of second-hand shops where bikes for cheaper prices can be found (also housing furniture).

In Finland, it is easier to have a bank account rather than pay with cash. Taking as an example our school restaurant, only card transactions are accepted so make sure to have a plan for how to deal with that beforehand.

I am here if any of you need any help or have any questions in mind.

See you in August!
Br Amine

Studies begin:

• Monday 26th August 9AM online
• Participation in the orientation days is mandatory for all students.
• A link to the first online session will be sent by email before the studies begin to students.
• Lectures according to weekly timetables (Select “Group search” and paste the group code EEMI24SP > Search. Select the group from the search results > Add. Hide search results.)
• Study plan in the study guide

Online studies 

The first year studies are delivered fully online and don’t require presence on campus. You take part in the orientation and lectures online at times marked on the timetables. You must ensure that you have a stable high-speed internet connection for remote online sessions and that your computer/laptop is equipped with a camera, microphone & speakers/headset. A mobile phone (smartphone) is not a suitable device for studies. 

Contact information

• Student Affairs Advisor Kirsi Rouhiainen, tel. +358 50 312 5027, Xinfo service
• Studies Coordinator Hannu Poutiainen, tel. +358 40 653 1618, hannu.poutiainen(a)xamk.fi

Tutor’s words for new students

Your studies will be challenging, but rewarding. During your studies, you will make many lifelong friends, learn about new perspectives, meet people of different cultural backgrounds, and learn about various environmental issues and solutions in Finland and abroad.

I look forward to meeting you all on 26 August!

Mikkeli is a small, charming town straddling Finland’s largest lake, Lake Saimaa, where you will be surrounded by the vast Savonian forests, which by the way, you’ll spend considerable time in as part of your second-year studies :). The best things to do during your stay in Mikkeli include walking along the many hiking trails, participating in the many activities available with XAMK sports, learning to cross-country ski, and of course, going to the frequent parties in Puska ;).

We’ll meet on Teams on 26 August at 9 am.

BR
Sean

Studies begin:

• Monday 26th August 9.30AM at Kouvola Campus, Meduusa studio, address Rykmentintie 4.
• Participation in the orientation days is mandatory for all students.
• Prepare to present the original documents (school certificates, identification document) you used when applying at the beginning of your studies. The student selection is conditional until information about your qualifications used for applying has been checked. Qualifications are verified either from the national database in Finland or students must present the original documents by the given deadline 9 September 2024. Detailed timetables for checking of the documents will be given by Student Affairs Office in August.
• Lectures according to weekly timetables (Select “Group search” and paste the group code GDKV24SP > Search. Select the group from the search results > Add. Hide search results.)
• Study plan in the study guide

Instructions for students from outside Finland

The contact days in this programme are delivered in-class on the Kouvola Campus, Finland. If you are unable to be present on campus when the studies begin due to delays in the residence permit process, contact your Student Affairs Advisor for further instructions. All students must be present on campus by 9 September 2024. The next possibility to start studies after that will be in January 2025 with a new group. Information on Xamk refund policy

Contact information

• Student Affairs Advisor Emilia Kiesilä, tel. +358 50 572 4607, Xinfo service
• Studies Coordinator Brenda Jiménez, tel. +358 44 702 8575, brenda.jimenez(a)xamk.fi

Tutor’s words for new students

Game Design is about everything within game development. You will get to explore game art in all of its forms while also learning about coding, user interface, game production, entrepreneurship and more. Visualise the games you want to create, and make them, just don’t forget to do your assignments too. Have fun at all the game jams and different clubs, and make your own path within the industry.Kouvola is known for being a city of cement, but it is actually more than that! There are some of the best things in Finland here, among these is one of two LED screen walls in Finland where, as a student of Game Design, you may learn how to use it. Kouvola also has one of the best sound systems, in the cinema, in the shopping mall in Veturi. And let’s not forget the nature park Repovesi,the amusement park Tykkimäki and Kouvolan Lakrits! All of these places and more are areas where you soon will walk around taking texture pictures and visualise gamification.We meet you on your first day at Campus!

See you, BR
Nicole, Dan (Daniel), Nicky (Pernilla), Evelyn (Eveliina), Nea, Erin and Andreas

Studies begin:

• Monday September 2nd 10AM at Mikkeli Campus.
• Participation in the orientation days is mandatory for all students.
• Prepare to present the original documents (school certificates, identification document) you used when applying at the beginning of your studies. The student selection is conditional until information about your qualifications used for applying has been checked. Qualifications are verified either from the national database in Finland or students must present the original documents by the given deadline 9 September 2024. Detailed timetables for checking of the documents will be given by Student Affairs Office in August.
• Lectures according to weekly timetables (Select “Group search” and paste the group code ITMI24SP > Search. Select the group from the search results > Add. Hide search results.)
• Study plan in the study guide

Instructions for students from outside Finland

The contact days in this programme are delivered in-class on the Mikkeli Campus, Finland. If you are unable to be present on campus when the studies begin due to delays in the residence permit process, contact your Student Affairs Advisor for further instructions. All students must be present on campus by 9 September 2024. The next possibility to start studies after that will be in August 2025 with a new group. Information on Xamk refund policy

Contact information

• Student Affairs Advisor Kirsi Rouhiainen, tel. +358 50 312 5027, Xinfo service
• Studies Coordinator Reijo Vuohelainen, tel. +358 50 312 4952, reijo.vuohelainen(a)xamk.fi

Tutor’s words for new students

In the Information Technology program, we will be studying about programming, networking, security, mathematics, language skills and more. Some courses require you to be in-person at Xamk campus most of the time and some courses have in-person lectures and online assignments so you can be more flexible in your approach to your studies. We students come from many backgrounds and not everyone can do everything smoothly as expected, but that’s where your fellow classmates and us tutors come in to assist you and together we will try to make the best out of our experience while studying Finland and at Xamk. We wish you good luck and may your journey be fulfilling and filled with excitement.

The city of Mikkeli is quiet and peaceful, while being one of the biggest cities in the South Savo region. You can find many people from different parts of the world around the city since there are 2 universities with international and exchange programs here: Xamk and Aalto . The city was the headquarters for the Finnish army during past wars so you can expect historical landmarks and various museums. Most of your needs should be fulfilled at the city centre where there are 2 shopping centres, or kauppakeskus in Finnish, and everything else spread around the city. For entertainment there are student events organized by various student unions at Xamk’s O-building or Puukasarmi/Puska or at a venue of the organizer’s choosing, sometimes these events extend to the city centre and you can see many students roaming around the city participating.

On Monday September 2nd from 9am to 4pm, in MB216 at Mikpoli (M-building) we will be meeting each other officially to help you with your orientation. But if you arrive to Mikkeli earlier, feel free to email us and we’ll see how we can help you get familiar with the campus among other things.

While we wish for your studies to be smooth sailing, problems and troubles are usually inevitable. We believe that you have the strength and skill to overcome those and move forward with your plans. We the tutors are here to see you through and be your assistance should you need anything (within reason of course).

BR

Sinikka Raeneva
Artem Lanenkov
Aye Chan Paye
Hung Le Nguyen

Studies begin:

• Monday 26th August 2024 9AM at Kotka Campus.
• Participation in the orientation days is mandatory for all students.
• Prepare to present the original documents (school certificates, identification document) you used when applying at the beginning of your studies. The student selection is conditional until information about your qualifications used for applying has been checked. Qualifications are verified either from the national database in Finland or students must present the original documents by the given deadline 9 September 2024. Detailed timetables for checking of the documents will be given by Student Affairs Office in August.
• Bring a vaccination certificate for all vaccinations you have received.
• Lectures according to weekly timetables (Select “Group search” and paste the group code BNKT24SP > Search. Select the group from the search results > Add. Hide search results.)
• Study plan in the study guide

Instructions for students from outside Finland

The contact days in this programme are delivered in-class on the Kotka Campus, Finland. If you are unable to be present on campus when the studies begin due to delays in the residence permit process, contact your Student Affairs Advisor for further instructions. All students must be present on campus by 9 September 2024. The next possibility to start studies after that will be in August 2025 with a new group. Information on Xamk refund policy

Contact information

• Student Affairs Advisor Auli Kuusikunnas, tel. +358 44 702 8940, Xinfo service
• Studies Coordinator Jussi Mähönen, tel. +358 50 473 4000, jussi.mahonen(a)xamk.fi

Tutors words for new students

Dear New Students,

Welcome to Xamk! We are thrilled to have you join us and look forward to supporting you on this exciting journey.

As you embark on this new chapter, remember that you are not alone. You are part of a vibrant and supportive community that values curiosity, innovation, and collaboration. We are excited to see all that you will accomplish during your time here.
Living in Kotka, a coastal town in southeast Finland, offers a unique experience due to its combination of natural beauty, maritime history, and a welcoming student community 🙂
You can find me on campus and I will be available for all questions
BR
Genesis

Studies begin:

• Monday 26th August 9AM at Savonlinna Campus.
• Participation in the orientation days is mandatory for all students.
• Prepare to present the original documents (school certificates, identification document) you used when applying at the beginning of your studies. The student selection is conditional until information about your qualifications used for applying has been checked. Qualifications are verified either from the national database in Finland or students must present the original documents by the given deadline 9 September 2024. Detailed timetables for checking of the documents will be given by Student Affairs Office in August.
• Bring a vaccination certificate for all vaccinations you have received.
• Lectures according to weekly timetables (Select “Group search” and paste the group code BNSA24SP > Search. Select the group from the search results > Add. Hide search results.)
• Study plan in the study guide

Instructions for students from outside Finland

The contact days in this programme are delivered in-class on the Savonlinna Campus, Finland. If you are unable to be present on campus when the studies begin due to delays in the residence permit process, contact your Student Affairs Advisor for further instructions. All students must be present on campus by 9 September 2024. The next possibility to start studies after that will be in August 2025 with a new group. Information on Xamk refund policy

Contact information

• Student Affairs Advisor Päivi Pesonen, tel. +358 50 312 5037, Xinfo service
• Studies Coordinator Tuulia Litmanen, tel. +358 40 0489, tuulia.litmanen(a)xamk.fi

Tutor’s words for new students

The best things in Savonlinna is nature and lake Saimaa. You can find many supermarkets, library, restaurants and many other shops from the city center. Also XAMK is there!

There is a need for nurses in Finland. Nursing is interesting, demanding and you will work closely with different people

We meet you on 26th August, at the main lobby at 9:00 am

BR
Mira, Eija, Sini, Satu and Minna

Studies begin:

• Thursday 29th August 9AM online
• Takine part in the online study sessions is mandatory for all students. A link to the first online session will be sent by email before the studies begin to students who have confirmed their enrolment in the programme.
• Lectures according to weekly timetables (Select “Group search” and paste the group code RHSA24SVY > Search. Select the group from the search results > Add. Hide search results.)
• Study plan in the study guide

Contact information

• Student Affairs Advisor Päivi Pesonen, tel. +358 50 312 5037, Xinfo service
• Studies Coordinator Juhani Multanen, tel. +358 50 599 8571, juhani.multanen(a)xamk.fi