Clara's Erasmus Experience in Helsinki, Finland

Why did you choose to go to Helsinki, Finland?

I chose to go to Helsinki due to both the quality of the education system, and because I am really passionate about Nordic countries.

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How long does your grant last for? How much money do you receive as support?

Almost 5 months. I have a grant from the Spanish Ministery of Education, and, in March, they gave me a lump sum of 2, 000€ (which works out at 400€ a month).

What is student life like in Helsinki?

Student life is very good here: there are lots of Erasmus students, as well as other exchange students.

Would you recommend the city and University of Helsinki to other students?

Maybe not the city, but the country yes. I hoped that Helsinki would have more things to see and to visit, but, in reality, it has very few 'attractions', so to speak. Even so, the Finnish are very friendly people. Everyone speaks English and the city is very safe.

My university is not the University of Helsinki - I actually study at Haaga-Helia, so I couldn't really tell you anything about it.

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What is the food like in Finland?

Honestly, I have barely tried any of the 'typical' Finnish food whilst being here. Food is very expensive and, for this reason, I haven't tried the meat or fish since I arrived here from Spain. I practically live on the food at university, which costs me 1, 56€, or at Unicafé, which costs 2, 60€. At home, I eat fruit, vegetables, rice and pasta.

Was it difficult for you to find accommodation in Helsinki?

No, it wasn't difficult for me because there is a company that is dedicated to helping you find something. However, they only give you one offer of accommodation and they choose it pretty much at random. Your accommodation will be good depending on whether you are lucky or not. For example, I live half an hour away from the city centre and between 45 minutes to an hour away from my university, but I have friends who live 5 minutes from the university and 10 from the city centre.

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How much does it cost to live in Helsinki?

Finland is very expensive. Accommodation alone is some 400€ a month. Each month, I have been spending roughly between 800€ and 900€.

What is the language like? Did you attend any language classes at the university?

I already had a good level of English when I arrived here, so I haven't really had any problems with regards to this. But, everyone speaks English here, which makes me think that the language isn't really an issue for exchange students.

What is the cheapest way of getting to Helsinki from your city?

By plane - it's best coming directly from Madrid.

Which places would you recommend for nightlife in Helsinki?

In Helsinki, there is a thriving nightlife scene every single day of the week. A week ago [from the time of writing], they closed the most popular nightclub that there was, but, in my opinion, like that of many others, it was too commercial anyway. Now, there is another nightclub which has much better music (Capital), which is where people usually go on Saturdays, as you can get in free of charge. On Wednesdays, people tend to go to Amarillo, and on Thursdays or Fridays, they go to Kallio, Amarillo, Kaiku, LeBonk, and Kokomo. In reality, you can go out any day of the week in Helsinki, although maybe not on Mondays and Tuesdays, as, despite places being open, not many people choose to go out.

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And eating out in Helsinki? Can you name your favourite places?

It's really expensive to eat out in Helsinki, so, for this reason, I couldn't really name a specific place. Unicafé is a typical 'university-style' restaurant that has meals that cost 2, 60€ upon presentation of your student ID card. Even so, if I had to choose one, I'd go with Hard Rock Café.

And cultural hotspots?

Helsinki has very few cultural hotspots. The country is better recognised for nature than it is for culture.

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Any advice you want to give to future students in Helsinki?

Have a great time and enjoy the experience as it only happens once. Make life-long friends, as this is something that's truly priceless. Before coming here, I was somewhat regretting having chosen Helsinki as my Erasmus destination, but now I don't regret it at all. Save as much money as you can and take advantage of being able to travel. You won't regret it. To buy alcohol, you will have to take the ferry to Tallin, where it costs more or less the same as Spain. The ferry companies have lots of offers, so search for them carefully. You can buy a return ticket for 18€. A packet of cigarettes costs anywhere between 5€ and 6, 50€, obviously depending on the brand. And prepare yourselves for the cold weather (although I managed to put up with it, as the cold in Spain is more humid and is therefore more noticeable - it's much drier here). Bring lots of thermal clothing for winter and some good gloves.