My Erasmus exerience in Helsinki, Finland by Maxim

Why did you choose to go to Helsinki, Finland?

I fell in love with the country while on a school exchange trip when I was in second grade and really wanted to go back at least once to live there for a few months.

How long did you stay in Helsinki? How much funding did you receive?

I stayed for just over four months. I got an Erasmus grant of 350€ a month but that's it.

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

Yes, as long as they remember that life here isn't perfect either!

What is the food like?

Finish food lives up to it's bad reputation. But you can find nice food if you look around (but you might have to pay the price a lot for it... )

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Helsinki?

Given that I wasn't linked to a university in Finland, I did have a bit of trouble finding accommodation. But 'normal' student wouldn't have a problem going through the HOAS (the equivalent of CROUS).

What is the cost of living like in Helsinki?

Almost everything is more expensive here than it is in France.

How did you find learning the language?

It's a difficult language to learn because it's not similar to anything else. But the Finnish generally speak very good English.

What is the cheapest way of getting to Helsinki?

The train and the bus are the most cost effective ways of getting around Helsinki and the neighbouring cities.

Where would you recommend going out in Helsinki?

If you like rock and heavy metal then Nosturi is good (a concert hall 15 minutes away from the main train station).

Source

Any advice for future students in Helsinki?

You better get used to snow and cold weather!

The locals aren't exactly known for their sense of humour but they are friendly and ready to help you if you need anything.