Erasmus Experience in Jyväskylä, Finland by Pavlína

Why did you choose to go to Jyväskylä, Finland?

I wanted to go to the northern part of Europe, as I had never been there before. Also one of the main reason was the Education System in Finland.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

The scholarship is for 4 months (one semester) and I received 500 EUR per month.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Jyväskylä?

Everything suits for students here, I wasn't in a school dormitory but still it was very nice to live with other exchange students. Every week student organisations organised events or parties according to holidays or just to meet and talk. Also university offers sport activities. Here You can find sauna, coffee and kind people.

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

Yes, the nature around Jyväskylä is amazing.

What is the food like?

Usually I went shopping to Lidl or Prisma, but the best option for having lunch is in school cafeteria, big meal (from 3 different types), bread and salad for 2, 60 EUR. Practically you can find here the same things as in the rest of Europe.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Jyväskylä?

It was hard to find, because I did not get dormitory from KOAS, so I tried to find it in other servers. I would recommend to add Housing wanted in Jyväskylä.

How much does it cost to live in Jyväskylä?

My scholarship covered 80% of my costs here.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

I studied in English. We could have Finnish for exchange students, but I didn´t enroll it. Almost everybody can speak English here.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Jyväskylä from your city?

I took a flight from Prague to Helsinki and than I continued by train VR - Pendolino. For train tickets it is necessary to book in advance.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Jyväskylä?

In the city centre there are many clubs, but my favourite one is Escape, and also Katse, where you can find the cheapest beer or it's also very funny to go to the Karaoke bar, near the train station.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Jyväskylä?

Great burgers are in Revolution.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Nice museums and on Friday the entrance is free, also the Harju tower, and a nice church in the centre of the city.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Jyväskylä in the future?

Winter hat, gloves and scarf is very easy to buy here, do not waste your space in the suitcase.

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