Erasmus Experience in Kuopio, Finland by Simone

Why did you choose to go to Kuopio, Finland?

I like to live in Kuopio, but it was the only place available.

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

The scholarship lasted 4 months, 650 € per month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Kuopio?

I'm not the best person that can talk about it because I stayed in Kuopio for a traineeship, not at the university... but in my opinion, it is very good!

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

I can recommend the city. I can't talk about the university.

What is the food like?

The food is very good! Unfortunately, I don't remember the name, too difficult for me to learn Finnish!

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Kuopio?

Yes, in the beginning, it was a little difficult. But there is a good Agency that gave apartments to the students, The Kuopas, and the prices are not much high, for the average of the Finland of course.

How much does it cost to live in Kuopio?

Well, it depends. At least 500 € per month, if you use all the student's discounts and advantages and never go out! A normal lifestyle can take 600 € or more. During my stay, I haven't had the chance to use/enjoy all of them, so I spent more.

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

I haven't followed the language courses. For me was very hard to learn Finnish and, in the end, I have learned nothing!

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

There are a lot of buses, until late too! The best way, in my opinion, is the bike, very easy to use there!

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

There are a lot of places to visit around and far Kuopio but depends on what time of the year you are there. For example, you can go to Lapland but is better to see it during the wintertime. A lot more!

Source

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

There is a market place with a lot of stalls that sell Finnish foods and local products. I recommend to go there and give a look!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There are some museums... there is not much under this point of view.