Aalto University

Located in Helsinki, Aalto University School of Business is the largest leading business school in Finland. Founded in 1911, the university, previously known as the Helsinki School of Economics, merged with Helsinki University of Technology and University of Art and Design Helsinki in 2010 to officially form the Aalto University.

Aalto University School of Business is the first business school from the Nordic countries to be awarded the “triple crown” accreditation – AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS – which only less than 60 other universities in the world have achieved. In addition to accreditations, Aalto University School of business is also internationally recognized, having ranked 29th on the Top European Business Schools chart published by the Financial Times.

School’s Main Website | International / Exchange Student Website

GPA requirement:

3.0 / 4.0 (for LLB/JD students)
NIL (for all other students)

Language of instruction:

English, Finnish

Courses:

For course descriptions that can be found in respective college’s webpage, click here!

Finnish language courses
Should you be interested in learning Finnish, you can either sign up for classes offered by Aalto Language Centre or the Finnish Language and Culture course offered by Aalto School of Business.

The Aalto Language Centre offers classes of various variety and levels. The Finnish Language and Culture classes on the other hand is specially designed for exchange students with some sessions dedicated to learning more about the Finnish culture, giving a more wholesome learning experience in the limited time you have in Finland.

Flying Chalks’ tip: We highly recommend exchange students to sign up for the Finnish Language and Culture class as the intensity would be lower and would be a better fit for your travelling schedule. This class usually fills up fast thus we strongly recommend you to sign up for it early via WebOodi, Aalto’s course registration portal.

Course registration process:

During orientation, students were led to a computer lab where we logged onto the school system and registered for courses. Staff and buddies from the host university were readily available to help with questions. Registration for courses is on a first-come-first-serve basis. Enrolment into course is immediate.

Attendance Policy:

[Help contribute to this section by submitting a review to us!]

Campus map:

Aalto University is made up of 3 buildings:

1. Main Building

2. Arkadia (Across the street from the main building)

3. Chydenia (Across the park from the main building)

The campus map can be found here.

Selected facilities:

UniSport Exercise Centre
Aalto University has a fitness centre that is accessible only through paid membership. With a Unisport membership (1, 3, 6 or 12 months), you can participate in group trainings and general ball sports sessions and go to the gym on campus. You may find the price list here.

IT and printing services
All Aalto campuses have IT Service Desks. Printing services are free of charge and printers can be found all over campus.
For more information on printing, click here.

Library services
You can either apply for a library card online here, or simply make a visit to the library. With the library card, you would then be able to borrow books, textbooks or report series for 4 weeks with the option to extend.

Flying Chalks’ tip: A library card would be very useful because textbooks are rather expensive there and borrowing textbooks would be the most cost-effective way.

Food on campus:

The main eatery is located at the main building. The food served there is generally European and the daily menu would be updated weekly. Free flow of bread and drinks (water, lingberry juice and milk) would be provided. In addition to the main eatery, there are also cafeterias serving refreshments in the Arkadia and Chynedia building. Do flash your student card for discounts and you can get a lunch set for as low as 2.60 Euros (originally 6 euros).

For more variety of food, you can also access the student cafeteria at Hanken School of Economics just across the street for a different menu. The same student discount applies.

Campus transportation:

[Help contribute to this section by submitting a review to us!]

Orientation program:

You will first be welcomed to the school through a mandatory one-day orientation program. Apart from the usual academic and administrative briefings, you would also be able to meet your tutors and your other fellow tutor group mates.

Buddy program:

[Help contribute to this section by submitting a review to us!]

Student clubs:

At the orientation program, you will also be introduced to the main student clubs which have their activities specifically catered to international students:

Aalto University Student Union (AYY, Aalto-yliopiston ylioppilaskunta)
AYY is a student organization with more than 15 000 members. Though not compulsory, exchange students are highly recommended to join the union as it provides a range of benefits from legal protection to health care and student meal subsidies. Being an AYY member will automatically entitle you to membership under KY as further described below. The membership fee for the academic year 2015-2016 is €114 (€56 for the autumn semester, €58 for the spring)

KY -The Association of Economics Students in Helsinki
KY is the club that is mainly in charge of organizing student activities. Becoming a member will get you into their parties and events. In addition to parties, KY also organizes overseas trips to Stockholm, Saint Petersburg as well as one of the most popular trips to Lapland. Following the orientation, there will be an official welcome evening by the KY committee where they will brief you on the exciting activities they have planned for you, followed by an after party.

University events:

You can find out about upcoming university events here!

Toolo, where Aalto University School of Business is located, is a neighborhood next to the city centre. It is less than 10 minutes’ walk away from the city center, a stone’s throw away from where all the action is.

For food:

The area plays host to several restaurants and cafes but no real central hub of activity.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation:
A trip to Café Regatta located by the western harbor of Helsinki is almost a must! Be sure to order a freshly baked cinnamon and a cup of coffee (refillable). In the winter, you can hide inside this small and cozy hut after a walk along the Sibelius Park. In summer, you can sit at the spacious outdoor terrace to slowly sip your cup of coffee and enjoy the sea view. You can also grill a sausage on open fire at the outdoor terrace and experience something that normally only takes place in the countryside. One note of caution for sitting outside is to be careful of the seagulls snatching your food!

For nightlife and entertainment:

You can visit the city centre where there are several bars and clubs near the Kamppi and central railway station area. For something different, you should visit the Kalio district, which is just 2 metro stations away from the central railway station.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation:
Kaiku is an up and coming club located in Kalio that is very popular amongst locals. It has a Berlin-like atmosphere with a cool atmosphere. If you prefer something chill, we would recommend you to take on barhopping in Kalio District where the bars are located in close proximity. Tiger is another popular club located right at the city centre. Many KY activities are often held at Tiger where you would gain free entrance to the club.

For daily necessities and groceries

There are the “K-supermarket”, “K-mart”, “Alepha”, “S-supermarket” and “Lidl”. K-mart and Alepha can be easily found however prices are slightly higher as compared to the bigger supermarkets.  In addition to the dozens of convenience stores “R-kiosk” strewn around the area.

Flying Chalks' recommendation:
Lidl often offers the best prices however be careful of the long queues after work hours and on weekends. However, be sure to check out the occasional discounts from K-supermarket as well!

For shopping:

The malls are congregated in the City Centre. However, it is worthwhile to explore the Design District where you will find small and exquisite shops.

Aalto University is just 10 minutes walking distance and two tram stops away from the central railway station. In addition, there are also many bus services that pass by the University bus stop.

Getting from Vantaa airport to the City Centre:

HSL bus service
Two routes (bus 615 and 620) run from the airport to the central railway station, operated by the local bus provider HSL. It will roughly take 45 minutes and cost 5 euros. However with a student transport card, it will only cost around 2.10 euros.

Finnair City Bus
This is a direct bus service between the central railway station and the Vantaa airport with no stops in between. It will take around 30 minutes or faster, and will cost 6.20 euros.

Airport Taxi
Flat rate will be applied for airport taxis, which offers shared services (carpooling).

Getting from Vantaa airport to your hostel:

One month before the start of school term, you will be required to confirm your study plan as well as your date and time of arrival in Helsinki. From then, the school will arrange for student tutors to pick you up from the airport and to send you to your place of residence, hence you do not have to worry about getting lost.