Dear prospective applicants, it was a pleasure to see your strong interest in JAMK University of Applied Sciences on Study in Finland event that was held on September 20, 2014 in Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg. In this post I would like to review most commonly asked questions, and share my opinion and experiences.
Where is Jyväskylä and how to get there?
Jyväskylä is located in Central Finland, about 420 km away from St. Petersburg, Russia. It takes approximately 5-7 hours to get to Jyväskylä from St. Petersburg by car. You can also take a direct bus (8-9 hours), or go by Allegro train with one transfer in Kouvola or Lahti (about 6 hours).
Which degree progammes in English does JAMK UAS offer?
JAMK offers three Bachelor’s programmes in English:
and two Master’s programmes in English:
How much does it cost to study at JAMK?
Education at JAMK is free. In addition, usually you do not need to buy any books, as they are available at JAMK’s library.
Please note that there are some residence permit related expenses, such as insurance and application fee. As of 2014, you also need an account statement showing that you have 6 720 euros in your bank account. You can learn more about residence permit application here.
How much does it cost to live in Jyväskylä for a student?
660 – 750 euros per month is usually enough (approximately 300 euros for accommodation + 300 euros for food + 60 euros for bus tickets). The cost of living depends on the accommodation you choose to live in, your habits and lifestyle.
Is it possible to get a part time job while studying?
Obviously your opportunities to find a job very much depend on your work experience and education as well as the knowledge of the local language. If you do not speak Finnish and do not have a degree or work experience, I would say that the part-time job possibilities are very limited. The job you can get is, for example, newspaper delivery.
How to get an accommodation in Jyväskylä / what are the housing options?
KOAS is the organization that builds and rents out flats for students in Jyväskylä. Once you are admitted to one of JAMK’s degree programmes you submit an application on KOAS’s webpage, and receive an accommodation offer via e-mail once a suitable apartment is available. Some apartments are furnished.
The most popular among students and most inexpensive accommodation type is shared apartment: you live with one or two flat mates, having your own room and sharing kitchen and bathroom. You can also apply for a studio apartment if you want to live alone, but based on my experience studios are harder to get, so be prepared to wait longer for an accommodation offer. If you want to live with your partner/spouse an option for you is family apartment.
It is also possible to rent apartments from private owners, but you will have to search for it on your own.
Is IELTS/TOEFL certificate obligatory?
At the moment language certificate is NOT a must. However, based on personal experience I can say that doing IELTS or TOEFL will prepare you for entrance exams as well as living in Finland in an English-speaking environment and studying in English, and make you feel more confident and comfortable in the future.
How to prepare for IELTS or TOEFL?
If you are self-disciplined enough you can prepare on your own with the help of various books. There are also many preparation courses offered – I my view, these are great if you never did IELTS or TOEFL before.
Speaking about my experience, when I did my first IELTS test, I attended this course in St. Petersburg for two months and got 6.5. After studying in English in Finland for two years I prepared for my second test on my own for 2 weeks and got 7.5.
Bare in mind that IELTS certificate is valid for 2 years.
How to generally improve your English and prepare for studying in English?
In my opinion, the best way to learn a foreign language is reading. Reading teaches you both vocabulary and grammar, showing you how words, constructions and expressions can be used in real life. In order to prepare for studying in English read more professional literature, articles and newspapers. Keep a vocabulary notebook. When you come across an unfamiliar word, write it down with a translation. As you fill in 2-3 pages, learn the words and their meaning. It is also helpful to learn texts by heart: it makes you remember how to use the complex structures and words in context. These techniques worked well for me, and I apply them to learning any foreign language.
Please follow JAMK’s website for detailed information about application process, entry requirements and exams. There is also a lot of practical information in our Vkontakte group.
If you have any more questions do not hesitate to ask them in comments. I will be more than happy to reply, and possibly write a FAQ 2 post 🙂
Best wishes,
Alena