HEALTH SERVICES
FSHS (YTHS) Finnish Student Health Service
For students enrolled in the University of Oulu
Address: Yliopistokatu 1 A, Telephone: (+358) 46 710 1063
All appointments Mon-Thu 8-15, Fri 8-14
Kaijonharju Health Centre
For students not enrolled in the University of Oulu
Address: Kalevalantie 5, Telephone: (+358) 8 5584 4228
All appointments Mon-Thu 8-16, Fri 8-15
Take your European Health Insurance Card with you.
Oulu University Hospital: Emergency Centre
Address: Kajaanintie 50 A 1, Telephone: (+358) 8 3152655
To be used outside of regular office hours (i.e. evenings and weekends) or in case of emergency
Take your European Health Insurance Card with you.
Medicine is sold in pharmacies (apteekki in Finnish). The nearest pharmacy is located only a few minutes from your Linnanmaa apartments (Address: Sammonkatu 14).
General Emergency Number: 112
COMPUTERS AND INTERNET
Your room will have an internet connection of 10 Mbps, which is included in the rent. Please note that the connection is not wireless, so you will have to bring your own standard Ethernet cord (or purchase one in Oulu).
There are computer labs at the University as well as University Libraries. You will receive usernames and passwords you need to access these once you arrive in Oulu.
If you want to use your own laptop, the university has a free wireless network which works everywhere within the university building. This same network (PanOulu) also works in many other public buildings such as libraries throughout Oulu.
INSURANCE
All EILC students are required to have adequate health insurance in order to attend the course. Please make sure you are insured before leaving. The insurance package must cover hospitalisation, evacuation and repatriation. This insurance must be purchased beforehand in the home country and each student is required to bring a document (in Finnish, Swedish or English) indicating the coverage of his or her insurance.
We also recommend that you bring the European Health Insurance Card with you. The card guarantees immediate health care, entitling you to medical treatments at the same price as Finnish citizens. It does not cover the costs of health care! Please consult the health authorities in your home country for more information. More information about the EHIC card here.
BANKING
You should be able to use your foreign bank account normally in Finland, especially if you can use online banking. We cannot guarantee that your debit card will work in Finnish ATMs but usually all European debit cards function normally. Credit cards should work fine. There may be an extra charge when you use your card abroad. Check details with your bank. You may open a Finnish bank account if you think you will need it; opening an account is not necessary but it is worth some consideration if you are going to stay in Finland for more than 6 months. You will have a chance to open a Finnish bank account during the city tour on Monday, August 5, or after that whenever you feel like it by visiting a bank downtown.
PHONES
Your personal phone number should work normally in Finland. However, it may be a good idea to get a Finnish phone number to cut down on phone call costs. You can purchase a prepaid SIM card and use it with your own phone (if your phone is not locked). Prepaid cards are sold, for example, in common street kiosks (R-Kioski).
PUBLIC TRANSIT
There are normally two stops by the same name on either side of the road, distinguished by the direction in which they are headed. For example, the stop called Torikatu P is located on Torikatu and heading toward the north (P = Pohjoinen = North). The bus stop on the other side of the street is called Torikatu E and headed toward the south (E = Etelä = South).
A single bus fare within the borders of the city of Oulu costs 3.30 €. It may be a good idea to purchace a monthly pass, which costs around 37 euros and allows you to ride all local buses as much as you want, day and night. After the initial activation (which you can do during the city tour on August 5) you can recharge the bus pass on board a bus every month.
Please check the bus time tables from the following links:
PACKING
Summer weather in Finland is varied. Occasionally it can be very warm (+ 25 °C) but sometimes rather cool (+10 °C). The beginning of August should be warm but the temperatures will start dropping towards the end of the month. Pack enough warm clothes with you.
During the course there will be some outdoor activities. In case of rain, we recommend having a rain coat or other waterproof gear with you. Bring shoes which are comfortable for walking in nature. We also suggest taking a swimming suit so you can plunge into the beautiful Finnish lakes or the Baltic Sea.
During the EILC course or your Erasmus exchange period you may get a chance to present your culture at an event. Think of a few items that you could bring to showcase your culture (clothes, jewelry, food/recipes, music, etc.).
PRICES
It’s good for you to know that Finnish prices are rather high. A cup of coffee costs 1.30-4 euros and a beer at a bar costs generally 3.5-5 euros. An ice cream cone can set you back up to 3.5 euros.
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