3 STUDYING AT LAUREA

The academic year starts on 29 August 2005 and ends on 21 June 2006. It is divided into four terms, at the end of which there is usually a week of general evaluation, guidance, planning and exams. Students must register themselves as present or absent each academic year, for more detailed information about registration, please see the Student Guide 2005-2006 or www.laurea.fi.

Besides their chosen Degree Programme, Laurea students and exchange students can select studies from any of the Degree Programmes throughout the academic year. Information on available study units / courses is provided six weeks before the following term. Students must also enrol for the study units they wish to study, for more information about the enrolment, please see the Student Guide 2005-2006 or www.laurea.fi.

The following chart will show the scheduled provision of courses and student enrolment dates:

The aim of the guidance and tutoring system is to help students develop their powers of self-motivation and their ability to make use of the many possibilities open to them at the Polytechnic. The students must take responsibility for their own work, but they do also get guidance and counselling from their Tutor Lecturers and Tutor Students. For the exchange students and non-Finnish degree students, there are International Coordinators and trained International Tutor Students who are ready to help in questions concerning both academic and social life.

At the beginning of his or her studies each student draws up a personal study plan known as HOPS (= henkilökohtainen oppimissuunnitelma). The Tutor Lecturers will provide academic assistance for this. The Office gives students practical advice and help in sorting out any problems the students may encounter in carrying out their studies.

The system of measuring higher education studies in Finland is under change, Finnish polytechnics and universities will start to apply ECTS to the measurement of studies. According to this system, a student’s annual workload of 1600 hours will be worth 60 ECTS credits. Polytechnics will implement the new system of measurement in its entirety during 2005. Laurea implemented ECTS credits on 1 January 2005, the unit by which the students' study progress is measured is the ECTS credit. One academic year lasts 40 calendar weeks and is worth 60 ECTS credits.

As pointed out earlier, the polytechnic degree requires usually 210 ECTS credits. A standard programme consists of basic studies, compulsory professional studies (incl. practical studies), optional professional studies (incl. practical studies), elective studies and the Bachelor’s thesis. Student work input for a credit may include lectures, exercises, practical studies, project work, essay writing, independent study or other assignments.

ECTS- a common language of academic recognition within the EU

A credit system is a systematic way of describing an educational programme by attaching credits to its components. The definition of credits in higher education systems may be based on different parameters, such as student workload, learning outcomes and contact hours. The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a student-centred system based on the student workload required to achieve the objectives of a programme, objectives preferably specified in terms of learning outcomes and competences to be acquired.

ECTS was introduced in 1989, within the framework of Erasmus, now part of the Socrates programme. ECTS is the only credit system which has been successfully tested and used across Europe. ECTS was set up initially for credit transfer. The system facilitated the recognition of periods of study abroad and thus enhanced the quality and volume of student mobility in Europe. Recently ECTS is developing into an accumulation system to be implemented at institutional, regional, national and European level. This is one of the key objectives of the Bologna process.
ECTS makes study programmes easy to read and compare for all students, local and foreign. ECTS facilitates mobility and academic recognition. ECTS helps universities to organise and revise their study programmes. ECTS can be used across a variety of programmes and modes of delivery. ECTS makes European higher education more attractive for students from other continents.

What are the key features of ECTS?

• ECTS is based on the convention that 60 credits measure the workload of a full-time student during one academic year. The student workload of a full-time study programme in Europe amounts in most cases to 36/40 weeks per year and in those cases one credit stands for 24 to 30 working hours. Workload refers to the notional time an average learner might expect to complete the required learning outcomes.

• Credit is also a way of quantifying the outcomes of learning. Learning outcomes are sets of competences, expressing what the student will know, understand or be able to do after completion of a process of learning, short or long. Credits in ECTS can only be obtained after completion of the work required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved.

• The allocation of ECTS credits is based on the official length of a study programme cycle. The total workload necessary to obtain a first cycle degree lasting officially three or four years is expressed as 180 or 240 credits.

• Student workload in ECTS includes the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, independent study, preparation for, and taking of, examinations, etc.

• Credits are allocated to all educational components of a study programme (such as modules, courses, placements, dissertation work, etc.) and reflect the quantity of work each component requires in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of study in the programme considered.

The performance of the student is documented by a local/national grade. It is good practice to add an ECTS grade, in particular in case of credit transfer. The ECTS grading scale ranks the students on a statistical basis. Therefore, statistical data on student performance is a prerequisite for applying the ECTS grading system. Grades are assigned among students with a pass grade as follows:
A best 10%
B next 25%
C next 30%
D next 25%
E next 10%
A distinction is made between the grades FX and F that are used for unsuccessful students. FX means: “fail- some more work required to pass” and F means: “fail – considerable further work required”. The inclusion of failure rates in the Transcript of Records is optional.

ECTS makes use of three important documents:

• The regular Information Package/Course Catalogue of the institution to be published in two languages (or only in English for programmes taught in English) on the Web and/or in hard copy in one or more booklets.

• The Learning Agreement contains the list of courses to be taken and agreed upon by the student and the responsible academic body of the institution concerned. In case of credit transfer, the Learning Agreement has to be agreed upon by the student and the two institutions concerned before the student’s departure and to be updated immediately when changes occur.

• The Transcript of Records documents the performance of a student by showing the list of courses taken, the credits gained as well as the local grades and possibly ECTS grades awarded. In case of credit transfer, the Transcript of Records has to be issued by the home institution for outgoing students before departure and by the host institution for incoming students at the end of their period of study.

ECTS Students

The students participating in Exchange Programmes involving ECTS will receive full credit for all
academic work successfully carried out at any of the ECTS partner institutions and will be able to transfer these academic credits from one participating institution to another on the basis of prior agreement on the content of study programmes abroad between students and the institutions involved.

When the student has successfully completed the study programme previously agreed between the home and the host institution and returns to the home institution, credit transfer will take place and the student will continue the study course at the home institution without any loss of time or credit.

Most students participating in ECTS will go to one single host institution, study there for a limited period and then return to their home institution. Some may decide to stay at the host institution, possibly to gain a degree. Some may also decide to proceed to a third institution to continue their studies. In each of these three cases, students will be required to comply with the legal and institutional requirements of the country and institution where they take their degree.

Students selected by each institution to participate in Socrates/Erasmus Exchange Programme may only be awarded a student mobility grant, if they fulfil the general conditions of eligibility for the ERASMUS grant. These are:

* The students must be citizens of one of the EU Member States or citizens of one of the EFTA
countries or citizens of one of the Associated Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) or Cyprus, Turkey or Malta. As to EFTA nationals, students will be eligible provided they are moving within the framework of Erasmus from the respective EFTA home country to an EU Member State. EFTA nationals registered as students in ECTS participating institutions in other EFTA countries or in Community Member States are only eligible for participation in ECTS, if they have established a right of permanent residence.

* The students shall not be required to pay tuition fees at the host institution. The student may, however, be required to continue to pay his/her normal tuition fees to the home institutions during the study period abroad.

* The national grant/loan to which a student may be entitled for study at his/her institution may not be discontinued, interrupted or reduced while that student is studying in another Member State and is receiving an ERASMUS grant.

* One study period abroad should not last less than three months or more than twelve months; students in the first year of their studies are not eligible to receive ERASMUS grants.

Courses and examinations are graded on the scale from five to one as follows:

5 = EXCELLENT
4 = VERY GOOD
3 = GOOD
2 = SATISFACTORY
1 = PASS
0 = FAIL
P = PASS (EVALUATED PASS OR FAIL)
Certain study units and examinations are given the grade Pass or Fail.

The grading system at the Laurea Polytechnic is different from the grading system used in ECTS but, as an informal measure, one should think of the polytechnic grade 5 as approximately the ECTS grade A, of 4 as B, 3 as C, 2 as D and 1 as E.
For more information on the examination procedures please see the Student Guide 2005-2006 or www.laurea.fi.

The aim of our educational services is to support the integration of Laurea Polytechnic’s three main areas of operation. The integrated services cover the following areas: pedagogy, regional development, research and development, administration, reception, advice, guidance and event management.

Integrated educational services include the financial aid committee, information service, e-services and continuous improvement of the services. Service Manager Teija Laamanen, tel. +358 205 787 532, teija.laamanen@laurea.fi is in charge of the development of educational services.

Each unit has an educational service point that offers its services to students, staff and Laurea’s partners. The Office will provide you with information on application times, result registers, study practices and social issues. Students will find information also at www.laurea.fi and on the Laurea Intranet Forum as well as on the notice boards and info-TV of each institute.
Educational services at each unit:

Library and Information Services are provided at each unit, for detailed information see the Student Guide 2005-2006 or www.laurea.fi. The numerous public libraries are open mainly Mon-Fri 10-20 and Sat 10-15, providing general literature, newspapers, periodicals, music and the possibility to use the Internet. Most services are free of charge.

Information about social benefits (student financial aid, insurance, meal subsides, health care) in the Student Guide 2005-2006 or www.laurea.fi. All Laurea students are insured under legally required accident insurance from Pohjola. The insurance covers accidents that take place in practical studies and unpaid internships/placements carried out in accordance with the curriculum in Finland. The insurance is valid during the activity according to the working plan and related direct travelling. The insurance does not cover sickness or accidents that take place in leisure time, which is why we strongly recommend an additional, optional travel insurance that will cover accidents that take place during leisure time as well as sickness during the stay in Finland. Citizens of the EU and EEA countries are covered by the National Health Insurance Plan administrated by the Social Insurance Institution. Students are advised to bring E128-forms or the European Health Insurance Card from their home country in order to ensure the additional benefits from National Health Care Services.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Helsinki Metropolitan Area

Laurea in cooperation with the Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region (HOAS) arrange housing for all exchange students and on special arrangement for some foreign degree students. Exchange students should mention their need for accommodation when applying for exchange. They will later get further information on the matter. The housing available through the HOAS usually consists of a furnished single room in a student flat with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. There is also a possibility to use a self-service laundrette and go to sauna. The student flats are situated all around the metropolitan area. The monthly rent for a room in HOAS student housing varies between 250 € and 390 € per month. Tenants should also be prepared to pay a deposit of 300 € before arrival. The tenant will get the deposit back if he/she leaves the room in good condition for the next student.

Neither rooms nor flats are normally equipped with kitchenware or linen. The students are requested to bring their own linen (sheets, towels). For those, who do not prefer a fresh set of personal blanket and pillow, the school has some previous stock available. If you want to take your hair drier or other electrical device with you, note that the voltage is 230 AC (50 cycles). Plugs are two pin continental sizes. You can drink water from the tap / faucet.

SOME UNITS HAVE STUDENT DORMITORIES OF THEIR OWN.

Accommodation in Hyvinkää

There are student flats available that cost approximately 200 – 250 € / month, depending on the size of the flat. Flats are units of 2 - 3 single rooms, sharing a kitchen and bathroom. Students are not allowed to share a room with another student. In many cases the students are accommodated in the student flats of Hyvinkään Vuokra-asunnot Oy (The student housing company of Hyvinkää).

The student will get a room including basic furniture. There will be a possibility to go to sauna twice a week and a free possibility to use the laundry. Electricity fee is included in the rent. There will be basic kitchen facilities and dishes in the flats but tenants are requested to bring own bed linen.

The tenancy agreement is for fixed period. A fixed period tenancy agreement ends when the period is completed. The agreement cannot be changed or terminated, so think carefully your departure day. You need to pay a rent deposit of 200 €, which you will get back in the end of your exchange period, if your flat is clean, empty and in good condition for the next student. Please note that the deposit needs to be paid before the agreement is signed. Normally the tenant gets the keys after paying the deposit. For further information please contact:

Real Estate Secretary Minna Nikkanen
minna.nikkanen@hyvinkaankiinteistojenhoito.fi
Address: Hyvinkään Kiinteistöjenhoito Oy
Suutarinkatu 2, 05900 Hyvinkää
Tel. + 358 19 475 7518
Fax +358 19 475 7520

If you are coming to Hyvinkää and interested in applying for student accommodation, please fax or email the filled Application for the Accommodation form to tanja.korteharju@laurea.fi.

Within a week of receiving an application form the housing company will send you information on pre-payments that a students need to pay before arriving to Finland (due date 10 days before arrival). The total amount is 350€ including 200€ deposit and 150€ rent, the latter one will be deducted from rent of the first month in Finland. The due dates of rent payments are the 5th of each month.

When planning your trip to Finland, please think carefully about the time of arrival. The housing company is open 8.30 am - 15.30 pm, and therefore we recommend you to arrive between the given hours. But due to the required advance payments it is possible to us to get a key for your flat before your arrival and meet you e.g. at Hyvinkää railway station. NB! If you are arriving during the night, it would be good to stay the first night at some student hostel and arrive to Hyvinkää next morning.

Degree Programmes taught in English are not included in the nation-wide joint application system (yhteishaku). Applications to the next programmes, starting in August 2006, should be directed to the Polytechnic:

APPLICATIONS OFFICE
Laurea Polytechnic Applications Office
Lummetie 2a
01300 Vantaa, Finland
Tel. +358 205 787 490
Fax +358 205 787 495
hakutoimisto@laurea.fi
www.laurea.fi

Please contact the Office on anything related to your application.

Admission Requirements for Full Degree Programmes
People who have the following qualifications are eligible for admission to the polytechnics in Finland:
1. The upper secondary school syllabus or a matriculation examination;
2. An International Baccalaureate Degree or a Reifeprufung Degree or a European Baccalaureate Degree;
3. A vocational qualification or equivalent;
4. A post-secondary or higher vocational diploma;
5. A vocational qualification, a further vocational qualification or equivalent.
6. A basic diploma from a 3-year vocational training;
7. Equivalent foreign qualifications.

Anyone intending to work in Healthcare or Social Services must be passed as medically fit before they can be employed.

Selection criteria are set out in “Hakijan opas 2006” (Laurea Polytechnic Application Guide) that can be ordered at Applications Office or in “Ammattikorkeakoulujen valintaopas” (Polytechnics Application Guide) that will be published in January 2006.

There will be a separate intake period for Laurea’s English language Degree Programmes in Business Management in the beginning of 2006 (see www.laurea.fi for up-to-date information). Applications are invited directly to the Applications Office. Entrance test and English language test (one day) will be in May 2006. More information: leppavaara.info@laurea.fi or hyvinkaa.info@laurea.fi

There will be a separate intake period for Laurea’s English language Degree Programmes in Nursing and in Social Services in the beginning of 2006 (see www.laurea.fi for up-to-date information). Applications are invited directly to the Applications Office. Entrance test and English language test will be in June 2006. More information: otaniemi.info@laurea.fi

Applicants will be notified of the results of the selection process by mid July 2006. Students must let the Institute know whether they accept or not their places by a certain date. According to the provision, a student may accept only one study place in a Degree Programme leading to a higher education degree during one academic year. The purpose is to ensure admission to higher education institutions for as many students as possible (www.oph.fi One-place-per-student provision).

Students who wish to study at Laurea Polytechnic on exchange programmes - such as Erasmus or Nordplus or Bilateral Agreement - should turn to the international office at their home institution in order to be selected into a programme. They can then fill in an online application form and a Learning Agreement form (can be found at www.laurea.fi / Apply to Laurea). The forms should be returned prior the exchange period. The application form shall be submitted online and the Learning Agreement form should be returned to the International coordinator of the institute in question (see also www.laurea.fi). Students selected to participate in exchange programmes at Laurea should have a good command of English.

Application deadlines yearly are:
May 15 for terms 1 and 2
October 30 for terms 3 and 4.

Tuition is provided free of charge for students on exchange programmes. The students may, however, have to buy books and other educational material themselves.

We recommend arriving the previous week prior to the commencement of studies in order to settle in and to register. Early notification of arrival and travel arrangements is advisable. The exchange students will be met on arrival by a Laurea representative. The Laurea International Coordinators, faculty and International Tutor Students will assist the students in academic questions. The exchange students will have International Tutor Students to give assistance with practical arrangements. Orientation for the international students is arranged during the first weeks after their arrival. Social activities are arranged by the Student Union and the International Tutor Students.