European Forestry Master

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NEW STUDENTS PRACTICAL GUIDE

20092011

A two-year double degree Masters Course

NEW STUDENTS PRACTICAL GUIDE 20132015

AgroParisTech, France

University of Lleida, Spain

University of Eastern Finland

University of Freiburg, Germany

Wageningen University, the NetherlandsSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria


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New Students Practical Guide 2013-2015: Version 5 March 2013

Copyright: MSc European Forestry secretariat

All photographs have been provided by the students and staff of MSc European Forestry

partner universities.

The MSc EF Secretariat reserves the right to revise and amend regulations and procedures at anytime.


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FOREWORD___________________________

Dear MSc European Forestry student,

it is our pleasure to warmly welcome you to begin your two-year studies in

our programme. We are delighted to offer you this guide, the purpose of

which is to offer you a general introduction to studying and living in an

international atmosphere in Europe.

We encourage you to discover Europe and its myriad cultural and historical

features that vary from one region to another. This guide is designed to

help you throughout your studies and we hope that the coming two yearswill be enjoyable and rewarding.

This guide book includes only the most important practical issues that you

need to know while studying in MSc European Forestry programme and

does not replace the possible practical guide books of the MSc EF

Consortium Universities. Therefore you are also strongly encouraged to

get familiar with e.g. the International Students Practical Guide of theUniversity of Eastern Finland.

MSc European Forestry secretariat


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

____________________________CONTACT INFORMATION ............................................................................ 5

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 6

PRIOR TO STUDIES .................................................................................... 8

Documents for admission ......................................................................... 8

Finnish residence permits ......................................................................... 8

Travelling to Finland .............................................................................. 10

ARRANGEMENTS IN HELSINKI, STOCKHOLM AND SKINNSKATTEBERG ............. 12

STUDYING AND LIVING IN JOENSUU........................................................... 14

Arrival and orientation ........................................................................... 14

Accomodation ....................................................................................... 16

WebOodi and registration ....................................................................... 17

Student identity card ............................................................................. 18

Mailing lists .......................................................................................... 18

International section of the Student Union and association of forest students . 19

Finnish Friends programme ..................................................................... 20Local busses, second hand shops and bicycle rental.................................... 21

MSc EF FINANCES .................................................................................... 23

Erasmus Mundus scholarships ................................................................. 23

Erasmus scholarships for students without Erasmus Mundus scholarship ....... 23

Consortium fees .................................................................................... 24

Additional fees for field activities ............................................................. 25

Student Union fees ................................................................................ 25

Bank issues .......................................................................................... 25

PERSONAL SAFETY ................................................................................... 26

Insurance ............................................................................................. 26

Alcohol, drugs and medicine ................................................................... 27

TRAVELLING IN EUROPE ........................................................................... 28

USEFUL LINKS AND KEY PHRASES IN FINNISH AND IN SWEDISH .................. 32

NOTES .................................................................................................... 34


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CONTACT INFORMATION

___________________________

MSc European Forestry secretariat www.europeanforestry.eu

www.uef.fi/europeanforestry

Prof. Timo Tokola timo.tokola(at)uef.fi

tel. +358 50 401 5835

Dr. Marjoriitta Mttnen marjoriitta.mottonen(at)uef.fi

tel. +358 50 442 3031

Ms. Pauliina Karvinen pauliina.karvinen(at)uef.fi

tel. +358 50 442 2572

University of Eastern Finland http://www.uef.fi

WebOodi https://wiola.uef.fi/weboodi/

Nordea Bank http://nordea.fi

tel. +358 200 3000

ACE Insurance https://www.marshconnect.eu/

emis2MC.htm

Emergency telephone number throughout Europe 112


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INTRODUCTION

_________________________

Congratulations! You have been admitted to MSc European Forestry

programme. You have now two years of hard work and fun ahead of you

and it is up to you to get the most out of it.

The coming two years will be a great opportunity for you to create a

network of colleague students and professionals alike. Get to know your

course mates and remember to mingle with the local people; throughnatives you will always be able to comprehend the local way of life better

than by socialising only with your course mates.

Be active in student life. Do not think that the world is ready. You will

have plenty of opportunities to influence, for example, how courses are

conducted and what you are being taught. You are an important customer

to educational institutions and teachers will take your constructive feedback seriously and consider your suggestions carefully for the betterment

of each study unit.

At some point in your studies, you will find out that you need to ask your

teachers and professors for recommendations. When this moment comes,

it is good that the one, who gives you the recommendation letter, knows

you personally or at least by your reputation. How you treat your course

mates and other colleagues, how enthusiastic and helpful, how energetic

and creative and, most importantly, how reliable and fair you are, will all

contribute to the image that we all have of you. The forestry world in

Europe is small and people within the profession tend to know each other

throughout the continent, more or less the same applies all over the

world. When you apply for a summer job or ask for a doctorate student

status, do not be surprised if your future employee or supervisor contacts


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one of your professors for recommendations.

Being active is a way to study in Europe. You will have a lot of freedom,

but this brings in the responsibility that you must take for your studies.

Often the teachers will give you only a few hand outs and a list of

recommended reading and sometimes you must find your study material

by yourself. It will be up to you to acquire the required competence to

pass the examinations. Go to the library or search on the Internet about

the topics that you will have ahead of you. You will enjoy the lectures and

field trips more when you know something about the topic before hand.

Apart from the few compulsory courses, you must think for yourself andchoose the courses that you like best. No one will check that you will take

the examination after the course or that you will hand in the report in

time. Instead, you will have certain deadlines and ultimately your goal is

to graduate, but no one tells you which path to choose to achieve these

goals. This does not mean that help would not be available. Especially in

the beginning of the studies when everything may seem complicated and

confusing, the MSc EF secretariat is there for you if you have questions orif you need advice.

During your studies, you will write numerous essays and reports. Knowing

the facts gets you far, but in order to perform well you must learn to

express that you have understood the topic and that you have been able

to formulate your own arguments on the matter. Copy-pasting some one

elses ideas is not impressive, quite contrary you will be accused ofplagiarism which is considered a serious crime in the scientific world!

During the coming two years you will not learn everything about Europe or

forests or even European forestry. Most importantly you should learn

where and how information can be found and to critically interpret the

vast flow of information that is all around us. The amount of sources is

nowadays hardly a scarcity, but finding the most truthful source of

information requires skills.


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PRIOR TO STUDIES

_________________________

DOCUMENTS FOR ADMISSION

The information package sent to you contained the following documents:

1. Notification of admission

2. Confirmation form (to be signed and returned)

3. Student agreement

4. List of selected students

5. Notice to students by the Finnish immigration service

6. Invoice to pay the Consortium fee (ONLY for non-scholarship holders:

The receipt of the paid fee to be returned)

7. Letter of attorney (ONLY for scholarship holders: to be signed andreturned)

Please fill in the requested documents and send them to us as soon as you

have decided to accept your study place.

FINNISH RESIDENCE PERMITS

Unless you are an EU citizen, you must likely apply for a Finnish residencepermit for one year. The first step is to contact the Finnish diplomatic

mission of your country. For further information on applying for a

residence permit, the validity periods and the application fees, as well as a

list of countries whose citizens do not need residence permits, see the

website ofthe Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs:

http://formin.finland.fi

http://embassyworld.com
http://formin.finland.fi/english/http://formin.finland.fi/english/


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EU citizens and citizens of Liechtenstein and Switzerland do not need a

residence permit, but they must register their right to reside in Finland if

the stay lasts for longer than three months. The local police administer the

registration.

Finnish residence permit application documents

You need to fill in and take a print copy of the residence permit application

form. In addition to documents required by the embassy/consulate, the

Notification of admission and List of selected students (documents 1 and 4

mentioned on the previous page) should be submitted with your

application. Normally the embassy/consulate takes your passport and

gives you a receipt. You need to visit the embassy in person as you will be

fingerprinted for a biometric residence permit card. When your residence

permit is approved you will be informed and by showing the receipt you

will get your residence permit card. Please note that procedures may vary

from country to another (or person to person!). For more information on

the Finnish Immigration Service web pages and document 5:

http://www.migri.fi

Residence Permit application. Please note that the passport photograph

must comply with the passport photo guidelines. You are adviced to follow

them stricktly to avoid unnecessary delays.
http://www.migri.fi/services/_application_forms_/residence_permit_application_formshttp://www.migri.fi/download/16681_olel_pk_en.pdfhttp://www.migri.fi/download/16681_olel_pk_en.pdfhttp://www.migri.fi/services/_application_forms_/residence_permit_application_forms


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TRAVELLING TO FINLAND

Financing

Each student must pay her/his own travel expenses.

Transit visa

Some of you would like to come to Helsinki via London or other airport

outside Schengen area. If you are planning to stop or change air planes

anywhere in Europe, please check whether you need a transit visa.

Luggage

Luggage weight: Check the air line for maximum weight. Usually, your

checked-in baggage should not be more than 20 kg and the cabin

baggage should be 8 kg. Please keep in mind that you will have to

travel a lot during the study programme. Therefore, you should not

take more baggage than what you absolutely need with you. Extra

luggage will make your travel torturous!

Passport and other important documents and valuables (mobile phones,

cameras, laptops, etc): You should always keep them with you during the

flight and never send them with the check-in baggage. You should also

carry two sets of photocopies of all your important documents (especially

passport and the residence permit) and if possible, scan them and

transfer to a CD/DVD/memory stick!

What to take with: Some of you may not have experiences of living in

places with minus 20-30 degrees centigrade! You will need a warm jacket

as well as good winter gloves, winter shoes/boots, socks, caps and inner-

wears, rainwear, etc. You will also need prescribed medicines, a

calculator, a wind proof light jacket, passport photos and a power

converter (transformer).


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Packing strategy: During the first days we will be constantly on the move

(one night in the ferry, and then two nights in Stockholm before arriving

to the place where you stay the three consecutive weeks), it would be

very handy if you could bring a smaller bag where you can put the mostnecessary things for the first days (some clothes, a jacket, a toothbrush

and a small rain coat). Thus, we could leave the big pieces of luggage in

storage rooms (at a ferry, the bus or the hostels) and we could move

easily up and down with the smaller bags.

Costs

The following is an estimate of what you will be spending in Europe.

Accomodation: Accomodation costs per month will vary between 200-400

EUR/month, depending on the size of the apartment and country. The

accommodation in Sweden during August will cost about 377 EUR and you

need to be prepared to pay it in cash (in Swedish crowns) at the end of

August before leaving to Joensuu.

Food: An estimate of what you will spend buying your food is about 200

EUR per month. In most cases you will be able to cook your own food.

Travelling costs: The costs will be on your side. The travelling costs that

you face are difficult to estimate. You can get good prices for flying within

Europe (30-50 EUR one-way) using low-cost airlines, but for that you will

have to travel light (expensive extra charges for over 15 kg check-inluggage may be applied) and the payment may have to be done with

credit card.

If you have a credit card, we strongly advise you to bring your own credit

card from your country, since according to the Finnish banking rules you

cannot get a Finnish visa/credit card unless you have 2-year working

experience in Finland. For cash withdrawals, you will be able to manage


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with your Finnish or European visa-electron or similar. For all those having

an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, we will make arrangements and assist

you to open a Finnish bank account and to obtain a visa-electron card

upon your arrival in Helsinki. This will be then the bank account whereyour scholarship will be paid on a monthly basis.

If you are planning to change currency in advance in your home country,

please realise that the currency in Finland is the EURO, but the currency in

Sweden where you will be in August is Swedish crowns. Naturally, you

will be able to change currency or withdraw money from ATM in Europe,

and therefore changing excessive amounts of money prior to arrival is not

necessary.

ARRANGEMENTS IN HELSINKI,STOCKHOLM AND

SKINNSKATTEBERG_________________________

Accommodation upon your arrival in Helsinki: You are expected to arrive

at Helsinki on Wednesday the 7 August. Your accommodation in Helsinki

has already been arranged (booked and paid) with the Eurohostel (two to

three persons in the same room). You may check into the hostel on the 7th

of August (after 2 p.m.). In case you arrive before the 7 th, you need to

arrange and pay your accommodation by yourself until you join the group

on Wednesday. For more information about the Hostel please visit their

website at

http://www.eurohostel.eu/

Ferry boat from Helsinki to Stockholm: On Thursday afternoon we will take


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a ferry boat (booked and pre-paid by MSc EF) to Stockholm, Sweden,

staying overnight on board in shared cabins with 3 or 4 persons and

arriving at Stockholm on the Friday 9 August in the morning. A dinner and

breakfast will be provided on board. For further information on the ferry,please visit:

http://www.vikingline.fi

You will leave Sweden on 31 August. You will be provided a bus

transportation from Skinnskatteberg to Stockholm and you will take a

ferry (booked and pre-paid by MSc EF) back to Helsinki. You will be in

Helsinki on 1

September in the morning and you will travel from Helsinkito Joensuu as a group on the same day by train (you have to book the

ticket and cover the costs by yourself).

Accommodation in Sweden (Stockholm and Skinnskatteberg):

Accomodation has been arranged by MSc EF. For more information about

the accomodation in a hostel in Stockholm (two to four persons in the

same room) and in SLU facility at Skinnskatteberg (individual rooms),

please visit the weblinks at

http://www.langholmen.com/En/Hostel/AboutHostel.aspx

http://www.uef.fi/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=a9f90ff3-a456-4b9b-

adee-1ec5f1b567e2&groupId=116169&p_l_id=283523


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STUDYING AND LIVING INJOENSUU

_________________________

ARRIVAL AND ORIENTATION

Student tutors will meet you upon your arrival at Joensuu on 1st

September. The tutors will assist you in all practicalities through your

studies in Joensuu.

International students can rent survival packages from the Student Union

of the University of Eastern Finland. Survival package includes items such

as kitchen utensils and bed sheets, but not blankets and pillows. Most of

the items are usually second hand. According to the preliminary

information, the rent will be 35 EUR including a 20 EUR deposit, which will

be refunded when the package is returned complete and clean. When you

have received a survival package, you should come to the Student Union

office to fill in a rental agreement. Packages can be paid in cash in the

student union office. Your tutors can get the survival package to you

before your arrival, if you inform him/her.

To facilitate the integration of international students in Finland, the

University of Eastern Finland organises an Orientation Programme on 2-4

September. The programme includes lectures on Finnish society, Finnishlanguage, culture and university life, and a visit to the University main

library. It is highly recommended that you participate in the orientation,

which is also a good opportunity to meet other international students. In

addition, you will have an opportunity to participate in a Finnish language

course Finnish 1 in September-October during which you learn the

basics of the language. In addition, the following three intorductory

courses are available for you.


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8031003 University Study Skills (1 ECTS)

8031002 University Computing Skills (1 ECTS)

8020270 Information skills and sources in science and forestry forinternational students (1 ECTS)

1130007 Career planning international students seeking a job or

traineeship in Finland (2 ECTS)

You will receive more information about these courses later.


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ACCOMODATION

Accomodation in Joensuu: You should apply for accommodation in Joensuu

for the first academic year, starting on 1 September immediately after

accepting the study place. Please check the website of the Student

Housing Company Joensuun Elli, which is the company that offers

student accommodation in Joensuu.

http://www.joensuunelli.fi/eng/

Fill in the application form carefully according to the given instructions.

Mark clearly that you are a MSc EF student and that you would like to

have a furnished room in a shared flat (apartments are for families only

and single flats are hard to get). There are only a limited number of

furnished flats and usually the flats are rented without furniture if furniture

is not mentioned in the offer. Remember to attach a copy of your

Notification of admission to your application.

About one month prior to your arrival in Joensuu, you will receive an offer

from Joensuun Elli for a room by email. You will have to confirm theoffered accommodation by paying a deposit. It is very important that you

accept the offer asap as later there might not be any rooms left.

Since the housing company is independent from the university, we kindly

ask you to direct them any questions you may have regarding the

accommodation.

When you have reserved a flat or a room at the Student Housing CompanyJoensuun Elli, immediately upon arrival at Joensuu you must visit them

and sign your lease. You will get the key to your flat after signing the

lease. If you arrive at Joensuu outside the office hours (Mon 9:00-17:00;

Tue-Thu 9:00-16:00; Fri 9:00-15:00, Sat-Sun closed), you may ask your

tutor to get the key for you. If your tutor agrees to pick up the key, you

must send him/her a letter of authorisation where you permit him/her to

collect the key.


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Student Housing Company Joensuun Elli

Merimiehenkatu 30, Tel. +358 13 267 7800, Fax +358 13 223 301 Email

opiskelija-asunnot[at]joensuunelli.fi

WEBOODI AND REGISTRATION

WebOodi is a versatile student information system of the University of

Eastern Finland. With WebOodi, students can e.g. keep track of exam

results, completed courses and earned credits, register for courses, order

an unofficial transcript of records, and update your contact informationwhen necessary. In order to use WebOodi, you need the university e-mail

username and password. You will get these during the first week of your

studies in Joensuu.

It is not possible to earn credits without registration. Before starting your

studies at the University of Eastern Finland, you must register at the

University. This can be done via WebOodi system once you have received

your username and password. You will be assisted to do the registration in

Joensuu. You have to pay the Student Union membership fee during the

registration (about 108 EUR per year) and fill in the registration form that

will be provided to you in Sweden. The fee can be paid via WebOodi to the

Student Unions bank account or via bank transfer in Joensuu.

Student and study register WebOodi is maintained both by you, the

students, and us, the MSc EF secretariat. Your responsibility is to keepyour contact information up to date and remember to register for all the

semesters before your graduation. Additionally you must monitor the

study register and inform us if any of the courses that you have completed

does not show within one month from completing the course. All the

courses that you conduct at the University of Eastern Finland should show

in WebOodi automatically, but the ones that you complete in any other

partner universities, will not show in the register unless you update the


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information by sending the MSc EF secretariat an official transcript of

records.

https://wiola.uef.fi/weboodi/

STUDENT IDENTITY CARD

You will get a student identity card by ordering it through the web pages

of Lyyra. You can either order a Lyyra student identity card or Lyyra/ISIC

student identity card. You can have more information about these cards at

Lyyras web pages. You can order your card as soon as you have decidedto participate in the programme. Your card will be further processed as

soon as you have paid the student union registration fee and the specific

fee for the student identity card. Please find more information at

http://www.lyyra.fi

MAILING LISTS

We have created mailing lists to all MSc EF courses separately and use

them to distribute study related information to you. Please keep in mind

that when you use this email list, your message will be sent to all its

subscribers: you, all your course mates and MSc EF secretariat. The lists

for the courses 2004-2013 are formed as mscef_20xx(at)lists.uef.fi.


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FINNISH FRIENDS PROGRAMME

International students can get to know the Finnish way of life through

participating in the Finnish Friend Programme. The student will not be

living with the family, but he or she meets with a Finnish friend or family

every now and then, and they decide together what they would like to do.

The Finnish friend or family can invite the student for a visit to their home

and share their leisure time activities and traditions. Thus, the

international student gets a chance to familiarise him or herself with the

Finnish culture and ordinary Finnish everyday life. Finnish friends andfamilies participate in the programme, because they enjoy learning more

about foreign countries, cultures and languages.

The programme has been very popular among students and therefore it

cannot be promised that everyone will get a Finnish Friend. Those

applying for the programme should be prepared to meet their friendship

families regularly. Priority is given to those students who stay in Finland

for the full academic year and naturally to those who return the

application in good time.

For further information and for signing up for a Finnish Friend, please see

http://www.uef.fi/studies/the-finnish-friend-programme1
http://www.uef.fi/studies/the-finnish-friend-programme1http://www.uef.fi/studies/the-finnish-friend-programme1


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LOCAL BUSES, SECOND HAND SHOPS AND BICYCLE RENTAL

Local buses in Joensuu (Lehtosen Liikenne) run usually twice an hour from

the town centre covering the entire Joensuu. You must buy a ticket (3.30

EUR) in the bus from the driver and the ticket allows you to change buses

during the one hour (applies to buses 1-17). To check the more detailed

time tables, visit the web page http://www.jns.fi (>tourist

info>timetables). Also student bus cards (about 60 EUR including 40

travels, valid for one year) are available.

Some key words to help your navigation:Lhtpaikka=departure; Mrnp=destination; Asema=railway station;

KESKUSTA=town centre; Yliopistonkatu=University of Eastern Finland

Second hand shops and bicycle rental

A) Kontti, Suomen Punainen Risti (Finnish Red Cross)clothes, furniture, dishes, books

address: Voimatie 10, 80100 Joensuu, tel. +358 40 1390 725

B) Fida International, international mission and development co-operation organisation

clothes, books

address: Torikatu 19, 80100 Joensuu, tel. +358 13 226 001

C) Recycling Centre, run by the organisation of unemployed people ofJoensuu

radios, TVs, stoves, washing machines, clothes, dishes, books,furniture etc.

address: Teollisuuskatu 5-7, 80100 Joensuu, tel. +358 13 220 604
http://wilima.jns.fi:8080/traveller/matkainfo?origin=menu&command=hakuhttp://wilima.jns.fi:8080/traveller/matkainfo?origin=menu&command=haku


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D) Valintakirppis

Clothes, furniture, dishes, books

address: Teollisuuskatu 4, 80100 Joensuu, tel. +358 13 223 880

E) Joen jttikirppis

Clothes, furniture, dishes, books

address: Raatekankaantie 4, 80100 Joensuu, tel. +358 44 3173 771

F) Kansalaistalo Caf Soroppi,

www.kansalaistalo.fi/sivut.php?id=polkupyoratCommunity Resource Centre

Bicycle rental

address: Torikatu 30, 80100 Joensuu, tel. +358 13 123 132

Cheap bed clothes, pillows, blankets:

Jysk, Voimatie 10, 80100, Joensuu, www.jysk.fi


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MSc EF FINANCES_________________________

ERASMUS MUNDUS SCHOLARSHIPS

The European Commission issues two-year scholarships for both non-

European and European students.

Category A scholarship is a two-year scholarship, which in total is 48,000

EUR. Tentatively the scholarship will be paid as follows (excluding

consortium fees): During the first study year; 2,000 EUR in August and

January and 1,000 EUR per month during August-July. During the second

study year: 4,000 EUR in July and 1,000 EUR per month during August-

July.

Category B scholarship is a two-year scholarship, which in total is 20,000

EUR. Tentatively, the scholarship will be paid as follows (excluding

consortium fees): During the first and second study years 500 EUR per

month during August-July.

Generally, the scholarships will be transferred to the accounts on the last

day of the previous month, eg. the scholarship for June on 31st May etc.

ERASMUS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS WITHOUT ERASMUSMUNDUS SCHOLARSHIP

Students, who do not have Erasmus Mundus scholarship or have not ever

received Erasmus scholarship for their exchange studies, are eligible to

apply for an Erasmus scholarship for their second academic year and/or

for their internship (applied period). The Erasmus scholarship is 200 EUR/

month for the second year studies and 350 EUR/month for the internship.


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The annual deadline for applications for the Erasmus scholarship for the

second year studies is 28 February and for the internship it is continuous

for the time being. Further information can be obtained from

Mr. Markku Ropo markku.ropo(at)uef.fi, tel. +358 50 442 3432

Ms. Mia Laurila mia.laurila(at)uef.fi, tel. +358 50 342 2396

CONSORTIUM FEES

There is a consortium fee for all the students.

The total amount of consortium fee for participating in the 2-year Erasmus

Mundus European Forestry programme is 8,000 EUR for European

nationals and Erasmus Mundus Category B scholarship holders regardless

their nationality. The consortium fee is 16,000 EUR for all the other

nationals and Erasmus Mundus Category A scholarship holders regardless

their nationality.

The consortium fee is payable to the consortiums bank account on an

annual basis for both the academic years in advance by a due date set by

the consortium. Erasmus Mundus scholarship holders can choose to have

their consortium fee charged directly to their scholarships by providing the

MSc EF secretariat with a letter of attorney. No visa card payments are

allowed.

Paying the consortium fees in due time is a prerequisite for participating

and eventually graduating in the MSc European Forestry Programme.

Neglecting to pay the consortium fees will lead to withholding your future

scholarships. If there are any questions concerning the scholarships or

consortium fees, please do not hesitate to contact: Ms Pauliina Karvinen,

pauliina.karvinen(at)uef.fi, tel. +358 50 442 2572


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ADDITIONAL FEES FOR FIELD ACTIVITIES

The MSc EF consortium arranges group travel tickets and some of the

board and lodging during the orientation and Modules 1, 5 and 6.

Students monetary contribution towards these arrangements is 1,050

euro and payable in one instalment on 30th November of the first

academic year.

STUDENT UNION FEES

Throughout your studies, from the very first day until your graduation,you will remain a degree student at the University of Eastern Finland.

According to the Universities Act (645/1667) all degree students belong to

the student union and must pay the student union fee on a semester

basis. The student union fee for the academic year 20132014 will most

probably be 108 EUR per year (the exact information will be provided

later).

You may incur a similar fee also in other consortium universities.

BANK ISSUES

All the students who receive Erasmus Mundus scholarship must have a

Finnish bank account. The scholarship holders are instructed to open a

Finnish bank account upon their arrival at Finland and all their futureErasmus Mundus scholarships will be directed to this bank account for the

next two years.

Any questions concerning the bank issues are best asked at the bank in

person. This can be done by using the banks NetBank connection. The

telephone number of Nordea help desk is +358 200 3000 and web address

http://www.nordea.fi


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PERSONAL SAFETY

_________________________Visitors have little need to fear for their personal safety or their belongings

property in Europe. Authorities, such as the police, can be trusted and

corruption is almost non-existent (all the seven consortium universities

are among the worlds 30 least corrupted countries according to the

Transparency International Annual Report 2010). Nevertheless, reasonable

caution with ones personal belongings is always recommended as a

precaution.

Similarly, it is just common sense to avoid situations that may cause you

trouble. Walking alone at night, especially in big cities, is not

recommended. You should at least tell some of your friend where you are

going and when you are expected to return. Do not mingle with drunken

people and avoid being provocative, especially on weekends in bars and

restaurants. If necessary, do not hesitate to contact the police. The

emergency telephone number throughout Europe is 112.

INSURANCE

All the students, both European and non-European, need to make sure

that they are adequately insured against accident, injury and ill-healthwhile participating in MSc EF. Personal medical cover is required by most

of the European countries, even by those, which have a public health care

system. You may also want to consider travel insurance, which protects

you, your travel documents and your belongings while you are away from

home.


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The MSc EF programme offers a special insurance products EMIS 2 to its

students. All students will automatically receive free medical insurance

cover. This covers unexpected medical expenses in the European countries

that they visit during the Masters Course. It also provides accident coverand protects them against some costs arising from civil liabilities (a kind of

third-party insurance which is required in many European countries). This

medical coverage also applies during periods of travel during the Erasmus

Mundus Masters course. The insurers will also provide you with assistance

if you lose your passport, tickets or other travel documents. However,

EMIS 2 is not a comprehensive travel insurance. If you wish to be covered

for eventualities such as the loss or theft of money, personal belongings

and items of value, or for the unexpected costs caused by travel delays,

you are advised to take out additional cover with a private insurer.

Full details are provided with regard to the EMIS 2 insurance scheme at:

https://www.marshconnect.eu/emis2MC.htm

ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND MEDICINE

The use of alcohol is usually restricted to indoors and private premises.

Although law and regulations vary from one country to another,

sometimes even from town to town, in general drinking alcohol in public

parks or at street is prohibited. In most the European countries selling

alcohol to under aged people (less than 18, sometimes 20, years of age) is

illegal.

The use and possession of narcotics are punishable acts in most of the

European countries, as are selling, import and transport or narcotics. Drug

dealing carries a heavy prison sentence. Anyone in possession of illegal

drugs, including hash and marihuana, runs the risk of being arrested and

expelled from the EU or being imprisoned.

Imports of medicinal products are controlled. Limitations of amounts of


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medicinal products that can be imported by a passenger are dependent on

whether a product is considered a self-medication products, a prescription

drug or narcotic drug. Most restrictions concern narcotic drugs, where only

an amount of equivalent to 14 days use can be imported. For furtherinformation, see the Heads of Medicines Agencies:

http://www.hma.eu

TRAVELLING IN EUROPE_________________________

During your Erasmus Mundus European Forestry studies, you will visit at

least seven European countries. Travels between the countries are usually

at your own responsibility and you must do them at your own expense. In

addition to obligatory travelling we highly encourage you to explore

Europe by yourself at your free time!

Travelling in Europe is generally easy and the majority of coach, train and

flight tickets can be purchased on the Internet. Within Central Europe,

trains and coaches are quick, comfortable and usually cheap in comparison

to flights. When travelling to/from Finland and Sweden, the easiest and

often the cheapest way to travel to the continent is to fly. A more time

consuming but relaxed option would be to take a ferry across the Baltic

Sea. Student rate tickets are generally available, but sometimes special

offers are a real bargain! Please note, that the following chapters are not

trying to be an extensive tourist information package and the links

provided are merely suggestions based on personal experience.


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International student card ISIC

To benefit from student discounts you must have an International student

card. The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is the widely accepted

student ID card (see also p. 18). With access to a global network ofaffordable and specialised student services, the ISIC is your passport to

more than 32,000 discounts and benefits in 106 countries worldwide. You

can also order a Lyyra/ISIC combination card.

http://www.isic.org

http://www.lyyra.fi

Coaches

Eurolines

The brand name Eurolines groups 32 independent coach companies, which

operate the Europe's largest regular coach network. This network connects

over 500 destinations, covering the whole of the continent and Morocco.

http://www.eurolines.com

Bus pass in Europe

http://www.busabout.com

National bus companies

Berlin Linien Bus: National and international destinations to/from Berlin,

Germany.

http://www.berlinlinienbus.de

Connexxion: Dutch national network of coaches.

http://www.connexxion.nl
http://www.eurolines.com/http://www.busabout.com/http://www.berlinlinienbus.de/http://www.connexxion.nl/website/home.asphttp://www.connexxion.nl/website/home.asphttp://www.berlinlinienbus.de/http://www.busabout.com/http://www.eurolines.com/


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Flights

Air Berlin: http://www.airberlin.com

Austrian Airlines: http://www.austrian.com

Blue 1; Budget flights: http://www.blue1.com

British Airways: http://britishairways.com

Easy Jet; Budget flights: http://www.easyjet.com

Finnair: http://www.finnair.com

Iberia; Spanish enterprise: http://www.iberia.com

KLM; Royal Dutch Airlines: http://www.klm.com

Lufthansa; German enterprise: http://www.lufthansa.com

Ryan Air; Budget flights: http://www.ryanair.com

SAS; Scandinavian Airlines: http://www.flysas.com

More low cost airlines: http://attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines/europe

Trains

BB; Austrian rail company: http://www.oebb.at

VR; Finnish Rail: http://www.vr.fi

DB; Die Bahn German Rail: http://www.bahn.de
http://www.airberlin.com/http://www.aua.com/fi/enghttp://www.blue1.com/http://britishairways.com/http://www.easyjet.com/http://www.finnair.com/http://www.iberia.com/http://www.klm.com/http://www.lufthansa.com/http://www.ryanair.com/http://www.sas.com/http://attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines/europe/http://www.oebb.at/http://www.vr.fi/en/index.htmlhttp://www.bahn.de/http://www.bahn.de/http://www.vr.fi/en/index.htmlhttp://www.oebb.at/http://attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines/europe/http://www.sas.com/http://www.ryanair.com/http://www.lufthansa.com/http://www.klm.com/http://www.iberia.com/http://www.finnair.com/http://www.easyjet.com/http://britishairways.com/http://www.blue1.com/http://www.aua.com/fi/enghttp://www.airberlin.com/


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NS; Netherlands Rail: http://www.ns.nl

Renfe; Spanish Rail: http://www.renfe.es

France: http://www.sncf.com

SJ; Swedish Rail: http://www.sj.se

Train passes in Europe: http://www.raileurope.com

Interrail passes in Europe: http://www.interrail.com

General

http://www.travelpunk.com

http://www.bugeurope.com

http://www.lonelyplanet.com

http://kilroytravels.com
http://www.ns.nl/http://www.renfe.es/http://www.sj.se/http://www.raileurope.com/us/index.htmhttp://www.interrail.com/http://www.travelpunk.com/http://www.bugeurope.com/http://www.lonelyplanet.com/http://kilroytravels.com/http://kilroytravels.com/http://www.lonelyplanet.com/http://www.bugeurope.com/http://www.travelpunk.com/http://www.interrail.com/http://www.raileurope.com/us/index.htmhttp://www.sj.se/http://www.renfe.es/http://www.ns.nl/


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USEFUL LINKS

_________________________

University of Eastern Finland: http://www.uef.fi

School of Forest Sciences: http://www.uef.fi/metsa

City of Joensuu: http://www.jns.fi

Study in Finland: http://www.studyinfinland.fi

Finnish Immigration office: http://www.migri.fi

Joensuun Elli: http://www.joensuunelli.fi

Information about Finland: http://www.infopankki.fi

Information for the new students: http://www.uef.fi/studies/new-students

KEY PHRASES IN FINNISH AND INSWEDISH

_________________________English Finnish Swedish

Hello Hei Hej

Yes Kyll Ja

No Ei Nej

Thank you Kiitos Tack
http://www.uef.fi/studies/new-studentshttp://www.uef.fi/studies/new-students


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English Finnish Swedish

Good bye Nkemiin Adj

Sorry Anteeksi Urskta/Frlt

How are you? Mit kuuluu? Hur mr du?

My name is Minun nimeni on Jag heter

One, two, three Yksi, kaksi, kolme Ett, tw, tre

Four, five, six Nelj, viisi, kuusi Fyra, fem, sex

Seven, eight Seitsemn, kahdeksan Sju, tta

Nine, ten Yhdeksn, kymmenen Nio, tio

I do not understand En ymmrr Jag frstr inte

Where is? Miss on? Var r?

Cheers Kippis Skl

Butter Voi Smr

Cheese Juusto Ost

Egg Kananmuna gg

Skimmed milk, Rasvaton maito Fettfri mjlk

max 0.5% fat

Semi-skimmed milk, Kevytmaito Lttmjlk

Max 1.5%fat

Sour milk Piim Surmjlk

Cream Kerma Grdde

Sugar Sokeri Socker

Salt Suola Salt

Bread Leip Brd

Pork Sianliha Gris, flsk

Chicken Kana, broileri Kyckling

Beef Naudanliha Nttktt

Fish Kala Fisk


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Masters degree programme in European Forestry isorganised by:

in co-operation with: