| Information
for incoming exchange students |
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You are most welcome to Central Ostrobothnia
University of Applied Sciences! These pages are
intended as a source of information for incoming
exchange students and their aim is
to make it as easy as possible to apply, arrive
and settle.
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| Admission
requirements |
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| Central
Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences has
bilateral agreements with around 110 universities
and higher education institutions all over the world.
Students enrolled at any of our partner universities
are welcome as exchange students in accordance with
the agreements if they can certify a good knowledge
of English, Finnish or Swedish. The annual deadline
for submitting applications is 15th May and you
will find the application forms on these web pages.
Please note that all applications should be sent
to the international co-ordinators at the appropriate
unit (see Contact Persons).
Central Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences
also offers six degree programmes taught in English
and international students wishing to study for
the whole degree must apply directly to the degree
programme. More specific
requirements and instructions with regard to the
application procedure can be found under How to apply?. |
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| Application forms |
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ECTS - European Credit Transfer System Application forms
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| ECTS - European Credit Transfer System Learning Agreement |
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| Course selection academic year 2009-2010 |
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| Students’ Health Insurance |
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Any student who submits a residence permit application on or after 1.9.2007 must attach details of their comprehensive health insurance cover to their application. Comprehensive insurance cover means insurance which includes the types of treatment and costs that are covered by municipal health care services and the health insurance system.
It is a precondition for obtaining a residence permit that the student has valid health insurance cover with a reliable and solvent company or institution.
- For studies of less than two years in duration, a student must have private insurance which primarily covers the costs of medical treatment up to 100,000 euros (cost level in 2007).
- Where the duration of the studies is two years or more, a student will usually have a home municipality in Finland and is therefore entitled to municipal health care services. In such cases, it is sufficient for the insurance to primarily cover the cost of medicines (in practice the cover extends to doctor’s fees and costs of treatment and examination), up to 30,000 euros (cost level in 2007).
A student must have insurance cover when applying for a residence permit as without it a residence permit cannot be granted. A residence permit cannot be issued for a period exceeding the period of the insurance cover. |
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| The
academic year |
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| Our
academic year commences on the 1st of September
and finishes on 31st of May. The autumn semester
finishes around the 20th of December and the spring
term starts after Christmas holidays, usually during
the second week of January. The ECTS-system is in
use in all courses at COU. |
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| Arriving
in Central Ostrobothnia |
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COU
operates in the four different cities of Kokkola,
Pietarsaari (Jakobstad in Swedish), Ylivieska
and Haapajärvi and offer education at nine
different campuses. You can easily reach Kokkola
by airplane as there are five daily flights between
Helsinki and the airport of Kokkola/Pietarsaari.
You can naturally also reach Pietarsaari, Kokkola,
Ylivieska and Haapajärvi by train from Helsinki.
Find out more about the timetables at:
www.finnair.com
www.vr.fi |
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| Accommodation |
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| COU
does not have any accommodation facilities of its
own, but we make the necessary reservations for
exchange students and degree students before they
arrive. Students are accommodated in furnished student
apartments. Every student has his/her own bedroom
with a communal kitchen and bathroom. These apartments
usually accommodate 2-4 students. Despite the relatively
cold Finnish winters the apartments are comfortable
and warm thanks to the excellent insulation and
central heating systems. Most of the apartment buildings
have a sauna and laundry facilities on the ground
floor. The rent varies from 140 - 210€/month. |
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| Library
services |
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library offers the most up-to-date reference services,
as well as access to a wide range of databases on
CD-Rom or online, including the Internet. Computers
can be used by use of a personal password giving
access to electronic libraries and the Internet.
The loan period for most material is 14 days. All
COU students and teachers have free access to all
library services, though small charges are levied
for photocopying, telephoning and telefaxing.
Each department has its own computer facilities
for students. Each student receives a personal
e-mail address. |
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| Sports
and leisure activities |
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| Beautiful
western Finland is a haven for sports enthusiast
thanks to its close proximity to the sea, rivers
and lakes. Summertime sees many take to the water
with many different kinds of water sports such as
sailing, canoeing, fishing and swimming to try out.
Additionally, this region boasts excellent golf
courses, football, tennis, badminton, and volleyball
facilities. Wintertime brings many opportunities
for ice-skating and ice hockey, and many enjoy cross-country
skiing. In mid-winter lakes and the sea freezes
over, making for new adventures on skis, with many
also enjoying ice swimming fishing.
Relaxing pastimes also abound in the region,
among which is the Finnish passion for music and
dancing. Many music festivals take place in open-air
arenas and evenings of music and dance throughout
summer are very popular. As the autumnal months
set in, many Finns enjoy picking mushrooms and
berries, as the leaves turn golden before the
winter months. |
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| Culture
and traditions |
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| The
locality of Central Ostrobothnia University of Applied
Sciences is that of four cities, namely bilingual
Kokkola and Pietarsaari and the river cities of
Ylivieska and Haapajärvi. The culture in this
region is a rich blend of dynamic urban rhythms
with a diverse natural environment.
One of the region’s important figures is
undoubtedly Anders Chydenius, historically remembered
as one of the most important political minds of
Sweden-Finland lived in the region and had a great
influence on the locale. Remembered as the “Adam
Smith of the North” for his pioneering work
on freedom of trade and freedom of speech, Chydenius
was also a clergyman who furthered the concept
of freedom in religion. The spirit of humanism
and development Chydenius pioneered continues
to flourish and enhance Ostrobothnia to this very
day.
Most assuredly, the sauna is an essential component
in a Finn’s cultural make-up. With a long
history, the sauna in Finland continues to be
a part of everyday life and is considered as an
important place to clean oneself, socialize with
others, relax and rejuvenate. Taking a sauna during
wintertime is also enjoyable when interspersed
with quick dips in frozen lakes via a hole cut
in the ice or rolling about in the snow.
Asides from that, everyone looks forward to the
end of the summer season when the big party called
the Venetian Night festival takes place in Kokkola.
Featuring live performances by famous artists,
floating candles on the sea and fireworks at midnight,
it is a festival that goes back hundreds of years
in tradition and culture. Pietarsaari also celebrates
the end of its summer season with a festival featuring
much merrymaking and parties that go on late into
the summer night. |
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ECTS application page 1 & 2 