Information for new students, autumn 2024

In order to confirm your admission, please complete the following four steps:
1. Confirm offered study place
2. Register for the academic year 2024-2025
3. Submit copies of your educational certificates
4. Check of the original certificates

1. Confirm the offered study place by 11.7.2024

Confirm your study place by using the link in your confirmation email or by logging in to the Oma Opintopolku / My Studyinfo service. You need to confirm your study place by 11 July 2024, 3pm (Finnish time) or you will lose it. If you are accepted from the waiting list, you will have a personal deadline for accepting the offer. You will get an email from us about it.

If you are unable to confirm your study place online, please contact the Admission Services.

Before confirming your study place, be aware of the one study place per term provision.

Please note that if you have to pay the tuition fee, you will be notified of this separately. The tuition fees for students starting their studies at Diak in 2024 are:

• Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Social Services, €12 000 per academic year
• Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Health Care, Nursing, €12 000 per academic year

2. Register for the academic year 2024–2025 by 11.7.2024

After confirming your study place, you have to register as attending or non-attending for the academic year 2024–2025 by 11 July 2024, 3pm (Finnish time). Register as attending or non-attending at the Oma Opintopolku/My Studyinfo service.

If you are unable to register using the service, please contact the Admission Services.

Please note that you can only register as non-attending for your first academic year on certain legal grounds:

You can register as non-attending for the first academic year only for the following reasons:

• If you are unable to begin your studies due to illness or disability and will be non-attending for one semester or the whole academic year.
• If you need time off your studies to take care of a child in regard to the child’s birth or adoption (14.1.2022/52):
• If you need to complete military service, civilian service or voluntary military service for women in Finland.

Please note that if you have to pay the tuition fee, you cannot register for the academic year before you have paid the fee.

3. Submit copies of your educational certificates by 11.7.2024

If you did not attach copies of your educational certificates (the ones that you used in the joint application process) to your online application form when you sent your application, please do it as soon as possible, by 11 July 2024, 3pm.

You can access your application through the Oma Opintopolku / My Studyinfo service Click on Proceed to applications and log in with Finnish bank identification codes, mobile certificate or certificate card. After logging in, choose the correct application form and upload your copies to the section called Certificates required in connection with student selection (UAS).

If you are unable to log in to the service, you may also submit the copies by email at admissions@diak.fi. If you use email, please take into account IT security matters.

If an applicant has provided false information and would not have been eligible for admission on the basis of correct information, Diak may reverse the decision of admission. In addition, if an applicant does not provide copies within the given time, Diak may reverse the decision of admission.

Even if you register as non-attending, you must provide copies of your certificates.

4. Checking original certificates at the start of your studies

Your admission is conditional until your certificates have been checked and copies have been compared to the original documents.

During the first two weeks of studies, the originals of your educational certificates, which you used in the joint application process, will be compared to the copies you submit.

Take the original certificates with you on the first day of studies. If you do not submit the original certificates for verification, Diak may reverse the decision of admission.

If you register as non-attending, the original certificates will be checked when you commence your studies.

Starting your studies in the autumn 2024

You will find detailed information on starting your studies on the pages of your degree programme:

• Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Social Services (DSS)
• Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Health Care, Nursing (NUR)

Absence in the first academic year

According to the Universities of Applied Sciences Act (see English translation), section 29, you can register as non-attending in your first academic year for the following grounds:

1. service under the Conscription Act (1438/2007), Non-Military Service Act (1446/2007), or Act on Women’s Voluntary Military Service (194/1995)
2. maternity, paternity or parental leave
3. incapacitation by personal illness or injury (Act 325/2015).

To prove the legal grounds for your absence, please submit one of the following documents to the Admission Services by 11 July 2024, 3pm (Finnish time). We do not recommend that you send messages including sensitive data via unprotected email.

1. a call-up order
2. Kela’s certificate regarding parental allowance period or, if the certificate has not yet been received, a medical certificate regarding the pregnancy
3. Sickness allowance decision or, if no decision exists, a medical certificate. The medical certificate must state which illness or injury the student suffers from, and that this condition prevents the student from beginning their studies on 1 August 2024. Obstacles caused by the practical arrangements required by the illness or injury: an adequate clarification, e.g. a certificate from the student housing foundation that the student is on the waiting list for an apartment required by his or her injury. Student’s own notification is not an adequate clarification.

If you do not submit your document by the deadline given above, you will be registered as attending for the academic year.

All students at Diak need to acquire their personal Diak user account. Your user account was created automatically when you were granted a right to study. As a degree programme student at Diak you can activate your account at the start of your first attending semester (from 3 August onwards). Please activate your Diak account before the starting of your studies.

After activation the account, which includes f. ex. access to your personal email and cloud storage, will remain available for as long as your right to study is valid.

The instructions for activating your account can be found at the Diak Identity Service webpage.

Diak accounts use multi-factor authentication. After activation of the account, when logging in to one of the Diak services (f. ex. email, Diakle) for the first time, multi-factor authentication will ask you for more info and the preferred authentication method. This info is required to be filled in, that you can continue to use the account and login with your Diak account.

Using and login with personal Diak account requires the user to have working phone number or mobile phone. If you do not have a working phone number or mobile phone, please contact Diak IT-support. You can find more information and instructions about multi-factor authentication from here.

Non-EU/EEA students need a student residence permit. You can begin the student residence permit application online at Enterfinland.fi. Please note that you must personally visit a Finnish embassy or consulate for identification as part of this process.

Given the increased demand for residence permit applications for studies in Finland, some countries have exceeded the usual processing time for residence permit applications. In worst case, this may lead to a situation where a student is not granted a residence permit in time to start the studies in autumn 2024. Therefore, we recommend that you start the residence permit application process immediately.

Carefully follow the immigration authorities’ instructions and regulations. Important things to note:

• You can supplement your application, so you do not need to have all the documents ready when you begin the process
• You will need the official Acceptance Letter from Diak to attach to the application. You will receive this after you have paid the tuition fee.
• You are required to prove to have sufficient independent funding for living in Finland
• You must have sufficient insurance coverage for immigration
• Always be truthful in giving information to avoid a negative decision
• In case you receive a negative decision, please contact Diak Admissions

You can find detailed information and advice on the residence permit requirements and procedures on the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) website.

Step-by-step guide for starting your immigration process:

1. Prepare for the application by checking you have all the necessary attachments and information
2. Create your user account in Enter Finland online service
3. Fill in the application form for student residence permit carefully and accurately. Also attach all the required documents.
4. Book a time for identification. You can find a list of Finland’s embassies and other missions online.
5. Pay and submit your application
6. Visit the selected authority to identify yourself
7. Follow the processing of your application

Please find information for students moving to Finland in the subpage

• New in Finland

Would you like a tutor to help you settle in Finland?

Our student union O’Diako offers free tutoring for students coming from abroad.

Your tutor can help you:

• find your way to your accommodation and school
• how to get around on public transport and buy tickets
• obtain a telephone connection
• student discounts
• how Finnish prices and currency work
• health care, local services, leisure activities, culture, shops and shopping

If you need this kind of help and you would like to talk to a tutor, send me a mail and we’ll be in touch.

Community specialist

Kaisu Ojala

kaisu.ojala@odiako.fi

Tutors are senior students that welcome the new students to Diak. Tutors will guide you with academic practices, help you to get to know the campus and strengthen the sense of community among students.

The student union for all Diak students is called O’Diako. For information on how to become a member, please visit the O’Diako website.

Student events on Helsinki campus

• Getaway appro 21 August
• Finnish baseball Diak x O’Diako 3 September
• Diak festival / Semester opening festival 4 September
• Freshman event 11 September
• O’Diako annual party 25+1 26 October

The Digistart introduces you to the digital systems and tools you need as a student at Diak. Digistart will be available from 5 August 2024, after you have activated your Diak user account. You will receive a link and an access code to Digistart via email 5 August 2024. The Digistart is completed at Diakle , our online learning environment. Please find instructions for logging in to Diakle here. 

In the Digistart you will learn for example:

• What kind of computer will you need for your studies?
• What software can you use for free as a student?
• How to access study materials and submit assignments?
• How to access your study records and grades

All Diak students should have a laptop, since digital tools and learning environments are used in all study modules. Some lessons will be taught online in Zoom and a computer with a camera and a functioning pair of headphones including a microphone is recommended.

We do not recommend using mobile phone to access lectures and learning environments, since mobile phone only offers limited functions in our online learning environments Diakle and Zoom.

DO NOT BUY A CHROMEBOOK for your studies, since some of our software does not function properly in Chromebook.

Students can have Office365 licence for free during studies. We recommend using Chrome internet browser in studies.

Your Study Guidance Counselor Sonja Hyrkkö will guide you in building your personal study plan (PSP) in our Study Guidance sessions. There will be a monthly Study Guidance session during the 1.semester. On semesters 2-7 there will be 3 Study Guidance sessions per semester. If you have studied similar topics before in Higher Education, you will be able to apply for RPL Recognition during semesters 2-7. Opintojesi alussa opinto-ohjaajasi ohjaa sinua laatimaan henkilökohtaisen opintosuunnitelman eli HOPSin, jota päivität tarvittaessa. Samalla tehdään suunnitelmaa mahdollisten aiempien opintojesi tai työkokemuksesi hakemisesta osaksi opintoja.

Näet oman opinto-ohjaajasi yhteystiedot koulutuksesi kohdalta kampuskohtaisilta sivuilta.

• Helsinki
• Oulu
• Pori
• DiakHub Itä-Suomi
• YAMK

Lue lisää opinto-ohjauksesta. Voit lisäksi tutustua jo etukäteen oman koulutuksesi opetussuunnitelmaan.

Diak degree students are entitled to use the services of the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS). The mandatory healthcare fee for higher education students is paid to Kela, The Social Insurance Institution of Finland. Read more about the services of the Finnish Student Health Service and the healthcare fee for higher education students paid to Kela. You can also read an info letter by FSHS.

All non-EU/EEA students are required to obtain a student health insurance. Your insurance must be valid when you arrive in Finland and be valid throughout your entire stay in Finland.

The right to use public health services depends on the country from which you are moving to Finland to study.

If you come from another Nordic country to study in Finland, you are entitled to health care services. You will receive care under the same terms and pay the same amount for the services as Finns do. Bring along an official identity card when using health services.

If you come to study in Finland from an EU member state, EEA member state, the United Kingdom or Switzerland, you need to obtain a European Health Insurance Card in your home country before coming to Finland. If you have a European Health Insurance Card, you have a right to medically necessary health care in Finland.

If you come to study in Finland from another country outside EU/EEA, you need a comprehensive health insurance policy from your home country in order to get a residence permit for Finland. If you study in a bachelors degree programme at Diak, which is a 3.5 years programme, you will be granted a municipality of residence in Finland and will thus be covered by municipal health services. In that case, your insurance only needs to cover medicinal expenses. If you study in a Master’s programme at Diak and the estimated duration of your studies is less than two years, you will not be eligible for municipal health services.

More information at: Infofinland.fi

Tuudo, a mobile app for higher education students, provides degree students of Diak a student card, easy access to their study-related information and other services.  With Tuudo, students can check their schedules, courses completed, maps of the campus, important services on the campus as well as campus canteen menus. Tuudo is available to download from Google Play Store and Apple App Store for Android and iOS respectively. Tuudo user guide.

Tuudo offers a digital student ID card that brings you a number of student services and discounts.

The student union for all Diak students is called O’Diako. For information on how to become a member, please visit the O’Diako website.

Get to know the Diak Helsinki campus in the following video.

You can get quite close to the campus by trams 6 and 8 and buses 55 and 56. There is no parking available but there is plenty of room for bicycles.

Kalasatama metro station is about 15 minutes’ walk from the campus.

Diak Helsinki Campus
Kyläsaarenkuja 2, 00580 Helsinki
Map Jouney Planner

Start arranging your accommodation immediately after being accepted as a student. The housing situation in the Helsinki region can be challenging and housing is given on first-come-first-serve basis.

Student Housing

Student housing in the Helsinki area is offered by HOAS​, The Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region.HOAS offers various kinds of student accommodation options: rooms in shared apartments, apartments for families as well as studio apartments (although only students already living in other HOAS apartments can apply for studio apartments). The apartments available for degree students are unfurnished. 

HOAS rents are approximately between €250–600/month. Be prepared to pay more than the minimum. The HOAS rent includes broadband internet connection, electricity and water. HOAS website has more information on what is included  in the rent and what services HOAS offers you. 

HOAS is a non-profit foundation that cooperates with the Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences in the Capital Region of Finland​. HOAS has nearly 19 000 tenants and over 10 000 apartments near study institutions in Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, and Kauniainen. 

Further information: HOAS (hoas.fi/en) 
vuokrausneuvonta@hoas.fi
tel. +358 9 549 900

Other housing possibilities

Private market housing is another option of students. Rental apartments are usually unfurnished, and the rents are higher than in student housing. The level of rent varies a lot from an area to another, but the average level of rent typically starts from 600€/month.

In the private housing market an apartment deposit is usually required. The deposit is returned when you move away, providing that you have paid the rent and kept the apartment in good condition. The minimum rental period is often 12 months for a private market apartment.

We recommend that you always make a written rental contract with the landlord, and when renting an apartment from a private person you should not pay rents in advance before seeing the apartment first. You can ask your tutor to help you to check the appartment in advace. Although the majority of the private landlords are completely reliable, it is good to be aware of the possible scams in the private rental market.

Remember that in addition to the monthly rent, there are other monthly costs which you should keep in mind when budgeting for accommodation (e.g. electricity, water fee, home insurance, internet connection).

Rental apartment forums and providers

• Forenom accomodation for students
• Oikotie (oikotie.fi) in Finnish
• Vuokraturva (vuokraturva.fi) Real estate agency.
• Vuokraovi (vuokraovi.fi) Portal for rental apartments.
• Lumo (lumo.fi) Rental apartments in Espoo and Helsinki.
• SATO (sato.fi) Corporate investor company.
• Helsinki City Housing (https://www.hel.fi/en/housing/rental-housing/heka-rental-apartments) Apartments owned and rented by the City of Helsinki
• Habita (habita.fi) Privately owned real estate agency, which also offers rental service.
• OPKK (opkk.fi) Estate agency. (in Finnish, contact information available in English)
• Tori (tori.fi) Online marketplace for all kinds of items, also housing advertisements. (in Finnish)
• Kiinteistömaailma (kiinteistomaailma.fi) Estate agency. (Limited English search)
• Huoneistokeskus (huoneistokeskus.fi) Estate agency. (search-tool in Finnish)

No apartment before arriving to Helsinki?

If you do not have an apartment before arriving to Finland, be prepared to find temporary accommodation early enough, a hostel or Airbnb, for instance.

Helsinki Newcomers Guide  and Welcome to Helsinki website give you useful information about living in Helsinki.