Before packing your bags and heading to Finland, it is a good idea to get familiar with the country you are going to.
It is easier to leave for a foreign country if you know what to expect. Find information on Finland and its culture, habits, the weather etc. and get to know the specific features of the country.
Staying in a foreign country surrounded by unfamiliar customs and culture, away from friends and your everyday environment might be challenge at the beginning but Kajaani University of Applied Sciecens (KAMK) offers full support and guidance to all students on every stage of their studies.
Kajaani is located approximately 600 kilometres from the capital of Finland, Helsinki. It is possible to travel from Helsinki to Kajaani by plane or by train. The flight from Helsinki to Kajaani takes approximately 1 hour, and the train journey from Helsinki to Kajaani approximately 6 – 7 hours.
In Helsinki
Helsinki-Vantaa airport is located about half an hour from the Helsinki city centre. If you are taking train from Helsinki onwards, you can take the train directly from the airport. In Finland railway traffic is operated by state-owned company called VR. When buying a long-distance ticket, please choose ‘Helsinki Airport’ as your departure station if you plan to start your journey to Kajaani directly from the airport.
In Kajaani
The KAMK campus and most of the student accommodation is located approximately 2 kilometres from Kajaani city centre. The Kajaani Airport is located approximately 10 km from the city centre and the railway station is in the city center. Public transportation in Kajaani is not very extensive, but all important services are within walking distance.
The Student Union, called KAMO, offers a welcoming service for all new students arriving to Kajaani from abroad. The Student Union KAMO can pre-order taxis to the airport but it is not possible to pre-order a taxi to the railway station. However taxis can be found at the railway station at the arrival times of trains. The students will have to pay for the taxi themselves, which will cost approximately 20 – 50 euros per person depending on the arrival place and the location of the accommodation.
The taxi can take you directly to your accommodation, and a tutoring student will meet you there with your room keys. However, if your accommodation is not close to the campus area, you must first go to the KAMK campus (address: Ketunpolku 1 a) to get the keys, and then proceed to your accommodation. After submitting the notification of arrival form, you will receive an email with more information about your arrival and where you can pick up the keys to your accommodation.
Please note that there is no welcoming service available unless you have informed us of you arrival date and time by filling our notification of arrival form at the latest two week before your arrival. If you arrive in the middle of the night (between 22.00 and 06.00), there is no arrival service organized and you must spend the first night in a hotel. Student Union’s arrival service is available as follows:
mid-August until the end of September (for autumn semester) and
beginning of January until the end of February (for spring semester).
If your arrive outside of these times, you need to arrange the accommodation keys and taxi by yourself.
Please note that there is no grocery store at the Kajaani airport, on KAMK campus or near all student residences. Grocery stores are generally open every day between 9 am and 9 pm. Please also note that the student restaurant and cafes on campus are open during school hours only.
Furthermore, please note that the student accommodation does not provide sheets, towels, kitchen ware, toilet paper etc. Additionally, not all apartments have a mattress either, so check before arrival.
Remember to fill in the Notification of Arrival Form two weeks before your arrival to inform us of your arrival date and time. At the same time, inform us also if you are coming with family members. The link to the form will be sent to your KAMK email after you have received the login information.
A company called Kajaanin Pietari provides student accommodation in Kajaani. They offer shared accommodation and family apartments. Some of the accommodation is located on campus and other housing is located 1 – 3 km from KAMK campus. Degree students are expected to apply for their own accommodation but KAMK International Office books accommodation automatically for all incoming exchange students after accepting their applications.
Most of the foreign students choose shared accommodation, where they share the apartment with 3–5 other students and have a room on their own. The student accommodation generally has the basic furniture available. However, there are no bed sheets, towels or kitchenware. The rent varies depending on the location from 280 euros / month onwards.
If you choose to rent an apartment without furniture, the apartment will be totally empty and you need to arrange the furniture yourself. There is always a fridge and an oven in the apartment though. Also, it may be that there will be no electricity unless separately agreed at the beginning of the stay.
You should not make any travelling arrangements before you have received confirmation of your accommodation. Please apply for accommodation early enough to ensure finding a room, but please note that you shouldn´t apply for accommodation before you have received your residence permit.
Gamified Cohousing Kajaani has transformed a former Finnish school into a lively living and working environment, blending minimalistic, modular private and shared spaces. Located by the Kajaani Castle and river, and just a short walk from Kajaani City Center, residents have easy access to local attractions and services. The distance to KAMK’s campus is about 3km.
The rent of a room/apartment varies from 250 euros / month upwards. For students, Gamified Cohousing offers room furnishings without the additional fee. However, there are no bed sheets or towels. The rent includes water and electricity. You also have access to the shared spaces, including two kitchens and an event hall, and have access to Gamified Cohousing’s WiFi and social events.
For more information about available rooms, photos of the location and their gamified cohousing model, visit Gamified Cohousing Kajaani
KAMK offers excellent facilities for students to succeed in their studies. We offer all important services on campus:
– Study Services
– International Services
– Library
– Student Union KAMO
– Student restaurants and cafés
– Sport facilities
– Student Welfare Officers
Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK) is located in Kajaani, in the region of Kainuu and in the providence of Oulu. There are approximately 37 000 inhabitants in Kajaani but over 80 000 inhabitants on the overall region of Kainuu. Kainuu region is almost the size of Belgium so there is plenty of space for everyone to live and breath!
Kajaani offers outstanding natural surroundings for a wide range of leisure and sports activities, with modern services – we truly hope that you enjoy your time here!
The cost of living in Finland is slightly higher than in the other EU countries. The cost of living also varies inside Finland. Take a look at InfoFinland for more information about cost of living.
Finding a part-time job in a smaller town such as Kajaani can be very difficult, especially without Finnish language skills. Therefore, it is important to arrange your budget so that you can afford to live in Finland even without a job. In addition to the tuition fee, you will need approximately 700 – 900 euros per month for your own expenses, such as rent, food and other living costs.
Opening a bank account in Finland may take several weeks. Usually it is also good to be prepared for the costs to be a bit higher at the beginning, when you may have to purchase household items for your apartment (such as bed clothing, dishes, curtains, carpets, kitchen equipment, cleaning equipment etc) and you might also consider purchasing a bicycle or a car.
