Student Exchange

New horizons, new insights

Student exchange is an experience of a lifetime! You won’t regret it! During your exchange you will experience new culture, language, country, new people – something unique you will remember forever. Also your future employers appreciate the experience abroad.

Exchange at VAMK

Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK, University of Applied Sciences is an international and multidisciplinary institution of higher education located on the west coast of Finland. Each year we receive nearly one hundred exchange students from our partner universities. Do you want to be the next one?

Students from the field of health care and social services and technology and communication can apply for internships through VAMK. If you are interested, please contact your international coordinator.

Please note, if you are planning for degree studies at our institution, you will find more information from the VAMK Applicants -page.

If you are a student at one of our partner universities, we warmly welcome you to us!

Courses for Exchange Students

Shorter than degree studies, exchange studies give you the same unforgettable multicultural study experience in a tighter package. Note: General information related to studies and studying at VAMK can be found from VAMK For Students -page.

Courses in International Business

International Business

In the International Business degree programme (undergraduate level) all the courses are in English. The exchange students are recommended to focus on subjects from the course list especially selected for them. In addition there are other courses available. Please note anyhow that by selecting other courses from different year levels, it’s possible that courses are arranged at the same time and there is a risk for overlapping. The learning agreements are signed before the timetables are published.

The specialisation options are:

  • International Marketing
  • Foreign Trade
  • International Operational Environment
  • Optional Professional Module

Internship places are not being offered in this programme.

Courses in 2024-2025

 

Courses in 2023-2024

 

 

 

 

 

Courses in Information Technology

Information Technology

The IT undergraduate degree programme is available completely in English. The exchange students are recommended to focus on subjects from the 2nd, 3rd or 4th year level. It is recommended to choose courses mainly from one year level as otherwise there is a risk for overlapping. Please note that he learning agreements are signed before the timetables are published.

The Advanced Professional Studies include:

  • Software Engineering: focuses on software engineering methods, industrial databases and modern programming languages and technologies
  • Electronics and Embedded Systems: focuses on electronic circuits design, microprocessors and their programming, embedded systems and programming methods
  • Telecommunications: focuses on computer networks

Courses in 2024-2025

Courses in 2023-2024

 

 

Courses in Engineering

Mechanical Engineering and Energy Technology

Courses in Energy Technology programme

New bachelor level degree programme in Energy Technology in English has started in January 2023.

Courses in Mechanical Engineering and Energy Technology in 2024-2025

Part of the 3rd and 4th year courses are in English and available also for exchange students.

Please  note that the learning agreements are signed before the timetables are published.

Courses in Mechanical Engineering and Energy Technology in 2023-2024

Courses in Health Care and Social Services

Health Care and Social Services

The Degree Programme in Nursing will offer an International study Module in Nursing. The scope of the module is 21 ECTS divided between a theoretical course of 6 ECTS and a combined placement, classroom training and clinical project of 15 ECTS. The different parts of the module are also available separately.

VAMK offers placements for nursing and social work students from our partner universities. The amount of placements is limited and depends on the situation in hospitals and other placement providers. Please note, that the application deadline for placements for the spring semester is October 1 and for the autumn semester March 1.

Please contact the VAMK International Coordinator for the School of Health Care and Social Services for further information.

How to Apply

If you are a student at one of our partner universities we warmly welcome you to us! From these pages, you can find all the necessary information and forms for applying.

ECTS Information Package and Course Catalogue

Courses and information for Exchange students:

Part 1: Information on the institution

Part 2: Information on programmes

General description:

  • Qualification awarded, level of qualification
  • Specific admission requirements:
    • English programs
    • Other programs
  • Specific arrangements for recognition of prior learning (formal, non-formal and informal)
  • Qualification requirements and regulations
  • Profile of the programme (with: key learning outcomes, occupational profiles)
  • Access to further studies
  • Course structure diagram with credits (60 ECTS per full-time academic year)
  • Examination regulations, assessment and grading
  • Graduation requirements, (applies all programmes)
  • Mode of study
  • Programme director or equivalent:
    • Business Economics and Tourism
    • Health Care and Social Services
    • Technology and Communication

Description of individual course units:

  • Course unit title, course unit code, type of course unit (compulsory, optional), level of course unit (e.g. first, second or third cycle; sub-level if applicable)
  • Year of study (if applicable)
  • Semester/trimester when the course unit is delivered
  • Number of ECTS credits allocated
  • Name of lecturer(s)
  • Learning outcomes of the course unit
  • Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance learning)
  • Prerequisites and co-requisites
  • Recommended optional programme components
  • Course contents
  • Recommended or required reading
  • Planned learning activities and teaching methods
  • Assessment methods and criteria
  • Language of instruction
  • Work placement(s)

Part 3: General information for students

  • Cost of living
  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • Medical facilities
  • Facilities for special needs students
  • Insurance
  • Financial support for students
  • Student affairs office
  • Learning facilities
  • International programmes
  • Information for mobile students
    • General Information (studies, applying etc.)
    • Practical information
  • Language courses
  • Internships
  • Sports and leisure facilities
  • Student associations
Application process

Nomination

When you apply for exchange studies at VAMK, you have to be a student of our partner university and be nominated by them by email: international@vamk.fi .

Nomination needs to be done 2 weeks before the application deadline.

Other requirements are:

  • at least one year of studies prior the exchange
  • good English language skills

Application

Nominated students will receive user ID and instructions by email, and are then able to fill in the online application here: SoleMOVE / Welcome! (solenovo.fi) .

Instructions for the online application: SoleMOVE Application Instructions .

Attachments you need to upload to SoleMove (in pdf or jpg format) concerning study exchange:

1. Copy of passport or official European ID card

2. Transcript of records from your home institution

3. For Erasmus students (from Europe):  Online Learning Agreement OR Erasmus+ Learning Agreement provided by the home institution if the online learning agreement is not in use yet

Information needed on the Learning agreement:

  • Name: Vaasa University of Applied Sciences
  • Erasmus Code: SF VAASA03
  • Address: Wolffintie 30, 65200 Vaasa, Finland
  • Country: FI
  • Web link to the course lists:  Student Exchange – VAMK
    • Business
    • IT
    • Engineering
    • Health Care and Social services
  • International Coordinator’s contact information (E-mail: firstname.lastname@vamk.fi)
    • Hanna Peltola (Incoming students)
  • Responsible person:
    • Hanna Peltola (firstname.lastname@vamk.fi)

OR

3. For other partner institution students (non-Erasmus only): Learning Agreement

International coordinator at your home institution will help you in the application process.

 

Acceptance

Applications are processed in May-early June/November after which you will get a letter of acceptance and practical information by email.

 

*SoleMOVE – Information system for International Staff and Student Mobility

SoleMOVE information system is created for processing International mobility. It is meant for administration of co-operation agreements, contact information, mobility documentation and producing mobility reports and statistics for EU or Ministry of Education.

Rekisteriseloste (Privacy policy description, in Finnish)

Application deadlines

Application deadlines

  • Autumn Semester: applications by May 15, nomination by May 1.
    • For placements within social work and nursing, nomination deadline March 1
  • Spring Semester: applications by October 31, nomination by October 15.
    • For placements within social work and nursing, nomination deadline October 1

Please note that home university needs to nominate students two weeks before the application deadline by email: international@vamk.fi .

Academic Calendar

Academic Calendar

The academic year has two semesters. The autumn semester generally runs from late August/early September to December, and the spring semester from early January to April/May. There is no summer semester, but some summer courses may be arranged.

Exchange students’ semester begins with the Orientation Days which are arranged at the beginning of each semester. Orientation is also arranged for new international degree students at the beginning of the academic year.

More information: Schedule for academic year

Universities of Applied Sciences in Finland apply to the European Credit Transfer System ECTS. According to the system a student´s annual workload is 1600 hours. The workload is arranged evenly between not only different study years in the curriculum but also during the individual study year so that workload will not be excessive. For the student the academic year consists of 40 working weeks. Thus the average workload is 40 hours per week. It includes all the work needed for learning – contact studies, independent studying, practical training, project works and preparation for study performances.

Public holidays

Kalenteri

During national holidays all banks are closed as well as some shops. Public transport also follows specific timetables during national holidays.

Information for exchange students:

The autumn semester starts in late August or early September and ends before Christmas. In autumn semester 2024 the lectures will start on September 2nd.

The spring semester starts in early January and usually ends at the end of April/early May. In spring semester 2025 the lectures will start on January 7th. Most of the courses will end by the end of April.

Autumn 2024
Orientation days for incoming exchange students will be arranged in August, during week 35.

Spring 2025
Orientation day for incoming exchange students will be arranged at the beginning of January, 2025, during week 1

Erasmus Policy Statement

Erasmus Policy Statement 2021-2027 of Vaasa University of Applied Sciences

The European Commission has awarded Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (VAMK) an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) for the period 2021-2027. The ECHE is required to participate in the mobility and project cooperation under the Erasmus+ programme.

VAMK Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021-2027

En funded by the eu pos

VAMK’s Erasmus Policy Statement (2021-2027)

Erasmus activities included in VAMK’s Erasmus Policy Statement
Erasmus Key Action 1 (KA1) – Learning mobility:

  • The mobility of higher education students and staff

Erasmus Key Action 2 (KA2) – Cooperation among organisations and institutions:

  • Partnerships for Cooperation and exchanges of practices
  • Partnerships for Excellence – European Universities
  • Partnerships for Excellence – Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees
  • Partnerships for Innovation

Erasmus Key Action 3 (KA3):

  • Erasmus Key Action 3 (KA3) – Support to policy development and cooperation

Erasmus Policy statement (EPS):  VAMK’s Strategy

Internationalisation has played fundamental part of the Vaasa University of Applied Sciences’ (VAMK) strategy throughout its history. According to the new institutional strategy, our aim is to be the main partner in expertise for local working life, students and staff as well as for national and international partners. There are many international companies with a number of export business located in the region of Vaasa. Our city is also one of the most international cities in our country based to number of foreigners. Our target is to ensure that our students develop a global mindset, intercultural understanding and language skills, which are required by the local working life. This is enabled by sending students for mobility period but also by welcoming incoming exchange students and teachers. This way internationalisation at home is enabled also for the students who do not want to complete part of their studies or training abroad.

We also find it essential that our staff is internationally oriented as teachers are in the key role with educating students with required skills and expertise. Mobility of teaching and administrative staff is important for effective partnership relationship management, professional training, teaching delivery, programme development and support of cooperation projects. In this context, we aim to explore opportunities for different kind of cooperation with partners from both participating and non-participating countries.

VAMK is also aiming to increase number of the projects and project funding according to its strategy. This is also encouraged by the Ministry of Education in Finland as higher education institutions get part of their governmental financing based on the performance in external funding. Our vision and mission is to be ambitious with being interesting and creative cooperation partner and being the link between students and working life. We aim to promote knowhow and development based on the needs of the working life. We aim for exchange of information and experiences between the partners, hence mutually contributing to each other’s knowledge and practices like cross-fertilising of information. This may include, e.g. learning from different educational applications, methods and practices.

The objective of the ”Policies to promote internationalisation in Finnish higher education” is to strenghten the quality of Finnish higher education and to reach a position as a globally recognised frontrunner by 2025. VAMK want to do its part in following the recommendations and to be able to keep developing the quality of higher education in our country.

Based on these matters, participation in the Erasmus Programme will significantly contribute to VAMK’s aims to fulfil our objectives for the upcoming years and gives potential to influence positively on target groups. Erasmus programme has been in essential role for internationalisation of VAMK throughout its history. We value activities outside of Europe, but by participating in Erasmus programme, the majority of our international activities will be in Europe. Erasmus programme gives good structure and platform and provides good possibility for internationalisation by offering high-quality mobility for students and staff with clear, transparent and equal rules and requirements. By taking part in the programme, our students and staff will be involved with building European Education Area. Erasmus programme also provides good possibilities for different kind of project cooperation and development for innovative and creative solutions within different kind of networks. Participation in programme contributes in development of education and thinking models towards a more competitive Europe. Local enterprises have also possibility to be part in the Erasmus cooperation projects with us and by participating, we all can keep up in international competition and modernization process.

Erasmus actions

VAMK intends to take part in Erasmus Key Action 1 (KA1). All students at VAMK have the equal opportunity to include in their study programme a period of study or training abroad that provides full credit transfer. Students are informed about the possibilities, requirements and application procedure and process at the beginning of the studies and twice a year in the Info sessions as well as in the Study Portal. VAMK offers professional guidance in connection with the planning of a stay abroad and continues its efforts to establish a smooth process for credit transfers of studies completed at a partner university. For incoming students we provide high quality education in our programmes without tuition or other fees. Well-working supporting services ensure that students are well oriented to VAMK and treated equally with our own students. With the help of Student Union and local ESN we ensure that incoming students will be well integrated at our institution and with local students. The transcript of records is issued within 5 weeks after the mobility period to help them to get the credits easily recognized in the home institution.

Staff members are informed about the mobility possibilities in the Intranet and the issue is discussed yearly in the development discussions. This enables planning in advance and the mobility period can be acknowledged in the resources for next academic year. We aim to always provide and arrange mobility period abroad if both our institution and the staff member can get benefit from the mobility. The programme and teaching arrangements for incoming staff are planned in the department responsible for hosting the visitor. The aim is to provide good quality arrangements and programme to meet the objectives set by the participant and his/her home institution. We value if both incoming and outgoing mobilities lead to deeper and longer cooperation.

We also plan to take part in the Erasmus Key Action 2 (KA2) and Erasmus Key Action 3 (KA3). This requires finding suitable partners with same objectives and willingness to start cooperation. EU and non-EU projects are initiated and carried out by our educational departments as well as in our Design Center MUOVA. VAMK’s project coordinators as well as staff of MUOVA offer services related to both research funding and for supporting the project management. Departments are involved with project implementation. The objectives of projects shall always support VAMK’s strategy and our fields of expertise. The actions will be selected in line with organisation’s policies but also include new openings due to development purposes. Our target is get local companies to be part in the projects whenever applicable. We also aim to get students involved with the project and therefore give them possibility to get international experience in project work.

In all our international activities we recognize the importance of regular evaluation and monitoring, as well as benchmarking with partners and peers, in order to inform and influence our future practice, policy and strategy.

Envisaged impact

As indicated in our strategy, our aim is that our graduates have international experience. Thus we keep up providing possibility for internationalisation for our students by sending our students or welcoming incoming students for mobility period. In addition, this can be enabled by providing possibility for international virtual learning. The quantitative target is to increase the number of the credits from outgoing and incoming mobilities or virtual/blended learning with 10% by 2024 and with 20% by 2030. By the end of Erasmus period 2027 we aim to increase the number with 15%. Based on this we want to both to send and receive more mobility students and increase possibilities for virtual/blended mobilities.

We intend to continue sending staff members to take part in the Erasmus mobility. Instead of setting targets for the number of staff mobility, we want to concentrate on maintaining the good quality of mobilities and receiving new initiatives through the mobilities. One quantitative target is that by the end of the Erasmus period we have sent more newcomers for staff mobility than during the previous period. Taking part in Erasmus programme will help us significantly to achieve our quantitative goals in mobilities as majority of our activities are completed under Erasmus.

Based on the EU Surveys our performance in all mobilities (incoming, outgoing, students and staff) has mainly been good or very good but we realize there are some issues we can still improve. Our qualitative target is to achieve at least 80% level of satisfaction from different factors in EU Survey and reach or exceed the level gained by all HEIs in our country.

According to our strategy, our quantitative target is to increase the number of all external funding with 20% by 2024. Our institution’s quantitative aim during the next Erasmus period is to produce at least the same amount of projects under KA2 and KA3 as in previous period but preferably increase the number of the Erasmus funded projects by the end of the period.

The qualitative target is that our RDI activities have a significant role in the modernization of expertise for enterprises, society, staff and students by 2030. Qualitative indictors can be 1. Impact on society: socially important topics in projects targeting one area at time, due to change viscosity of the society, innovation value, (social) sustainable development, implementation of the new system, idea or innovation; 2. Impact on target group: needs of the target group, user-orientation, and involvement 3. Impact on organisation: new learning, exchange and networks, new training and other materials. 4. Impact on Satisfaction: how satisfied are people involved in the project.

All in all, Erasmus programme will be in the important role for achieving the quantitative and qualitative targets in our strategy.