Checklist for student exchange

Follow the announcement and familiarise yourself with the application process. 

Once you have received the decision from the internal application, if you are accepted, please ensure the following foundation for your upcoming exchange: 

• confirm the exchange place on the Mobility Online within 7 days of the acceptance letter date and familiarise yourself with the exchange rules and principles.
• participate in the pre-departure orientations
• check the host university application process and deadlines
• learning Agreement:
  • Fill in courses to Digital Learning Agreement in Mobility Online

Tips for the host institution's application process:

• Make sure to submit all required documents on time – it's a good idea to start the process as soon as you receive more details from the host institution.
• Pay attention to the required attachments, such as a transcript of records, CV and insurance certificate.
• If you need a language certificate: Complete the Erasmus+ placement test (OLS). More information from your International Relations Adviser.
• Participate in the orientation sessions, where you'll get detailed instructions for completing your application.
• Once you receive the acceptance letter from the host institution, forward the confirmation to your International Relations Adviser, who will verify the official exchange dates in the Mobility Online system.

Make sure to take care of the following:

• Notice of Change of Circumstances to KELA (Otm – olosuhdemuutosilmoitus), if you are entitled to KELA study grant.
• Fill in the Digital Learning Agreement in Mobility Online system
• Submit the grant application in Mobility Online system
• Mark your Metropolia attendance status as “present” for the duration of your exchange
• If you plan to participate language course prior to the exchange, apply for a language grant. Check more information in grant pages.
• If eligible, apply for inclusion support.

• apply for a passport or ID card, please note that sometimes you need to have a valid passport already in the host institution application, especially if you need to apply for a visa.
• apply for a possible visa or a residence permit
• make travel ticket reservations
• health care students doing their work placement with children and young people: order an Extract from your Criminal Record from Citizens' Services
• inform the host institution on the date, time and place of your arrival, if required.
• ask certificate for student exchange from your International Relations Adviser if your host institution requires it or if it is needed for your visa application to host country
• take with you the acceptance letter from the host institution, if you have received one
• the access to Metropolia email is currently restricted from abroad due to data security. In order to see your Metropolia emails abroad, you need to use VPN remote connection. More information by Metropolia helpdesk.

As part of 3AMK collaboration, Metropolia has co-created a guide for greener exchange. You can view the guide by scrolling to the end of this page. You can choose to travel sustainably to the host country and the surrounding countries. Furthermore, there are many sustainability actions you can affect during the exchange. 

If you are participating to Erasmus+ exchange, you may be entitled for green travel grant and extra travel days! Plan your route and return the declaration form to your international relations adviser! 

• Bus, train and car pooling are considered as green travel. Flying and ferry are not considered as green travel methods, but you may partially use these, as long as the main part of the travel is completed by the green travel. Further details to be shared in the orientation.

Make the accommodation arrangements both in Finland and in the student exchange destination. If you live in HOAS apartment and want to sublet your apartment, check more information on HOAS webpages.

Please note that in major student cities the housing policy is first come, first served. Therefore it is important to start the preparations early and consider your priorities and budget for housing.

• make Notification of travel to your embassy or consulate in the host country for possible emergency and crisis situations. Registration of Finns abroad for the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• make temporary change of address notification

• update the basic vaccinations and get other necessary vaccinations (international vaccination card), go for a medical examination and visit a dentist, if necessary.
• take care of your medicines and prescriptions, consult your doctor if necessary.
• check YTHS/FSHS travel health advice
• check health services abroad
• add to your mobile phone contact list all important contact information; emergency phone number in your host country (within all EU countries 112), insurance company, host institution's International Office, Metropolia international coordinator(s) and the nearest embassy or consulate of your home country. In addition, it is advisable to the add phone number for your credit card service, if you need to cancel your credit card
• check the safety instructions that have been sent you via e-mail and also read through travel destination guidelines by ministry of foreign affairs of your home country. Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel guidelines for Finnish residents (in Finnish and in Swedish)
• subscribe the European Health Insurance Card from Kela, if you are entitled to Kela social security system
• ensure a sufficient travel insurance coverage for the student exchange period. Please familiarize yourself with Metropolia's insurance coverage and consider purchasing an additional insurance.

You will receive more information about planning your studies during the exchange in the orientation sessions for outgoing exchange students. However, it’s good to keep in mind that for semester-long exchanges, students typically complete 30 ECTS credits, and for full-year exchanges or double degrees, 60 ECTS credits.

The exchange studies must fit into your degree. It’s a good idea to start reviewing the available courses and course registration process already during the application phase. The Learning Agreement is a mandatory part of exchange planning, as it ensures that your courses can be fully recognized in your degree after the exchange. The Learning Agreement is completed digitally in the Mobility Online system.

You will apply for the grant before your exchange, once you have received the acceptance letter and completed your Learning Agreement. The grant application process will be instructed in the orientations together with the possible additional grant (inclusion support and green travel support).

However, you can get an idea about the available grants by reviewing the grant pages. 

The student is responsible for all student exchange expenses such as living, travel and accommodation expenses, health and travel insurances and visa and vaccination expenses, as well as other possible expenses. Some of the host institutions charge students for books and other teaching materials, in addition to student and library cards and possible campus fees. The student exchange agreements made with the partner institutions usually guarantee that the student exchange period is waived for additional tuitions. 

Tuition-fee paying degree students

Metropolia’s fee-paying degree students must pay the tuition fee to Metropolia during the student exchange period.

Students entitled to the student financial aid from Kela can apply for Kela student grant, housing allowance, and study loan for the period of study abroad, if the studies are a part of a degree programme at Metropolia. Receiving financial aid from Kela requires that the student studies full-time for their study programme. Therefore also during the exchange the progress requirement for studies is at least 5 ECTS credits per month.

You can apply for a student grant for studies abroad with Kela's Notice of Change of Circumstances online form (in Finnish or Swedish only). The days of the student exchange period, mentioned in the application for the Kela Student Financial Aid, are the host institution's official study dates, not including the travelling days. 

Hopefully you enjoy your stay abroad. Often time students have to make course changes due to several reasons: overlapping schedule, course level not as expected, other courses were available and so on. You have to make sure that your digital Learning Agreement is up-to-date at all times and therefore you should make changes to the Learning Agreement within the first month after the student exhange has started. Fill in Digital Learning Agreement (during mobility) in Mobility Online according to the instructions provided in the orientations. 

• EU citizens: EU registration according to the instructions by the host institution at the host country
• Keep in contact with your International Relations Adviser and degree programme to inform them on possible changes

• You will receive an email "To do before the end of your exchange" 21 days before your exchange period ends. This email includes instructions for the things to do and a pre-filled Letter of Confirmation.
• Letter of Confirmation: Print it, have it signed by host institution and upload to Mobility Online. Changes to the original dates should be handwritten above the original dates. Upload signed and stamped document to Mobility Online.
• Incase you have chosen low-emissions transport and you will apply for Erasmus+ top-up grant for Green travel, please fill in and upload declaration form to Mobility Online together with the Letter of Confirmation certificate.
• Check also that your Learning Agreement includes all the courses you have taken and that it is signed
• Erasmus+ students: Fill in the Erasmus+ Participant Report feedback within 2 weeks. You will receive the link automatically to your e-mail according to the original exchange dates.
• Upload a copy of your Transcript of Records to Mobility Online. The transcript or records may be sent to the internatioonal office at Metropolia and if so, you will receive a copy. Attach the transcript or records also to your application for credit transfer (eRPL/eAHOT). Please contact the International Relations Adviser if the transcript of records is not sent to you within 2 months after the end of the exchange period.
• After you have received the transcript of records, fill in the eRPL (eAHOT) application, see the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) instructions of your field of study
• Submit your exchange report and feedback in Mobility Online

The documents must be submitted to Mobility Online system by 30 April at the latest for autumn semester exchanges and by 30 September at the latest for spring semester exchange. If you submit documents after that, you are not able to receive the final part of your grant (Erasmus+, free-mover and bilateral programmes).

Would you like to join the international info sessions to share your experience—or perhaps tell your exchange story on the Metropolia Exchange blog or Instagram? Your International Relations Adviser would be happy to hear if you're available to share your experience as an exchange ambassador.

Did you know that as a Metropolia student, you can apply for the Global Talent Open Badge, which recognizes the international skills you’ve gained during your studies? After your exchange, you’ll be in a great position to earn this badge.