Student experiences
Still unsure about applying for exchange at Oulu University of Applied Sciences? Read what students who chose Oamk as their exchange destination have to say about their time in Oulu and in Finland.
It did not took long to fall in love with Finland. The fact that there is so much raw nature, so close by. People are friendly but introvert. It takes some time to get to know Finnish people, but when you do you notice that its really worth that time. The school itself is nice, it feels personal and the facilities like the library, computers and labs are great. Not to forget the fact that you can eat good food for a small amount of money (and yes I miss the food from school as well).
Erik, Hanze University Groningen, Netherlands
My Semester abroad in Finland was amazing! Beside from learning a lot about group work with international students, the finish culture and the education, I met a lot of interesting and inspiring people and made friends for a lifetime all over the world. By doing a lot of practical projects in Oamk I gained experience how to communicate with people from different cultures. The whole exchange semester in Finland was an adventure I will never forget!
Katharina, University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, Austria
Learning for your lifetime – that is how I can describe my study time in Oulu. As part of my double degree programme I could enjoy studying one year abroad at the Oamk. By individual working tasks, I could develop my hard skills in my study field, which I could prove while working together with international students in projects. Studying at the Oamk means a good practise for your future working life since one big focus is on training you to work together, and learning to communicate with your team members to achieve best results.
Larissa, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, Germany
For me the classes and the project work were great. I especially loved the project work, which I did for 10 ECTS. During the project work you can really learn a lot and improve in your skills. I believe that during practical work you learn more than you ever could in a normal lecture and I am very happy to have chosen project work during my exchange period. The lectures were very good and the teachers know a lot about their subjects and can teach from their own experience as well.
Wietske, Hanze University Groningen, Netherland
I enjoyed the semester spent in Finland even more than I expected. I met a lot of new people, experienced a new culture, and especially I could study abroad. It’s great how Finnish education is practical and based on projects that teach you how things work in practice, how to communicate with people and what to expect in your life. I would definitely never regret visiting Finland and Oamk University.
Lucie, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
We had the opportunity to try a different kind of studies (learning through online courses) in health care. As nursing students, practical lessons are also really important, in order to refine our skills, so the simulation labs were really impressive, modern and educational. Regarding our practical training we had the chance to work in psychiatric wards, which was a new field to us and provided us with not only academic knowledge but also with personal growth. Due to the fact that we were often around Finnish people (especially in our traineeship), we had also the chance to get to know their attitude and lifestyle. Our experience in the psychiatric wards, talking with the patients and staff, was very humbling and made us think of many aspects concerning life in general. It was a big lesson!
Eleftheria and Konstantinos, University of Patras, Greece
My stay in Oulu changed totally my lifestyle! I was coming to school by bike, enjoying the bicycle paths in the city and experiencing to ride a bike on the snow. There is a lot to discover around (beautiful island, nature…) but it is also easy to organize trips and discover Finland by bus or trains or to take part into the trips organized by the school. The teachers in Oamk really want you to have the best experience. They are very helpful. It was a great time and I learnt a lot for my studies but also for my personal life.
Pauline, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, France
We went looking for a completely different experience from all other countries – regarding everything – way of life, education style, climate, mindsets. Finland checked all the boxes, and Oamk complemented all of that. If you’re here not sure if you should apply to Oamk or not, stop thinking. You’ll be missing out on winters you won’t see anywhere else, welcoming people ready to help you on your way, the chance to work on actual projects instead of reading books and the awesome chance to visit Finland.
Arpad and Gloria, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania