Every year, the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) organises five summer courses in Finnish language and culture and one specialist course. The specialist course focuses on, for example, Finnish language and translation, Finnish literature or Finnish history. Courses are intended for students of Finnish language in universities outside Finland.
Youngsters hanging out on a beach
Photo: Johanna Kokkonen

 

 

Who can apply?

You can apply for a place on a summer course of Finnish language and culture if

  • you study Finnish language in a university outside Finland
  • you have completed Finnish studies during the academic year prior to the course, and 
  • you are at least 18 years old.
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What kinds of courses are available?

Courses are available from level A1 to C1. Completing the course will give you 10 ECTS credits.

Courses help you activate and develop your language skills in a Finnish-speaking environment. It is important to practise speaking during the course. You will also practise listening, reading, writing and grammar.

Tuition, study materials and free-time activities arranged as part of the course are free of charge for you. You don’t need to pay for your accommodation either (see exception: If you study in Sweden or Norway).

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Travel grant

We award a travel grant to everyone who is accepted to a summer course (see exception: If you study in Sweden or Norway).

The size of the travel grant

  • Baltic countries; St Peterburg and Petrozavodsk and their surroundings: €250 
  • Other European countries; Russia, excluding St Peterburg and Petrozavodsk and their surroundings: €350 
  • Other countries: €450
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How to apply?

The deadline for applications to the summer courses is 1 March, 23.59 Finnish time (+2 UTC). Late applications will not be considered.

First fill in the form “Information on applicant". Then go to the online application page.

The "Information on applicant" form

  • Fill in the form in Finnish.
  • Save it on your computer.
  • Make use of the the European language levels – self-assessment grid.

Online application form

  • Fill in the online application form in Finnish or in English.
  • For information about what to fill in each field of the form, please click the question mark (?) icon.
  • Attach the form “Tietoa hakijasta” (information about applicant) with your online application.

Tell your teacher that you are applying for a place on a summer course so that s/he can write a statement about you. In addition, you should write two pieces of text without any reference material (such as a study book, dictionary, grammar or electronic learning aids) under the supervision of your teacher, so we can place you on a course at the correct level.

Application forms will be kept for two years. We need your personal information for the selection process of the summer courses and for course arrangements. The information will only be given to the course organiser.

If you have any questions about applying to summer courses, please send email to suomenkesakurssit@oph.fi.

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If you study in Sweden or Norway

If you study Finnish in a university in Sweden or Norway, please fill in the form "Information on applicant" and the online application form as advised above. In addition, you should send the form "Information on applicant" by email to

  • Sweden: until February 2020 outi.oja@finska.su.se and as of February 2020 laura.lunnevuori@finska.su.se
  • Norway: daniel.h.karvonen@uit.no 

You will have to pay for your accommodation. You cannot apply for a travel grant from EDUFI but you will receive a grant for accommodation and travel costs from your country of study. You will receive further information about this after you have been selected on a course.

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Selection on the course

All applicants will be informed if they have been selected on a course by 30 April at the latest. There are three types of results:

  • you are selected on a course
  • you are on a reserve list, or
  • you were not selected on a course.

If you are on the reserve list, you may still get on a course if somebody else cancels their participation. You will be informed about this during May/June.

Please let your teacher know if you were selected or not. We do not automatically inform teachers.

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Advice to teachers

You will get more detailed information about the summer courses and about supervision of the texts to be written by students through the mailing list: suomi-opettajat.

Please send statements of applicants from your university and a priority list of applicants by 1 March to: suomenkesakurssit@oph.fi.

Scan or make copies of the texts written by your students for yourself. Then send the original texts to: EDUFI, Leena Kärnä, P.O.Box 380, FI-00531 Helsinki, Finland. They should arrive by 1 March.

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Contact us

Contact person

Leena Kärnä, leena.karna@oph.fi
suomenkesakurssit@oph.fi - please send inquiries, statements of applicants and confirmations of participation to this address

 

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Summer courses in Finnish language and culture 2020

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