What is ESN-HELGA?

ESN-HELGA is an international activity group. ESN-HELGA is also a part of HAAGA-HELIA's Student Union HELGA. We organize tutoring and various events for the incoming exchange students. ESN-HELGA co-operates closely with HAAGA-HELIA International Services. Outside of HAAGA-HELIA we co-operate with other schools in the Helsinki area. Through our membership in ESN Erasmus Student Network we strongly co-operate with Helsinki University, Laurea University of Applied sciences, Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia and several other schools around Finland as well as internationally.

Over the years the activity of ESN-HELGA has grown larger. In HAAGA-HELIA alone we deal some 300-400 exchange students from 39 different countries each academic year. The majority of exchange students study business or tourism related subjects in HAAGA-HELIA’s campuses in Helsinki, Porvoo and Vierumäki. ESN HELGA is well known among HAAGA-HELIA's partner schools for the activities and events that it organizes and the way in which HAAGA-HELIA exchange students are looked after by the association.

Serving Incoming Exchange Students at HAAGA-HELIA

ESN-HELGA’s tutors take care of the exchange students' needs throughout their stay in Finland. We do this by getting in contact with all exchange students before their arrival to Finland, collecting the students at their arrival point, taking them to their new student home, answering questions and taking care of their initial needs such as arranging mobile phones, bank accounts and bus tickets. Once all of the exchange students have arrived for the semester the activity really begins. We arrange events for exchange students that allow them to learn about Finland and its neighbouring countries while having fun and getting to know each other, and the members of ESN-HELGA in the process.

All exchange students are strongly encouraged to read HAAGA-HELIA International Student Handbook, which is an essential source of information for a foreign student arriving in Finland for the first time. We also recommend you to read the tips we give on our website – these tips will help you to feel at home in Finland!