Starting studies

Studies at universities of applied sciences are practice-oriented alternatives to the traditional university education in Finland. Studies at a university of applied sciences provides the students with an excellent combination of hands-on skills along with a strong theoretical knowledge base.

Start of your studies

On these pages you will find all the essential and important information you need to start your studies. You will find the joint orientation programmes and the timetables for starting your studies under the headings below. The orientation recordings, i.e. videos of the sessions, can be found under the heading Orientation materials and videos. Read here Welcome to study -letter!

Before start of your studies timeline

Check list for new students

1. Accept your study place at the LAB and enroll for the academic year (Only degree students)

You have to confirm your study place and register your attendance as instructed in the letter of acceptance.

Accepting the study place

After being accepted to a degree programme at LAB, you must accept the place at Studyinfo within the deadline stated in your Letter of Admission. If the place is not accepted within the deadline, the place will be lost.

A student may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland in education that begins in the same academic term. This rule applies to all higher education. After you have accepted a study place offered to you by a higher education institution in Finland, your choice will be finalised and you will not be able to change your choice afterwards. This rule applies even if a student postpones the commencement or interrupts their studies during the academic term when the offered study place has been accepted.

Registering present or absent

Once you have accepted a place to study, register as present or absent for the academic year in the Oili Service, which you can access from My Study Info. You may enroll as absent during the first academic year only for the legal reasons which includes service under the Conscription Act, the Non-Military Service Act, the Women’s Voluntary Military Service Act, maternity, paternity or parental leave or own illness or disability. You have received the instructions for the absence in your letter of acceptance.
Please read more: Suspending your studies. You can find more information on semester enrollment from here: Accepting the study place.

2. Tuition fee (Only degree students)

3. Apply for a residence permit if needed

International students are allowed to study in Finland for a maximum of 90 days without a residence permit. If your studies exceed 90 days you must apply for a residence permit that covers the whole duration of your studies. Please note that even if you stay in Finland for less than 90 days, you may still need a visa.

You can apply for the residence permit at any Finnish diplomatic embassy or a consulate. Please start the application process immediately after receiving the official letter of acceptance from LAB University of Applied Sciences in order to avoid delay in your studies.

Your application will proceed to the Finnish Immigration Service for processing after you have visited a Finnish embassy for identification.

Unfortunately, the Admissions Office at LAB cannot provide assistance in the application process for the residence permit. For more information regarding residence permit and visa requirements please contact your nearest Finnish or other EU member state embassy representing Finland in visa matters.

Finnish Immigration Service Information for Students - how to apply for the residence permit

4. Apply for accommodation

Housing application to Lahti

Students who start their studies in programmes on the Lahti campus can apply for student accommodation in Lahti. LAB cooperates with the local housing organisation, Lahden Talot Oy. More information about Lahti housing.

Housing application to Lappeenranta

Students who start their studies on the Lappeenranta campus can apply for student accommodation directly from the Lappeenranta Student Housing Foundation (LOAS). Please visit the LOAS website at loas.fi/en for detailed application instructions. More information about Lappeenranta housing.

5. Activate your LUT ID

You can activate your LUT ID starting from 8 August 2024.

Students who are able to use Finnish e-identification methods (such as online banking ID credentials) can activate their LUT account here: https://id.lut.fi.
Students who cannot use Finnish e-identification methods can find instructions for activating their LUT account at the Study tools page.

Your user ID will be used as a username when logging into the LAB systems (for example the online learning platform Moodle).

If you are facing any issues, please contact the IT Service Desk.

6. Familiarise with the Study tools

The students at LAB University of Applied Sciences use several study tools in their studies. Get to know them and read more from IT Instructions and study tools -page.

Bring your own laptop computer with you. You will need it during lessons, to write your essays and other assignments, to watch teaching videos and to study independently. Read more Own computer -page.

Download Tuudo app

Tuudo is an app that makes it easier to manage your studies. Download Tuudo free of charge from the app store. Use the student ID provided by your university when you log in for the first time. No further logins are required. Tuudo will remind you with push notifications about your schedule and important messages.

Peppi

Peppi is LAB's student and study information system. In Peppi, you can plan your studies, track your progress, enroll for courses and future semesters, and view and edit your own contact information. You can only edit your own contact details, such as your phone number and address, once you start your studies. You can see your study time and your student number in Peppi. The system requires to login with LUT ID. You can also order electronically signed study certificates and transcripts from Peppi.

7. Familiarise with the ethical guidelines

8. LAB@key – Digital introduction to your studies

LAB@key is student’s digital introduction, which serves the purpose of getting you familiar with the procedures, digital tools and environments used in the University of Applied Sciences. LAB@key includes information about the digital tools and systems (user ID, e-mail, learning environments), course variety, as well as common knowledge about the progress of your studies and students’ wellbeing.

LAB@key includes seven parts:

1. Digital competence
2. Studying at the LAB UAS
3. Curriculum and planning your own studies
4. Course offerings
5. Ability to study - taking account of your own resources
6. Professional growth - identifying your own skills
7. Information Security training
And the final exam

You will be able to start this online course after having activated your LUT-AD username (login and password) on 8 August 2024. Find the instructions here: eLAB > IT Instructions & Study Tools > LUT Account & Password.

LAB@key (Bachelor´s Degree)

After completing this course, 1 study credit will be registered to your complementary competence or elective studies. LAB@key is open for students from 8 August until 30 September 2024. After this time, the course can no longer be taken.

Go to the course on Moodle: LAB@key on Moodle

LAB@key (Master's Degree)

To support the orientation day, we recommend that you complete LAB@key (Master´s Degree, 0 cr), which is a digital orientation to Master students. The platform is open for students from 8 August until 31 August 2024. The link will be found form Orientation for Master's students page

9. Order or purchase a keycard

To access LAB campuses, you will need a keycard.

Lahti campus: the keycard must be ordered. To order the keycard, you will need a photo of yourself and your seven-digit student number. You will find your student number at Peppi. You will find the instructions from Electronic keycard - Lahti -page.
Lappeenranta campus: students can purchase a keycard from the LAB webshop with a 10€ payment. The keycard can be picked up from the Student Union KOE (Main lobby info point on the Lappeenranta campus) with a payment receipt. You will find the instructions from Electronic keycard - Lappeenranta -page.

10. Student card and student number

Student card is the official id of a student. When you become a member of Student Union KOE you get a student card and all its benefits and discounts locally. AMK-student card offers you national student benefits as well as local discount in Lahti and in Lappeenranta.

Read more about student card and membership.

The student number you will find from Peppi (after you have activated yout LUT-account).

11. Remember to pay the health care fee to Kela (Only degree students)

The health care fee for students in higher education is paid to Kela, and FSHS provides health care services to students. Read more information from here: Student health care services

Starting 1.1.2023, students from other EU or EEA countries will have to provide a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) when accessing FSHS services. More information on FSHS page.

12. LAB Newcomers group

The group is aimed at new students who have been accepted to LAB University of Applied Sciences. In the Newcomers Discord group you are able to get to know other new degree students and also meet some of our current students. It's the perfect place for you to discuss and ask questions about LAB University of Applied Sciences. Your fellow students here at LAB will also share interesting facts and tips about Lahti, Lappeenranta and Finland in general.

You can join the group through this Discord link: https://discord.gg/hsqfsmvdca

Get started with Discord download and registration instructions, if you have not used Discord before.
In this video, we show how the Discord and LAB Newcomers group work – Discord and LAB Newcomers

13. Preparing for your arrival at Finland

14. Registration at Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) / Finnish Personal Identity Code

Every foreign student needs a Personal Identity Number. It is formed by your birthday and four digits, example 010192-000A. You will receive it from Digital and Population Data Service Agency. Read more: DVV info

You may have gotten this identity code during the process for applying for a residence permit - but if this not being the case, you will get it through a registering process at Digital and Population Data Service Agency.

Registering at Digital and Population Data Service Agency

1. Registration without booking an appointment

Lappeenranta

Registration of students on: will be updated later
The opening hours are 9:00 - 12.00.
Visiting address: The office is located in city center and the address is Pormestarinkatu 1 A, 3. floor, 53100 Lappeenranta.

Lahti campus

Registration of students on Thursday 5 September on campus
The opening hours are 9.00-12.00 and 13.00 - 15.30.
Address: Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti
See the documents required for the registering below
Not possible to register spouse and children

Lahti DVV office

Registration of students on: Thursday 12 September, Thursday 19 September and Thursday 26 September
The opening hours are 8.00-12.00 and 13.00 - 16.00.
Visiting address: The office is located in city center and the address is Kirkkokatu 12, 1. floor, 15140 Lahti
See the documents required for the registering below
Possible to register spouse and children at the same time

2. Registration with booking an appointment

If not able to make it to Digital and Population Data Service Agency during their pre-determined dates for registering, you need to book an appointment on their website https://secure.vihta.com/public-ng/dvv/#/reservation

When booking an appointment, you need to book it for an International registration, not for a national registration.

Note: If having booked an appointment and then instead, completing the registration on the pre-determined dates or for some other reason can´t make it to your booked appointment, you must to cancel your booking.

Start your registration electronically via the electronic form for students

The e-form will be filled in via the website. The e-form has been redesigned so that it no longer requires strong authentication.

Please go through the instructions for registering at

Registration of a foreign student in the Population Information System

on which you will find information on how to fill in the registration form plus how to proceed if you have already received a personal identity code through Finnish Immigration Service (MIGRI).

In addition to filling in the e-form, students must visit the Digi and Population Information Office to identify themselves and present their original documents within three months of submitting the e-form.

Documents required for the registering (DVV office & campus)

The following documents are required for registering:

Fill in the e-form for registration at Registration of a foreign student in the Population Information System and submit it.
If you could not fill the electronic registration form, fill in the paper registration form, print it and sign it (the third page is not required).
1. Note: Fill and print the form beforehand!
2. Note: If you fill the electronic form for students online, this printed registration form is not needed anymore
Study certificate with stamp and signature (not Letter of acceptance).
You can get this from student services office.
A Passport or official ID-card.
A Residence permit card (if applicable).

Register your Finnish personal identity code into Peppi-system

When you have received the Finnish personal identity code, please inform us the code through this eForm link.
You are not able to see your own study information in My Study Info until we have added your personal identity code there. (After this e.g. FSHS and HSL will see your information.)
Note! For security reasons, never send your social security number by email!

Registering your spouse and children

Family members of students can come to register on the registration days for students (dates mentioned above).
If you want to register your spouse and children at the same time, they must have legalised marriage and birth certificates.
Certificates also require legalised translations/ EU translation form if the language is other than Finnish, Swedish or English. (If translated abroad, the translation must be legalised there). Translations by authorised translators in Finland do not need to be translated.
Legalisation for foreign documents
Registration of a foreigner's personal data in the Population Information System

15. Orientation to studies at LAB

Lahti city

Orientation for the Bachelor's degree programmes and Exchange students will start on week 35. Find more information about the orientation at eLAB

Lappeenranta city

Orientation for the Bachelor's degree programmes and Exchange students will start on week 35. Find more information about the orientation at eLAB

Orientation for the Master's degree programmes (english program) will be held on Friday XX August 2024, week XX.
Find more information about the orientation at eLAB – Orientation for new master's degree students. (Note! The Orientation will be held online.)