Welcoming Buddies to help you arrive and settle in.

At the University of Lapland, we offer incoming exchange students a Welcoming Buddy.
A Welcoming Buddy will help you out with question pre-arrival, assist during your arrival and ease your settling in during the first weeks of your exchange.

Many Welcoming Buddies become good friends with exchange students and are in it for you!

A Welcoming Buddy is:

• a fellow, local student studying at the University of Lapland.
• a peer who’s helping you with advise before your arrival and practical support for your arrival and the first weeks of your stay. Some tasks include:
  • helping with formalities and practical issues at the start of your stay.
    (e.g. key-pick up service, questions regarding using Peppi and Moodle, advise on second hand shops, how to use busses…)
  • helping you integrate into Finnish, Lappish and Rovaniemi culture and social life
• a possible local friend!

A Welcoming Buddy is not:

• your personal assistant
• your personal driver (Buddies are not required to come pick you up from the airport or train/bus station.)
• a bank to borrow money
• a parent
• a travel agency

The relationship is dependent on you both. It is highly recommended to get to know your Welcoming Buddy and spend some time together. They are in it for you, to get to know new people, cultures and languages!
Many Buddies and exchange students end up becoming good friends!

How to get a Welcoming Buddy?

If you want to have a Welcoming Buddy assigned to you, please indicate so in the application form in SoleMOVE.
(Study Information > Additional Information > Do you need a Welcoming Buddy?)

If you are not interested, please indicate in the form you don’t need a Welcoming Buddy.
In that case, you take own responsibility in the arrival process.

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Want to get involved?

Are you a local student of the University of Lapland and looking to get involved with the peer support for exchange students? Excellent!

You are most welcome to apply to become a Welcoming Buddy!
Your tasks include supporting the new exchange students pre-arrival, provide hands-support during the arrival (e.g. key pick-up service, campus tour…) and generally helping the exchange students to settle in.

For your efforts, you´ll receive a certificate and a reward of 150 euro! Of course, that’s nothing compared to the international competencies and possible friends you’ll gain.

More information and signing up in the form below!

(Please note the call for Welcoming Buddies is open during March/April and October/November between set dates.)