Fulbright Finland Info 2019-2020

Fulbright Finland Events

Fulbright Finland Arrival Orientation

August 19-22, 2019 in Helsinki

All grantees arriving for the Fall term are expected to participate in the Fall orientation. Family members are most welcome to join in. Finnish universities arrange their orientations at different times in the beginning of the semester, so some overlap is difficult to avoid.

January 22-24, 2020 in Helsinki

All grantees arriving for the Spring term are expected to participate in the Spring orientation. Family members are most welcome to join in.

The orientation is mandatory for all incoming Fulbright grantees, so it supersedes all possible orientation events at your host institutions.

The seminar will address Fulbright program issues and practical arrangements. To help with the initial adjustment, the orientation will also provide useful information on Finnish culture and society.In addition to providing detailed preparation on living in Finland, the orientation includes a range of social activities and provides opportunities to create networks and make connections with fellow grantees and Finnish hosts.

The primary responsibility for practical orientation into the local environment and community in Finland, however, resides with the host institution and the initiative of the grantee. In particular, this concerns housing, food services and arrangements for student or staff discounts, public transportation, language courses, schools and daycare for children and other local matters for which the procedures vary within different universities and municipalities.The international relations offices at Finnish universities usually publish a guide for international students and scholars. This guide is a useful reference tool in regards to local information. (For specific information about your new city, simply type www. placename.fi. For example: www.rovaniemi.fi.)

American Voices

October 11-12, 2019 in Turku

The aim of the Seminar, from the audience’s point of view, is to provide a forum for a variety of ‘American voices’; to create a composite insight into the kaleidoscopic nature of American society.

Participants are asked to give short solo or group presentations (10-20 minutes) on some aspect of American society: its arts, languages, political life, legal system, music, natural geography, populations, regions, social problems, sports, etc. The topics should be of interest to a wide audience: the listeners will be mostly BA and MA students. 

The seminar also brings U.S. Fulbrighters and the Fulbright Finland team together about halfway through the fall semester. The program includes a mandatory mid-term briefing before the first seminar day.

Fulbright Finland Thanksgiving

November 28-29, 2019, Helsinki

Each year, the Fulbright Finland Foundation organizes special activities during Thanksgiving for those Fulbrighters who spend the holiday in Finland. The events are optional, but provide a nice way to spend Thanksgiving with your fellow Fulbrighters.

The program changes every year, but it has included a visit to the Fazer chocolate factory visitor center, floorball practice, a potluck dinner, and a visit to the Parliament house, including lunch with a Member of Parliament.

Fulbright Forum on Education, Innovation, Science and Art

2-day event, March 16 - 17, 2020, Helsinki

The seminar provides you an opportunity to present your studies or research and receive feedback from your fellow Fulbrighters and the audience from the Helsinki area. The seminar is compulsory for all of the grantees. It is open to the public and free of charge. Please feel free to promote the event among faculty and students in your home institution.

In addition to the 2 days of the seminar itself, the Fulbright Finland Foundation will organize some social activities that will provide time for reconnecting with fellow Fulbrighters and Fulbright Finland staff.

Fulbright Finland Award Ceremony and Reception

Late afternoon/evening event, Mid-May, Helsinki

The Fulbright Finland Foundation organizes an orientation in May for those grantees departing to the U.S. In conjunction with that orientation Fulbright Finland organizes in cooperation with the City of Helsinki the Fulbright Finland Award Ceremony and Reception at the Helsinki City Hall. The current U.S. Grantees in Finland during that time are invited to join the Award Ceremony and Reception.