International Activities

International activities during studies

You can complete some of your studies abroad at a workplace or at one of TAI’s partner schools. Alternatively, you can improve your language skills and cultural competence by tutoring an international student in Finland. Or perhaps you are interested in participating in competitions that shape people into world-class top experts.

Student exchanges prepare for international working life

Working life periods and school visits abroad are the heart of TAI’s international activities. Approximately 70-100 students start learning at foreign workplaces each year. The work period lasts 1–2 months. The exchange is best suited for the rest of the studies when sufficient professional skills and competence have accumulated in Finland. Our internationalisation projects provide grants for exchanges abroad. The grant usually covers travel and housing.

The largest number of exchanges are made with Erasmus+ funding to European countries. In some fields, it is also possible to get a job or a study period outside Europe. Information on global exchanges will be provided on an industry-specific basis.

Student Travel Guide

Are you going to participate in an exchange programme? Check out the guide for going abroad. The guide contains important information on travel documents, insurance, financial matters, lost and damaged luggage and other topics.

Student Travel Guide

TAI’s Global Activities

TAI works with partners in different countries to send students and teachers across Europe to participate in the Erasmus+ programme. Exchange programmes outside Europe are organised through networks individually for each field of study. TAI already has existing partners in the following countries:

• The Netherlands (incl. the restaurant and catering industry, the textile and fashion industry, cleaning and property maintenance services, business, ICT)
• Spain (exchange programmes in nearly every industry, incl. the social and health industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the media industry, the ICT industry, the electrical and automation industry, hairdressing and beauty care, the restaurant and catering industry)
• Germany (incl. the food industry, the social and health industry, hairdressing and beauty care, technical industries, the textile and fashion industry, the automotive industry)
• Italy (exchange programmes in nearly every industry)
• France (the electrical and automation industry, the restaurant and catering industry, building services, the construction industry, the food industry, the metal industry)
• Denmark (the restaurant and catering industry)
• Estonia (the metal industry, the automotive industry)

You can also search for a job and accommodations independently, if you want to complete your exchange programme at a specific place of work, city or country where TAI does not have a partner.

Apply for an Exchange in Wilma

The application period for spring exchanges is in September, while the application period for exchanges in the autumn term is open in February. Remember to discuss applying with the teacher in charge, first.

Learn more about applying

Internationalisation at home and international tutoring

Internationalisation at home and international tutor activities give you the opportunity to develop language and cultural competence in your home country. As a tutor student, you will help a foreign exchange student or visitor to get to know Turku and adapt to the Finnish way of life. At the same time, you will learn a lot and get new people from all over the world! Ask your unit’s international teacher for more information about the activities.

By participating in internationalisation activities at home, you can complete an internationalisation studies at home unit (2 competence points). In addition to tutoring, the studies can be completed by participating in various international cooperation projects virtually or by organising events and theme days. Read more about the area of internationalisation at home.

Would you like to become a top international expert?

International competition activities are suitable for you if you want to be at the top of your field. There are competition activities both in Finland and abroad. In 1988, Finland joins the international WorldSkills organisation, which organises international World Skills competitions every two years. Different vocational fields also organise their own championships.

More information

The international coordinator prepares everyone participating in an exchange and finds jobs through TAI’s partner network.