First-Year Experience

Cover image

First-Year Experience

First-year Experience (FYE) is to help newcomers’ arrival, adaptation and integration to LUT, new city of living and Finland. In practice it means arranging services to newcomers to ease their first steps in their new environment.

Student integration to university and student life has been shown to affect learning, motivation, persistence, and finally graduation.

Integration should be done from the beginning of studies in a new university, new study program or new level of study. First experiences are critical in shaping the student’s opinion of the new environment and future academic development.

By providing students' support services, we are trying to help to improve students’ integration and sense of belonging.

Pre-Arrival

Arrival

  • Lappeenranta: arrival@lut.fi and Lahti: arrival.lahti@lut.fi and for exchange students incoming@lut.fi
  • LUT Driver Service with keys for student accommodations for newcomers coming outside of Finland and living in LOAS apartments (only Lappeenranta)
  • Peer tutors with welcoming packages. Peer tutors organize also online chat group for each tutoring group before arrival.
  • Student Customer Service (one-stop-shop on-campus or online: opinto@lut.fi)
  • Welcome Team (incl. student services, student advisors, study counsellors, experienced peer tutors, IT services, campus chaplains, academic library, student health services, career services, teacher tutors, Student Union of LUT, student accommodation)
  • Orientation days on-campus, online and recordings (free time social programme organized by Student Union of LUT, Guilds and ESN)

Adaptation and Integration

Getting Ready for Leaving LUT

  • Student services
  • Graduation ceremony for degree students (every month)

Contact information

Tanja Karppinen
Project Manager, Welcome Team Leader
Kia Dillström
Tutoring Secretary
Lotta Kopo
First Year Experience Coordinator