South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences - XAMK Speciality : Nursing
programme: BHC in Nursing

I really enjoy studying at Xamk and not just because I’ve made friends with a great group of international students on my journey. The nursing teachers really support our journey. The staff are patient and answer all our questions. We’ve had extra support sessions outside of the timetable if we want to practice procedures that need staff supervision.
We are lucky to have a new campus. The mini hospital and facilities are brilliant. Our practical sessions are very hands on and we are able to practice exactly as we would in real life.
The teachers really take their time to ensure we are learning to be excellent, competent nurses.
We are learning Finnish and nursing Finnish at the same time. I’m sure our Finnish teacher actually wears a cape under her normal clothes. She supports us and works so hard for us to succeed in our studies and future careers.
I’ve been incredibly happy with my studies. While it will be sad to move on, I know I’ll be a great nurse thanks to the staff that taught me my skills.

I am a third-year nursing student at Xamk University in Finland. Xamk offers a practical and student centered learning environment. The teaching focuses strongly on real life clinical skills, critical thinking, and evidence-based practice. The university provides modern simulation labs and supportive teachers who guide students throughout their studies. The international atmosphere and strong connection with healthcare institutions help students gain valuable practical experience. Overall, Xamk prepares nursing students well for professional working life.

I am currently a student at XAMK Kotka, and my experience so far has been very positive. All the professors are helpful, understanding, and make learning comfortable and encourage us to do our best.

Our language teacher is also very supportive and patient, which makes learning much easier and more enjoyable. In addition, we have an integration in-charge who works extremely hard to help international students integrate into Finnish culture. She puts a lot of effort into organizing activities and guiding us through the process. Hats off to her dedication and commitment!

The university focuses strongly on practical skills, which prepares students well for real working life.

Studying at Xamk has truly been a rewarding experience. I really appreciate the incredible support we receive from our lecturers and staff in general. The nursing teachers are dedicated, approachable, and always ready to guide us whenever we have questions. It’s clear that they genuinely want us to grow into professional nurses with strong ethics and empathy.
Our campus is modern and well-equipped. The simulation hospitals are amazing, allowing us to train in realistic environments that prepare us well for working in real hospital settings. Every practical class feels meaningful because we get to apply what we learn directly.
The teachers genuinely care about our progress. We are also learning Finnish, and our lecturers continuously motivate and support us in developing our language skills, which is so important for our future careers.
The social, mental health, and cultural integration teams also deserve recognition. Their events and activities have made adapting to Finnish culture much easier and more enjoyable. They truly help international students feel at home.
I am deeply grateful to Xamk for providing such a supportive and inspiring environment, hard to find in superior education! It makes me very proud of my choice to study here!

My experience studying Nursing at Xamk, Kotka Campus has been exemplary. I particularly love how practical our programme is. Every semester, we spend a bit of time on campus as well as doing internships in different places like in the hospital, elderly care homes or in outpatient clinics. This allows us to practice the theory we learn in the classroom almost immediately. Similarly we have a mii hospital and a simulation lab where we can come up with different mock scenarios we may experience in the real world and practice them in school.

Other than academics, our campus is very focused on extra curricular activities as well. I’ve participated in many activities, from cooking, a board game club, swimming, foraging and even a language café where we practice our Finnish with native Finnish speaking Students and staff.

The location of our new campus is also ideal being a walking distance from the bus station and pretty much of all Kotka city center.

Our teachers are also great and very approachable as is all of the staff body in Xamk.

I’ve enjoyed my time in Kotka very much most of which I can attribute to my experience studying at Xamk.

Supportive teachers, practical learning, and a great study environment. Highly recommended.
The goal of the teaching is to produce industry ready graduates to be more specific my study program BSc. Nursing is made of about 1/3 field practice together with on campus simulations and theoretical classes which comes along with assignments and exams. All this in effort to producing the finest of nurses.

Studying nursing at Xamk has been a practical and rewarding experience to me regardless of my previous background in-terms of profession. The programme strongly focuses on hands-on skills, simulation training, and clinical placements, which has helped me connect theory directly to real nursing practice. The teachers are supportive and approachable, and the learning environment encourages growth both professionally and personally, being able to also learn a new language (Finnish) within a short period of time with the help of Xamk has been a great milestone to me. Overall, Xamk has prepared me well for working life in healthcare.

I’ve had a very positive experience with my university over these three years. First of all, I like the university environment as it is open to international students. I think the bilingual opportunity to study nursing programme itself proves it. The digital learning platforms were easy to use. The teachers were very supportive and approachable although the syllabus was very comprehensive. We were always given positive feedback.

The modern simulation facilities and fully equipped hospital settings helped me to actively participate in clinical practices. The extensive practical trainings helped me to develop working life skills as well as Finnish language skills. The possibility to complete short exchange programmes abroad was also a great opportunity to learn from each other.

Studies included wider variety of assignments such as visits to nursing homes, group projects, presentations, simulations, games. Most importantly there was an integration coordinator who supported international students to adopt to Finnish culture eg. participate in hobbies, sports, clubs, language cafes etc. Also additional support was given to acquire the required skill set for future working life eg. CV writing, hygiene passport.

Moreover, students’ health was given priority. Student health nurse and well-being support services were available. I enjoyed my university life very much due to all of the above mentioned support systems and would definitely recommend it for international students who are seeking for career focused education.

I am a third year nursing student at the Kotka campus. Though I struggle to balance learning nursing theory and skills both in English and Finnish, I truly appreciate and commend the work of the lecturers in pushing me in the right direction.
One highlight is that the social and cultural integration body has also done an amazing job in helping international students adapt and integrate to the Fiinnish culture. The activities organised has helped and still helping me a lot.
Going forward, I’d suggest more anatomy lectures for nursing students. I wasn’t pleased that the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology lectures were online and only for one semester.
Regardless, I feel great to be a part of this institution!

I study at XAMK Kotka campus and it has new amazing facilities for nursing students and really helpful lecturers ready to walk with you in all your student life. The school is located in the heart of Kotka city and all resources are nearby which makes it easy to navigate daily activities easily.