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[Lock Haven] Centria University of Applied Sciences, Kokkola, Finland (Outgoing Program) Featured Print 
  • Locations: Kokkola, Finland
  • Program Terms: Fall, Spring, Year
Dates / Deadlines:
Dates / Deadlines:
Term Year App Deadline Decision Date Start Date End Date
Spring 2027 10/16/2026 10/20/2026 TBA TBA
Program Description:
Eligibility VISA Study Period Language of Instruction Type of Housing Approximate semester dates Commonwealth University partner since Cost of Housing & Meals
Commonwealth University and external students; Minimum GPA 2.7

Yes		 Fall and/or Spring English
Apartments
 		 Fall: Sept. – Dec.
Spring: Jan. - May		 1996
Housing
€230-€530*
Groceries
€300
 
F I N L A N D
                                 Centria University of Applied Sciences, Kokkola
                                                    https://net.centria.fi/en/

The Location
Finland is the northernmost country in the world after Iceland. Do not be deterred however, by the weather. Partly because of the warming influence of the Gulf Stream, the climate is not as cold as one might think. The city of Kokkola, with a population of 50,000, is a charming harbor town on the Gulf of Bothnia, 550 miles northwest of Helsinki. Today, Kokkola is not only the regional center of Central Ostrobothnia but also the most northerly point of coastal Swedish speaking Ostrobothnia (about 20% of the town’s inhabitants consider Swedish their native language). Take a walk into the old town with its museums and hundreds of wooden houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. The scenic “Seven Bridges Archipelago Road,” a 25-mile coastal drive connecting Kokkola with Pietarsaari to the south, is breathtaking.

The University
Kokkola is the main campus of Centria University of Applied Sciences (CU), a network of three institutions that include two other campuses located in Pietarsaari and Ylivieskai. Since Centria’s foundation in 1992, international cooperation has been a focus of its outreach program. Currently, there are approximately 500 international students attending Centria, all of whom receive support from Centria’s International Office staff. The staff assists students with all matters relating to their studies at Centria, including both academic and student life issues (accommodations, cross-cultural adjustment, etc.) Each Commonwealth University student is assigned a Finnish student as a student tutor during the program. The Finnish tutors’ responsibilities are to help student participants find their way around the new culture, the university, and the community. Centria’s International Office plans excursions to Helsinki, Finland’s capital city, Stockholm, in Sweden, a trip to Lapland to meet Santa Claus, and a Nordic Outdoor Camp, at the beginning of the fall semester. In addition, students have the opportunity to see the Northern Lights.

Academics
 
Commonwealth University’s student exchange program with Centria focuses on international business studies offered through Centria University’s Department of Business Management. The program is designed as a series of modules, all taught in English, each of which consists of various courses related around a particular theme of business, be it entrepreneurship and product development; international marketing; foreign languages (including, as an option, Finnish and Swedish languages for foreigners offered in the fall) and cross-cultural competencies. Some of the courses include Finnish Secrets and Culture; Finnish History, Finnish Politics, Business in Finland (Fall Only), and Getting Local and Global (Intercultural Communication).  

Housing and Meals
Housing accommodations are coordinated through Centria’s International Office. Students are housed in apartments, 3 students per apartment. Each student has an individual room with shared kitchen and bathroom. The apartments are located approximately ¾ mile from the campus and less than ½ mile from the center of town. Sporting facilities are located within a five-minute walk. The apartments are furnished with a desk, chair, bed, bookshelf, reading lamp and a wardrobe. Students are responsible for their own bed linens and dinner sets, which can be purchased at reasonable cost in Kokkola. 
Students can expect to pay between 230 to 400 Euros per month for housing. *In addition, a 350 Euro damage deposit, returnable at the end of the academic term, is required. Students can prepare their own meals and can expect to pay approximately 300 Euros per month on groceries. Alternatively, they can eat lunch at the university restaurant for about 3 Euros a meal.

Air Travel – Students are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. Please see the Center for Global Engagement for assistance. 

Tuition - Commonwealth University students continue to pay Commonwealth University tuition and fees while attending Centria University. Keep in mind that all financial aid can apply toward your study in Finland since you are participating in a Commonwealth University sponsored program. Please note, however, that it will be necessary to pay for activities such as athletic club memberships, if you wish to utilize those services.

Academic Calendar
The fall term begins in early September and ends in mid-December (20th). The spring term begins in early January and ends the end of May.

Health Insurance
All students are required to maintain a health insurance policy that will provide coverage while abroad. Information on international health insurance providers can be obtained from the Center for Global Engagement. You may find that your present health insurance policy includes overseas coverage. It is important, however, that your carrier provide written verification of such coverage.

So, how do I get started?
Simply come by the Center for Global Engagement to pick up an application form. Remember! Applications are due March 1 for the fall term and October 1 for the spring term.