Finnish as a second language - Kuopio U

[dissy]

My bf lives in Kuopio so I was thinking it would be a good course to take when I visit him. Anyone taken this or know someone who has? This link http://www.uku.fi/kielikeskus/finnish/ doesn't really give much info about it. Is it like a real university course that would have admission requirements? I don't see any mention of it in the course descriptions.
It says

205 €/course (including VAT) + invoicing fee ca 6 €
The course is free for students registered at the University, including exchange students.

So that means it's available for anyone if they pay for it? Would taking this course count as studying to get a residence permit? I'm guessing probably not.

edit, thought I should add I'm not attending any other school.

[sammy]

Hi,

No, I'm afraid this kind of courses would not make you eligible to apply for a student residence permit, since they do not lead to any degree as such. Let's say you were admitted to some degree programme at the U of Kuopio, then you could take these courses for free and the credits could be included in your degree.

But yes, they should be in principle be available for everyone. You might however try and register as early as possible, in case there's a fixed intake quota. So it might be a good idea to call/email the course organiser and ask about any possible admission requirements, application procedure and so on. If you're planning to come to Finland with a 3-month tourist visa, then (provided that the schedules match ) I guess there shouldn't be any problems in you attending while you're here. Since you're not a registered student, nor an exchange student, you'd need to cough up the fee though.

[rinso]

Did that course once.
It is indeed as Sammy says.
Few hours per week, basic Finnish (lots of grammar), need to follow it at least a couple of years before you start speaking it.
Better look for intensive summer courses.

[sammy]

Better look for intensive summer courses.

...for example at the Summer Universities. You'll find them and other course providers listed here... see the right-hand margin...

http://opintoluotsi.fi/en-GB/Studying_Finnish/

[mumboman]

Start picking up books on your own and start learning yourself. The courses here are general crap. They will help a bit but you need to do 90 percent of it on your own.

[dissy]

I looked at the summer courses at Kuopio U, but I don't understand why they seem to be just 4 days long? http://www.kesayliopistot.fi/finncult_2007.htm#Kuopio1

mumboman, yeah I've already gone to a bookstore looking for a Finnish dictionary and learning books but turns out they only have one branch in the entire city with them, planning to go there soon as I can.

[Hank W.]

but I don't understand why they seem to be just 4 days long? http://www.kesayliopistot.fi/finncult_2007.htm#Kuopio1
.

So to put in 30 nails you need to go whack everything in 30 times.... or then you take one real big sledgehammer Never heard of "cramming" courses?

[mumboman]

Start with Leila Whites from Start to Finnish probably available on Amazon. Good book order of things makes sense and you'll be able to start to get by. I beleive I have every finnish verb conjugated on a harddrive somewhere so I can send that off to you also if I can find it just PM me your email address and maybe it will magically appear in the next few weeks. The courses help but are no means any good if you compare them to the Gov't of Canada's French and English courses. I did the govt of Canada's french exchange program a couple times and you were forced to learn or sent packing, here you get one dummy in the class and everyone learns nothing, as it seems you go at the slowest dummies pace.