More Than the Degree

Students chatting together at a table

Aalto Squad student ambassadors' blog. Read all about student life and studies at Aalto University!

You can also chat with our ambassadors via Unibuddy

Blog posts

statues made of snow sitting outside on chairs

A survival guide to the Finnish winter

Worried about how you will survive the Finnish winter? Read Yijuan's tips!

Blue sky near Otaniemi beach

Pros and cons of starting my bachelor's studies in Finland

Bachelor's student Tonya talks about the pros and cons of moving to Finland to study Computational Engineering

7 students making an A with their hands

Why I Chose Design At Aalto?

Read about Vienna's path to studying Design and Media at Aalto

Photo of amphitheatre on Otaniemi campus

Why I chose to do the Master’s in Health Technology Engineering at Aalto University.

Masters student Fatima share her path to Aalto University

Summer photo in finland

The Summer I… decided to move to Finland 🌿✨

The summer I decided to move to Finland didn’t start with a dramatic moment. There was no instant epiphany, no single turning point. Instead, it was a slow accumulation of thoughts, feelings, and what-ifs that finally tipped me over. In the summer when I turned 16, I visited Finland for the first time. It was a short 2-week trip to a sports center near Helsinki, where we went hiking, camping, kayaking, and even played disc golf. In general, a very Finnish summer experience.

Students having dinner together

Kicking off the semester with my old and new buddies

It was that time of the year again when campus lit up with the appearance of new faces. For our Sustainable Entrepreneurship Master's program, that meant meeting the second cohort. We, the second-years, decided that nothing can compete with fun games and free dinners for the best bonding experience.

Orientation week at Aalto University

🎓 Orientation Week at Aalto University

Orientation week at Aalto University isn’t just about lectures and schedules, it’s the real start of your life in Finland. Having gone through it twice, I can say it’s intense, exciting, and sometimes a little overwhelming… but also one of the best parts of the whole experience.

Students studying together

What I’ve learned in 2 years in and about Aalto

Hey there! I’m Katalin from Hungary and I am studying in the Design BA (now called Design and Media) program at Aalto University. I moved to Finland 2 years ago In these two years I was pretty active, I was in the board of TOKYO, the student association for all ARTS students. I got to plan a workshop in Ateneum (Finnish National Gallery), plan events, and welcome new students.

Student selfie

Few tips for moving to Finland

Hey there! I’m Katalin from Hungary and I am studying in the Design BA (now called Design and Media) program at Aalto University. I moved to Finland 2 years ago. I would like to share a few tips that would have been a for me when I moved.

Students starting their studies

Letter to My First-Year Self

By Alisson Yheraldin Onzueta Caballero

Final-year master's student in Water and Environmental Engineering



Time has flown. I am now in the final semester of my master’s degree, writing my thesis, wrapping up academic life, and working full time. These final months have offered more than just closure; they have brought perspective, not only about what I have learned, but about everything I needed to hear at the very beginning.

Photo from outside

Why Practical Experience is Just as Important as Coursework?

By Alisson Yheraldin Onzueta Caballero



When I began my master’s program, I was excited about diving into new subjects, climate models, hydrology, GIS tools, water treatment, and environmental governance. I was ready to learn, to listen, to analyze. And I did. But somewhere along the way, I realized that what we learn in the classroom only becomes meaningful when we test it in the real world.

Student smiling

How to Turn Your Passion into a Career in Development?

By Alisson Yheraldin Onzueta Caballero

Final-year master's student in Water and Environmental Engineering



When people ask me how I started working in development, I rarely know where to begin.

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