Blog
Summer 2020 – The Summer of Opportunity
The difference with this summer is that, at least for me, it feels as if the coming summertime is more uncertain than it was earlier this year. A pandemic is raging around the world, borders have been closed and it looks bleak on the job market. This has therefore led to recruitment for summer jobs being put on ice and other summer jobs being cancelled due to COVID-19. Håkan Hankeit (meaning in English typical student) suddenly faces a tricky situation, where there is a large empty hole in his/her calendar from May to August. What should Håkan Hankeit do when everything is cancelled at the last minute? Summer courses of course!
At the Student Union’s initiative, Hanken has significantly increased the number of courses for the summer of 2020. The new and wider range of courses opens up new doors for Hankeits in all stages of their studies. Each institution, as well as the Centre for Language and Business Communication, has worked hard and added new courses to this summer in addition to those that already existed. For example, the courses Ekonometri and Value Investing are arranged according to the wishes of the Student Union. A theme for the courses added to the summer is that they should improve the study pace, while at the same time feel rewarding during the summer. Therefore, both Basic and Advanced courses in Excel are a great addition to the summer’s offering, as they give students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with practical tools. Furthermore, this year the basic course in finance is arranged during the summer, which is perfect for first-year students who did not pass it on the first try. My advice is to take advantage of this unique summer, go beyond your comfort zone and take a courses in new subjects. How will the summer courses work in practice and will there be time for other summer activities?
The answer is yes, it is quite possible to combine both study and leisure if you plan your schedule in advance. Due to the prevailing circumstances, summer teaching and examinations will be arranged without any physical attendances or presence. It is thus quite possible to be at the cottage while studying, if you balance your time well. By the way, the registration for the summer courses is already open! The registration closes one week before the courses start.
The summer is divided into two parts, S1 and S2. Period S2 runs between May and July and thus belongs to the academic year 2019-2020. The latter period S1, runs in August and belongs to the 2020-2021 academic year*. This means that courses taken during S2 are counted as credits for the academic year 2019-2020. Studies taken in August count as credits for the following academic year (FPA 2020). What this basically means is that if you barely have credits for the academic year 2019-2020, then you should take courses in S2 to meet the credit requirements. It is also worth mentioning that you must be registered for the fall semester 2020 in order to take courses in S1.
Students who study in the summer can receive summer study support from Kela (if you do so regularly of course), note that you should apply for the study aid. The summer study support includes student allowance and state guarantee for student loans. Apply for summer study support via Kela’s e-service. For those who have a general housing allowance, the payment of the housing allowance continues despite the summer studies (i.e. you do not have to apply for it). However, remember to apply for an adjustment of the housing allowance for, for example, summer jobs! Also, don’t forget to keep an eye on income limits! (FPA 2019)
“Summer studies were great, I got ECTS while my courses gave me more structure to my days during the summer”, says Sophie Brück, who studied during the summer a few years ago. This is supported by Linn Beijar, who thinks that summer courses have come in handy when changing majors or minors. During the summer you can add courses needed for the newly chosen subject.
It is important to remember to balance studies and leisure, even during the summer. Many students feel pressured to constantly perform well, which creates stress and mental distress. Summer is a perfect opportunity to relax and invest in oneself, so be brave and make time to do nothing. Summer is short, so do not forget to also go out and enjoy the sun!
Eliott Tallqvist
Educational Affairs
The Executive Board 2020
FPA (2020). Stödtid. Available: https://www.kela.fi/web/sv/studiestod-stodtid.
FPA (2019). Studetande, sök sommarstudiestöd nu! Tillgänglig: https://www.kela.fi/web/sv/aktuellt-privatpersoner/-/asset_publisher/M6wYRe4QRiL1/content/studerande-sok-sommarstudiestod-n-2.
How to find summer courses: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-
KBvJbg_PQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link.
*Please note that this is not a typo, S2 is the first summer period while S1 is the last.