The purpose of student tutoring is to offer peer support to new students. Starting your studies is an exciting phase in life – during this time, student tutors offer important guidance to the ways of university life. International student tutors also introduce the new student to Finland and student life here.
Rebecca explains on the video below why tutoring is important for new students.
Tampere University is responsible for student tutoring, but TREY is tasked with responsibilities such as organising tutor recruitment and tutor training. TREY is actively in contact with the tutoring organisers and international organisers in subject associations. At the student union, the tutoring organiser of the board and the Specialist in Tutoring are responsible for tutoring matters. You can ask them for more information about tutoring and TREY’s services for tutors.
Please contact TREY’s tutoring sector by emailing tuutorointi@trey.fi. Personal contact info is available on the Contact page.
National student tutoring
National student tutoring means tutoring taking place in Finnish-speaking degree programmes. Tutoring can be integrated to your degree, please read more on the Students’ guide here. Tutoring Finnish degree students requires fluent Finnish skills.
International student tutoring
International student tutoring is a great way to gain international experience, get to know new people and do some good: as a student tutor for international students, you can ease their culture shock and provide help during the beginning of their studies. Assistance is needed as the international students arrive to Tampere. The tutors help them adjust both to the university community and student life here. To become an international tutor, you need above all an open mind and daily language skills in English; other skills related to international tutoring are easy and quick to acquire.
International student tutoring can be integrated to your degree, please read more on the Students’ guide here This is a study module with clearly defined expected learning outcomes and ECTS credits. The module includes training sessions, the actual tutoring work and reporting. The tutors can receive a small monetary compensation for their work and a certificate upon request. By participating in international tutoring, you can also get course credit for the Internationalisation Module of your degree.
There are two kind of international tutoring at Tampere University:
- International tutors in degree programmes support new students in English-taught degree programmes to integrate into the university community and studies.
- International tutors for exchange students help exchange students coming to Tampere for a semester or academic year to get acquainted with Finnish study culture.
Application form and tutor selection
Anton, an international student tutor, tells below on the video why you should join the group of tutors, too!
Tutors are sought three times a year. National tutors and international degree student tutors have only one application period in January-February. The application form for degree tutors is the same for all applicants. In addition, exchange student tutors are sought later in spring and autumn, as exchange students will be arriving at the start of both semesters.
Tutor selections will be made by the subject association after the application period ends. Some associations may interview applicants after the application period, so keep an eye out on your email! The chosen tutors will be added to e-mailing lists and they are expected to keep up with important information on, for example, the upcoming tutor training sessions. If you have questions regarding the tutor selection, please contact your subject association or degree programme. If you don’t know who to contact, you can reach out to tuutorointi@trey.fi.
Spring 2025 tutor recruitment
Tutor recruitment for the exchange students of autumn 2025 takes place from March 3 to March 19, 2025. You can apply via this Microsoft Forms application. Applications are handled by subject associations and INTO Tampere after the application period ends, and selections are made during March. Some associations may interview applicants after the application period, so keep an eye out on your email!
Tutor recruitment for the university’s Finnish-taught and English-taught degree programmes took place from January 20 to February 3, 2025. Tutor applications have been delivered to associations and tutors will be selected during February. Some associations may host additional recruitment where the associations itself takes care of all procedure. Similarly, if you didn’t apply during the official recruitment period and are interested, you can reach out to your own association’s tutor organisers.
Tutor trainings
Please note that all tutors are expected to take part in the tutor trainings. Training material is shared on the tutoring Moodle areas. If you haven’t been able to access the Moodle areas, contact us via email at tuutorointi@trey.fi. Additional information about the trainings will be delivered to tutors closer to the training dates. All trainings held for the same target group have the same content, and it is enough to partake in one of the trainings.
National (Finnish-taught programmes) degree tutor trainings will be organized in spring 2025 as follows:
Wednesday April 2 at 14-16 online on Microsoft Teams
Thursday April 3 at 9-11 on the city centre campus in Pinni B1100
Monday April 7 at 14-16 on the Kauppi campus in Arvo F025 Keltainen sali
Tuesday April 8 at 10-12 on the Hervanta campus in Kampusareena A223 auditorium
Friday April 11 at 10-12 online on Microsoft Teams
International (English-taught programmes) degree tutor trainings will be organized in spring 2025 as follows:
Tuesday March 18 at 10-12 online on Zoom
Wednesday March 19 at 15-17 on the city centre campus in Päätalo A32
Thursday March 20 at 15-17 on the Hervanta campus in Kampusareena A223 auditorium
International exchange tutor trainings will be organized in spring 2025 as follows:
Wednesday and Thursday April 9 and 10, more info added soon
Work of tutoring organiser
A tutoring organiser is a person in a student association or a guild, whose task is to coordinate, plan and execute student tutoring in their association. Organisers have the opportunity to do their work as a part of the tutoring organisers’ course. The course can be completed only once during your studies. The most important communication channels for tutoring organisers are the mailing lists and Hovi telegram group. You can join the international tutoring organisers’ list and Hovi by contacting TREY’s tutoring sector or from the link below. Note that you can also unsubscribe yourself from the list by entering your address in the ‘Unsubscribe’ field and following the instructions.
Join the international tutoring organisers’ mailing list in the lists.tuni.fi -service here!
TREY will remain in close contact with subject associations and guilds throughout the academic year. For students working with student tutoring in their associations, this cooperation happens through Hovi (the word “Court” in Finnish). All people responsible for either national or international student tutoring are asked to join Hovi. The group has a Telegram chat group (Hovi 2025) to facilitate discussion and conveying information. Hovi will communicate bilingually throughout the year.
Tutoring guidebooks
TREY and the university use Tutor’s Guides created by Kupla-project. Please find the Tutor guide in your preferred language below.