This article is a continuation of a previous article written about studying abroad in Helsinki, which you can find here.
As an exchange student in Finland, you will need to have a decent amount of money behind you in order to live well and enjoy all the fantastic things this beautiful country has to offer.
One way that many exchange students have found to earn money is teaching English to local people. A local organization called Yksityisopetus, which translates to ‘Private Tutoring’, is a not-for-profit agency that allows those interested in either teaching or learning a language to get in contact with each other.
Whilst other language tutoring is offered, the vast majority of users looking to learn a language are seeking tutors in English.
The process is very simple, you set up a profile on the website, Yksityisopetus.fi, write a small bio on yourself and your English language proficiency. You are also able to name a price for your tutoring services, with many tutors asking for in upwards of 30EUR per hour.
As stated before, Yksityisopetus is a not-for-profit organization and none of the money made by tutors goes to them.
However, some tutors chose not to charge money, and simply use the experience as a way of meeting local Finnish people and possibly learning to speak the Finnish language in return.
Whether you charge money for your service or not, English tutoring for locals is a fantastic way of meeting the otherwise very reserved Finnish people and provides foreigners with easy access to Finnish culture and the local way of life.
For many exchange/international students, the money earned from this tutoring is very secondary in comparison to the invaluable experience you gain from meeting and engaging with local people.
The students you will attract will be from very diverse backgrounds, and are likely to range from high school or university students looking to improve their English, all the way to business professionals hoping to build on their conversational English skills.
For any young person looking to come to Finland, I would highly recommend that you offer your services as an English tutor to local people as it will definitely enrich your experience in Finland and allow you to engage every closer with the Finnish way of life.