Frequently asked questions
You do not have to be a senior to attend senior courses. They are open to all, but they are primarily aimed at over 65-year-olds, and they proceed slower than other courses. For example, senior fitness courses take the needs of the elderly into account.
The courses are mainly held during the daytime at service homes and the adult education centre’s locations. We have a lot of different senior courses in many different subjects – from languages to dance, handicrafts to self-expression, as well as IT and digital skills.
A 50% senior discount is included in the course price. No additional discounts will be granted on the fee.
You can register a minor (under the age of 18) for courses by phone or by visiting the adult education centre’s customer service. A minor cannot register for courses electronically through the ilmonet.fi website themselves.
The courses are primarily intended for those over 16 years old. However, children can participate in family courses together with their guardians or parents.
All course participants must have a home address in Finland. Course invoices will not be sent abroad. Au pairs, etc., are exceptions, but in these cases, the registration is handled by a parent of the host family, whose address and payer details are entered into Kursor, the Ilmonet background system.
You cannot get a visa or residence permit for studying at the Adult Education Centre. The Finnish Immigration Service, Migri, can only grant a visa/residence permit based on studies if those studies lead to a degree and take place at a university or vocational institution. Learn more on Migri’s own website at https://migri.fi/en/study-place
If you must miss a course session, no refund will be given for the missed session, and absences cannot be compensated.
Online courses are live sessions where the teacher and the group are present simultaneously via computer. Online sessions are not recorded for later viewing. Exceptions will be noted in the course description on the ilmonet.fi website.
Unfortunately, you cannot use culture/sports vouchers to pay for courses at the Adult Education Centre.
You can cancel your course registration on Ilmonet up to 7 days from the beginning of the course. If you are unable to cancel on Ilmonet, please contact customer service by calling +358 9 310 88610.
Unfortunately, you cannot register that way. You register through customer service using the course management system, which differs for each institution. Of course, you can use our customer service computers in person at the institute to register online. Our staff will assist you if necessary.
You can change courses in the middle of a semester if there is room in the other course. Any changes must be agreed with the instructors and customer service.
When switching courses, the new course does not have to be in the same subject area. It is possible to transfer if there is room in the new course. You do not have to discuss transfer to another course with the instructor, although it is polite to inform them.
If you have difficulties choosing the right course, please contact our staff. The instructors in the subject areas will help you with course selection and all matters related to course content and studies. Find all our contact information here.
Yes. People living outside Helsinki can also participate in the courses.
The course fees are generally determined by the number of lesson hours. The course fees and the criteria for determining them are established annually by the Education Committee. Discounts on course fees are available for unemployed jobseekers, military, and civilian service personnel, and those receiving maternity, paternity or parental allowance or home care allowance, among others. You can find additional information on this page: course fees.
We always recommend registering for the waiting list. If other students cancel, we will offer the openings to those on the waiting list. The waiting lists also tell us about demand, and sometimes new parallel classes are set up based on them. We can also use the waiting lists to plan future course offerings.
For some courses, students have had the opportunity to pre-register for the next semester’s course.
Students should exchange contact information with another student. Instructors do not submit lesson plans to customer service, so the service centres will not have information about specific group lesson plans. In addition, instructors are not available between classes unless they have agreed to appointments with the students.
You can update your contact information by notifying customer service by phone or email. You can report these to any location, regardless of the area in which you are studying. You can change your contact details on the Ilmonet online portal if you have Finnish online banking credentials.
If you have to be absent from a course session, you will not receive a refund for the course fee, nor can the absences be compensated for.e absences be compensated for?
Public transport
Arbis is easy to reach by tram or bus. Get off at the National Museum and walk 200 metres to Arbis. It takes about 10 minutes to walk from Kamppi and the Central railway station.
Parking
Unfortunately Arbis has no parking spaces for course participants. Street parking in the local area is subject to a parking fee.
Taxi
There is a taxi rank just down from Arbis. The janitor at Arbis can help you call a taxi.
Wheelchair access to Arbis
You can come to Arbis in a wheelchair. All rooms are accessible. Arbis also has a wheelchair you can borrow. Call the janitor in advance on 09 310 494 92 if you need to borrow a wheelchair.