Are you ready to take your school to the next level? VisitEDUfinn Ltd. is here to offer you and your staff a life-changing opportunity to learn from one of the most successful education systems in the world – the Finnish and the Estonian. Imagine job shadowing Finnish and Estonian teachers, observing their teaching techniques, and experiencing everyday life in Finnish and Estonian schools firsthand. It’s an incredible chance to gain practical insights that you can implement in your own school, and we recommend a group of at least two people from one school for shared and reflective learning. Anyone from any type of school, can take part. However, our services do not include job shadowing in higher education institutions, and we recommend contacting the universities directly.
This experience will open your eyes to new possibilities, enhancing your teaching methodologies, and ultimately making a positive impact on your students. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; register online today and select your school type preference. The host schools are often located in the magnificent Helsinki or Tallinn metropolitan area, but as the schools in the capital region are often overbooked due to the high demand, they are only available for groups (two or more participants). Therefore, individual visitors need to book their Erasmus+ Job Shadowing experience in smaller cities and towns, where schools welcome them with open arms. Note also that the VET schools we arrange visits to are located outside the Helsinki area due to high demand and a smaller number of this type of schools. We can guarantee a maximum travel time of 2 hours from Helsinki, ensuring that participants won’t need to travel across the country. Let’s start this inspiring journey together!
Read our recent survey results about Erasmus+ Job Shadowing experiences in Finland.
Starting in 2025, we are also organizing Erasmus+ Job Shadowing in Spain! The job shadowing schools are located in the biggest Spanish cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants.
"The Finnish teachers were very friendly, enthusiastic and helpful. We loved watching them teaching. It was very insipiring. Both are excellent, motivating teachers and persons as well. They provided us with plenty of information and support."
"Job shadowing in Finland was an amazing experience! Seeing how education can be truly both student and teacher and not exam centered was inspiring."
"The experience was more than awesome. It was excellent to learn about a total different reality and system. Although being different it was possible to grab many ideas."
"In Finland we met warm and friendly people. The welcome us and introduced us not only to their classes but even to their lives. I have never met such lively people. Moreover, I learned more than I expected."
"I learnt different methods of teaching and a better way to develop competencies."
"Visiting 2 different schools in 2 different areas and of 2 different types put me more in the frame of the Finnish school systems and all the challenges the Finnish teachers are facing at the moment."
In Erasmus+ Job Shadowing, you can choose the dates that are the most convenient for you. However, considering the Finnish school year and the holidays, Erasmus+ Job Shadowing is only available between September 1st – December 15th and January 15th – May 15th. In Estonia, the available dates are September 15th – December 15th and January 15th – May 15th. In Spain, the dates are October 1st- December 15th and January 15th – May 31st.
However, please note that there are certain periods and holidays in during the school year 2024-2025 when job shadowing is not possible in Finland:
Additionally, there is no job shadowing in high schools during these periods:
Duration and Fee
For the basic fee of 350€ (excl. VAT), you can job shadow for a maximum of one week, Monday-Friday. Additional days are possible for an extra fee.
City/Area
The host schools are often located in the magnificent Helsinki and Tallinn metropolitan area, but as the schools in the capital region are often overbooked due to the high demand, they are only available for groups (two or more participants). Individual visitors need to book their Erasmus+ Job Shadowing experience in smaller cities and towns, where schools welcome them with open arms. Note that the VET schools we arrange visits to are often located outside the Helsinki area due to high demand and a smaller number of this type of schools. We can guarantee a maximum travel time of 2 hours from Helsinki, ensuring that participants won’t need to travel across the country. Naturally, we recommend that other groups would also consider experiencing the charm of the smaller cities, such as Turku, Jyväskylä, or Lahti in Finland, and Tartu and Pärnu in Estonia. In Spain, the job shadowing schools are located in the biggest Spanish cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants.
Note that in the metropolitan areas, the one-way traveling time from the city center (central railway station) to the school can take up to one hour using public transport.
On the registration form, you need to choose whether you will do Erasmus+ Job Shadowing in the capital or other areas in Finland or Estonia, or in Spain. If you have any doubt, please contact our customer service at info@visitedufinn.com.
Schedule
School days start normally at 8 or 9 am and end at the latest at 3 pm. The job shadowing timetable depends on the teachers you and your colleagues are shadowing. Please consider that, especially in a primary school, the school days are short, 4-6h/day. If your plan requires more working hours, we offer online courses to complement the schedule.
Networking with Finnish, Estonian and Spanish colleagues
Finnish, Estonian and Spanish teachers are willing to share their thoughts with you, but it is good to bear in mind that they are often busy; the next lesson (or at least its preparation) can start immediately after the previous one. There will certainly be suitable moments during the week for Q&A and informal discussions. But if you want to be sure to get undivided time with a Finnish or Estonian education expert, then we recommend our hosted Teacher job shadowing -program (not available in Spain yet), which includes two meetings for in-depth discussions.
Group size and special wishes
You are welcome alone or with a group of colleagues. If you are more than 5 teachers coming together, then we will split you into different schools. We always try to find the best match according to your background (age group, particular subjects, special education, language immersion etc.), but it is not always possible to fulfill all wishes. The earlier you register, the more likely we are to find a school that is just right for you.
Schools, teachers, and pupils are all different, but they all welcome you wholeheartedly
The job shadow experience is created through interaction and is always slightly different, there is no ready-made formula. An adventurous spirit helps to make the most out of it!
“The destination Finland is very attractive as far as it concerns education, so I had the possibility to understand such a success observing it, talking with students, and comparing my practices with those in use in Finland. The outcome is plenty of new ideas and methods to get students more involved in the topics”
“The experience from every point of view was educational, interesting, and stimulating, not only from the point of view of personal training but because it gave me the possibility of connecting with many people and with different ways of doing school that opened my cultural and professional horizons.”
We offer the same programme for student groups. This experience is available for kids between 7 and 18 years old.
The fee and basic content are exactly the same: 5 days in a Finnish, Estonian and Spanish school, participating in lessons with local peers at a very affordable fee of 350€/person.
For school students, this is an excellent opportunity to:
School teachers can bring their classes and offer the pupils a well-organized, safe, and fun international experience. Our caring team will coordinate the trip and find a nice Finnish, Estonian or Spanish host school for you!
All registrations must be done using the online registration form. Accepted methods of payment are credit card and bank transfer. After the payment, we will choose and book the school(s) for your shadowing experience.
If you have problems or questions about completing the online form, please contact us at info@visitedufinn.com.
REGISTER FOR ERASMUS+ JOB SHADOWING
Prices
All prices exclude Finnish VAT 25,5%. For VAT exemption, you need to register as a representative/employee of a company or organization and during the registration, attach a tax certificate, trade register extract, or similar from your country. If your school has a European VAT number or Erasmus-related OID (Organization ID), you can just take a picture or screenshot of the number and attach it.
Prices include
We have another job shadowing program with supplementary services. In addition, Teacher Job Shadowing allows individual participants to go to schools in the capital area. Read more about Teacher Job Shadowing (not available in Spain yet).
Payments
Please choose your payment type on the online registration form. The options are
Please note that all payments must be made in advance and in euros (€).
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation by participant
All cancellations must be made by email to info@visitedufinn.com. If unable to attend, the registered person may be substituted by someone else from the same organization by sending a notification to info@visitedufinn.com. In case of a cancellation after the payment, the amount paid to date remains as a cancellation fee.
Cancellation by VisitEDUfinn
In case the shadowing is cancelled due to COVID-19 or a similar force majeure situation, we will postpone the visit until the shadowing is possible again. VisitEDUfinn is not responsible for any damage caused by the cancellation and strongly recommends purchasing flexible flight tickets and accommodation.
Invitation letters for visa purposes
VisitEDUfinn will write invitation letters only after the full payment. If the participant cannot get a visa and sends evidence about the rejected visa application, VisitEDUfinn will refund the paid amount. However, 100€ will be deducted as an administrative fee.
SUVI KRISTA WESTLING
Ms. Westling is our primary coordinator Erasmus+ Job Shadowing. She is an expert on educational psychology with a broad view of education and a deep understanding of the human mind. She has graduated from and later taught students in an innovative program of educational psychology at the University of Helsinki. Her teaching has included lecturing, supervising pre-service teachers’ practice, and facilitating group processes and phenomenon-based group studies. In her research, she has studied the quality of regulation of students’ learning and activity both at school and at teacher education. She has worked as an expert in educational program design at an academic level as well as in few international organizations.
Suvi has also gained grassroots experience with children and teenagers while working as a classroom teacher, youth worker, and camp supervisor in various places at earlier phases of her life. She has developed an international mindset and understanding of different cultures by participating and working in different international communities and networks, living and studying in Latin America (Chile).
We suggest you give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the wonderful experiences and cultural opportunities Finland & Estonia has to offer before, during, or after your visit. We are happy to organize a customized cultural programme before/during/after your shadowing days, having one of our education professionals as your host/guide.
If you prefer to discover the city on your own, below are some useful links.
What you can do in Helsinki, Finland:
What you can do in Tallinn, Estonia:
HELSINKI, FINLAND
The participants can freely choose their accommodation. However, we highly recommend being located close to Senate Square as the most interesting sights are within walking distance from the Square. Forenom offers comfortable accommodation in different locations around Helsinki area, and our clients get 10% discount (ask for a code). For those with a limited budget, Eurohostel is an excellent option.
TALLINN, ESTONIA
Whatever your budget and taste, you can be sure to find a suitable accommodation in Tallinn.
The best districts of Tallinn to stay in are 1) Toompea (Old Town), 2) All-Linn (Old Town), 3) Kalamaja, and 4) Kadriorg.
You can choose your accommodation in this page.
HELSINKI, FINLAND
How to get from the airport to the hotels
Several Taxi companies are offering their services in the airport. The price to the city center is approximately 50 €. There are also public transportationoptions; both the railway and bus station are located in the airport. The price is around 5 €, depending on whether you pay cash or use an application or ticket machine.
Weather in Helsinki
Depending on the time of the year, the temperature can be anything between -30 and +30 Celsius. Please visit the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s website for updated news on weather in Helsinki.
Language
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish, but practically everyone knows basic English, and especially the people involved in tourism speak very good English.
Currency
The Finnish currency unit is the Euro. You can exchange foreign currency and traveler’s cheques either in banks, airports, or hotels. In addition, there are numerous cash machines (ATMs) open around the clock and accepting all major credit cards. Visa and Mastercard, in particular, are widely accepted almost everywhere (in hotels, restaurants, shops, taxis, cafeterias, bars, etc.).
Voltage
The electric current in Finland is 230V, 50Hz. Plugs are two-pin continental size.
Time
The time in Finland is GMT/UTC+2 (During Daylight Saving Time +3)
TALLINN, ESTONIA
In addition to the traditional four seasons, some areas of Estonia also have a fifth — the natural flood — beginning at the end of March or early April. Water levels can rise as much as five meters, creating possibilities for canoeing.
Weather in Tallinn
Summers are moderately warm (the mean temperature in July is 16 – 17°C) and winters are moderately cold (the mean temperature in February is between -2.5 and -7°C). lease visit the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s website for updated news on weather in Tallinn.
With the high time in June, 38 blooming species of orchids have been counted. The richest area of orchids is Saaremaa where 36 of them can be found. The area has even its own orchid called Saaremaa dactylorhiza.
The language
About 1.1 million people speak Estonian, one of the world’s smallest official national languages. It is used successfully in all areas of society. Estonians also speak a variety of other languages…as well as English, Russian, Finnish and German.
Love for culture
By culture consumption, Estonia is one of the leading countries in Europe. Our 1.3 million inhabitants make about 3.4 million museum visits, 3.5 million cinema visits, 2 million concert visits, and 1.2 million theatre visits annually.
For additional information about Erasmus+ Job Shadowing, please contact:
VisitEDUfinn Ltd.
c/o Sofia Helsinki Members
Sofiankatu 4C
00170 HELSINKI
Tel. +358 407 516 478
Email: info@visitedufinn.com
PIC code: 899855324
OID code: E10020922
Unique educational conference setup – Visit Finnish schools and job shadow teachers by the Arctic Circle.
Ms. Rauhala (B.A.) is an educational sciences student at the University of Turku with studies also in the fields of psychology, business and HR, and sociology. As an education major, she is passionate about lifelong learning and the Finnish education system. She believes in change through education. In addition, Ms. Rauhala loves to learn new languages. She completed an Erasmus + university exchange in Spain as a part of her studies and wants to work toward everyone getting international learning opportunities. Ms. Rauhala is working for VisitEDUfinn part-time while finishing her studies.
Contact:
melina.rauhala@visitedufinn.com
