5 Reasons why I chose to study at University of Jyväskylä (JYU)

Think of this situation...

You wanted to do your masters, so you applied to several universities in a row. Then, finally when the time came, you actually got admission to many of them (hopefully). And then came the sleepless nights, you cannot decide which offer you want to accept, because it’s a big decision. Indeed it is. As a masters student studying in Finland, I have been there, and I understand the exact feeling. That’s why I decided to write this blog post, to help you navigate your mind in this crucial time.


In this blog post, I will tell you why despite getting admissions in several other universities in Finland and abroad, why I decided to do my masters in University of Jyväskylä, Finland. I will guide you through what I prioritized in my thought process to choose my master's destination. Without further ado, let’s get started with 5 reasons why I choose JYU over the rest-

1.    1. I can study anything I want.

Firstly, the most important factor for me was the flexibility and freedom of study. Let me explain. I come from a business background. But in my masters, I wanted to study a bit of IT, because the future will be IT driven. Luckily, here at JYU, I can study literally ‘anything’ along with my major studies. All I, you and we will need is the desire to study. This is fascinating! Not many universities and countries actually allow this kind of flexibilities and freedom in choosing the courses. JYU has some incredible courses in IT, many of which I have taken during my first year, and I am planning to take more in my second year as well. This has absolutely been a blessing for me. Even I am fancying to take some Sports and Psychology courses. Why not? In Finland & JYU, we can!

   

Inside the classroom

2.     2. Jyväskylä is a perfect student city

To have a youthful environment around was important for me. Jyväskylä seemed like a perfect match in that regard. A cradle of education – Jyväskylä is a truly youthful city with around 45000 students in total, making it almost one-third of the city population. Thus, Jyväskylä has earned this reputation of ‘Student city’. There are always fresh young spirits around, making the environment more energetic. I absolutely was excited about it, and now I love it. Besides, the city is not too big to distract our attention from study, but also not too small to feel ‘there is nothing to do here’. It’s the perfect sized city, in my opinion, with everything close by and yet enough space to explore around. On a different note, after coming here, I have noticed- as an International student, having more students around is a blessing – as they all speak perfect English. So, language communication is not quite a barrier in Jyväskylä, to be honest, for International students. XD

Jyvaskla city - birds eye view

City centre in bright daylight  

3.    3. JYU offers unique programs and well-reputed Finnish education 

      JYU offers very specialized and unique masters programs in all its disciplines. My program is the only digital marketing masters program in the Nordics and one of the very few in the world. So that also played a very significant role. Also, Finland education system is regarded as one of the top in the world and often considered as a gold-standard worldwide. JYU promised nothing less of that. It was quite assuring to me hearing that, here at JYU, the first Finnish teacher training program started early in 1863. So, I had no doubt about the quality of education that I will be getting from the university, given its historical context and Finnish education reputation. Apart from that, In practical, so far, my study experience has been great. All the teachers, at their core, are researchers. So, everything they teach is up-to-date and more importantly impact-oriented. The learning methods are more collaborative and discussion-based, that teaches us to think, negotiate, and create original thoughts. This is incredibly rewarding.

A lecture session

Our amazing teacher Mark Badham taking selfie with us during the 1st lecture

4.     4. JYU has top Accreditations & Rankings

As a business student, I cared about accreditation and rankings. For business education, it plays a huge role in understanding the quality of its programs, its curriculums; and more importantly- for us students, it gives us a better chance to succeed in the international job market after graduating from the university. The University of Jyväskylä’s School of Business & Economics has two of world’s leading accreditations- Association of MBAs (AMBA) and The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for its significant hallmark of excellence in business education and research, which only less than 5% worldwide have earned so far. Ranking-wise, currently JYU is among the top 2% among 26000 universities around the globe.

JYU flag in all its glory (Agora building)

5.     5. JYU has a beauuuuuuutiful campus

Before coming here at JYU, I remember spending hours on the internet to see the different sites of the university campus. For me, to some extent, it was important. I believe nature relaxes us, inspires us to aspire and boosts our creativity. I was pretty much convinced seeing an aerial capture of the university and the city. Here is the picture-

Beautiful JYU, Lake Jyvasjarvi and city of Jyvaskyla

The campus resides by the side of Lake Jyvasjarvi and is surrounded by beautiful touch of nature all around. I was most excited about the bridge. It’s beaaaaautiful, anytime during the seasons- summer, autumn or winter.

Illuminated bridge over Lake Jyvasjarvi

Practically, I love walking by the lake. There is a street all around the lake that lets you walk, jog, cycle and maybe just relax surrendering to the gorgeous nature. I do that a lot. And in winter, the lake gets frozen making it a never-ending playground for everyone. Once you come here, you will see what I am talking about.  


Final Words

So, you see.. Why I chose JYU for my master's destination. Beside the mentioned ones, I could mention 5 more reasons honestly, because I love the university. I really do! My suggestion for you, if you are deciding your master's destination-

"If you want to study in a university that is located in a student city, is flexible to your choices, is very supportive to students, has a beauuuuutiful and inspiring campus, and a long history of academic excellence, you should definitely consider University of Jyväskylä (JYU). At least, I did. Gladly."   

Hope this article was helpful. If you want to know more about JYU and student life, check out student stories series from the university website, and other articles from this blog.

See you at JYU!

Abrar Hossain

Master's Student

Digital Marketing & Corporate Communication

University of Jyväskylä (JYU)