Good to know

Registration

Registration is binding. Please note that the ‘Try-it-out Week’ is no longer available. You can register for courses via the ilmonet.fi online portal, by telephone at 09 310 494 94, or at the institute’s customer service desk. By telephone or at the customer service desk, you can register another person in addition to yourself, provided you have that person’s full contact details and personal identity code. 

By registering, you agree that the course may, if circumstances require, switch from onsite teaching to distance learning.

Waiting list

When a place becomes available on a course with a waiting list, the first person on the list will receive a notification of a vacancy on the course, provided there are more than 7 days remaining until the course starts. The person receiving the notification has 24 hours to accept the offered place. 

If there are fewer than 7 days left until the course starts, a notification of the available place is sent to the first people in the waiting list, and the first person to respond is allocated to the place. Your registration becomes binding when you accept a place from the waiting list. 

Paying for your course

About a week before the course starts, you will receive an email regarding payment. You can then pay via the payment link provided in the email or log in to ilmonet.fi and pay under ‘My Account’ and ‘Online Payments’. The payment link is valid for 14 days. If payment is not received, a new link will be sent, followed by a paper invoice. If you do not have an email address, you will receive a paper invoice. 

If you do not pay your course fees in time, you will receive a reminder together with a reminder fee of EUR 5.

If you still do not pay for your course, the fee will be passed to a collection agency.

Notify the office if the invoice should be sent to an address that is different to your home address. You can reach us by telephone on 09 310 494 94 or by email at arbis@hel.fi.

Please note that a paid fee is non-refundable. 

Invoices for courses cannot be paid at the Arbis office.
You can pay invoices from the City of Helsinki at the general cash desk of the finance administration service at Toinen linja 4 A, 00530 Helsinki, phone 09 31036576. Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM.

Course discounts

Discounts on courses for senior citizens and immigrants are not available, as these courses are already offered at a reduced price to all participants. Discounts are also not available on fees for photocopying or course materials.

You can receive a discount on our course fees if you:

– are an unemployed job seeker
– receive parental allowance or home care allowance
– receive income support
– are a student and have a valid student card or a study certificate issued by the educational institution
– receive FPA’s old-age or guarantee pension.

You can prove your right to a discount with:

– student card or study certificate from the educational institution
– the latest payment verification from an unemployment fund or FPA
– a labor policy statement
– the latest decision on income support
– a decision from FPA regarding old-age pension or guarantee pension.

The minimum fee charged is always 16 euros.

Discounts cannot be combined with other discounts. 

Proof of eligibility for a discount on the course fee must be presented to customer service or sent via secure email before the course fee is paid and the course begins.

Eligibility for a discount must be proven each term.

Discounts are not granted retroactively. 

Cancelling your registration

You can cancel your registration at www.ilmonet.fi, by phone 09 310 494 94, by emailing arbis@hel.fi, or by visiting Arbis customer service at Dagmarinkatu 3.. 

It is not sufficient to notify the teacher or to simply fail to pay the course fee. If you notify customer service too late, the course fee must be paid. 

• Registration can be cancelled free of charge if there are at least 7 days remaining before the course starts. 

• If the registration is cancelled later than 7 days before the course starts, half of the course fee will be charged, with a minimum of 16 euros. 

• If the course place is not cancelled, or if the cancellation is made on the course start date or later, the full course fee will be charged. 

• You can cancel your course place via ilmonet.fi at least 7 days before the course starts. 

The course fee will be refunded if a student is unable to attend the course because Arbis has changed the time or venue of the course. 

Absences from a course

You do not need to inform us if you miss one or two lessons, but please let us know if you are going to be absent for a longer period. If you are taking part in a course with very few participants, we would be grateful if you could inform us if you will be absent a few times. You may lose your place if you are absent from certain courses. This will be clearly stated in the course information.

Study vouchers

Thanks to external funding from the Finnish National Agency of Education, Arbis can offer a lower course fee for a certain number of courses. These courses are aimed at immigrants and pensioners.

Changes to course programme

Occasionally, a course may have to be cancelled, but we also sometimes add courses as we go along. The latest information is always available online. 

A course may be cancelled or discontinued partway through if the number of participants is too low. 

If the teacher falls ill or is unable to attend, we will try to arrange a substitute. If this is not possible, we will have to cancel the course session. We will contact you via both text message and email. We therefore ask you to ensure that your contact details are correct and up to date on ilmonet.fi. 

Unfortunately, the course fee cannot be reduced if course sessions are cancelled. 

Do you need a certificate?

If you need a certificate to prove you have taken a course at Arbis, one will be provided free of charge. Speak with your teacher at the end of the course.

Certificates for courses taken in previous years cost EUR 10.

Study Tips

Arbis courses are for everyone. In the same course, there are participants with different needs, in various life situations and age groups. The reasons for studying/learning/taking a course vary. One person comes to learn something new, another to maintain their skills, a third to refresh and review forgotten material. And someone may participate primarily for the sake of community. This places demands on the teacher, but also on you as a course participant. You have a responsibility for your own learning. Familiarize yourself with the course objectives in advance, but remember that it can also be beneficial to formulate your own learning goals and reflect on them throughout the course.

You are part of the group!

Keep in mind to:

• arrive on time for the lesson and be prepared
• your own contribution is important for the whole group and the learning process
• change seats in the classroom occasionally and get to know other participants
• ask for help when needed
• give feedback directly to the teacher during the course
• talk to your teacher if you feel you are at the wrong level
• actively participate in discussions and group work
• show consideration, listen, and make space for others’ opinions
• practice/review at home as well in your own time
• create routines for your learning.

Participate actively and with an open mind – your attitude is visible to others and conveys energy!

Gift cards

Surprise a friend by giving them the gift of knowledge! Why not give them a new language, a cookery course or a dance lesson?
Choose a course on ilmonet.fi and contact Arbis customer service on 09 310 49494 or email us at arbis@hel.fi.

Getting to Arbis

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.

Children on courses

The adult education centre’s courses are primarily aimed at adults, but Arbis also organises courses for families, children and young people. Both the child and the adult will be registered for the family courses.

Insurance

Neither adults nor young people are insured by the adult education centre. For this reason, it is important for people taking part in, for example, woodwork courses to provide their own accident insurance.

Our rules at Arbis

Participants in our courses are expected to come to lessons in time and behave in an appropriate manner.

Wireless network

Arbis has a wireless network (Stadinet) that covers the whole building and can be used by visitors to Arbis without charge. The network is available without a password.

Computers for visitors

There are customer computers in the library. You can use the computers to make quick internet searches, check your email or take care of your banking affairs.

Waste recycling

Arbis sorts and recycles its waste to promote a sustainable future. On each floor, there are recycling bins for biodegradable waste, paper, cardboard, plastic, metal and glass.