Kela - Housing Supplement

Finnish student housing supplement (Asumislisä)

You will receive a monthly rent allowance of 80% of your housing costs, up to a maximum amount that depends on where you live. The upper limit is 296 EUR per month in Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen and Vantaa; 248 EUR per month in medium-sized towns such as Tampere, Turku, Oulu and Jyväskylä; and 216 EUR per month everywhere else. If you are studying abroad, you will receive 210 EUR per month. If you live abroad but are studying in Finland, you will receive up to 216 EUR per month. The money is only paid for the months in which you are actually studying. This is usually 9 months per year for higher education and 10 months for other courses. It covers your rent or your contributions to a co-operative flat, as well as flat-rate allowances for water, electricity and furnishing costs. Heating costs, sauna, internet or parking are not included. Kela, the Finnish Social Insurance Institution, pays this grant as part of the state student financial aid scheme.

Who can apply

• Study level: You study at an upper secondary school, vocational school, university or university of applied sciences. All levels count.
• Student aid: You are entitled to a Finnish student grant. If you are under 17 and live alone, you can receive the housing supplement even without this grant.
• Where you live: You live in rented accommodation or in a co-operative flat. You are not eligible if you live with your parents, in a flat that belongs to you or your partner, or are accommodated free of charge in a student hall of residence.
• Where you study: You can study in Finland or abroad.
• Field of study: Any subject.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply.
• Your income: Only your own income affects the amount of the grant. Your partner’s and parents’ income, as well as your savings, are not taken into account. The income limits are the same as those for other student grants.
• Study progress: You are currently studying. You have not yet used up all the months of your student finance, and your funding has not been suspended due to insufficient academic progress.

How to apply

You can submit your application to Kela via the ‘OmaKela’ online service or using paper forms, which are available in English. If you are not yet receiving a student grant, please apply for this first and then apply for the housing allowance separately. There is no fixed deadline. The housing allowance is only paid from the start of the month in which Kela receives your application. You should therefore apply as early as possible, as soon as you know your address.

If you are planning your studies in Finland, our guide Scholarships in Finland brings together further funding options beyond this housing supplement.