Kela - Kela

What you get

Kela is Finland’s state social insurance agency. If you are studying abroad, it will pay you study grant per month (a non-repayable benefit), as well as a housing allowance and, provided you meet the eligibility criteria, a state-guaranteed student loan. For higher education, the study grant is approximately 43 to 204 EUR per month if you live with your parents, or 279 EUR per month if you live on your own. In addition, you can receive a housing allowance of up to approximately 210 EUR per month towards your rent abroad. You can also take out a state-guaranteed student loan of up to 1,000 EUR per month. If you are the legal guardian of a child under the age of 18, you will receive an additional 142 EUR per month. The funding covers the standard duration of your studies, just as it would for a degree programme in Finland, and is paid on the first day of each month.

Who can apply

• Where you go: You are completing a full degree programme abroad or taking part in an exchange programme, an internship or a work-based training programme abroad, which counts towards a Finnish qualification.
• Type of study: You are studying full-time at a state-recognised school or university. Courses delivered entirely online, individual courses, language courses and university preparatory courses do not count towards this.
• Ties to Finland: Finnish citizens are eligible for funding if they have lived in Finland for at least 2 of the last 5 years prior to the start of their studies, or if they have close ties to Finland. Non-Finnish citizens are not generally eligible for funding for full-time study abroad. Exceptions apply to EU citizens permanently resident in Finland, British citizens under the Withdrawal Agreement, and certain EU workers and their children.
• Field and university: Any degree programme at a state-recognised higher education institution abroad.
• Age: To attend a secondary school or a vocational school, you must be at least 17 years old.
• Income: Your annual income must remain below a specified threshold. The grant itself is not counted as income.
• Study progress: During a university degree, students earn approximately 5 ECTS credits per month of study.

How to apply

To apply for financial support for full-time study abroad, use the OmaKela online service or apply by post using form OT 3e. If you are already receiving financial support in Finland and are taking part in an exchange programme, please submit a change notification via OmaKela. There is no fixed deadline. You can submit your application as soon as you have accepted your place at university; your benefits will start, at the earliest, from the month in which Kela receives your application.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a state grant rather than a competitive scholarship, so you will not be competing with other applicants. If you meet the eligibility criteria – in particular, the requirement to have a connection to Finland and to be studying full-time at a recognised institution – you will receive the grant. The main risk is falling foul of one of the exclusion criteria, such as studying entirely online, taking a single course, or attending a higher education institution that is not state-regulated. Please check these points before making your plans.