Things for students to remember at the start of a new academic year
The start of a new academic year is approaching! Remember to check that your affairs with Kela are in order before you go back to school. On this page, you will find the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to Kela and studying.
If you are in upper secondary education, for example studying in an upper secondary school or an institute of vocational education, you can get financial aid for students. Here are some tips for handling your affairs with Kela.
You can get financial aid for post-comprehensive school studies if you need financial assistance and study full-time. In addition, the total duration of your studies must be at least 2 months and you must make satisfactory progress with the studies. Financial aid for students consists of a study grant, a student loan and a housing supplement.
Find out what kind of benefits you can get.
Use the student financial aid calculator (in Finnish or Swedish) to estimate the amount of financial aid you can get. Your income will affect the number of months per year for which you can get financial aid. You must make sure that your annual income does not exceed a specified limit.
The student loan is a government-guaranteed loan that you must pay back. Interest accrued on the loan is added to the loan amount. If Kela gives you a loan guarantee, you can apply for a loan at a bank of your choice. You can get a student loan of EUR 400 to EUR 850 per month. You must apply for the loan at a bank, and you can withdraw the loan funds 4 times a year. You do not need to take out the whole student loan from the bank. Instead you can take out only the amount you need.
Read more about the amounts and disbursement dates of student loans.
If you have a long commute to school, you can also get a school transport subsidy from Kela. You can apply for school transport subsidy easily and conveniently in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish). If you take public transport to and from school, you can get your ticket from most online ticket vendors as soon as you have submitted your application.
Congratulations on your admission! We put together these Kela tips for new students so that when your studies begin, you can focus on making friends with the other students, selecting courses and sewing patches onto your overalls.
You can apply for financial aid for students as soon as you accept your offer of admission. Financial aid for students consists of a study grant, a student loan and a housing supplement.
The student loan is a government-guaranteed loan that you must pay back. Interest accrued on the loan is added to the loan amount. If Kela gives you a loan guarantee, you can apply for a loan at a bank of your choice. You do not need to take out the whole student loan from the bank. Instead you can take out only the amount you need.
Read more about the amounts and disbursement of student loans.
Read more about how to apply for a student loan.
There is an annual income limit for student financial aid that you should not exceed. Your income limit depends on how many months of student financial aid you use in a year. The more months of student financial aid you use, the lower your income limit will be for other income. You must keep track of your income yourself. One way to check your income limit for student financial aid is to visit the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish). Keep the income limits in mind, especially if you work while studying or in the summer.
Read more about the annual income check for student financial aid.
Students can get a housing supplement for students. You can be paid the student housing supplement if you live in rented or right-of-occupancy housing and you qualify for student financial aid. The student housing supplement is paid for active months of study, and the same annual income limit applies to both the housing supplement and student financial aid.
You can apply for the student housing supplement after you have accepted your offer of admission and you know where you will be living during your studies. Apply for the student housing supplement in OmaKela after you have applied for student financial aid. If you do not know where you will be living in autumn, you should apply for student financial aid first. You can then apply for the student housing supplement after you have signed a lease agreement or a right-of-occupancy agreement.
Teaching usually begins at institutions of higher education in late August or early September. This means that you can get student financial aid and the housing supplement for students from 1 September onwards.
The student housing supplement can be paid only to your own bank account. It cannot be paid directly to your landlord.
Read more about the housing supplement.
How to apply for the housing supplement.
You can get general housing allowance if you live in rented housing before you start your studies and your income is low. Kela can pay you the allowance until you qualify for student financial aid and the student housing supplement.
More information about general housing allowance.
If you are a higher education student and registered as attending, you have the right to use the services of the Finnish Student Health Service (YTHS.fi). You have to pay a student healthcare fee to Kela for every term. The 2026 rate of the student healthcare fee is EUR 35.35 per term. Kela will not send you a bill for the fee, so you must make sure to pay it on your own initiative. We recommend that you pay the fee at the same time as you apply for financial aid for students.
Pay the healthcare fee in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish).
Learn more about the services of the Finnish Student Health Service (YTHS.fi).
You are eligible for discounted meals at student restaurants participating in Kela’s meal subsidy scheme. You get the discount by presenting your student card.
Are you going abroad to study? Financial aid for students is also available when you complete a degree abroad.
Here we go again! Now is a good time to try to recall which Kela-related matters still need handling before you dive back into your studies.
Remember to tell Kela if your life situation changes. Tell us about changes that affect your student financial aid and student housing supplement by submitting a notification of changes concerning student financial aid in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish).
Do you need help with your housing costs? Kela may pay you housing supplement for students if you live in rented or right-of-occupancy housing and you qualify for student financial aid. If Kela does not pay you the student housing supplement yet, you can apply for it in OmaKela.
You cannot get student financial aid or the student housing supplement during the summer months if you are in higher education and you will continue your studies in the autumn. However, if you study during the summer, you can apply to be paid both student financial aid and the student housing supplement during the summer months.
Read more about the housing supplement.
You can also draw down your student loan for the autumn term from 1 August 2026 onwards. You do not need to take out the whole student loan from the bank. Instead you can take out only the amount you need.
More information about student loans.
Make sure that your annual income does not exceed the annual income limit for financial aid for students. For purposes of financial aid for students, it is not relevant at which point during the year you earn your income. This means that any income from summer jobs also affects your financial aid. In addition, you must make satisfactory progress with your studies in order to get financial aid for students.
Your income will affect the number of months per year for which you can get the housing supplement. The same income limits apply to both the student housing supplement and the rest of your student financial aid.
You must make sure that your income does not exceed your annual income limit. If your income exceeds your annual income limit, you must pay back both your study grant and the student housing supplement to Kela.
Read more about the income check.
Check how many months of student financial aid you have left and plan your studies accordingly. If you run out of financial aid before graduating, you can apply for an extension to the aid. If you are not granted an extension, you can apply to Kela for social assistance. First, use our online calculator (in Finnish or Swedish) to see if you can get social assistance.
Check when students can apply for social assistance.
Remember to pay the healthcare fee for students in higher education well in advance. We recommend that you pay the fee in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) at the same time as you handle your other affairs with Kela at the start of the academic year. The fee must be paid for each term.
How to pay the healthcare fee for students in higher education.
Are you going on student exchange? Financial aid for students is also available when you leave Finland to study abroad.
Read more about financial aid for students studying abroad.
Are you struggling to cope? Sometimes the limits of your mental health and well-being are tested. That is when rehabilitative psychotherapy provided by Kela or other forms of rehabilitation can be helpful. If you fall ill and cannot study, you can take a sick leave. During that time, you can get sickness allowance.
Read more about taking a sick leave as a student (in Finnish at elämässä.fi).
Are you about to graduate? If you complete your higher education degree within the specified target time, Kela can pay back part of your student loan. Kela will usually grant student loan compensation automatically, so you do not have to apply for it.
Read more about the student loan compensation.
If you cannot find a job immediately after graduation or your income is low, interest assistance for student loans can help you make ends meet. Interest assistance means that Kela pays all of the interest due on your government-guaranteed student loan.
What else is going on in your life?
Are you entering military or non-military service?
Financial aid for students is not available during military or non-military service. Temporarily cancel your financial aid for students and apply for conscript’s allowance from Kela.
Are you struggling with your studies?
If illness or disability makes it difficult to cope with your studies, rehabilitation might help.