Opintotuki

Student aid is governed by the Student Aid Act (opintotukilaki 65/1994). The benefit consists of three parts: study grant (taxable monthly support), housing supplement (in use for higher-education students from 1 August 2025) and government guarantee for the student loan (enables a bank loan without your own collateral).

A major reform took effect in August 2025: higher-education students moved out of general housing allowance and back to the student-aid housing supplement. This applies to students at universities, universities of applied sciences and certain upper-secondary institutions. Students in vocational upper-secondary education and general upper secondary, and those under 18, were already in the housing-supplement scheme.

The benefit is administered and paid by Kela. Decisions can be appealed to the Student Aid Appeal Board and onward to the Insurance Court.

Student aid can be received by a full-time student studying continuously for at least 2 months in an aid-eligible institution. Aid-eligible institutions include:

• General upper secondary (lukio), and combined upper-secondary studies
• Vocational upper secondary
• Universities of applied sciences
• Universities
• Certain specialised institutions, such as the National Defence University

Full-time at higher-education level means on average at least 5 ECTS credits per month of aid. In vocational education and general upper secondary, full-time status follows the curriculum on a term or period basis.

Student aid can be received by a Finnish citizen and, under certain conditions, also by a foreign national who has a permanent residence permit or EU registration in Finland. Studies abroad are aid-eligible if the institution is recognised and the studies lead to a degree.

The monthly study grant depends on the student's age, living arrangement and institution. Key 2026 figures:

• Higher-education student living independently, 18+: study grant about €268/month + housing supplement (actual housing costs, max about €222/month).
• Upper-secondary student living independently, 18+: study grant about €268/month + housing supplement.
• Living with parent, under 20: study grant about €100–135/month depending on parental income.

In addition, the student loan can be drawn on the government guarantee; for higher-education students the maximum is about €650/month. Part of the loan can become a student-loan compensation after graduation, if you graduate within the time limit.

The maximum number of months of student aid is capped: about 48 months for one higher-education degree, plus 12 flexibly used supplementary months. In vocational and general upper secondary, the cap follows the size of the studies.

The student-aid income limits are central — and a common reason for clawback. Your own income in the academic year must not exceed the annual limit, which depends on the number of months of aid you have drawn. In 2026, allowed income per aid month is about €870/month and per non-aid month about €2,600/month.

If the annual limit is exceeded, Kela claws back aid increased by 15%. To avoid this, return aid months before the year ends or distribute your income more evenly between aid months and non-aid months.

From 1 August 2025, higher-education students moved back to the student-aid housing supplement and as a rule no longer receive general housing allowance for study months. This is one of the most significant structural welfare changes of the 2020s.

The housing supplement is the part of student aid that covers 80% of rent up to a ceiling (about €222/month in 2026). The housing supplement, like the rest of student aid, is taxable income, whereas general housing allowance was tax-free.

In practice the reform improved the situation for some students (e.g. those who previously received small housing-allowance payments) and worsened it for others (e.g. people living alone in expensive areas, where general housing allowance would have given a higher payment). A student can still receive general housing allowance, for example, for summer months when no student aid is drawn, or when the household includes other people such as children or a partner.

Apply for student aid in OmaKela as soon as your study place is confirmed. It is worth applying before your first study month so that aid can begin immediately.

In the application you choose how many months you want aid for and when it should start. Higher-education students apply for the housing supplement on the same form; a copy of the rental contract must be submitted as an attachment.

The student-loan government guarantee can be applied for at the same time, but the actual loan is drawn down later from your own bank once the guarantee is granted. The bank offers the loan without your own collateral on the strength of the government guarantee.

If you are a low-income student and student aid is not enough to live on, you can additionally apply for basic social assistance — student aid is, however, counted as income, so receiving social assistance requires that even with student aid your expenses exceed your income.