How to apply for student financial aid?
As a university student, you can apply for student financial aid. To apply for student financial aid, you need to submit an application form. The form can also be submitted via Kela’s e-services (currently not available in English). Please refer to the Kela website for information on student financial aid and any recent changes to it.
Is my student financial aid affected by any other income I may receive?
Your income always affects the number of months in which you are eligible to receive student financial aid each year. You have to ensure that your annual income does not exceed the specified limit.
Please refer to the Kela website for more information on how your own income affects student financial aid.
The monitoring of the progress of studies in relation to student financial aid
You must make progress in your studies to remain eligible for student financial aid. The progress of students who receive financial aid is evaluated annually. Every October, Kela monitors students’ progress for the preceding academic year.
You can find more information on study progress on the Kela website.
What should I do if I'm not making progress in my studies?
If you are not making the required progress in your studies, your options are as follows:
- do not collect financial aid for all of your months of studying
- cancel your financial aid ahead of time for the months you have chosen
- seek further assistance from the university’s Student Services.
What should I do if I am taken ill?
If you are taken ill and do not make the required progress in your studies, you can cancel your student financial aid and apply for sickness allowance and general housing allowance. This way you can avoid using up your months of eligibility for student financial aid unnecessarily. You can start making use of them again when you are fit to continue your studies.
You can find more information on sickness allowance, including how to apply and how it relates to student financial aid, at Kela's website.
Extending the maximum eligibility period for student financial aid
The maximum period of eligibility for financial aid for your degree depends on the scope of the degree and the academic year in which you began your studies.
If you have used up your maximum period of eligibility for student financial aid but your studies have been temporarily delayed due to illness or some other weighty reason, you may be granted a discretionary extension of student financial aid for a period of no more than nine months.
More information on eligibility periods is available on Kela's website.
Where can I get advice related to student financial aid?
If you can’t find the information you need online, you can call the Kela service number for students on 020 692 209 (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). You can also visit any Kela service point in person.