Housing

Housing for international Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students

If you are a Bachelor’s or Master's degree student, you are responsible for ensuring that you have accommodation for the duration of your studies. You can: 

• Apply for a furnished apartment from Hoas or Unihome for the duration of your first study year
• Apply for an unfurnished apartment from Hoas for the duration of your studies
• Find accommodation from other housing providers 

To make your housing search easier and safer, please read the factors to consider when looking for housing below.

The University does not provide emergency accommodation, so please make your accommodation arrangements before you arrive in Finland.

Housing for incoming exchange students

Exchange students coming through an official exchange programme apply for housing in the Mobility Online application system. For more information, please see

• How to apply for housing as an exchange student

Housing for incoming visiting students

As a visiting student, you have the following options to apply for housing

• Apply for a furnished Unihome apartment by contacting Unihome directly at students@unihome.fi. Please note that you can apply for the autumn semester earliest in July and for the spring semester in December, when vacancy for the semester months is known. During the summer (June – mid August) there are more rooms available.
• Apply for an unfurnished Hoas apartment directly through the HOAS website. You can also apply for Hoas furnished spring apartments for the period of 1.1.-31.5.
• Especially for stays during the autumn semester, you may primarily have to turn to the other housing options. 

Hurry up!

First the good news: Helsinki is a very safe city, apartments are well maintained and the public transport network is excellent.

The bad news? There is great demand for housing as Helsinki is Finland's only metropolitan area. There are not enough apartments for everyone wanting to move in. So be one step ahead and start looking for an apartment right after receiving your acceptance letter!

We recommend you start your house hunting by checking what Hoas and Unihome has to offer you. If you are not willing to live in a student housing, you can check out other housing options from the private market.

The more channels the better

Apply for an apartment simultaneously through various channels to increase your chances of getting an apartment. Remember: if you receive a housing offer – take it! As there is a lot of competitions in the housing market in Helsinki, it is unlikely that you will receive another housing offer.

Please note that the University does not offer temporary housing.

Be prepared to pay more

Helsinki’s loveliness and high living standards come with a price. You should have 450–700 euro for living expenses per month (or even more, depending on your spending habits) and an additional 450–800 euro per month for housing. For the residence permit, you are required to have 800 euro per month on your bank account, but that will not be enough for living in Helsinki.

Could you live further away from the city centre?

The further you live from the center of Helsinki, the cheaper the rent and the greater the choice of apartments. Also, the public transport network is vast and connections are frequent and punctual, so living further away is not a problem! You can check the public transport connections from your apartment to the campus from the HSL Journey Planner.

Remember these tips when applying

Especially in Helsinki, where the demand for housing is high, one housing offer might receive dozens of replies. To improve your chances to get an apartment, consider the following tips while replying to a housing offer or writing your own announcement:

• Introduce yourself and tell that you are studying at the University of Helsinki.
• Express your interest for the apartment in question.
• Remember to write in full sentences.
• If you find an interesting housing offer e.g. on Facebook, it is recommendable to contact the person via private message rather than only on the comment field.
• Make sure to leave your contact information (phone/email).
• Most importantly: be polite and take time to write your reply/announcement!

Never send money or your passport information to anyone!

There are many scam announcements online. Do not send money or your passport details to anyone on the open market before you have seen the apartment and signed a contract. An offer that sounds too good to be true (e.g. a studio flat under 500 euros in the city centre) is usually a scam.

Cancel unnecessary applications

Remember to cancel unnecessary applications after finding accommodation. Otherwise, other students in the queue might have to wait longer for their housing offer.

No flat before arriving in Finland? Book a hostel room early!

If you haven't received a housing offer by mid-August (or mid-December for the spring term) it is likely that you won't get a flat by the beginning of September/January. In this case, it can be a good idea to secure temporary accommodation for the whole of September/January right away. Most flats and rooms are vacant from the beginning of the month.

What is Hoas?

Hoas is the main non-profit organisation providing student housing in the Helsinki Region. Hoas offers rooms and apartments for incoming students (international Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students and incoming exchange students) of The University of Helsinki. 

Information about Hoas apartments

Hoas has a large selection of different types of student rooms and apartments in the Helsinki region.

• Hoas rooms and apartments are mainly unfurnished with a few exceptions. Please note that the unfurnished apartments are literally unfurnished (e.g. no bed) to the extent where you may need to purchase essentials such as lamps and cutlery. Whilst this may feel peculiar for many coming to Finland, here it is common that unfurnished apartments available through Hoas, and the private sector, are without the most common appliances.
• Rents are generally higher in newer or recently renovated properties as well as in apartments that are close to central Helsinki.

How to apply a Hoas room/apartment

• It is advisable to apply for an apartment as soon as you receive confirmation of your place of study. The earliest you can apply is four months before you need the apartment.
• Hoas cannot guarantee housing for all students. There is no guarantee that you will get an apartment when your studies begin.
• Most HOAS contracts start in August, but for some locations, the tenancy period starts on September 1st. You are expected to arrive in Helsinki before the Orientation week begins. If your tenancy period starts on September 1st, make sure you have booked a hostel or other accommodation for the last days of August.

Applications are made through the Hoas website. Hoas website provides further information for applicants. If you have any further question, please contact Hoas direclty. The University of Helsinki does not provide key pick up service.

Unihome is a university-owned company that offers accommodation services to university visitors, researchers, professors and students, as well as excellent entry-level accommodation for those coming to Finland for work. Unihome has a wide selection of comfortable, furnished and ready-to-move-in rooms and apartments.

• More information on Unihome for international Bachelor's and Master's students
• More information on Unihome for incoming exchange students

In addition to Hoas and Unihome, it's a good idea to also look for housing options from the open market. Here are a few good guides to help you get started:

• The Student Union housing guide: tips for house hunting & lists of different housing providers.
• Housing in Helsinki: A newcomers guide to finding a home in the capital: an extensive guide by International House Helsinki, a public regional service dedicated to help international newcomers to settle in Helsinki.
• Flat renting in Helsinki: a website operated by the city of Helsinki with information, checklists, rental vocabulary & lists.

If you need a short-term place to stay while looking for a long-term flat, the Helsinki area has a number of hostels you can book a room from. Airbnb also lists a wide selection of available flats from private owners. And if you've never tried couchsurfing before, that might also be a fun way to start your Helsinki experience while looking for a more permanent home!

Social media channels (especially Facebook) also have numerous privately operated groups where anyone can advertise rental flats – some just for students, some for everyone. A quick Google search will land you a long list of the most popular groups.

Most of the student rooms or apartments are rented unfurnished. There are numerous furniture shops in the Helsinki metropolitan area – Ikea stores, for example, are a good option for affordable furniture and other household items.

Buying second hand is also a great option for super affordable, sustainable furniture shopping. For example Kierrätyskeskus ("Reuse centre"), a not-for-profit company dedicated to recycling furniture, clothes and other household items, has several locations in the metropolitan area. The locations vary in size and selection: if you're looking for large furniture like beds and sofas, choose one of the biggest centres.

You may also want to search local recycling groups in social media for affordable second hand furniture.