Register with the authorities

When your studies in Finland last over a year, you should register with a municipality of residence (domicile) at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Acquiring a permanent address and place of domicile entitles you to enjoy municipal benefits, including a student discount with HSL (public transport) and the right to use municipal health care (if your studies last at least two years). By registering in the Finnish Population System you will also receive a personal identity code, assuming you haven’t been assigned it by MIGRI. The personal identity code is compulsory to have in case your stay lasts at least three months (obliged by the University of Helsinki) and it is need for various services, eg. opening a bank account. Please see here under citizenship specific guidelines.

To register at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency you need to have with you:

• your valid passport or EU citizen’s official identity card with a photograph
• your residence permit card or some other proof that you have entered Finland legally
• certificate of student status

Visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's website for more information and to book an appointment. 

Once you have received your Finnish personal identity code please remember to update it in the student register. You can do it by visiting the Student Services. Bring with you proof of your new identity code and your official ID.

Degree students coming from the Nordic countries

Citizens of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) do not need a residence permit or visa to enter Finland. However, once you are in the country you need to apply for a personal identity code and register with a municipality of residence (domicile) at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. You can book an appointment in their reservation system.

Degree students coming from EU/EEA countries

Citizens of EU/EEA countries do not need a residence permit or visa, but you need to apply for a right to reside in Finland at the Finnish Immigration Service MIGRI and you need to register with a municipality of residence (domicile) at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV). Please follow these instructions to complete the aforementioned steps.

NB! The3 may be long queues at MIGRI and therefore we recommend that you first register your address temporarily at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in order receive the prices of a local resident for your public transport ticket (HSL). Please book an appointment for DVV in their reservation system. Please note however that you can get the student discount for your public transport ticket only once you have completed the steps mentioned above.

Degree students coming from non-EU/EEA countries

Degree students coming from non-EU/EEA countries enter Finland with a residence permit. Once in the country, you need to register with a municipality of residence (domicile) at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. If you have not yet received a personal identity code (check the reverse side of your residence permit) apply for one at the same time. Please book an appointment for DVV in their reservation system.

Citizens of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) need to be registered at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) in order to receive a Finnish personal identity code, which is compulsory to have in case your stay lasts at least three months (obliged by the University of Helsinki). Please note that this makes an exception to the authoritative rule of not needing to register unless the stay exceeds six months. 

Complete the registration notice of a foreigner as an electronic form as soon as you have an address in Finland and you have IT user account of the University of Helsinki and you can form a certificate of student status from Sisu. Link to the registration form and instructions of DVV. 

After arriving in Helsinki, you can finish the process by either booking an appointment for Digital and Population Data Services Agency in their reservation system or visiting their room at the Check in event of the Orientation week.  

Once you have received your Finnish personal identity code please update it in the student register. You can do it by visiting the Student Services. Bring with you proof of your new identity code and your official ID.

Citizens of EU/EEA countries or Switzerland do not need a residence permit or visa, but if your stay in Finland lasts longer than three months without interruption, you need to apply for a right to reside in Finland at the Finnish Immigration Service MIGRI after your arrival. The calculation of the three-month residence always restarts from the moment when you return to Finland after travelling outside its borders. Start by filling out an application online in MIGRI's Online Service. Select the option “Right of residence”. Do not select the option “Residence permit application for studies” as that one is for non-EU citizens only.

In your registration application, you need to have your Certificate of student status (downloaded from Sisu) and a document where you have written how you get by on your own funds and that you have no need to apply for social assistance in Finland. You are not required to have a specific amount of money. Make sure that you have all the necessary attachments for your application and bring them with you when you visit the service point. You can book an appointment beforehand in the appointment system. We recommend booking already before arriving to Finland - especially if you already know you will not leave the country during your exchange. 

The personal identity code is compulsory to have in case your stay lasts at least three months (obliged by the University of Helsinki). You can apply for the code at the check-in event of the orientation week, from the representatives of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Before the event, complete the registration notice of a foreigner as an electronic form as soon as you have an address in Finland and you have IT user account of the University of Helsinki and you can form a certificate of student status from Sisu. Link to the registration form and instructions of DVV. 

In case you cannot participate in the orientation week, you can get the identity code when you register your right to reside in Finland at MIGRI or by booking an appointment time on Digital and Population Data Services Agency's website 

Once you have received your Finnish personal identity code please update it in the student register. You can do it by visiting the Student Services. Bring with you proof of your new identity code and your official ID.

As a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country, you need to apply for residence permit before arriving in Finland if you study in Finland for longer than three months.  If you have a residence permit for studies in another EU country, you may not need a residence permit to Finland but instead you must submit a mobility notification.

Check whether your residence permit card has a Finnish personal identity code. It is a number sequence with 11 characters, formed on the basis of your date of birth. If you have this code, you do not need to do any other registration process with the authorities after your arrival in Finland. You just need to submit a notification of move about a temporary move to Finland. You can do that by visiting your local post office.

If your residence permit card does not include a personal identity code, you can apply for the code at the check-in event of the orientation week, from the representatives of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Before the event, complete the registration notice of a foreigner as an electronic form as soon as you have an address in Finland and you have IT user account of the University of Helsinki and you can form a certificate of student status from Sisu. Link to the registration form and instructions of DVV. 

In case you cannot participate in the orientation week, you can get the identity code by booking an appointment time on Digital and Population Data Services Agency's website 

Once you have received your Finnish personal identity code please update it in the student register. You can do it by visiting the Student Services. Bring with you proof of your new identity code and your official ID.