Current in Kela: student financial aid and social assistance in the summer months

Summer is almost here, but you still do not have a summer job lined up?

If you are eligible for student financial aid and other benefits from Kela (Finnish Social Security Instute), you can apply for student financial aid (opintotuki) during the summer months if you pursue degree-related studies. To be eligible for Kela benefits, your residence in Finland must be permanent. If you are unsure whether you qualify for benefits, you can check the criteria on Kela’s website: Can you get benefits from Kela when you move to Finland?

Student financial aid is available in the form of the study grant, the student housing supplement and a government guarantee for student loans. You can get student financial aid for example for lecture courses, set book exams, on-the-job-training or for working on your final project or thesis.

If you are eligible for Kela benefits, you can apply for social assistance (toimeentulotuki) for the summer months if you cannot find a summer job despite looking for one actively and the student financial aid you get during the summer or your other income or assets are not enough to live on. Kela does not require for full-time students to register with the employment services and stop their studies in that situation. Kela will also not reduce the basic amount of their social assistance.

Read the full bulletin on Kela's website: Making the most of your summer: Tips for students