As of 1 August 2025, the majority of students will no longer receive general housing allowance, but the form of housing support will change to the housing supplement of the study grant. Students who receive Kela’s financial aid for students and live in a rented or right-of-occupancy apartment can apply for student housing supplement.
In the future, the student financial aid consists of a study grant, student loan and housing supplement, which means the housing supplement will be linked to the student financial aid. This means that the housing supplement is only granted for the months for which the student draws the grants. For example, if the student does not receive grants in August, then the housing supplement cannot be received either. The right to housing supplement also ends if the grant is interrupted, for example due to a delay in studies or the end of the support months.
Students who already receive Kela’s financial aid for students will have to apply for housing supplement separately at OmaKela. The application can be made from June with a notification of change in the financial aid (“opintotuen muutosilmoitus”). New students can apply for housing supplement at the same time as they apply for other financial aid for students.
If the student is no longer entitled to financial aid for students, for example due to the end of the support months or the receipt of another benefit such as sickness allowance, the student can apply for general housing allowance. The housing supplement also does not apply to students who live together with their own or their spouse’s child, as they can still receive general housing allowance.
Amount of housing supplement
The amount of housing supplement is 80% of the eligible housing expenses, which are rent or operating costs and fixed water, electricity and furniture fees. However, the support is limited to a maximum amount determined by the municipality. For example, in Lappeenranta, Kouvola and Mikkeli, the support can be a maximum of 216 euros per month, and in Lahti a maximum of 248 euros per month.
The same annual income limits apply to the housing supplement as for other financial aid for students. The housing supplement is personal, so the income of people living in the same household does not affect the right to receive housing supplement.
More information www.kela.fi/financial-aid-for-students-housing-supplement