Education and training
You can get support from Kela for education and training that enables you to be active in working life despite having an illness or impairment.
A favourable decision on rehabilitation that covers education and training can provide compensation for the following:
- actual costs of education and training (such as school fees and learning materials)
- cost of travel between the home and school localities (but not the daily trips between home and school).
What types of education and training are covered?
Kela generally provides vocational rehabilitation towards secondary or tertiary level basic and further education, as well as for retraining.
The education can also be
- general education (for example in an upper secondary school) if it is necessary to gain admission to a programme that provides you with vocational qualifications
- basic vocational training and education that enables you to qualify for a suitable occupation
- further vocational training and retraining to learn a new occupation.
You must first gain admission to an education or training programme yourself. You can apply for rehabilitation from Kela once you have been admitted to a programme and you have acquired a doctor’s statement B indicating your need for rehabilitation and the suitability of the training.
You can claim rehabilitation allowance for the duration of the rehabilitation. If you are between 16 and 19 years of age and have a personal education and rehabilitation plan from your local municipality, you may also be entitled to rehabilitation allowance for young people.