Are you struggling with your studies? When you reach your limit and are unable to cope
Being a student is not all about having fun and learning new things. Sometimes you feel burdened by your studies and pushed to your limits. If you have trouble with your studies, Kela is probably is not at the forefront of your mind. That is why on this page we have put together the most important things to keep in mind for students who are struggling with their studies or who have an illness that is affecting their studies.
Do you feel like you may not be able to cope with your studies? Consider the following early on when you are struggling.
In order to get student financial aid, you must make satisfactory progress with your studies. Students at higher education institutions must earn an average of at least 5 credits per month of financial aid and a total of at least 20 credits per academic year in order to qualify for financial aid for students. For upper secondary education, the minimum of study progress required is 20 credits or ECVET points per academic year. If you have not earned enough credits, Kela will send you a request for further information on your academic progress in the autumn. In your response to that request you can tell us why you have not earned enough credits.
Read more about making satisfactory progress with your studies.
If you realise that you are at your limit and unable to progress as planned with your studies, you can contact Kela. Together we can figure out the best solution for your problems. You can cancel or return financial aid for students voluntarily if you wish to set aside months of financial aid for possible later use or reduce in advance the number of months of financial aid that are taken into account when monitoring your academic progress.
Here you can find the contact information for Kela’s customer service.
We recommend that you contact your student healthcare services if you are finding it hard to cope. Each semester, higher education students pay a healthcare fee that gives them access to comprehensive student healthcare services. The Finnish Student Health Service FSHS (yths.fi) provides student healthcare services for students in higher education.
Read more about the healthcare fee for students in higher education.
Read about FHSH’s groups that support mental well-being (yths.fi).
Sometimes you reach your limits and daily life becomes a struggle. Even though Kela’s benefits and services may not be at the forefront of your mind when you are struggling to cope with your studies, the following tips may prove useful.
Sometimes, the problems with your studies are due to problems in other aspects of your life, or maybe you simply have not found your own path in life yet. Kela can help you find your way by offering vocational rehabilitation for young persons. Vocational rehabilitation for young persons may be useful to you if you have not yet found a suitable field of study or job, or if your studies have been interrupted or are at risk of being interrupted despite the supportive measures offered by your educational institution. You need not supply a medical certificate from a doctor when you apply to the rehabilitation.
More information on vocational rehabilitation services for young persons.
Did you know that you can take sick leave from your studies? If you are unable to study because of your illness and you end up taking sick leave, you should apply for sickness allowance. To qualify for sickness allowance from Kela for the duration of your sick leave, you need a medical certificate from a doctor. Your first medical certificate, usually a medical certificate A, qualifies you for a maximum of 60 working days of sickness allowance.
You cannot get student financial aid and sickness allowance at the same time, but you can study a certain amount during your sick leave, if you want to. If you are granted sickness allowance, we will stop paying you financial aid automatically. Remember to notify Kela when you return to studying full-time.
Read more about taking sick leave as a student (in Finnish at elamassa.fi).
If you are already lagging behind in your studies and your studies are not progressing, contact Kela. Together we can figure out the best solution for your problems.
Here you can find the contact information for Kela’s customer service.
We can support you if your studies are interrupted because of mental health problems or an illness. Here we have put together some useful information for those who are experiencing problems in daily life because of mental health problems or an illness.
If you take out student financial aid and do not make satisfactory academic progress because of an illness, you may have to provide Kela with a statement about your progress. For that, you will need a medical certificate. A medical certificate or equivalent may also be needed if you use up all of your student financial aid entitlement and have to apply for an extension.
Read more about illness during your studies.
Kela can reimburse you for rehabilitative psychotherapy if your ability to work or study has declined due to mental health problems. The purpose of rehabilitative psychotherapy is to improve your ability to work and study and to help you progress in your studies, stay in working life or enter or return to working life.
Read more about rehabilitative psychotherapy.
You can get support from Kela for education and training that enables you to be active in working life despite having an illness. The support we offer for vocational rehabilitation is usually for upper secondary education studies or higher education studies.
Learn more about rehabilitation in the form of education or training.
If your depression or anxiety disorder is limiting your ability to study, work or function in general, you may benefit from the Nuoren elo rehabilitation course for young persons. During the course you will be given support and guidance to help you cope in everyday life.
Read about Runo’s experiences of the Nuoren elo rehabilitation course (in Finnish, elamassa.fi).
For young people over the age of 18, there is also a rehabilitation course called Silmu. If you have been diagnosed with mild or moderate depression, or with an anxiety or bipolar disorder and you are in working life or a student, you may benefit from the Silmu course.
Read more about the Silmu rehabilitation course.
If you need support with your studies or working life due to a neuropsychiatric disorder, you may benefit from Oma Väylä rehabilitation. Oma Väylä rehabilitation can help you improve your study skills and working life skills, provide guidance and practice in managing your daily life and help you improve your social skills.
Read more about Oma väylä rehabilitation.
The purpose of neuropsychological rehabilitation is to help you progress in your studies, stay in working life or enter or return to working life. Neuropsychological rehabilitation must always be preceded by a neuropsychological assessment.
Read more about neuropsychological rehabilitation.
If you are under 20 years of age, you can receive rehabilitation allowance for young persons for the duration of your studies or participation in other rehabilitation aimed at securing employment.
Read more about rehabilitation allowance for young persons.
When applying for rehabilitation, you need not specify the type of rehabilitation you wish to apply for. We will help you find a suitable rehabilitation option. You can get advice in matters concerning rehabilitation by calling us.