When can you get Kela benefits?
Kela benefits are available in different life situations. Read more about each benefit on the specific pages about that benefit on the kela.fi website.
Our online calculators can also be helpful. You can use the calculators to find out if you can get a benefit and estimate the amount of the benefit.
The easiest way to apply for a benefit is to use OmaKela. The OmaKela e-service is available in Finnish and Swedish. Remember that you will need supporting documents for most applications, for example, a medical certificate or the lease agreement for your apartment. Make sure that you have these supporting documents before you submit your application. Photograph the supporting documents and send the photos with your application. You can also apply for benefits by using a form that you fill in and post to Kela.
If you are finding Kela benefits hard to understand or if you have questions, please call our customer service. We are happy to help.
Moving to your own place
General housing allowance helps with housing costs
You can receive general housing allowance for housing costs, such as rent. General housing allowance can be granted to anyone with a low income, including students. If you move into a home that you share with your partner, you should both apply for housing allowance together.
Start by using our calculator to see if you can get general housing allowance and estimate the amount of the allowance.
OmaKela is only available in Finnish and Swedish. If you cannot use OmaKela, use the form Application - General housing allowance AT 1e (pdf) to apply for this benefit. Send the form and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
Roommates can receive general housing allowance separately if each roommate has a separate lease.
If the roommates have a joint lease or are jointly responsible for paying the rent, they must apply for general housing allowance together.
Assistance with a rental security deposit and moving costs
If your income is very low, you can receive social assistance for a rental security deposit or moving costs.
You can receive social assistance for moving costs in, for example, the following situations:
You need to move to another city or town because you have got a job there or have been admitted to a degree-oriented study programme there.
- You are moving to more affordable housing.
- You need to move due to health reasons.
- You cannot get social assistance if you are moving for your own convenience or if you are moving out of your parents’ home for no particular reason.
First, use the online calculator to check if you can get social assistance and to estimate the amount of the social assistance.
OmaKela is only available in Finnish and Swedish. If you cannot use OmaKela, use the form Application - Social Assistance TO 1e (pdf) to apply for this benefit. Send the form and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
Student life
As a full-time student, you can receive financial aid for students, which includes a study grant and a government guarantee for a student loan. You must apply for the student loan at a bank, and Kela will act as guarantor for the loan.
If you complete your degree within the specified target time, Kela can pay back part of your student loan. This is called student loan compensation.
Use our online calculator to estimate the amount of study grant and study loan available to you. The calculator is available in Finnish and Swedish.
Apply for a study grant and a government guarantee for a student loan
You can also apply for these benefits using a form. Send the form and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
As a student, you can get general housing allowance to help with your housing costs. The Government has proposed that students should receive a housing supplement instead of general housing allowance. We will provide further information on this as the proposed legislation progresses in Parliament.
Higher education students must pay a healthcare fee to Kela at the beginning of each term. You must pay the fee even if you do not use student healthcare services.
Kela does not send an invoice for the payment, but you will receive payment instructions before the due date, either in OmaKela or as a letter.
Higher education students receive a meal subsidy in student restaurants. You do not have to apply for the meal subsidy: as a student you get an automatically reduced price.
Students in upper secondary education can receive school transport subsidy. You can get school transport subsidy if you have a long commute to school.
Use our online calculator to check if you can get school transport subsidy and to estimate the amount of the subsidy.
Pregnancy allowance
You can receive pregnancy allowance and student financial aid at the same time if you are a full-time student. Receiving student financial aid does not prevent the granting of pregnancy allowance or affect the amount of pregnancy allowance.
However, pregnancy allowance is counted as income that is taken into account in the income limit for financial aid for students.
Parental allowance
You can get parental allowance and student financial aid at the same time, as long as you are able to take care of your child while studying. Receiving student financial aid does not prevent the granting of parental allowance or affect the amount of the parental allowance. However, parental allowance is counted as income that is taken into account in the income limit for financial aid for students.
When you take care of a child and study at the same time, you do not have to notify Kela about starting your studies. Keep in mind that you must make satisfactory progress with your studies in order to get financial aid for students.
If you study full-time, i.e. you do not care for your child at the same time as you are studying, you should notify Kela via OmaKela that you are starting your studies. This will ensure that you are paid the correct amount of parental allowance, and that you will not need to pay any of it back.
Child home care allowance and private day care allowance
Financial aid for students does not affect child home care allowance or private day care allowance. However, these two benefits are income that is taken into account in the income limit for financial aid for students.
Rehabilitation allowance for young persons
Rehabilitation allowance for young persons and student financial aid cannot be paid for the same period of time.
If you are receiving rehabilitation allowance for young persons, please send a message in OmaKela to notify Kela that you are starting your studies. You can also notify Kela by writing down the necessary information in your own words and sending it to Kela by post or by calling Kela’s customer service number for rehabilitation matters 020 634 2650.
Sickness allowance
If you fall ill and cannot study, you can take a sick leave. During that time, you can get sickness allowance.
Sickness allowance and financial aid for students cannot be paid for the same period of time. Kela will stop paying you financial aid automatically, so you do not have to ask to have the payments stopped.
Sickness allowance can be paid for about a year, at most. If your illness is prolonged, Kela will offer you rehabilitation options.
When you return to studying full-time, please send a message about this in OmaKela or call our customer service number 020 634 2550. If your financial aid was terminated, you must file a new application.
Labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance
In certain situations, you can receive labour market subsidy or basic unemployment allowance during your studies. This applies to self-motivated studies which have been approved as an employment-promoting service. For example, this could apply to a situation in which you are unemployed and decide to complete an unfinished degree.
TE Services will decide whether you can receive unemployment benefit during your studies. You must have registered with the TE Services as an unemployed job seeker and be at least 25 years old at the start of the studies.
Alternatively, you could be entitled to student financial aid. Unemployment benefits and student financial aid are not available for the same period of time.
If you become a student, notify Kela in your next unemployment status report in OmaKela.
Social assistance
If you are a student, apply for a study grant, a student loan and general housing allowance first. After that, depending on your situation, you may be able to receive social assistance.
Use our online calculator to see if you can get social assistance.
Military or non-military service
During military or non-military service, you can receive conscript’s allowance in the form of basic assistance and housing assistance. In certain situations, assistance may also be granted to a conscript’s partner or spouse.
Kela may also pay interest on your student loan if it falls due during your military or non-military service.
OmaKela is only available in Finnish and Swedish. If you cannot use OmaKela, use the form Hakemus - Sotilasavustus SA 1 (pdf, in Finnish) to apply for this benefit. Send the form and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
You cannot get student financial aid during your military or non-military service. This means that you must remember to notify Kela that you are entering service.
Notify Kela that you are entering military or non-military service
How to notify Kela that you are entering military or non-military service (in Finnish).
OmaKela is only available in Finnish and Swedish. If you cannot use OmaKela, notify Kela by completing the form Notification of changes – Financial aid for students OT 15e (pdf). Send the form and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
What to do if you do not have enough money for everyday expenses
If you have graduated but do not have a job, you can receive unemployment benefits.
There are three different types of unemployment benefit:
- If you are a member of an unemployment fund and have been employed for long enough before you become unemployed, you can receive earnings-related unemployment allowance from your unemployment fund.
- If you are not a member of an unemployment fund, you can receive basic unemployment allowance or labour market subsidy from Kela. If you apply for labour market subsidy, you may be subjected to a five-month qualifying period.
If you have a low income after graduation or are unemployed, you may receive interest assistance from Kela. Interest assistance means that Kela pays the interest due on your student loan.
Social assistance helps you with necessary living expenses if you have a very low income. However, before applying for it, you must first apply for any other benefits that you may be eligible for, such as a study grant and loan, conscript’s allowance or unemployment benefits.
Use our online calculator to see if you can get social assistance and to estimate the amount of the benefit.
If you cannot use OmaKela, use the form Application - Social Assistance TO 1e (pdf) to apply for this benefit. Send the form and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
If you are having problems coping
If you have problems with coping or with your mental health, contact the student healthcare services or your local health centre. Benefits from Kela can help you manage financially while you are ill or in rehabilitation.
If you fall ill and cannot study, you can take a sick leave. During that time, you can get sickness allowance. Kela will automatically stop your student financial aid payments if you are granted sickness allowance.
Sickness allowance can be paid for about a year, at most. If your illness is prolonged, Kela will offer you rehabilitation options.
When you return to studying full-time, please send a message about this in OmaKela or call our customer service number 020 634 2550. If your financial aid was terminated, you must file a new application.
Kela can pay part of your costs for rehabilitative psychotherapy. In order to receive this benefit from Kela, you must have a medical statement on the need for rehabilitation. In addition, the therapist must be approved by Kela.
If you are under 30 years of age, you can receive vocational rehabilitation for young persons without a medical certificate. The purpose of vocational rehabilitation is to help you plan your future and find your direction in studies and work.
The vocational rehabilitation options are:
- Nuotti coaching
- vocational rehabilitation assessment
- vocational rehabilitation supporting the integration into work
- a training try-out.
When applying for vocational rehabilitation services for young persons, you need not specify the type of rehabilitation you wish to apply for. Kela will help you find a suitable rehabilitation option. You can get advice in matters concerning rehabilitation by calling our customer service number 020 634 2650.