Living Costs, Student Financial Aid and Meal Subsidy

Contents

Cost of Living
Student Financial Aid
Meal Subsidy
Further information on Student Financial Aid

Cost of Living

The costs of living include e.g. accommodation, food, public transport, study materials, clothing, and leisure activities. Average monthly living costs for students are estimated to be about 750 euros.

• housing (student accommodation) 270-400 euros
• food 300 euros
• bus tickets about 60 euros
• leisure and miscellaneous expenses 100-150 euros

Note! There will be some initial expenses, such as the housing deposit, deposit for the ’survival kit’ (if you are an exchange student), and the Student Union membership fee.

The majority of Finnish students are financially supported by the Finnish state. International students are entitled to the financial aid for students only on certain conditions. Please see further information on student financial aid below.

The Student Union charges a yearly membership fee to finance its activities. Students who have paid the membership fee and present a student card are entitled to discounts in student restaurants, public transport, leisure activities, services, and in some shops. Further information on the membership and benefits of Student Union JAMKO.

Further Information for Foreign Students

Living costs in Finland are close to Western European average. No term fees are charged, but students must be prepared to pay for accommodation, food, travel, study materials, insurances, health care and other costs of living. Students must make sure that their incomes cover basic living costs for the entire time spent studying in Finland. Sufficient income is a prerequisite for residence permit, which has to be verified on applying for the permit. The Finnish Immigration Service has determined that a student must have at least 500 euros/month (6 000 euros/year) at his/her disposal. Further information on the income requirement of the Finnish Immigration Service.

• Living in Finland

Student Financial Aid

Students meeting the general criteria for student financial aid are entitled to government financial aid for studies at a higher education institution. The criteria are as follows: admission to an educational institution, full-time studies (5 ECTS credits/month), and the need for financial aid. Government student financial aid consists of a study grant, a housing supplement, and a government loan guarantee. The regular amount of student financial aid at the universities of applied sciences is

• Study grant: maximum gross amount 298 euros/month
• Housing supplement: 26.90 – 201.60 euros/month, i.e. 80% of acceptable living costs, which are maximum 252 euros/month.
• Government loan guarantee: 300 euros/month

Government loan guarantee is 600 euros/month for studies abroad and for practical training abroad. The study grant is taxable income, and it is paid from the beginning of the month of application – not retrospectively.

Applying for Student Financial Aid

Students in youth education can apply for student financial aid by submitting the electronic application via KELA website, www.kela.fi (a rental agreement for the housing supplement must be sent to KELA). More information is attached in to the letter of admission for new students.

Please see below Student Finacial Aid for Adult Students.

Financial Aid for Summer Study

Financial aid for summer study is always applied for separately through the Financial Aid Committee, because the application must be attached a statement by the Financial Aid Committee. The committee must be submitted the following documents:

• KELA’s OTm form: change of status, updating personal information
• the form Specification of Summer Studies, approved by the Career Tutor or the Programme Coordinator
• thesis: Thesis Tutors's Statement
• summer studies must constitute at least 5 ECTS credits/month

Student Financial Aid Abroad

Student financial aid may also be granted for studies abroad, if they are part of a degree completed in Finland. The amount of the study grant is the same as for studies in Finland, the maximum housing supplement 210 euros/month (except for countries with a lower rent level), and government loan guarantee 600 euros/month. Applications for financial aid for study abroad must be submitted well in advance to the Financial Aid Committee, and attached:

• OTm form: change of status, updating personal information
• a certificate on an international study period included in the degree, approved by the International Coordinator or person in charge of practical training
• the studies abroad must constitute at least 5 ECTS credits/month and last at least 18 days/month

Student financial aid as the recommended study period is exceeded

Students who fail to graduate in the recommended study period may apply for extension for student financial aid by filling in the Otm form at Forms and submitting it

a) directly to the KELA Centre for Student Financial Aid if

• the student has made sufficient progress with the studies recently (minimum of 5 credits per supported month) and
• the student has received student financial aid in the previous year

b) through a separate application to the Financial Aid Committee if the above conditions are not fulfilled. For the application you will need:

• the Otm form (see Forms)
• Revised Study Plan
• from students preparing their thesis: Thesis Tutor's Statement
• account of why the studies have slowed down

When you have reached the maximum number of supported months

Students who have begun their studies in autumn 2005 or later may, for compelling reasons, obtain a maximum of nine months' extension for the student financial aid after the maximum number of supported months laid down in section 7 of the Student Financial Aid Act have been used up (in degree studies either 42, 46 or 51 months depending on the scope of the degree). Students must have no more than 75 credits left to complete, and they must be able to provide a specific reason related to health or life situation for why the studies have slowed down. These extensions of the maximum period of student aid are processed at the meetings of the Financial Aid Committee. For further instructions and information on the required documentation, contact the Student Financial Aid Advisor.

Student Financial Aid for Adult Students

Master’s Degree students and other adult students can apply for student financial aid, if they meet the general criteria for student financial aid and they study full-time (5 ECTS credits/ withdrawn aid-month). When applying for student financial aid, students must prove the full-time status of their studies by presenting a personal study plan approved by the head of programme.

Financial Aid by Education Fund

Adult students who have been employed may receive financial aid for their studies under certain conditions from the Education Fund. In such a case they are not entitled to government financial aid, except for the loan guarantee. The student's current employment must have lasted at least a year, and he/she must take an unpaid leave of absence for these studies. Further information the Education Fund, tel. +358 0800 949 49 (free of charge).

Financial Support for Foreign Residents

Non-citizens of Finland can get financial aid for their studies in Finland, if they live in Finland on a permanent basis and for a purpose other than studying. This requires that they are registered as permanent residents in the Finnish population information system. The purpose of residence in Finland is determined by reference to such matters as residence permit. The applications for student financial aid must be attached the form OT10 for foreign residents (or Kela’s online forms > Students > Form OT10).

Foreigners coming to Finland solely for the purpose of attending a school cannot get Finnish student financial aid. Further information is available on the website of Kela.

Financial Aid Committee

JAMK has a statutory Financial Aid Committee, half of whose members are representatives of staff and half students. The committee monitors the progress of studies and gives statements to KELA Centre for Student Financial Aid, as well as to other authorities, on individual students with regard to the full-time status and progress of studies, applying for student financial aid after standard study period, and applying for financial aid for summer study. In addition, the committee provides information and guidance related to student financial aid.

Members of the Financial Aid Committee

• Teacher members (deputy members in brackets) 1 August 2011 - 31 July 2013
  • Pekka Vanhanen, Chairman, School of Business and Services Management (Soili Partanen, School of Business and Services Management)
  • Tuija Ketola, School of Health and Social Studies (Sanna Häkkinen, School of Health and Social Studies)
  • Anne Rantakaulio, School of Technology (Sirpa Alestalo, School of Technology /IT)
• Student members (deputy members in brackets) 1 January 2012 - 31 December 2013
  • Enni Stylman, KVA (Jyri Äijälä, MPA)
  • Arto Käki, LMA (Esa Siitari, LMA)
  • Tarleena Marttila, IIO (Neeariina Lahti, SSO)
• The following members act as presenting officials (without right to vote):
  • Soile Pirkola, Secretary
  • Kaija Päätalo, Vice-Secretary

Meetings of the Financial Aid Committee, spring 2012

The matters to be handled in the meeting, with the necessary appendices, must be submitted to the Financial Aid Committee 5 workdays prior to the desired date of meeting. Address: JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Opintotukilautakunta, Rajakatu 35, 40200 Jyväskylä

Meal Subsidy

The students of the University of Applied Sciences are entitled to a reduction of 1.84 euros on meal prices at the student restaurant by showing a student card or a Kela meal bonus card. The meal subsidy is given to students completing degree-awarding education in Bachelor or Master programmes at a Finnish university of applied sciences. In addition, students completing full-time professional or specialisation programmes or exceptional training programmes (entitled to student financial aid) are also entitled to the meal subsidy. The meal subsidy is also granted at the student restaurants of Finnish universities and other universities of applied sciences. Kela meal bonus cards are provided to students by the Student Services.

Further information on Student Financial Aid

Student financial aid and the processing of applications: website of Kela or +358 20 692 209

Financial Aid Committee:
Financial Aid Advisor, Ms. Soile Pirkola, +358 40 848 8605
opintotukilautakunta(at)jamk.fi
JAMK University of Applied Sciences,
Rajakatu 35, 40200 Jyväskylä