Housing, Community & Digi- ja väestötietovirasto((DVV) Finnish ID)
- Student Housing Foundations(SOA)
- Private Market
- Get your Finnish ID and credentials online
- Student Housing Foundations(SOA)
In Finland, universities do not own or manage their own student residences. Instead, student accommodation is managed by regional non-profit student housing foundations, united under the umbrella of the national association Suomen Opiskelija-asunnot (SOA). This is the most popular, safe and affordable accommodation option for both Finnish and international students.
Here is how this system is structured, the costs involved and how you should apply:
How does the SOA system work?
SOA member foundations own over 45,000 apartments in major university cities. Each city has its own foundation. The largest and most well-known examples are:
- HOAS – For the Helsinki metropolitan area (includes Espoo and Vantaa).
- TYS – For the city of Turku
- TOAS – For the city of Tampere
- PSOAS – For the city of Oulu
Types of housing and estimated costs
Rents offered through the Suomen Opiskelija-asunnot network are subsidized by the state and are approximately 30% cheaper than those on the open market.
- Shared Apartment (Solu), private room in a shared apartment with 2-3 students. Kitchen and bathroom are shared €200 – €380 / month.
- Studio Apartment (Yksiö), completely private studio. These are the most requested and have long waiting lists €380 – €600+ / month
- Family Apartment, intended for couples or students with children (at least one partner must be a student). Varies by size
- All-Inclusive Package: In most cases, the rent at SOA foundations already includes utilities (water, electricity, heating) and high-speed internet connection.
- Common areas: The buildings offer free or extremely cheap access to shared laundry facilities (pesutupa) and saunas (where you can book a weekly slot through an online system).
- Furniture: As a standard, apartments in Finland are unfurnished (only include a stove and refrigerator). However, some foundations offer basic furnished rooms (bed, desk, chair) specifically for international exchange students (Erasmus).
Critical Rules and Application Process
1. Apply Now: Submit your online application on the foundation website in your city (e.g. hoas.fi) as soon as you have received your admission letter from your university. Don’t wait until autumn, as waiting lists get huge in August-September.
2. Eligibility criteria: You must demonstrate that you are a full-time student and that you are making sufficient academic progress to maintain your right to housing.
3. Security deposit: Before signing the contract, you will need to pay a security deposit (vakuusmaksu), usually the equivalent of 1-2 months' rent.
- Private Market Options:
For private rentals, explore major national property portals such as Vuokraovi and Oikotie .
Vuokraovi and Oikotie are the main online platforms for renting private accommodation in Finland, offering a wide range of options from large agencies and individual owners. In the private market, tenants have to manage additional costs such as electricity, home insurance (kotivakuutus) and security deposits of 1-3 months, with credit checks being standard for landlords.
- Application Process: Apply directly through the portal of your choice as soon as you have your residence details or acceptance letter.
- Get your Finnish ID and credentials online.
Obtaining a Finnish personal identification number (Henkilötunnus) starts online, but digital credentials required for banking and commercial services require physical visits to the DVV and the Police for an identity card for foreigners. The "Finnish Authenticator" app only allows temporary identification for access to certain public services, such as the Enter Finland portal, and is useful before obtaining official documents.
Finnish personal identification number (Henkilötunnus) unlocks access to banking and healthcare.