Home sweet (student) home: Your guide to finding student housing in Finland
Starting university can be an exciting adventure, but finding the right place to live can be a major challenge- especially for international students. When I was preparing to move from India to Finland in 2023 to pursue my studies at Aalto, housing was one of my biggest concerns. In this blog post, I will be breaking down everything you need to know about student housing in Finland, from affordable options to practical tips on securing accommodation.
Hei! My name is Akanksha, and I am a 2nd year Design and Media BA student at Aalto University.
Student housing providers
The main housing providers for student housing in the Helsinki Metropolitan area are AYY (Aalto Student Union) and HOAS (Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region). Details on how to apply for each of them, as well as all available housing options can be found on both websites.
AYY housing: https://www.ayy.fi/en/housing
HOAS: https://hoas.fi/en/
It is highly recommended to apply for as many apartment options for both as there has been an extremely high demand and slight scarcity of student housing over the past couple of years.
Location
While I chose to only apply for housing on campus in Otaniemi, for those who prefer otherwise, there is student housing available off campus too.
Most locations are well connected by public transport, and as Aalto has a bus stop, a tram stop as well as a metro stop, getting to campus is in most cases extremely easy.
Types of apartments
There are various types of apartments one could apply for. I share an apartment with 2 other women. We have our own rooms with cupboards and mini-fridges, and share a kitchen, a toilet, a bathroom and some storage in the corridor.
Another common type of student accommodation is one where you have your own room and bathroom and share the kitchen with 8 to 10 people on your floor. You could also apply for a shared apartment with a friend or your family or rent a studio, though it will be good to keep in mind that studio apartments generally have a long queue and take more than a year to get.
Facilities
Both housing providers provide various free facilities available for booking such as saunas, laundry machines and dryers, common areas and occasionally also have storage facilities. In addition, they have building security and door opening service contacts that can be reached 24/7.
Other options
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will get housing before your studies start, which is why there is always the option to sublease during the first few weeks or months. Subleasing opportunities can be found through informal channels such as the Otaniemi subleasing telegram channel. There are also hostels such as Forenom available for short-term stay and the private market is always an option if what you’re looking for isn’t available in the student housing market.
Things to keep in mind while applying
- Apply as soon as you receive your acceptance letter, as it might take anywhere from a couple of days to a few months to get an apartment.
- Accept the first offer you receive. You go down the priority list when you decline an offer, and it can take months to get another.
- Remember to select multiple options, but only ones you would definitely accept if offered.
Hope this helps! If you have any questions about the Design programme at Aalto or being a student in Finland, don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Unibuddy : )
Best wishes!
Akanksha
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