Destination Finland

Tram in Helsinki city centre

Are you looking for information on residence permits, visas, accommodation and/or information on Finland as a study destination? Find out more about these topics and other practical matters here.

Congratulations on having been admitted to Arcada – we look forward to seeing you here! Now that you have accepted your offered study place and registered for the academic year, it is time to start preparing for your studies and student life at Arcada. There are a range of practical matters to tend to before you arrive at Arcada and a lot of information that might interest you in advance, especially if you are coming from abroad.

Please use the quick links on this page to navigate smoothly between the different sections. We also encourage you to check out Arcada's online study guide Start for more information on practical matters regarding the beginning of your studies at Arcada.

Introduction Days 23–24 August 2021

Make sure that you are able to attend the compulsory Introduction Days held 23–24 August 2021 before the start of your studies. You will receive more information about them by email during the summer. You can also check Start for more information.

Residence permits and visas

Information concerning residence permits and visas, who needs them and how to get them can be found at studyinfinland.fi . If you require a Finnish residence permit, you should start preparing your application immediately after receiving your acceptance letter. Please read more about the residence permit application process here.

Please note that in order to be granted a student residence permit you need sufficient funds even beyond the minimum requirement! Find out more about means of support below.

Income requirements

If you are an international student who need a student residence permit to enter Finland, please note that you need sufficient funds not only to enter the country, but to support yourself while living here. Finnish immigration services require a minimum sum for entering the country to support yourself the first year, but will not grant a student residence permit unless you can prove sufficient funds to support yourself also after the end of the first year. Find out more about Finnish Immigration Service's income requirements here.

Registration in the Finnish population system

Most students staying in Finland for a longer period need to register in the Finnish population system upon arrival. When you register you will receive a personal identity code which you will need for most things like opening a bank account, ordering a student card etc. Therefore you should register as soon as possible after having arrived to Finland. Please note that you need to have an address in Finland to register. Please read more about the registration and Finnish municipality of residence.

Insurance, healthcare and wellbeing

In Finland

The need for insurance and the access to health and medical care depends on your nationality and residence status. Private health insurance is mandatory for non-EU/EEA nationalities applying for a student residence permit in Finland. For EU/EEA nationalities, health insurance is not mandatory, but highly recommended as medical costs can be significant. Please read more about insurance and healthcare for students in Finland.

At Arcada

All students at Arcada are insured against accidents during practical lessons and training. The student is required to have a private accident insurance for all other situations (e.g. theory lessons and travelling to and from Arcada).

All degree students in higher education in Finland, including Arcada's students, are entitled to use Finnish Student Health Service's (FSHS), services. Students who are entitled to use the services of FSHS must pay a healthcare fee to Kela. The fee is 35,80 euros per semester. For more information, please visit Arcada's online study guide Start. Additional information about student healthcare can be found at the Kela website and FSHS website .

In addition, Arcada offers easy access counselling. If you need help with your studies you can turn to our special education teacher . If you are worried about your mental health you can contact our psychologist, study social worker, study councellors or student priest .

Accommodation

Student accommodation in Finland, and especially Helsinki, is in very high demand. We therefore recommend that you apply for an apartment as soon as you have been admitted as a student at Arcada. On our campus, you will find more than 600 student apartments, and as an Arcada student you are welcome to apply for long-term accommodation on campus . The application is ongoing, but please note that there is a waiting list for the apartments. You can also check other options for accommodation in Helsinki.

Bank account

You need a bank account in order to handle your finances. We recommend that you compare the services and prices of different banks to find the most advantageous option for you. In order to open a bank account, you need a passport, identity card for foreign citizens or some other official identity card. What is more, setting up a bank account in Finland requires a Finnish personal identity code which you will get when you register in the Finnish population system.

Telephone and internet

Getting a telephone subscription

When you buy a telephone subscription in Finland , you get a Finnish phone number. Many companies sell telephone subscriptions. When you take out a telephone subscription, you must have a Finnish personal identity code and an address in Finland. Normally, you must also provide information on your payment behaviour, in other words, that you have paid your bills and that you do not have a payment default entry recorded in your credit history. Otherwise, you need to make an advance payment for the subscription.

You can also buy a pre-paid subscription. In this case, you don't need a Finnish personal identity code or an address in Finland. A pre-paid card has a certain sum charged onto it beforehand which you use to make phone calls. Pre-paid subscriptions are sold, for example, at R-Kiosks, some supermarkets and online.

Getting an internet connection

In Finland many matters can be dealt with over the internet. You can often attend to your matters with authorities or businesses via their websites. It is worthwhile getting an internet connection as soon as possible after moving to Finland.

You can acquire an internet connection in your home by making a contract with an internet service provider. It pays to compare prices before making a contract. There are various internet service providers in Finland. You can find such companies by searching online, for example by typing “nettiliittymä” in the search engine’s search field. Internet connection prices vary a lot.

You can also use the internet for free in public libraries if you have a library card. You can get a library card free of charge. More information about libraries can be found on InfoFinland . Many cafes also offer WiFi for their customers.

Living in Finland and Helsinki

Finland

Finland has a lot to offer international students: renowned high-quality education, general safety and a clean nature. Through the links below you will find more detailed information about Finland.

To learn more, visit thisisfinland.fi , visitfinland.com and infopankki.fi .

Helsinki

Arcada is situated in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. It is the largest city in a rather small country and is therefore both big enough to offer everything you might need, yet small enough to be accessible and feel welcoming. It is safe, has excellent public transportation and a full range of services, education and healthcare as well as culinary, leisure and social activities. Click on the links below to find out more.

Find out more about Helsinki at hel.fi , and myhelsinki.fi .