In Finland, students can count on state support
As is known, students all over the world are far from the wealthiest segment of society. However, as Finland.fi notes, Finnish students rarely live on bread and water. They partly rely on parental support and their own earnings. But the main pillar of a Finnish student is the state.
By applying to the Social Insurance Institution Kela, students receive study and travel grants, partial compensation for living expenses, meal discounts, and, if needed, a study loan for which the state acts as a guarantor.
Finnish student Johanna Jaloneen enrolled at the Kymenlaakso University of Applied Sciences (Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu) in Kouvola, in the faculty of administration, public management and law a few years ago. She moved in with her boyfriend, separately from her parents, and immediately applied for a study grant and compensation for living expenses.
“I turned to Kela because at that time I wasn’t working and didn’t have enough money to live on,” says Johanna Jaloneen. “I worked all summer before the academic year and managed to save a small amount. And when they started paying me a grant and compensation for living expenses on top of that, I got the opportunity to live independently.”
Any student who has turned 17 can receive a study grant. The study must be full-time and last for at least two consecutive months. It is usually granted for a period corresponding to the volume of the study course.
According to Finnish law, a student is considered a child until they turn 18. Until they come of age, the state partly shifts the financial responsibility for their support onto the shoulders of their parents. Therefore, if the parents of such a student have a high income and can fully support them, the student does not receive a scholarship.
For example, according to student Salla Mattila, she only started receiving a study grant when she turned 20, and her parents' high income was no longer taken into account. However, throughout her studies, Salla received a travel grant because she studied at the Lahti Conservatory (Lahden konservatorio), where she commuted daily by train from Kouvola.
“The student grant makes it possible to focus solely on studying,” believes Johanna Jaloneen. “It would be a shame if only children of wealthy parents or working students could get an education, even if it is free. Equal opportunities for everyone is great!”
Another form of support for Finnish students is the study loan. Surprisingly, the guarantor for the loan repayment is not the student’s parents but the state!
Students of higher education institutions who receive a study grant can also obtain a study loan. After the loan is approved by the state, i.e., Kela, the student independently chooses the bank with the best offer on interest rates and repayment terms. The loan amount is influenced by the student's age and place of study.
For example, it is clear that a student's expenses in the capital of Finland are significantly higher than in a provincial city. And a student studying abroad may receive a “full package”: a study grant including a scholarship, partial compensation for living expenses, and a study loan.
Usually, the loan is repaid after graduation, when young people find jobs. The most diligent students are in for a pleasant surprise: if they complete their studies on schedule, Kela may repay a portion of the loan, for example, by writing off one-third of it.