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Congrats! As an Aalto student, you can apply for student housing! 🥳 (perhaps you already did)

There are generally three places where you can seek housing: AYY, HOAS and private lenders (not recommended due to high price).

AYY

AYY, or Aalto University’s student union, offers housing only for Aalto University students. They have buildings both on campus and outside.

HOAS

HOAS, or the Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region, offers housing to all students from Helsinki. They have buildings all over Helsinki, and just a couple on campus.

NOTE: you can only get one housing offer from HOAS at the beginning of semesters (August-October and January-February), so it’s better to accept your first offer.

There are 4 main streets in Teekkarikylä:

OTAKAARI

Commonly known as OK, it’s the main street of Teekkarikylä. It branches to JMT and SMT, and hosts OK18, OK20 and OK15. Basically, close to everything.

JÄMERÄNTAIVAL

Commonly known as JMT, some might call it the “party street”. Hosts JMT1, JMT3, JMT5, JMT6, JMT7, JMT10 and JMT11 housing buildings. Everything happens here, and it’s decently close to university buildings, but it can get noisy here if you know what I mean 😀

SERVIN MAIJAN TIE

Commonly known as SMT, it’s JMT’s quieter counterpart. Hosts SMT1, SMT2, SMT3, SMT4 SMT6, SMT10 and SMT12. Quiet, still and close to nature but farthest from university buildings.

OTARANTA

Commonly known as Otaranta, it’s a newer block next to the sports field and the shore. Hosts Otaranta 8. Probably the closest it gets to university buildings, as well as to the gym and Täffä!

P.S. there’s also Servinkuja, but the apartments there are a lot more expensive and fewer people live there.

General tips & facts:

• Consider getting campus housing. Many Aalto students prefer to live on campus because it offers easier access to the university and its student life. If you like the idea of living next to your classmates and guildmates, next to party places and within walking distance of the Aalto buildings, the campus might be a great fit for you. But keep in mind that you might have to start walking quite a bit, you might have to deal with noise coming from the parties, and the apartment quality might not be what you can find in other areas. Also, keep in mind that for any serious shopping and groceries, you’ll have to leave campus. Some people like to keep their student and personal lives separate, so it is entirely up to you!
• 💥 Mega ultra super pro tip: apply for AYY housing with a friend and you’ll get it a lot quicker (sometimes even in a week!). Applying to AYY alone can take literally up to a year to get a room, so beware of that.
• Apply for everything AYY and HOAS offer if you don’t have an apartment. This way, you’ll be higher in the priority list and will be more likely to get an apartment. Then, you can reapply only to campus housing and move after a couple of months.
• Expect the rent to be anywhere between 250 and 450 euros per month and higher for studios.
• There are different apartment types. Shared room, shared room with bathroom, 2-room apartment, 3-room apartment, studio. In all, you at least have a private room, just for yourself.
• Electricity and water are generally included in the rent, so nothing to worry about.
• IKEA Family is free to join and can save you a lot of money (discounts and sometimes free deliveries) </aside>