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If you are from a non-EU or non-EEA country you will need to apply for a residence permit. You can do this by through applications on the Finnish Immigration Services (MIGRI) website. Applications usually take 1 month, but its recommend to leave at least 2 months for the process. When you arrive in Finland, you will need, either your residence permit card, or a D-visa sticker on your passport and receive your card while here.
Non-EU and non-EEA students will need private health insurance to apply for a residence permit, details here. EU and EEA students are entitled to student and public healthcare, so remember to bring your European Health Insurance Card with you.
Everyone should apply for housing as soon as you have a study place, as the earlier you apply the higher your chances of getting a good spot are! Details about housing are on the housing page.
Also make sure you have a place to stay for when you arrive, such as a hotel or airbnb, if you dont arrive on or after your move in day. Remember that housing offices are very busy around this time and have limited hours, so its recommended to leave yourself a couple days just in case queues are too long or your flight is delayed. If you arrive and don’t have anywhere to stay please reach out in the fuksi chat or to a tutor! We can help sort out a hotel and many of us have spare mattresses and couches if it comes to it 😆.
Housing insurance is required by AYY and recommended by HOAS, some details in Finnish here. There are usually special offers or discounts for young people and students, here is one from OP. Depending on your apartment you may also need an electricity contract. There are many youth and student offers for both of these, here is insurance from OP and electricity from Nordic Green Energy. Both should be done before you move in.
AYY and HOAS have options for someone to pick up your key for your before you arrive, so if you would prefer that, don’t hesitate to send a message in the fuksi chat! You can fill in the form for AYY or HOAS and send it to the respective person once arranged.
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Getting to your accommodation with lots of luggage can be very difficult so we recommend you reach of in the fuksi chat for help, many of us are keen to lend a hand. Some have their own cars to make the process much quicker! If you have temporary accommodation, such as a hotel, remember to check check-in times. Here are key pick-up details and times for AYY and HOAS.
Also remember to fill in the inspection form when you move it.
This part can be very confusing so feel free to ask if you have questions! 😵💫
If you’re a citizen of EU (except Nordic countries), Switzerland or Liechtenstein you will have to register your right of residence with MIGRI here, and it will require an in person visit. This will automatically record your personal information and give you a Finnish personal identity code. You will then be able to apply for municipality of residence with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) here, which should not require a visit.
Non-EU and non-EEA citizens; you will have your personal information recorded ****when you get the residence permit, and you should also get a Finnish identity code. You will then need to apply for municipality of residence with DVV here, and it will require an in person visit which can be done at Aalto during Wednesday or Thursday of orientation week, or booked for a later date.
Nordic citizens; you need to register your person information and apply for municipality of residence at DVV through this form, with an in person visit. This can be done either at Aalto during Wednesday or Thursday of orientation week or booked later. This process will also give you a Finnish identity code.
If you don’t have permanent residence yet (like a permanent apartment that you’re renting), you can register with a temporary residence, but you will have to find your permanent residence place and register it at a Posti office before opening a bank account.
Municipality of residence and Finnish identity code are both very useful as it gives you access to public transport discounts, public healthcare and the ability to open a bank account, so we recommend you do all of these asap, and come early to visit DVV during orientation week!
Pro tip:
You can also book your DVV meeting before you arrive in Finland, so that you have it as soon as you arrive, meaning you'll skip the queues for their pop-up in orientation week, and won’t have to have your meeting later in the year. 🤯
More details are here
We recommend you get a Finnish sim card, as it allows you to use mobile data anywhere and at local prices, and a Finnish number can work as authentication for certain services. You can get one, and refill it at R-kioski.
It’s very useful to have the HSL app for public transportation, and Frank app for cheap student meals, right away. Although you will need strong authentication and a Finnish bank account to login in HSL and Frank app. To get student discounts for HSL before you have a bank account, you can get a form from DVV (and MIGRI?) and bring it to the HSL office, and they will give you a card that has the discount.
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Once you have a Finnish identity code and registered with the authorities, you can open a bank account. 🤯 This gives you access to strong authentication, which is used for almost everything in Finland, such as public agencies, Kela, FSHS, HSL app, mobile plan services and MobilePay.
There are many banks to choose from, but the most popular among international students are OP and Nordea, since they have apps and services in English.
To open an account you will need a Finnish identity code and proof of Finnish residence (from DVV), among other documents. The process will depend on the bank, here are the details for OP and Nordea. It will require an in person meeting which may take a while so we recommend starting the process as soon as you have the requirements.
Remember to pay the 35 euro fee or send a picture of your European Health Insurance Card to Kela before November 15th, to have access to FSHS, student healthcare.
Since a residence permit is not a valid form of ID, you can apply for one through the police. These are useful if you don’t want to bring your passport around. This also requires an in person visit to the police station, which can get very busy so be early! 😳 Here are the details.
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Useful Links:
The Newcomer's Checklist | International House Helsinki
https://ihhelsinki.fi/wp-content/uploads/newcomersguide.pdf
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