The student financial aid statistics are produced by Kela. Kela is mandated by its governing Act to produce statistics, projections and estimates. The statistics are funded annually out of the individual budget of Kela.
1 Relevance of statistical information
The student financial aid statistics offer information about publicly funded financial assistance for students. The statistics include key data on student financial aid paid out by Kela (study grant, housing supplement and government guarantee for student loans), interest assistance, meal subsidies for higher-education students, interest assistance for student loans, student loan tax deductions, and the government loan guarantees for mature students granted by Kela. The statistics also contain data on student loans and persons that have completed a degree.
The statistics include the following data: recipients of financial aid, amount of financial aid paid, government student loan guarantees granted by Kela, number of financial aid months expended on completing a degree, persons that have completed a degree, persons with outstanding student loan debt, persons that have taken out a student loan, amount of outstanding student loan debt, and subsidised meals. The following classifications are e.g. used in the statistics: level of educational institution, level of education, type of accommodation and general regional and demographic classifications.
The statistics on student financial aid are aimed at decision-makers, policy planners and researchers responsible for education and social security as well as for education professionals. It is hoped that the content of the statistics will also meet with interest in the media, the organisations in the sector and among citizens looking for information about benefits for students.
Feedback from users is collected and used for the further development of the statistics. The contents of the statistics and the usability of the data are evaluated in cooperation with various experts.
2 Accuracy and reliability of data
The statistics on student financial aid are based on macrodata files on student benefits paid by Kela and their recipients.
The statistics are compiled from individual-level datasets. They are produced from the databases for the student benefits, which include all the data created and processed during the implementation of the student benefit scheme. The datasets include all persons who during a certain statistical reference period were paid student benefits by Kela.
The monetary data values presented in Kela’s benefit statistics are matched monthly and yearly to accounting records.
The statistics on persons that have completed a degree only cover persons whose degrees were reported to Kela by the end of July the year following the year of graduation. The official statistics on completed degrees are compiled by Statistics Finland.
Any errors detected are corrected immediately in accordance with the release guidelines issued by the Advisory Board of the Official Statistics of Finland. Any errors discovered in the online service are corrected and the erroneous information is removed.
3 Timeliness and promptness of data
Statistics are published monthly, once per calendar year and once per academic year. Statistics are usually made available in the Kelasto statistical database within four weeks of the end of the reference period. Statistics on student loans are finalised during the academic term following the reference period. A publication containing statistics on benefits for students provided by Kela comes out by the mid-way point of the academic year following the reference year (in Finnish and Swedish). The publication dates can be found in the release calendar.
The statistics published are final.
4 Coherence and comparability of data
Until 1994, the administration of student financial aid was the responsibility of the State Centre for Student Financial Aid. Following the introduction of the new Act of Student Financial Aid on 1 May 1994, the responsibilities of the Centre were transferred to Kela, and the State Centre for Student Financial Aid became Kela’s Centre for Student Financial Aid. Kela’s Centre for Student Financial Aid was abolished on 31 March 2016.
The statistics on financial aid are based on Kela’s new benefit system for student financial aid, introduced in June 1997. Before this, the statistics on student financial aid were based on the benefit system administered by the Centre for Student Financial Aid and maintained by TietoEnator Plc (formerly the Finnish Government Computer Centre). The statistics on recipients of and expenditure on student financial aid were produced by TietoEnator once a year mainly based on data collected on the academic year. Although the present and the old benefits system differ from each other, the statistics produced by them are fairly comparable. The Statistical registry on decisions on student financial aid and the Statistics on financial aid for adult students presenting recipients of and expenditure on student financial aid, both published by the Centre for Student Financial Aid, present data on the academic years 1977/1978–1996/1997.
Until April 2007, TietoEnator Plc maintained a database (collection ledger database) on student loans that students were unable to repay and that the Government has paid back to the lending banks under the Government loan guarantee. From this database, data was retrieved annually as per the situation on 31 December each year. In these statistics, data from the statistics on collection are used. In May 2007, the previous system was replaced by Kela’s own loan guarantee system.
Legislative changes may have an impact on the comparability of the statistics. When making year-to-year comparison, the effect of legislative amendments introduced in earlier years which have an impact on recipiency, eligibility conditions and targeting as well as on benefit rates should be noted. Statistics on the legislative development of the student benefit scheme are published in the appendix to Kela’s Statistical Yearbook.
Changes in the classifications may also affect year-to-year comparisons. Such changes are, for example, regional changes and changes related to educational institutions and degrees.
The definition of a recipient of student financial aid was revised as of the academic year 2000/2001. Since then, recipients of financial aid include persons to whom Kela has during the statistical reference period made regular or retroactive payments of financial aid or who have been granted a government guarantee for a student loan. From the academic year 1997/1998 to the academic year 1999/2000, recipients of student financial aid also included persons who had returned payments of financial aid. The most significant reason for this change to the statistical model was that the number of recipients of financial aid decreased notably from the academic year 1999/2000 to the academic year 2000/2001.
In addition to regular or retroactive payments, ‘Benefit paid out’ also includes repayments of student benefits. The average amount of student financial aid only includes financial aid that is paid out regularly.
A government loan guarantee for adult students was introduced on 1 August 2001 and since then the data are comparable.
As of 1 August 2011, government guarantees for student loans are granted in connection with the study grants for students in higher education. Because students no longer have to apply for a loan guarantee separately, the number of recipients of a government guarantee is significantly higher starting from the academic year 2011/2012.
A student loan tax deduction was introduced on 1 August 2005 and a student loan compensation on 1 August 2014. The student loan compensation replaced the student loan tax deduction removing, as of 1 August 2014, the possibility for students embarking on their first higher education studies to get a student loan tax deduction.
On 1 August 2017, several changes to student financial aid entered into force. Students were as a rule transferred to the general housing allowance scheme. The study grants paid to higher education students were adjusted to the level of the grants provided to students in secondary education (max. EUR 250.28 per month). The amounts of government guaranteed student loans were raised so that the typical monthly amount of loan guarantee was raised from EUR 400 to EUR 650. Under the new rules, secondary-level students under 18 years of age are eligible for a student loan of EUR 300 per month, while students studying abroad can get EUR 800 per month.
On 1 January 2018, a provider supplement to the study grant became available (EUR 75 per month) for guardians to children under the age of 18 and the limits on allowable annual income was increased by 1%. As of the beginning of 2018, parental income will no longer affect the amount of study grant available to students at the upper secondary level aged 18 to 19, who live independently.
Starting 1 August 2019, children of low-income families who are completing vocational qualifications or attending upper secondary school will qualify for a supplementary allowance of EUR 46.80 to help them purchase study materials. The allowance is available to students under 20 living with their parents and students under 18 living outside the parental home whose parents have a total annual income of 41,100 euros or less. It is also available to students under 17 who are eligible for the child benefit. For students in upper secondary education who are under 18 years of age and live independently, parental income no longer affects the basic amount of the study grant or the housing supplement for students.
Starting 1 January 2020, the monthly amount of the provider supplement is EUR 100. Various income limits applicable to income monitoring in the student financial aid scheme were increased by about 4 percent, pertaining to annual income, recovery of financial aid payments and eligibility for interest assistance.
5 Accessibility and clarity of data
Statistics on student financial aid benefits paid by Kela are published in the Kelasto statistical database.
The data underlying the statistics may be released to government authorities and to researchers.
Additional information:
The student financial aid statistics are produced by Kela. Kela is mandated by its governing Act to produce statistics, projections and estimates. The statistics are funded annually out of the individual budget of Kela.
1 Relevance of statistical information
The student financial aid statistics offer information about publicly funded financial assistance for students. The statistics include key data on student financial aid paid out by Kela (study grant, housing supplement and government guarantee for student loans), interest assistance, meal subsidies for higher-education students, interest assistance for student loans, student loan tax deductions, and the government loan guarantees for mature students granted by Kela. The statistics also contain data on student loans and persons that have completed a degree.
The statistics include the following data: recipients of financial aid, amount of financial aid paid, government student loan guarantees granted by Kela, number of financial aid months expended on completing a degree, persons that have completed a degree, persons with outstanding student loan debt, persons that have taken out a student loan, amount of outstanding student loan debt, and subsidised meals. The following classifications are e.g. used in the statistics: level of educational institution, level of education, type of accommodation and general regional and demographic classifications.
The statistics on student financial aid are aimed at decision-makers, policy planners and researchers responsible for education and social security as well as for education professionals. It is hoped that the content of the statistics will also meet with interest in the media, the organisations in the sector and among citizens looking for information about benefits for students.
Feedback from users is collected and used for the further development of the statistics. The contents of the statistics and the usability of the data are evaluated in cooperation with various experts.
2 Accuracy and reliability of data
The statistics on student financial aid are based on macrodata files on student benefits paid by Kela and their recipients.
The statistics are compiled from an individual-level statistical register on student benefits. They are produced from the databases for the student benefits, which include all the data created and processed during the implementation of the student benefit scheme. The statistical registers include all persons who during a certain statistical reference period were paid student benefits by Kela.
The monetary data values presented in Kela’s benefit statistics are matched monthly and yearly to accounting records.
The statistics on persons that have completed a degree only cover persons whose degrees were reported to Kela by the end of July the year following the year of graduation. The official statistics on completed degrees are compiled by Statistics Finland.
Any errors detected are corrected immediately in accordance with the release guidelines issued by the Advisory Board of the Official Statistics of Finland. Any errors discovered in the online service are corrected and the erroneous information is removed.
3 Timeliness and promptness of data
Statistics are published monthly, once per calendar year and once per academic year. Statistics are usually made available in the Kelasto statistical database within four weeks of the end of the reference period. Statistics on student loans are finalised during the academic term following the reference period. A publication containing statistics on benefits for students provided by Kela comes out by the mid-way point of the academic year following the reference year (in Finnish and Swedish). The publication dates can be found in the release calendar.
The statistics published are final.
4 Coherence and comparability of data
Until 1994, the administration of student financial aid was the responsibility of the State Centre for Student Financial Aid. Following the introduction of the new Act of Student Financial Aid on 1 May 1994, the responsibilities of the Centre were transferred to Kela, and the State Centre for Student Financial Aid became Kela's Centre for Student Financial Aid. Kela’s Centre for Student Financial Aid was abolished on 31 March 2016.
The statistics on financial aid are based on Kela’s new benefit system for student financial aid, introduced in June 1997. Before this, the statistics on student financial aid were based on the benefit system administered by the Centre for Student Financial Aid and maintained by TietoEnator Plc (formerly the Finnish Government Computer Centre). The statistics on recipients of and expenditure on student financial aid were produced by TietoEnator once a year mainly based on data collected on the academic year. Although the present and the old benefits system differ from each other, the statistics produced by them are fairly comparable. The Statistical registry on decisions on student financial aid and the Statistics on financial aid for adult students presenting recipients of and expenditure on student financial aid, both published by the Centre for Student Financial Aid, present data on the academic years 1977/1978–1996/1997.
Until April 2007, TietoEnator Plc maintained a database (collection ledger database) on student loans that students were unable to repay and that the Government has paid back to the lending banks under the Government loan guarantee. From this database, data was retrieved annually as per the situation on 31 December each year. In these statistics, data from the statistics on collection are used. In May 2007, the previous system was replaced by Kela’s own loan guarantee system.
Legislative changes may have an impact on the comparability of the statistics. When making year-to-year comparison, the effect of legislative amendments introduced in earlier years which have an impact on recipiency, eligibility conditions and targeting as well as on benefit rates should be noted. Statistics on the legislative development of the student benefit scheme are published in the appendix to Kela’s Statistical Yearbook.
Changes in the classifications may also affect year-to-year comparisons. Such changes are, for example, regional changes and changes related to educational institutions and degrees.
The definition of a recipient of student financial aid was revised as of the academic year 2000/2001. Since then, recipients of financial aid include persons to whom Kela has during the statistical reference period made regular or retroactive payments of financial aid or who have been granted a government guarantee for a student loan. From the academic year 1997/1998 to the academic year 1999/2000, recipients of student financial aid also included persons who had returned payments of financial aid. The most significant reason for this change to the statistical model was that the number of recipients of financial aid decreased notably from the academic year 1999/2000 to the academic year 2000/2001.
In addition to regular or retroactive payments, ‘Benefit paid out’ also includes repayments of student benefits. The average amount of student financial aid only includes financial aid that is paid out regularly.
A government loan guarantee for adult students was introduced on 1 August 2001 and since then the data are comparable.
As of 1 August 2011, government guarantees for student loans are granted in connection with the study grants for students in higher education. Because students no longer have to apply for a loan guarantee separately, the number of recipients of a government guarantee is significantly higher starting from the academic year 2011/2012.
A student loan tax deduction was introduced on 1 August 2005 and a student loan compensation on 1 August 2014. The student loan compensation replaced the student loan tax deduction removing, as of 1 August 2014, the possibility for students embarking on their first higher education studies to get a student loan tax deduction.
On 1 August 2017, several changes to student financial aid entered into force. Students were as a rule transferred to the general housing allowance scheme. The study grants paid to higher education students were adjusted to the level of the grants provided to students in secondary education (max. EUR 250.28 per month). The amounts of government guaranteed student loans were raised so that the typical monthly amount of loan guarantee was raised from EUR 400 to EUR 650. Under the new rules, secondary-level students under 18 years of age are eligible for a student loan of EUR 300 per month, while students studying abroad can get EUR 800 per month.
On 1 January 2018, a provider supplement to the study grant became available (EUR 75 per month) for guardians to children under the age of 18 and the limits on allowable annual income was increased by 1%. As of the beginning of 2018, parental income will no longer affect the amount of study grant available to students at the upper secondary level aged 18 to 19, who live independently.
Starting 1 August 2019, children of low-income families who are completing vocational qualifications or attending upper secondary school will qualify for a supplementary allowance of EUR 46.80 to help them purchase study materials. The allowance is available to students under 20 living with their parents and students under 18 living outside the parental home whose parents have a total annual income of 41,100 euros or less. It is also available to students under 17 who are eligible for the child benefit. For students in upper secondary education who are under 18 years of age and live independently, parental income no longer affects the basic amount of the study grant or the housing supplement for students.
Starting 1 January 2020, the monthly amount of the provider supplement is EUR 100. Various income limits applicable to income monitoring in the student financial aid scheme were increased by about 4 percent, pertaining to annual income, recovery of financial aid payments and eligibility for interest assistance.
5 Accessibility and clarity of data
Statistics on student financial aid benefits paid by Kela are published in the Kelasto statistical database.
The data underlying the statistics may be released to government authorities and to researchers. Requests for individual-level data should be addressed to tietopyynnot@kela.fi, and requests for statistical information to tilastot@kela.fi.
The student financial aid statistics are produced by Kela. Kela is mandated by its governing Act to produce statistics, projections and estimates. The statistics are funded annually out of the individual budget of Kela.
1 Relevance of statistical information
The student financial aid statistics offer information about publicly funded financial assistance for students. The statistics include key data on student financial aid paid out by Kela (study grant, housing supplement and government guarantee for student loans), interest assistance, meal subsidies for higher-education students, interest assistance for student loans, student loan tax deductions, and the government loan guarantees for mature students granted by Kela. The statistics also contain data on student loans and persons that have completed a degree.
The statistics include the following data: recipients of financial aid, amount of financial aid paid, government student loan guarantees granted by Kela, number of financial aid months expended on completing a degree, persons that have completed a degree, persons with outstanding student loan debt, persons that have taken out a student loan, amount of outstanding student loan debt, and subsidised meals. The following classifications are e.g. used in the statistics: level of educational institution, level of education, type of accommodation and general regional and demographic classifications.
The statistics on student financial aid are aimed at decision-makers, policy planners and researchers responsible for education and social security as well as for education professionals. It is hoped that the content of the statistics will also meet with interest in the media, the organisations in the sector and among citizens looking for information about benefits for students.
Feedback from users is collected and used for the further development of the statistics. The contents of the statistics and the usability of the data are evaluated in cooperation with various experts.
2 Accuracy and reliability of data
The statistics on student financial aid are based on macrodata files on student benefits paid by Kela and their recipients.
The statistics are compiled from an individual-level statistical register on student benefits. They are produced from the databases for the student benefits, which include all the data created and processed during the implementation of the student benefit scheme. The statistical registers include all persons who during a certain statistical reference period were paid student benefits by Kela.
The monetary data values presented in Kela’s benefit statistics are matched monthly and yearly to accounting records.
The statistics on persons that have completed a degree only cover persons whose degrees were reported to Kela by the end of July the year following the year of graduation. The official statistics on completed degrees are compiled by Statistics Finland.
Any errors detected are corrected immediately in accordance with the release guidelines issued by the Advisory Board of the Official Statistics of Finland. Any errors discovered in the online service are corrected and the erroneous information is removed.
3 Timeliness and promptness of data
Statistics are published monthly, once per calendar year and once per academic year. Statistics are usually made available in the Kelasto statistical database within four weeks of the end of the reference period. Statistics on student loans are finalised during the academic term following the reference period. A publication containing statistics on benefits for students provided by Kela comes out by the mid-way point of the academic year following the reference year (in Finnish and Swedish). The publication dates can be found in the release calendar.
The statistics published are final.
4 Coherence and comparability of data
Until 1994, the administration of student financial aid was the responsibility of the State Centre for Student Financial Aid. Following the introduction of the new Act of Student Financial Aid on 1 May 1994, the responsibilities of the Centre were transferred to Kela, and the State Centre for Student Financial Aid became Kela's Centre for Student Financial Aid. Kela’s Centre for Student Financial Aid was abolished on 31 March 2016.
The statistics on financial aid are based on Kela’s new benefit system for student financial aid, introduced in June 1997. Before this, the statistics on student financial aid were based on the benefit system administered by the Centre for Student Financial Aid and maintained by TietoEnator Plc (formerly the Finnish Government Computer Centre). The statistics on recipients of and expenditure on student financial aid were produced by TietoEnator once a year mainly based on data collected on the academic year. Although the present and the old benefits system differ from each other, the statistics produced by them are fairly comparable. The Statistical registry on decisions on student financial aid and the Statistics on financial aid for adult students presenting recipients of and expenditure on student financial aid, both published by the Centre for Student Financial Aid, present data on the academic years 1977/1978–1996/1997.
Until April 2007, TietoEnator Plc maintained a database (collection ledger database) on student loans that students were unable to repay and that the Government has paid back to the lending banks under the Government loan guarantee. From this database, data was retrieved annually as per the situation on 31 December each year. In these statistics, data from the statistics on collection are used. In May 2007, the previous system was replaced by Kela’s own loan guarantee system.
Legislative changes may have an impact on the comparability of the statistics. When making year-to-year comparison, the effect of legislative amendments introduced in earlier years which have an impact on recipiency, eligibility conditions and targeting as well as on benefit rates should be noted. Statistics on the legislative development of the student benefit scheme are published in the appendix to Kela’s Statistical Yearbook.
Changes in the classifications may also affect year-to-year comparisons. Such changes are, for example, regional changes and changes related to educational institutions and degrees.
The definition of a recipient of student financial aid was revised as of the academic year 2000/2001. Since then, recipients of financial aid include persons to whom Kela has during the statistical reference period made regular or retroactive payments of financial aid or who have been granted a government guarantee for a student loan. From the academic year 1997/1998 to the academic year 1999/2000, recipients of student financial aid also included persons who had returned payments of financial aid. The most significant reason for this change to the statistical model was that the number of recipients of financial aid decreased notably from the academic year 1999/2000 to the academic year 2000/2001.
In addition to regular or retroactive payments, ‘Benefit paid out’ also includes repayments of student benefits. The average amount of student financial aid only includes financial aid that is paid out regularly.
A government loan guarantee for adult students was introduced on 1 August 2001 and since then the data are comparable.
As of 1 August 2011, government guarantees for student loans are granted in connection with the study grants for students in higher education. Because students no longer have to apply for a loan guarantee separately, the number of recipients of a government guarantee is significantly higher starting from the academic year 2011/2012.
A student loan tax deduction was introduced on 1 August 2005 and a student loan compensation on 1 August 2014. The student loan compensation replaced the student loan tax deduction removing, as of 1 August 2014, the possibility for students embarking on their first higher education studies to get a student loan tax deduction.
On 1 August 2017, several changes to student financial aid entered into force. Students were as a rule transferred to the general housing allowance scheme. The study grants paid to higher education students were adjusted to the level of the grants provided to students in secondary education (max. EUR 250.28 per month). The amounts of government guaranteed student loans were raised so that the typical monthly amount of loan guarantee was raised from EUR 400 to EUR 650. Under the new rules, secondary-level students under 18 years of age are eligible for a student loan of EUR 300 per month, while students studying abroad can get EUR 800 per month.
On 1 January 2018, a provider supplement to the study grant became available (EUR 75 per month) for guardians to children under the age of 18 and the limits on allowable annual income was increased by 1%. As of the beginning of 2018, parental income will no longer affect the amount of study grant available to students at the upper secondary level aged 18 to 19, who live independently.
Starting 1 August 2019, children of low-income families who are completing vocational qualifications or attending upper secondary school will qualify for a supplementary allowance of EUR 46.80 to help them purchase study materials. The allowance is available to students under 20 living with their parents and students under 18 living outside the parental home whose parents have a total annual income of 41,100 euros or less. It is also available to students under 17 who are eligible for the child benefit.
5 Accessibility and clarity of data
Statistics on student financial aid benefits paid by Kela are published in the Kelasto statistical database.
The data underlying the statistics may be released to government authorities and to researchers. Requests for data should be addressed to tietopyynnot@kela.fi, and requests for statistical information to tilastot@kela.fi.
- Relevance of statistical information
- Accuracy and reliability of data
- Timeliness and promptness of data
- Coherence and comparability of data
- Accessibility and clarity of data
The statistics on student financial aid are compiled by the Statistics and Data Warehousing Section of Kela’s Information and Communications Unit.
Kela is mandated by its governing Act to produce statistics, projections and estimates. According to Kela’s rules of procedure, the Information and Communications Unit is responsible for compiling statistics related to the social security system administrated by Kela and the implementation of benefit schemes.
The statistics are funded annually out of the individual budget of Kela.
1 Relevance of statistical information
The student financial aid statistics offer information about publicly funded financial assistance for students. The statistics include key data on student financial aid paid out by Kela (study grant, housing supplement and government guarantee for student loans), interest assistance, meal subsidies for higher-education students, interest assistance for student loans, student loan tax deductions, and the government loan guarantees for mature students granted by Kela. The statistics also contain data on student loans and persons that have completed a degree.
The statistics on student financial aid are aimed at decision-makers, policy planners and researchers responsible for education and social security as well as for education professionals. It is hoped that the content of the statistics will also meet with interest in the media, the organisations in the sector and among citizens looking for information about benefits for students.
Financial aid for students is a general form of benefit for full-time students for the administration of which Kela is responsible. Financial aid is available for persons who have been accepted to an educational institution, are studying full time and making academic progress, and are in need of financial assistance.
Applications for student financial aid are processed either by Kela or by the student financial aid committees affiliated with each university.
The statistics include the following data: recipients of financial aid, amount of financial aid paid, government student loan guarantees granted by Kela, number of financial aid months expended on completing a degree, persons that have completed a degree, persons with outstanding student loan debt, persons that have taken out a student loan, amount of outstanding student loan debt, and subsidised meals. The following classifications are e.g. used in the statistics: level of educational institution, level of education, type of accommodation and general regional and demographic classifications.
Feedback from users is collected and used for the further development of the statistics. The contents of the statistics and the usability of the data are also evaluated by the Statistics cooperation group, which includes experts on student financial aid benefits from Kela and from the Ministry of Education and Culture.
2 Accuracy and reliability of data
The statistics on student financial aid are based on macrodata files on student benefits paid by Kela and their recipients.
The statistics are compiled from an individual-level statistical register on student benefits. They are produced from the benefit systems for student benefits, which include all the data created and processed during the implementation of the student benefit scheme. The statistical registers include all persons who during a certain statistical reference period were paid student benefits by Kela.
The monetary data values presented in Kela's benefit statistics are matched monthly and yearly to accounting records.
The statistics on persons that have completed a degree only cover persons whose degrees were reported to Kela by the end of July the year following the year of graduation. The official statistics on completed degrees are compiled by Statistics Finland.
Any errors detected are corrected immediately in accordance with the release guidelines issued by the Advisory Board of the Official Statistics of Finland. Any errors discovered in the online service are corrected and the erroneous information is removed.
3 Timeliness and promptness of data
Statistics are published monthly, once per calendar year and once per academic year. Monthly statistics are published within 1 month of the reference month. The statistics specific to an academic year are published by the middle of the academic year following the reference year. Publication dates can be found in the release calendar.
The statistics published are final.
4 Coherence and comparability of data
Until 1994, the administration of student financial aid was the responsibility of the State Centre for Student Financial Aid. Following the introduction of the new Act of Student Financial Aid on 1 May 1994, the responsibilities of the Centre were transferred to Kela, and the State Centre for Student Financial Aid became Kela's Centre for Student Financial Aid. Kela's Centre for Student Financial Aid was abolished on 31 March 2016.
The statistics on financial aid are based on Kela’s new benefit system for student financial aid, introduced in June 1997. Before this, the statistics on student financial aid were based on the benefit system administered by the Centre for Student Financial Aid and maintained by TietoEnator Plc (formerly the Finnish Government Computer Centre). The statistics on recipients of and expenditure on student financial aid were produced by TietoEnator once a year mainly based on data collected on the academic year. Although the present and the old benefits system differ from each other, the statistics produced by them are fairly comparable. The Statistical registry on decisions on student financial aid and the Statistics on financial aid for adult students presenting recipients of and expenditure on student financial aid, both published by the Centre for Student Financial Aid, present data on the academic years 1977/1978–1996/1997.
Until April 2007, TietoEnator Plc maintained a database (collection ledger database) on student loans that students were unable to repay and that the Government has paid back to the lending banks under the Government loan guarantee. From this database, data was retrieved annually as per the situation on 31 December each year. In these statistics, data from the statistics on collection are used. In May 2007, the previous system was replaced by Kela's own loan guarantee system.
Legislative changes may have an impact on the comparability of the statistics. When making year-to-year comparison, the effect of legislative amendments introduced in earlier years which have an impact on recipiency, eligibility conditions and targeting as well as on benefit rates should be noted. Statistics on the legislative development of the student benefit scheme is published in Kela’s Statistical Yearbook.
Changes in the classifications may also affect year-to-year comparisons. Such changes are, for example, regional changes and changes related to educational institutions and degrees.
The definition of a recipient of student financial aid was revised as of the academic year 2000/2001. Since then, recipients of financial aid include persons to whom Kela has during the statistical reference period made regular or retroactive payments of financial aid or who have been granted a government guarantee for a student loan. From the academic year 1997/1998 to the academic year 1999/2000, recipients of student financial aid also included persons who had returned payments of financial aid. The most significant reason for this change to the statistical model was that the number of recipients of financial aid decreased notably from the academic year 1999/2000 to the academic year 2000/2001.
In addition to regular or retroactive payments, 'Benefit paid out' also includes repayments of student benefits. The average amount of student financial aid only includes financial aid that is paid out regularly.
A Government loan guarantee for adult students was introduced on 1 August 2001 and since then the data are comparable.
As of 1 August 2011, Government guarantees for student loans are granted in connection with the study grants for students in higher education. Because students no longer have to apply for a loan guarantee separately, the number of recipients of a government guarantee is significantly higher starting from the academic year 2011/2012.
A student loan tax deduction was introduced on 1 August 2005 and a student loan compensation on 1 August 2014. The student loan compensation replaced the student loan tax deduction removing, as of 1 August 2014, the possibility for students embarking on their first higher education studies to get a student loan tax deduction.
On 1 August 2017, several changes to student financial aid entered into force. Students were as a rule transferred to the general housing allowance scheme. The study grants paid to higher education students were adjusted to the level of the grants provided to students in secondary education (max. EUR 250.28 per month). The amounts of government guaranteed student loans were raised so that the typical monthly amount of loan guarantee was raised from EUR 400 to EUR 650. Under the new rules, secondary-level students under 18 years of age are eligible for a student loan of EUR 300 per month, while students studying abroad can get EUR 800 per month.
On 1 January 2018, a provider supplement to the study grant became available (EUR 75 per month) for guardians to children under the age of 18 and the limits on allowable annual income was increased by 1%. As of the beginning of 2018, parental income will no longer affect the amount of study grant available to students at the upper secondary level aged 18 to 19, who live independently.
5 Accessibility and clarity of data
The statistics on student financial aid benefits paid by Kela are published online.
Inquiries concerning the external use of the underlying data should be directed to Kela’s Statistics and Data Warehousing Section (tilastot@kela.fi).