Extensions to the student financial aid period
Your student financial aid period can be extended if your studies have progressed slowly during the maximum aid period available for your degree.
If you could not complete your degree within the maximum aid period available for the degree, your financial aid period can be extended by a maximum of 9 months. However, if you have under 9 months left of your total aid period, your financial aid period can only be extended by the number of months that remains of your total aid period.
The total aid period refers to the total number of financial aid months you can get for your studies in higher education.
Example: How your maximum aid period affects the extension
Eetu is enrolled in a university to complete both a first-cycle degree and a second-cycle degree. This means that the combined maximum aid period available for his degree is 48 months of student financial aid. He has already used up all 48 months of aid and needs an extension to his financial aid period.
Eetu has the right to a total aid period of 54 months of student financial aid. This means that Eetu can be granted, at maximum, the remaining months of his total aid period as an extension to his financial aid period (54 – 48 = 6). In the end, Eetu is granted a 6-month extension to his financial aid period.
You can get an extension to your financial aid period for either the same or a new course of study at an institution of higher education.
The extension can be granted only for an especially compelling reason. Examples of especially compelling reasons include
- illness
- divorce or end of cohabitation
- accident
- falling victim to a crime
- illness or death of someone close to you
- the exceptional situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
A situation where you could not make progress in your studies for reasons beyond your control can also count as an exceptionally compelling reason. This is the case for example if
- instruction or teaching was not offered
- two or more compulsory courses were held at the same time
- a compulsory course was offered infrequently and you could not complete the course on any previous occasion due to reasons beyond your control.
You can also get an extension if you have changed your line of study due to illness, injury or some other compelling reason.
You cannot get an extension to your financial aid period if you have already used up your total aid period of 54 months of financial aid. You also cannot get an extension for completing a post-graduate degree in sciences or arts or an advanced vocational qualification.
You cannot get an extension on the grounds that you are completing more credits than your degree requires or because you have progressed more slowly in your studies after using up your financial aid months.
You also cannot get an extension for the following reasons:
- studying for more than one degree
- discontinuation of previous studies
- employment
- active participation in a student organisation
- leisure activities
- changing your line of study.
- However, you may get an extension if you have changed your line of study due to illness, injury or some other compelling reason.
How to apply for an extension to financial aid
- Apply for an extension to your financial aid period in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) by submitting a notification of changes. You should apply for an extension only when your maximum aid period is about to run out. The earliest you can get financial aid is from the beginning of the month in which your application arrived at Kela.
- Scan or take a photo of any supporting documents and send them in OmaKela. Enclose a statement of the reason why your studies have progressed slowly and explain when and how this reason has affected your studies. Enclose also the following with your application:
- proof from your educational institution stating that there have been difficulties in arranging studies, if necessary
- a statement on how the Covid-19 pandemic delayed your studies (in your own words), if necessary.
- Visit OmaKela to see if your application has been decided, how much financial aid you will get and when it will be paid. You will also see reminders to submit any missing supporting documents.
If you cannot use OmaKela, send your application to Kela by post. Save the form Notification of changes – Financial aid for students OT 15e (PDF) to your device and fill it in after saving it. Print out the completed form and send it and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.