Making the most of your summer: Tips for students
Whether you plan to spend the summer working, looking for a job, studying or just taking a holiday, have a look these tips that can help you ensure that you have the financial security to make the most of your summer. Once you have all of your affairs with Kela in order, you can start looking forward to the summer.
Summer is almost here, but you still do not have a summer job lined up? See these financial tips for the summer.
Kela can pay you student financial aid (opintotuki) during the summer months if you pursue degree-related studies. Student financial aid is available in the form of the study grant, the student housing supplement and a government guarantee for student loans. You can get student financial aid for example for lecture courses, set book exams, on-the-job-training or for working on your final project or thesis.
More information about student financial aid during the summer for students in higher education.
Apply for financial aid for the summer months in the OmaKela e-service by submitting a notification of changes
You can apply for social assistance (toimeentulotuki) for the summer months if you cannot find a summer job despite looking for one actively and the student financial aid you get during the summer or your other income or assets are not enough to live on. Kela does not require for full-time students to register with the employment services and stop their studies in that situation. Kela will also not reduce the basic amount of their social assistance.
Check when students can apply for social assistance.
If you continue your studies in the autumn, you cannot get housing allowance (asumistuki) for the summer. If you are about to graduate, you can apply to be paid general housing allowance after your graduation.
Did you land a summer job? Congratulations! To avoid unpleasant surprises, check out the following.
If Kela pays you student financial aid, make sure that you do not exceed the annual income limit for financial aid. The limit is affected by the number of months for which you take out financial aid.
You can check your income limit for example in OmaKela. You can see your annual income in the Incomes Register.
Check the income limit for students in upper secondary school or vocational education.
Check the income limit for students in higher education.
Read more about combining earnings with student financial aid.
We can help you if you cannot find a job right after you graduate. Keep the following in mind when you graduate.
Register as an unemployed jobseeker with the employment services of your municipality of residence (kotikunta) and apply for Kela benefits. The process is slightly different depending on if you have graduated from upper secondary school or a vocational school.
Read our tips for upper secondary school and vocational institute graduates.
After you have registered with the employment services of your municipality of residence, check if you should apply for unemployment benefits from Kela or an unemployment fund (työttömyyskassa).
More information about benefits you can get during unemployment.
You can apply for general housing allowance for the period after your graduation. Remember to apply for a review of your housing allowance if you get a job and your income changes.
More information about general housing allowance.
You can apply for social assistance from Kela if all your income, assets and other social security benefits are not enough to cover your necessary everyday living expenses, such as food and rent. You must first apply for all other benefits you may qualify for before you apply for social assistance.
Are you thinking about applying for social assistance? Check these things first.
If you do not have a lot of work experience, remember that finding full-time work is not the only way to enter the workforce. You can work part-time to gain work experience and receive unemployment benefits at the same time. There are also lots of services you can access to find work.
See tips to help you find a job.
If you completed your higher education degree within the specified target time, Kela can pay back part of your student loan. This is called a student loan compensation (opintolainahyvitys). We will usually grant the compensation automatically, so you do not have to apply for it.
More information about the student loan compensation.
If you have recently graduated and lose your job or your income is low, Kela can grant you assistance with student loan interest (korkoavustus, interest assistance) to help you make ends meet. Interest assistance means that Kela pays all of the interest due on your government-guaranteed student loan.
Do you still have questions?
Call Kela