Report changes
You must make sure that the information you provide to Kela is correct. Remember to tell Kela immediately about any changes that affect your eligibility for financial aid or the amount of such aid.
Tell Kela for example about the following events:
- You move out of your parent's home.
- You move in with your parent.
- You withdraw from a course of study.
- You graduate or complete your studies You need not report that you have graduated or completed your studies if your studies end with the same month as your financial aid ends.
- Entering military service, non-military service or voluntary armed service
- You receive income from abroad.
- You begin to receive a benefit which makes you ineligible for financial aid.
- You start vocational on-the-job training (training at the workplace) for which you are paid.
If you study at a higher education institution and the content of your degree studies changes but the educational institution, the degree level and its scope does not change, you do not have to report it to Kela.
Report any changes online. To log in to the e-service, use your online banking credentials or a mobile ID. You can also call telephone assistance for students.
Alternatively you can complete and print out a notification of changes OT 15e (pdf). On form OT 16e (pdf) you can cancel your financial aid, pay it back voluntarily, or end it on account of graduation, leaving your course of study, or the performance of conscript service.
If you report changes late, if the information you provide turns out to be incorrect, or if you do not report relevant information, you may receive financial aid even though you are not entitled to it. In that case Kela will collect from you the amount of aid overpaid to you.
If you conceal details, provide false information, or fail to report changes with intent as defined in the Criminal Code, Kela is required to report the matter to police and prosecuting authorities for investigation. If you repeatedly provide false or misleading information, Kela may also turn down any financial aid applications you may submit in the future.
Review of financial aid
If your circumstances change, Kela can review the amount of your financial aid or stop paying it. You will receive financial aid based on your new circumstances usually from the beginning of the month in which the new circumstances have been in effect for at least 18 calendar days.
Graduating or withdrawing from a course of study
If you graduate or withdraw from a course of study, Kela stops paying you financial aid either at the beginning of your final month of study or the beginning of the following month, depending on the date of graduation or withdrawal.
- If the date of graduation or withdrawal falls between the 1st and 17th day of the month, Kela stops paying you financial aid at the beginning of the month of graduation or withdrawal.
- If the date of graduation or withdrawal falls between the 18th and 31st day of the month, Kela stops paying you financial aid at the beginning of the month following graduation or withdrawal. In that case your month of graduation will be included in your period of study also for purposes of the income check.
Temporary changes
Temporary changes in circumstances can be a study period abroad or a period of job training in which you housing circumstances change.
Kela adjusts your financial aid for any calendar month during which there is a change in your circumstances lasting at least 18 days. If the change in circumstances does not last at least 18 days in the first or last month in which it is in effect, Kela does not review your financial aid during such months.