Maximum period of eligibility in a university of applied sciences

Your maximum period of eligibility depends on the extent of your degree programme and when you first registered as attending for a course of study in higher education.

You initially get financial aid for the target time to degree. If you do not complete a degree in the target time and you still have months of eligibility available to you, you can apply for additional financial aid. The earliest you can get financial aid is the beginning of the month in which your application arrived.

1. Apply online for additional financial aid. Log in to Kela's e-service (in Finnish and Swedish only) using your bank ID or a mobile ID.
2. You can use Kela's online service to see whether you application has been decided and the amount you will receive.

Alternatively you can complete and print out a notification of change for financial aid OT 15e (PDF). The paper application and the necessary supporting documents can be mailed to Kela.

First course of higher education study begun on or after 1 August 2017

Your maximum period of eligibility depends on the target time to degree as follows:

• 60 credits or one academic year of study makes you eligible for 9 months of financial aid.
• 30 credits or half an academic year, if preceded or followed by a full academic year of study, makes you eligible for 5 months of financial aid.
• Your maximum period of eligibility is the calculated period of financial aid plus another 3 months of aid.

First course of higher education study begun between 1 August 2014 and 31 July 2017

Your maximum period of eligibility depends on the target time to degree as follows:

• 60 credits or one academic year of study makes you eligible for 9 months of financial aid.
• 30 credits or half an academic year, if preceded or followed by a full academic year of study, makes you eligible for 5 months of financial aid.
• Your maximum period of eligibility is the calculated period of financial aid plus another 5 months of aid.

First course of higher education study begun before 1 August 2014

Your maximum period of eligibility depends on the target time to degree as follows:

• 60 credits or one academic year of study makes you eligible for 9 months of financial aid.
• 30 credits or half an academic year, if preceded or followed by a full academic year of study, makes you eligible for 5 months of financial aid.
• Your maximum period of eligibility is the calculated period of financial aid plus another 10 months of aid.