Moving to Finland and financial matters
Plan your budget and payment methods
By anticipating your monthly living expenses, you save yourself from surprises and can focus on your studies without worry.
Examples of typical monthly expenses are listed here. If you need a proof of estimated expenses on a document, you can download the Certificate of Required Funds below this section.
| Accommodation | €250 - 450 | The rate for student housing. Renting from the private market is likely to cost from €600 upwards per month. |
| Transportation | €40 - 70 | The lowest rate is for 30 days of unlimited travel for students (not including doctoral students) on public transportation within the city of Espoo. The rate is higher if Helsinki is included. For more information, see Local transportation and travelling in Finland. |
| Food | €180 - 330 | Estimate includes one average priced student meal per weekday (€2,90 per meal in campus restaurants at the lowest) and groceries/other food at €40–60/week. |
| Phone | €20 - 40 | This is an estimated monthly price for a postpaid mobile phone subscription for local calling, texting and data transfer. A pre-paid phone card is often the easiest option. |
| Internet | €0 - 30 | Contracts with the student housing organisations HOAS/MOAS and the student union AYY include an internet connection (covered by the rent). If you need internet access in other accommodation, the cost will depend on where you live and how many roommates you share the service with. |
| Sports | €30 | This is an average monthly price for UniSport facilities. Note that the price per month is significantly lower with annual commitment. Private gyms generally charge more but may also offer student discounts. For further information on sport and exercise, see Support for Studying. |
| Entertainment | €50+ | Going out, eating out and socialising will have an effect on your finances even though many places offer student discounts. |
| Clothing | €30 - 50 | You may need to buy warm clothes, winter shoes etc. for the cold months if you are not used to winter at home. |
| Travel | €50+ | Exploring the regional attractions and other cities is of course voluntary but still worth budgeting for, as it is relatively cheap with student discounts. |
| Miscellaneous costs | €50 - 100 | Your budget should also include funds for spontaneous activities, one-off payments and regular costs like haircuts. |
| Total | €600 - 1200+ |
See more information about shopping under Living in Finland.
In addition to monthly expenses, you should also prepare for some one-off expenses at the beginning:
- Travelling by taxi from the airport may cost up to €60 (please check the exact fare from the driver before the trip).
- You may need to stay in a hotel or hostel for a few days if you arrive before your accommodation is available.
- In all housing options you are required to provide 1-3 months' rent as a deposit.
- Furniture, kitchenware and other household items may need to be purchased, as most apartments are rented unfurnished. Cost estimates depend a lot on where you purchase these whether you buy them new or second hand, etc. See more under Living in Finland.
Paying in cash is getting rarer in Finland. Grocery shopping and other daily purchases can be done in cash but some student restaurants, for example, do not take cash payments anymore. Although you should carry some cash in euros with you upon arrival, we recommend that you carry a credit card (VISA, MasterCard etc), if possible.
As it may take a while to get your own Finnish bank account and thus have access to local contactless payment methods, it is important to have some other payment methods besides cash at the beginning. You can read more info about opening a bank under Registering with the authorities and opening a bank account.
Plan what to bring
You don't have to bring all your belongings with you; you can get practically everything you need in Finland. However, there are some things that make it easier in the beginning.
The following documents are needed for different types of registration and e.g. for opening a bank account.
EU-citizens:
- a valid passport (recommended over other forms of ID)
- European Health Insurance Card
- a printed copy of your Letter of Admission from Aalto
- proof of posessing the financial means to support your studies (for example, a grant or scholarship certificate, if applicable, a bank account statement from your home bank etc.)
- a few passport-sized photographs
- a few copies of your passport
- prescriptions, if you are on medication
Non-EU citizens:
- a valid passport
- residence permit card
- proof of health insurance
- a printed copy of your Letter of Admission from Aalto
- a printed copy of your scholarship letter (if applicable)
- proof of possessing the financial means to support your studies (in addition to a possible scholarship letter: a bank account statement from your home bank etc)
- a few passport-sized photographs
- a few copies of your passport
- prescriptions, if you are on medication
Aalto university does not offer students any personal IT equipment. There are good computer facilities on campus with computers available to students 24/7. Printing is also possible on campus without an additional fee (up to a certain quota). If you want to have the opportunity to work in your apartment as well, we recommend bringing the following:
- Laptop or tablet for personal use
- Plugs: Finland uses power outlets and plugs of types C and F. Bring an adapter with you if needed. See more here.
- Ethernet cable: you might want to carry your own ethernet network cable to easily access wired connection in HOAS/MOAS and AYY apartments (see more on the HOAS/MOAS and AYY webpages).
At the beginning of the term in September the weather is moderate, but temperatures may occasionally drop close to 0 already during October. All though you can easily buy clothing with reasonable prizes in Finland, you might want to bring some warm clothes with you to save the trouble of shopping. The key is layers (T-shirts with long sleeves, long-johns, underpants, wool sweaters and socks etc) and water repellent or resistant shoes! See more under Living in Finland.
Aalto University doesn't distribute any study materials, such as course books or stationery, to students. All course materials are accessible in the university library and other study facilities, or else the materials are available online. However, if you have some additional specific materials that you wish to have access to, bring them with you. Your programme will also inform you separately if there is something specific that is needed during your studies.
Plan your arrival and first day in Finland
- Ensure you have a place to stay In Finland before your arrival, as the university does not have any emergency housing, guest rooms or 24-hour reception. If needed, book a hostel/hotel for the first nights. More information about options can be found under Housing for Students.
- Find out how, where and when to get the keys to your student accommodation. In some cases, your student tutor can help, in other cases you might need to pick up the keys yourself. Note, that housing offices are open on weekdays only and close at around 16.00.
- The HOAS main office is located in the centre of Helsinki (street address Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu 29), within a walking distance of the central railway station, the Kamppi metro station and the main bus terminal.
- The AYY main office (including the housing office) is located on campus in Otaniemi, Espoo (street address: Otakaari 11).
- In Mikkeli, the MOAS office is located at Maaherrankatu 44.
- Purchase a prepaid card for your phone if needed. You can do this by eg. visiting an R-kiosk at the arrivals terminal at the airport.
- Continuing from the airport: Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is located in Vantaa. It is easy and safe to use trains, buses or taxi to go from the airport to Helsinki city centre.
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