Student Guide

Housing for students

There are plenty of options to look for accommodation for both short and long-term stay in Finland. Aalto University offers support and tips for students who are looking for housing.
Aalto University campus in the autumn

The housing situation in the Helsinki region can be challenging but we’ll do our best to share tips that will help you to find a home! The Helsinki Metropolitan area, that consists of the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen, luckily offers good public transportation services, so accommodation options can easily be sought from this whole area.

Aalto University itself does not own student dormitories. The main student housing providers for Aalto University students are the Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region Hoas (hoas.fi), and Aalto University Student Union AYY (ayy.fi). MOAS, Mikkeli Student Housing Ltd. offers student housing to Aalto University students studying on the Mikkeli Campus. 

Tips for looking for an apartment 

Rental level in Helsinki region

In general, the rental level in the Helsinki region is relatively high and it’s good to be prepared to spend around 500 euros per month on rent. However, finding a room in a shared apartment is a great, communal and affordable option. The student apartments are also well below the private market prices. One way to cut living costs is to look for an apartment a bit further away from the city centre. The public transport services are comprehensive, so it’s worth checking the offering in the whole capital region. You can find out how to commute from home to your campus with Journey Planner. https://www.hsl.fi/en

Start looking for an apartment as soon as possible

The most important thing is to reserve enough time for apartment hunting! As finding affordable accommodation can sometimes be tricky, we suggest searching for an apartment from several housing providers at the same time. The beginning of the autumn term can be particularly busy in the housing market whereas the spring term is typically easier when it comes to finding accommodation. When you get offered an apartment, we recommend accepting the offer since you might not get a new one immediately. 

Be aware of possible scams

Although the majority of the private landlords are completely reliable, it’s good to keep in mind that there might be swindlers in the private rental market. If an apartment sounds too good to be true (e.g. extremely cheap in relation to its size and location), it might be good to take a closer look at the provider. Never send money or personal information to anyone before you have seen the place and made a written rental agreement.

No apartment before arriving to Finland?

If you do not have an apartment before arriving to Finland, be prepared to find temporary accommodation early enough, a hostel or Airbnb, for instance. More about temporary housing options under “Short-term accommodation”. 

Housing for bachelor’s and master’s degree students

Degree students at Aalto University are responsible for arranging their own accommodation. In order to apply for student housing in the Helsinki region, fill in the application forms directly on the webpage of Hoas and/or AYY Domo application -system. If you are studying in the city of Mikkeli, you should fill in the housing application on the MOAS website. Before filling in the forms, read the provided instructions carefully. 

It’s good to keep in mind that Hoas and AYY cannot guarantee accommodation for all students. Therefore, it's recommended to search for apartments also from the private rental sector as well. 

Housing for doctoral students

Doctoral students, as other degree students, are generally responsible for arranging their own accommodation. It is good to know that Aalto University does not own student dormitories that can accommodate doctoral students. The main accommodation options available are presented below. 

In case you are officially employed by Aalto University, you may want to visit the rental information for incoming staff members. 

Housing for exchange students

The main student housing providers for our incoming exchange students are the Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki region, Hoas (hoas.fi), and Aalto University Student Union, AYY (ayy.fi). These apartments are in Espoo and in Helsinki and have public transportation connections to the university campus. 

Further instructions for applying for exchange student housing (only for official incoming exchange students)

Private housing market

Rental housing is mainly available on the private housing market. Available housing is advertised online, in newspapers and through agents. 

Rental apartments are usually unfurnished, and in order to rent an apartment a deposit (equivalent to 1–3 months of rent) is usually required. The deposit is returned when you leave the apartment, providing that you have paid the rent and kept the apartment in good condition. The minimum rental period is often 12 months for a private market apartment. This means that you are not allowed to terminate the rental agreement during the first year. 

We recommend that you always make a written rental contract with the landlord, and when renting an apartment from a private person you should not pay rents in advance before seeing the apartment first. 

Average rental levels on the private market: 

  • 20–30m² studio apartment near campuses: starting from €600/month 
  • room in a shared apartment: €400–600/month (private rentals) 
  • 40–50m² two-room apartment near campuses: €750–1300/month 

Remember that in addition to the monthly rent, there are other monthly costs which you should keep in mind when budgeting for accommodation (e.g. electricity, water fee, home insurance, internet connection).  

Rental apartment forums and providers

  • Oikotie (oikotie.fi) Oikotie is a forum where you can leave announcements for items or apartments to be sold or rented etc. (in Finnish)
  • Vuokraturva (vuokraturva.fi) Real estate agency. 
  • Vuokraovi (vuokraovi.fi) Portal for rental apartments. 
  • Lumo (lumo.fi) Rental apartments in Espoo and Helsinki. 
  • SATO (sato.fi) Corporate investor company.
  • Helsinki City Housing (https://www.hel.fi/en/housing/rental-housing/heka-rental-apartments) Apartments owned and rented by the City of Helsinki
  • Habita (habita.fi) Privately owned real estate agency, which also offers rental service.
  • OPKK (opkk.fi) Estate agency. (in Finnish, contact information available in English)
  • Tori (tori.fi) Online marketplace for all kinds of items, also housing advertisements. (in Finnish)
  • Kiinteistömaailma (kiinteistomaailma.fi) Estate agency. (Limited English search)
  • Huoneistokeskus (huoneistokeskus.fi) Estate agency. (search-tool in Finnish) 

Other housing options

Short-term accommodation in Finland

There are plenty of other accommodation solutions available within the Helsinki Metropolitan area suitable for short-term needs. Apartment hotels, Bed & Breakfast providers, hotels, hostels etc. 

Tips for furnishing your apartment

Helsinki capital region offers various options for secondhand shopping that is a more affordable and sustainable way to furnish your apartment than buying new. Along with brick-and-mortar stores, there are lots of shops that allow you to browse and order goods online. Aalto's communities where to buy e.g. secondhand goods:

Aalto marketplaceTeekkarikylän markkinat

Secondhand stores and platforms:

Reuse centerFidaKonttiTori.fi

Renting furniture and household articles:

Furent

Home Insurance

It is highly recommended for you to purchase home insurance for yourself. It is also very common from the landlord to demand that the tenant gets home insurance. Home insurance is provided by insurance companies. When choosing your home insurance provider, make sure that you are aware of what is covered by the insurance. Basic level home insurance is approximately 90-120€ /year for 40m² apartment.

Often insurance companies are cooperating with banks: when you have chosen your finnish bank it might be wise to ask whether they provide insurances as well. Often you may get some discounts etc when you take the insurance from the insurance company affiliated with your bank.

Some insurance company examples (unfortunately English websites are not that extensive):

See also

Rent your apartment to Aalto personnel or students

Do you want to find a tenant within Aalto? Publish your letting announcement at Aalto Sharetribe or ask accommodation services to do that for you.

Two people in computer science building

Housing practicalities

Practicalities of living in Finland. Hints and tips related to accommodation, such as electricity, water, heating, internet connection, home insurance and tenancy issues.

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