When it comes to housing in Finland, there are regional differences in terms of the available options and prices. This section just covers the topic in a general sense showing the benchmark and the services provided.
When looking for student accommodation in Finland there is something that should be understood first, Finnish student unions and organizations have a very meaningful history and impact in the country. These unions have been and still, are some of the most active in the whole world. This means that most of the larger student unions have been able to either buy or even build their own student apartments close to their respective universities. To simplify, this means that most of the student apartment market is actually dominated by these unions and organizations.
Since these apartments are actually owned and run by students themselves, they are only available to students of that specific university or faculty. Positively, this means that students should always have affordable housing options beyond the private market no matter what or where they study in Finland.
They are able to keep the rent levels really low compared to the private markets, as they do not share the same profit incentives as them. A lot of these apartments are of really good quality and are either very close or located within the school’s campus.
Taking into account the regional differences, these are the most common four housing options in Finland.
A Room in a Shared Apartment;
This is the most common option that you can get in the market. With a shared apartment, you have a private lockable room in a shared house with other occupants. The bathroom, toilet, and kitchen are usually shared with one or multiple individuals. Some modern buildings have separate rooms with bathrooms and toilets in each of them and the floor only shares the kitchen.
Studios:
Studios are usually rented to just one individual and mainly come with just one room, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Studio apartments are the most sought after and in very high demand among foreign students in Finland. Be sure to begin your search quite early if this is the option that best suits you.
Family Apartment:
These apartments are rented to families or couples with children, they often times come between one to four rooms plus a bathroom and kitchen. The one major difference between this option and other apartment types is that just one of the tenants actually needs to be a student. Also, these apartments are rented on something called a joint tenant agreement which basically means that as a couple and family you can take up rent responsibilities and any other utility bills
Roomie Apartments:
Some of the student organizations offer something called a ‘roomie’ apartment. These are a bit like shared apartments but the one minor difference is that students can actually influence the choice of their roommates.
So students can apply for a roomie with a sibling, relative or a friend, unlike shared apartments that are technically assigned to different students by their student bodies. Every single tenant sign individual tenancy agreements under this option.
Please also note that the private market in Finland has more housing options but they are way more expensive most times double, so as a student in Finland as with a larger percentage of the international student community in Finland, student housing is your best bet.
Also, remember to start searching for your options the minute you are sure you want to study in Finland. RocApply is more than willing to help with this process and any other accommodation needs as well.
Please note that whichever housing offer you receive please take them. As most likely you might not receive the same offer twice.
Rent Prices
- (Please note that these prices differ in different regions but we’ve provided a general overview)
- Student housing rent prices start from €150 - €400 a month for a room in a shared apartment
- Studio flats are the most expensive apartment types for students in Finland; they start from €300 - €650 and dependent on multiple factors like location and utilities.
- Roomie apartments also range from €300 - €500 per month
- Family apartments range from €550 and go up to €1000 for a month
