How much can I receive from KELA as a foreign students?

MikeCZ · Post by **MikeCZ** » Mon Jan 11, 2016 11:46 pm

Hello,

I am considering to study in one of the Nordic countries and I was doing some research to compare all of them. I looked through the KELA page for foreing students (http://www.kela.fi/web/en/financial-aid ... n-students). I couldn't find how much is the support in the end, though. I mean - it is really important to be informed, in advance, of how much aid I am able to receive before actually applying for the study in the country.

Therefore, my question is: How much financial aid can I receive per month as a working (yes, I am aware I must work at least 18 hours a week) foreign student in Finland?

Thank you for any further information

.

Kind regards,
Michael

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betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:48 am

MikeCZ wrote: I am considering to study in one of the Nordic countries and I was doing some research to compare all of them. I looked through the KELA page for foreing students (http://www.kela.fi/web/en/financial-aid ... n-students). I couldn't find how much is the support in the end, though. I mean - it is really important to be informed, in advance, of how much aid I am able to receive before actually applying for the study in the country.

Therefore, my question is: How much financial aid can I receive per month as a working (yes, I am aware I must work at least 18 hours a week) foreign student in Finland?

The answer is available through the links on the page you linked. It depends on your rent and salary. For example:

http://www.kela.fi/web/en/student-s-own-income

MikeCZ · Post by **MikeCZ** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:07 pm

Thank you betelgeuse!

roger_roger wrote:And what are your assumptions based on that you'll get the financial aid as foreign student in any Nordic countries?

working? you need to find job for that and legally as a student you are entitled to work 25 hours/week. There is NO you must work, it is, you can work if you find job. But getting job is another story.

To reply your question you will be receiving square root of sod i.e. 0,0 (Zero Euros and zero cents) as financial aid as foreign student to study here, instead you will be paying tuition fees from this year, ouch !!!

That's just playing with words. I know you DO NOT NEED TO WORK as a student in Finland, obviously. But according to the EU law if you work at least 18 hours per week you should be considered to receive financial aid through KELA. In Denmark, it's 10-12 hours per week.

And the tuition fees you are talking about will be in effect since august 2017 and only for non-EU/EEA students. I am from Central Europe.

Lavender · Post by **Lavender** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 1:26 pm

roger_roger wrote:
To reply your question you will be receiving square root of sod i.e. 0,0 (Zero Euros and zero cents) as financial aid as foreign student to study here, instead you will be paying tuition fees from this year, ouch !!!

Not if he is from EU.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 4:26 pm

roger_roger wrote: And what are your assumptions based on that you'll get the financial aid as foreign student in any Nordic countries?

working? you need to find job for that and legally as a student you are entitled to work 25 hours/week. There is NO you must work, it is, you can work if you find job. But getting job is another story.

The 25 hour restriction only applies to people on student residence permits. If you can land a work based permit, you have no restrictions on hours. If the work is low income and doing studies while working, it's possible to receive study grants and housing subsidy. Regardless of income, it's possible to take study loans.

leisl · Post by **leisl** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 4:30 pm

leisl · Post by **leisl** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 4:33 pm

leisl · Post by **leisl** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 4:44 pm

You don't have a job offer. Because you said you're considering a nordic country. Which means you don't know where you are going to study. You have big flaws in your plans. You assume you'll get a job. Good luck with that. When you don't speak Finnish.

You have 3 months from when you arrive to find a job. It has to pay enough to make the police happy. Maybe about 1200e per month. Then you can register your residence here as an EU citizen. And stay here legally. Then the Kela stuff you linked above applies.

roger_roger wrote:
Lavender wrote:Not if he is from EU.
I don't see anywhere he has written that, how come you know?

I think MikeCZ is a Czech citizen. He mentioned his 18 hour working minimum.

Lavender · Post by **Lavender** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 9:11 pm

I don't know whether you can get the financial aid, if you go to Finland and then find a job, because your reason for coming to Finland will still be studies.

At least in my case, at first I was rejected for the financial aid for studies (based on the family ties) and I had to prove there were family ties before applying for the studies.

leisl · Post by **leisl** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 9:56 pm

Yes. Normally foreign students don't get money. That is the base rule. I think you have to satisfy something different from principally being a student.

But if you are EU and don't register at all. Just come as a tourist. Then find work and register with the police. Then your principal reason for being here is work. Then you get into Kela. And anyone is allowed to study if they are already here and in the system.

Problem is going to be finding work. And it's maybe 30 hours per week if you wash dishes before Police are happy with the income. Then study comes in the spare time.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 12:17 am

The law clearly states, that the student aid is for residents, whose residence is based "on other reason as a student".

So you get zippo, zilch, nada...

Or do you "think" they are some welfare office of the world? "Know" you need to earn your handout before sticking your fingers into the cookie jar...

biscayne · Post by **biscayne** » Fri Jan 15, 2016 1:16 pm

I am an EU citizen studying here at the moment. As far as I am aware and according to the University who actually had to hold a seminar day about this with a representative of Kela because there were so many questions - if you come to Finland for the sole purpose of studying you are not entitled to Kela support which is basically social welfare money. Nobody in my class who came here to study is getting any financial support. There are foreigners, EU and Non-EU who get support because they have been working in Finland before they started this course.

You certainly can work as a student, and as an EU student you can work as many hours as you like, only the Non-EU students are restricted to 20 hours. The problem will be finding a job. Nobody, and I mean nobody in my class has found work. (except for the people who were already living here and now work part time at the their old job) There is an American who says she will have to go home as she assumed she would find work and has not, the tuition is free, but she has run out of money to live on. Finnish seems to be a requirement for basically anything, including cleaning. Of course, if you are an ace programmer or IT person, all bets are off.

leisl · Post by **leisl** » Sat Jan 16, 2016 5:17 am

biscayne, we need to frame your post. Because this is how life is. And nobody believes it. Until they are here. I know two people who work in housekeeping and two who work in kitchens. Not the same companies. None of the four will hire someone without Finnish skills. Because they don't have to. There are plenty of unemployed Finns.

But if I came to the USA. And my English was poor. But I could do the job just fine. Would I get the job. No. Someone else will always be chosen ahead of me. Someone with good English.

Same with Finnish. Doesn't matter if you can do the job. It only matters if you are the best applicant.

RevealingtheTruth · Post by **RevealingtheTruth** » Sun Feb 14, 2016 4:43 pm

But if I came to the USA. And my English was poor. But I could do the job just fine. Would I get the job. No. Someone else will always be chosen ahead of me. Someone with good English.

Same with Finnish. Doesn't matter if you can do the job. It only matters if you are the best applicant.

NOT TRUE in America.....if your english is poor, you can and will get employment in housekeeping, janitorial and etc....however your hourly pay or salary maybe the minimum....

JK_Ironak · Post by **JK_Ironak** » Sun Feb 14, 2016 4:47 pm

RevealingtheTruth wrote: NOT TRUE in America.....if your english is poor, you can and will get employment in housekeeping, janitorial and etc....however your hourly pay or salary maybe the minimum....

Only because there are no locals who would work for the same wage... or in other words, they still hire the best applicant, but in that case the best one has poor language skills.

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