Studying in Finland with disability

ryo.o_o · Post by **ryo.o_o** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 6:06 am

Hello everyone.
I'm Ryo living in Japan, 21 years old man.

I want to go to Finland for Masters degree in 2016, but it's not easy to live alone because of disability.
I need someones help to take a bath or change a cloth or for toilet.
Although I can walk around and I could do many things by myself, I can't do the everything to live.

I knew about Kela that I thought could get a housing support service to live in Finland, but it seems that I can't get a support
because of the reason I will be in Finland for only studying.
It's hard to find a job that over 37 hours in a week to get covered Kela for me.

In Finland, is there a only Kela a social welfare system or other possibility to get a kind of housing support?
I really need your help to find a way to live in Finland.

Thank you.

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betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 9:43 am

ryo.o_o wrote: In Finland, is there a only Kela a social welfare system or other possibility to get a kind of housing support?
I really need your help to find a way to live in Finland.

Income support is handled by the municipalities until 2017 but then it's moved to Kela. However, it's not available on student status. Kela pays student financial aid for students moving abroad. I think your best bet is researching whether the Japanese system does the same. Are we talking about housing support to mean housing benefits in Kela terms = support for paying rent or the support for living home? The latter is handled by the municipalities in Finland. Getting a student residence permit requires having medical insurance. Given your condition is it realistic that any party will insure you?

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:55 am

If you come as a student you're not entitled to any support. So you have to pay for the help you need.
It might be possible to find for instance other students who want to help you for a small fee. But don't depend on it when making plans.

If you find a job and register a residence permit for work, you can get Kela support. But the likelihood of finding a job as a non EU foreigner with a disability and without a degree (?) or fluent Finnish(?) is close to zero.

onkko · Post by **onkko** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:13 am

Not a finn, no support.

ryo.o_o · Post by **ryo.o_o** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:49 pm

Thank you to all for your reply.
I have been finding a way to get a care worker service in Finland.
Although it seems difficult to find, I will search all possibilities to live in Finland such as finding student who is okay with helping me.

Flossy1978 · Post by **Flossy1978** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:01 pm

If you pay out of your own pocket, you can surely employ a proper carer of disabilities to help you. I don't think a student is the best choice for your needs.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 4:46 pm

Cory wrote:
onkko wrote:Not a finn, no support.
Not a Permanent Resident, no support.

Even tourists in the country are eligible for short term income support. The problem for long term support is getting and renewing residence permits to avoid deportation.

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