The majority of students will be transferred from the general housing allowance scheme to the student housing supplement scheme on 1 August 2025, but some students will remain covered by general housing allowance. The housing supplement is a very different benefit from the housing allowance. The amount of assistance will change, the impact of income will change from monthly to annual, assistance will change from household-specific to individual, and assistance will not be year-round but bound to study periods.

You should prepare for the transfer in advance or at least check how it will affect your income.

Here is a compilation of answers to the most pressing questions about the housing supplement and the transfer.

Which students will be transferred from the housing allowance scheme to the housing supplement scheme?

The majority of higher education students will be transferred from the general housing allowance scheme to the student housing supplement scheme, but not all. Students eligible for general housing allowance in the future include those

1. with dependent children.
2. who receive a benefit that prevents them from receiving student financial aid, such as sickness allowance, rehabilitation allowance or unemployment benefit during their studies.
3. who have used all their months of student financial aid.

Other students will be transferred to the housing supplement scheme as of 1 August 2025, and they will only have access to the student housing supplement.

How much will the monthly housing supplement be?

The housing supplement reimburses 80 per cent of the housing costs. However, its maximum amount is relatively low at 216–296 euros per month. The maximum amount depends on the municipality of residence and is divided into three categories of municipalities. More detailed information on the amount is available on Kela’s website.

How do pay and income affect the housing supplement?

The housing supplement is part of the student financial aid and is subject to the same income limits as student financial aid in general. The income limits are annual and depend on the number of months of student financial aid during the year. If the student’s income exceeds the income limit during the year, they must return aid paid to them during the extra months of financial aid to reach a higher income limit. The entire amount of aid for the month of student financial aid, i.e. both the study grant and housing supplement, must be returned. More detailed information on the income limits for student financial aid is available on Kela’s website.

Will my housing assistance increase or decrease?

With the transfer, the housing assistance received by the student may increase or decrease. In some cases, the student may receive a housing supplement even if they have not been able to receive a housing allowance.

Housing assistance for students receiving low or non-existent wages will often decrease considerably, by up to 100 euros per month.

For students who have had moderate wages, the housing supplement may be equal to or even greater than the amount of general housing allowance they previously received.

Comparing the amounts of monthly housing assistance is difficult because the housing allowance has been dependent on monthly income, whereas annual income limits are used to calculate the housing supplement, and because the housing allowance is affected by the income of the entire household, but the housing supplement is only affected by the applicant’s own income.

The easiest way to check your future level of assistance is to use Kela’s general housing allowance calculator and to check your monthly housing supplement with the calculator and Kela’s instructions. Consider your annual income to determine how many months of financial aid you can spend per year.

Does my spouse’s or roommates’ income matter?

The income of a spouse, roommate or other loved ones will not affect the student housing supplement. The housing supplement only takes into consideration the recipient’s own annual income in accordance with the general income limits of student financial aid.

The housing allowance was also affected by the income of other members of the household. If the student has previously been ineligible for housing allowance due to their spouse’s income, they may be entitled to the housing supplement despite this in the future.

Can I get a housing supplement when living with my parents or in an apartment owned by my parents?

It was possible to get a housing allowance for an apartment owned by your parents and also as part of your parents’ household. On the other hand, a person living with their parents cannot receive the housing supplement at all and a person renting an apartment owned by their parents can receive a maximum of 83 euros per month.

My studies will not continue/start before September, but the housing allowance will be discontinued at the end of July. Can I receive any housing assistance in August?

• If you have studied during the spring term and continue your studies in the autumn term, your general housing allowance will end on 31 July 2025. You can receive student financial aid and the related housing supplement from the month in which your studies begin (that has at least 18 days of study). If your studies only continue in September, you cannot receive a housing supplement in August. In other words, many students continuing their studies may not receive any housing assistance in August. An exception to this is if the student studies in the summer and is entitled to student financial aid during the summer. In this case, they can get student financial aid in August and thus also the housing supplement.
• If you start as a new student in September, you will not be counted as a student before the first month when you are entitled to student financial aid. If there are fewer than 18 days of study in August, you will not be a student in August, and you may receive a general housing allowance.

Should I change apartments?

The change in housing assistance does not include any official obligations to change your choice of housing.

You should still note that, in connection with the transfer, the monthly amount of housing assistance may change by dozens or nearly 100 euros. If the reduction in assistance would significantly impede paying your housing costs, you may need to consider a housing solution of your own. Another alternative to changing apartments may be a student loan or working. You should consider this from your own starting points and according to your situation.

If the changes to housing assistance make it necessary for you to change apartments, take the availability of housing in the coming months into account. Many other students will most likely also be looking for a new apartment next autumn.

Can I get a housing supplement if I do not receive student financial aid?

It is not possible to receive the housing supplement separately. It is only available in the months when the student is entitled to student financial aid. The housing supplement is subject to the same restrictions as student financial aid, such as the maximum number of months, income limits and credit requirements.

Can I get a housing supplement during the summer holiday?

The housing supplement is only available in the months when the student is also entitled to student financial aid. Student financial aid is generally available for higher education studies from September to May, i.e., for nine months. In other words, housing supplement is usually not available in the summer months.

However, if the student studies in the summer season, they may receive a decision on student financial aid for summertime from Kela. In this case, they can receive a housing supplement in the summer as well.

My spouse/roommate is not a student, but I am. How will it affect my housing supplement?

If you are a student and covered by the housing supplement but your spouse/roommate is not, you are covered by different housing assistance schemes. Students may receive a housing supplement for their share of the rent, and non-students living in the same household may receive a general housing allowance for their share of the housing costs. It is a good idea to ask the Kela customer service for more details to take all factors affecting your assistance into consideration.