Benefits & support · student aid
Student financial aid calculator 2026
Student financial aid (opintotuki) is Kela support that a student uses to fund their studies. It consists of the study grant (opintoraha), the housing supplement (asumislisä) and the student loan guarantee. The grant and supplement are money you do not repay; the student loan is a bank loan you repay after your studies.
This calculator shows all three parts plus the annual income limit — how much you can earn without losing aid. For example, an independent student aged 18+ with 9 support months and a 500 € rent in group II gets a 279.38 €/month grant and a 248 €/month housing supplement, and their annual income limit is 20,127 euros. The result is indicative.
Student details
Decides the study grant amount.
The guarantee depends on age and place of study.
The housing supplement is 80 % of rent up to the municipality-group cap.
The housing supplement cap depends on the municipality.
How many months you draw aid. Typically 9 (Sep–May).
Total support per month (excluding loan)
€527/ kk
| Study grant | €279 |
| Housing supplement | €248 |
| Total (excluding loan) | €527 |
| Loan guarantee | €850 |
| Total including loan | €1,377 |
Annual income limit
€20,127
How much you can earn in the year without losing aid.
You may exceed the limit by up to 374 euros without recovery. If you exceed it by more, Kela recovers the overpaid aid and adds a 7.5 % increase.
The calculator is indicative. For students under 20 or living with parents, the parents' income may affect the grant, and the exact housing supplement depends on the accepted housing costs. Kela confirms the aid and the income limit in its decision. Check your own situation in OmaKela.
How are student aid and the income limit calculated?
Student aid has three parts: the study grant (opintoraha), the housing supplement (asumislisä) and the student loan guarantee. The study grant is taxable money you do not repay; the amount depends on age and living situation (an independent student aged 18+ gets 279.38 €/month). The housing supplement is 80 % of rent up to the municipality-group cap (296 / 248 / 216 €/month). The loan guarantee is a bank loan you repay: 850 €/month for an adult in Finland, 400 €/month under 18 or at second level, and 1,000 €/month abroad. The annual income limit is set by support months: 1,118 € per support month and 3,355 € per non-support month. For example, with 9 support months the limit is 20,127 euros. You may exceed it by 374 euros without recovery. Kela benefits and the loan are not counted as income.
The parts of student aid and how the income limit is calculated
The study grant is the core of student aid. Its amount depends on age and living situation: an independent student aged 18+ gets 279.38 €/month, an independent 17-year-old 113.57 €/month, a 17–19-year-old living with parents 43.15 €/month and a 20+ student 90.85 €/month. A guardian of a minor child gets 421.01 €/month, because a 141.63 € provider supplement is added. For those under 20 or living with parents, the parents’ income may affect the amount.
The student housing supplement replaced the general housing allowance for students from 1 August 2025. It is 80 % of the accepted rent, up to the municipality-group cap: 296 €/month in group I (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa), 248 €/month in group II (Tampere, Turku, Oulu etc.) and 216 €/month in group III. In a parent’s dwelling the cap is 83 €/month and abroad 210 €/month. It is paid only for support months and depends only on your own income. Students living with a child stay on the general housing allowance.
The loan guarantee means Kela guarantees a student loan taken from a bank. The guarantee is 850 €/month for an adult studying in Finland, 400 €/month for those under 18 or at second level, and 1,000 €/month for those studying abroad. The loan is paid into your account and repaid after your studies. Your own income does not affect getting the guarantee.
The annual income limit sets how much you can earn without losing aid. It is 1,118 € per support month and 3,355 € per non-support month. With the typical 9 support months the limit is 20,127 euros and with 12 months 13,416 euros. The limit counts your own earned and capital income, not Kela benefits or the loan. You may exceed it by up to 374 euros without consequences; for a larger overshoot Kela recovers the overpaid aid with a 7.5 % increase. You can avoid an overshoot by cancelling support months in advance or paying aid back in OmaKela.
Frequently asked questions
What does student aid consist of?
Of the study grant (opintoraha), the housing supplement (asumislisä) and the student loan guarantee. The grant and supplement are money you do not repay. The student loan is a bank loan guaranteed by Kela that you repay after your studies.
How much is the study grant in 2026?
An independent student aged 18+ gets 279.38 €/month and a 17-year-old 113.57 €/month. Living with parents, a 17–19-year-old gets 43.15 €/month and a 20+ student 90.85 €/month. A guardian of a minor gets 421.01 €/month, as a 141.63 €/month provider supplement is added. For those under 20 or living with parents, the parents' income may affect the amount.
How much can I earn without losing aid?
The annual limit is 1,118 € per support month and 3,355 € per non-support month. With 9 support months you can earn 20,127 euros a year; with 12 months, 13,416 euros. You may exceed the limit by up to 374 euros without consequences.
What happens if I exceed the income limit?
If you exceed it by more than 374 euros, Kela recovers the overpaid grant and housing supplement and adds a 7.5 % increase. You can avoid the increase by voluntarily paying aid back by the end of April the following year, or by cancelling support months in advance in OmaKela.
Are aid or the loan counted as income for the limit?
No. The income limit counts your own earned and capital income, such as salary and capital gains. Kela benefits — the study grant, housing supplement, general housing allowance and child benefit — are not counted. The loan is not income either, as it is repaid.
How is the housing supplement calculated?
It is 80 % of the accepted rent, up to the municipality-group cap: 296 € (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa), 248 € (Tampere, Turku, Oulu etc.) or 216 € (others). In a parent's dwelling the cap is 83 € and abroad 210 €. It is paid only for support months and depends only on your own income.