Fi

Joensuu: Pielisjoki ja kanootteja

Housing and living costs

In order to apply for accom­mo­da­tion you need to contact the Student Housing Company, Joen­suun Elli. Elli is a private company owned by the City of Joensuu. It offers afford­able accom­mo­da­tion to students around the city. There are studios and shared flats. To increase your chances at getting accom­mo­da­tion, submit your appli­ca­tion immediately.

Read the appli­ca­tion instruc­tions on Joensuu Elli website. Fill in the appli­ca­tion form online at and attach a copy of the Noti­fi­ca­tion of deci­sion on student admis­sion to it. It is a compul­sory attach­ment to the application.

There is a free laundry room and a public sauna in every housing unit. Private sauna turn or parking space for a car can be reserved for an extra fee.

Contact infor­ma­tion

Student Housing Company Joen­suun Elli
Merim­iehenkatu 30
Tel. +358 13 337 7800
E-mail [email protected]
Website: https://haku.joensuunelli.fi/en/

Infor­ma­tion on housing and renting an apart­ment in Finland

Private compa­nies (some pages may be only in Finnish)

For exhange students

Most exchange students live in a shared flat where they have a private room and they share kitchen, bath­room and toilet with 1-3 other students. Exchange students are usually accom­mo­dated in a room which has basic furni­ture: a bed and a mattress, a desk, a chair and a wardrobe. However, there are no curtains, rugs, linen, dishes, cutlery, etc. in the flats.

Rent for a room in a shared flat is about 200 – 350 euros/month. The rent includes elec­tric­ity, heating and water. In the furnished flats, a furni­ture fee of 19 euros is added to the rent. Please mention in your appli­ca­tion that you apply for a furnished room!

A “Survival Pack” can be rented from the Student Union POKA. The Survival Pack includes some neces­si­ties, mainly dishes. Or, there are quite many flea markets in Joensuu as well.

Study and living expenses

The average cost for a single student would be minimum of 700-800 euros per month. Since inter­na­tional students can work in Finland only on a restricted basis and part-time jobs are rare in Joensuu, one should not count on financ­ing studies by working.

Exchange students at Karelia Univer­sity of Applied Sciences are not required to pay tuition fees. Students are required to pay only for the optional study tours and study mate­ri­als (hand­outs, books, printed mate­ri­als, prac­ti­cal work manuals, copies, etc.).

Students who are enrolled in an insti­tu­tion of higher educa­tion are enti­tled to several student bene­fits by present­ing their student card. In order to get a student card, you need to join the POKA student union of Karelia UAS. Please note that an ISIC card (Inter­na­tional Student Card) does not entitle you to all of the student bene­fits in Finland.

Tips for those living on a tight budget:

  • Make sure that you are aware of all the possi­ble student reduc­tions and other reduc­tions avail­able and compare the prices. Ask the Student Union for a complete list of places that offer student reduc­tions by showing your Student Card and get tips from fellow Finnish students. Please notice that the open market place (tori) is not neces­sar­ily the cheap­est place to buy food in Finland as it is in some other countries.
  • Use the possi­bil­ity to eat lunch at student price on campuses – the meals are tasty, well-balanced and substantial.
  • Check rummage sales and flea markets for inex­pen­sive second-hand goods and furni­ture. To find bargains, you should look for ALE or TARJOUS signs which indi­cate sales or special offers. The flea markets are also worth visit­ing (cheap second-hand clothes, kitchen­ware, books, etc.). They are popular among all the students.
  • Take advan­tage of offer­ings of Sykettä Joensuu univer­sity sports

Read more on fees and costs on Study in Finland webpage.