Before arriving in Finland

Preparation is key to success in most cases. There are several things you can do already before arriving in Finland.

Apply for residence permit on time

Students from outside the EU/EEA will need a residence permit to stay in Finland. You can apply for a residence permit that is valid for the entire duration of your studies. Note that applying for a residence permit can be a slow process. We recommend applying for a residence permit as soon as you have received your acceptance letter from Arcada in order to ensure that you will be able to come to Finland before the start of your studies. All information about residence permits can be found on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) .

Check out their guide How to apply for a first residence permit for studies to get an overview of the application process and what documents you will need.

Income requirement

If you are an international student who needs a student residence permit to enter Finland, you will need to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself while living here. Migri requires a minimum sum for entering the country to support yourself the first year. Find out more about Migri's income requirements for students on their web page.

Currently (2025) the requirement is that you must have €9,600 in your bank account when you submit the application. This is meant to be the minimum amount of money needed to cover living expenses (accommodation, food, transport etc.) for one year. Note however that Finland is an expensive country and this amount may not be enough to cover your actual expenses.

Bringing your funds to Finland in then form of bank drafts, cashier's cheques or similar is not advisable. Even if you manage to find a bank that is willing to take your cheque, it will be a slow and expensive process to cash it.

Accommodation

The sooner you start looking for accommodation, the better. Student accommodation in Finland, and especially Helsinki, is popular and affordable, and therefore in very high demand. You should apply for an apartment as soon as you have been admitted as a student at Arcada. On Start you can find a lot of useful tips on how to find accommodation in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. For more information on tenant rights and obligations, visit InfoFinland .

Laptop requirement

As a student at Arcada, you are required to bring your own laptop to campus. Your laptop is expected to meet certain minimum requirements.

Information about Finland

There is a ton of valuable information about the Finnish society. To make your move here as smooth as possible, we recommend that you prepare by at least looking through the resources listed below before arriving.

Info Finland

The pages of Info Finland contain a wealth of basic information for immigrants on the functioning of society and opportunities in Finland. They cover a wide range of topics from healthcare to starting a business, and finding jobs and accommodation. All the information is available in 12 languages.

International House Helsinki

International House Helsinki (IHH) can provide you with a wide range of information and public authority services. This is, for example, the place you have to go to for your DVV registration when you come to Finland. They offer multilingual guidance online or at their office. Check out their Newcomer's Guide for lots of practical advise about living in Finland. We also highly recommend that you watch the video below:

Remote video URL

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YLE News

To learn about current events in Finland, we recommend that you check out YLE News in English . YLE is The Finnish National Broadcasting Company.