Jobless students to get social support from Kela during summer

Students who do not have a summer job and are not eligible for other benefits can apply for social assistance from national social insurance institution-Kela for the summer months, said Kela in a press release on Thursday.

Students, however, need to continue study during the summer to get financial aid.

Students who do not have a summer job and cannot get financial aid during the summer can apply to Kela for basic social assistance.

However, students who have access to a student loan must use their loan funds before applying for social assistance.

Student financial aid is the principal form of assistance for students. This means that Kela is required to take into account all of the financial aid available to students applying for social assistance, even the student loan they are eligible for but have not taken out.

“The requirement was waived during COVID-19. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the epidemic, it was thought that finding a summer job would be more difficult than is normally the case”, said Pasi Pajula, Head of Centre of Expertise at Kela.

“Kela does not require students to take out a student loan if they cannot get one from a bank or if they cannot get financial aid for the summer months for example because they have run out of eligibility or their aid has been terminated,” Pajula added.

Students graduating without a job must register with the TE Services as an unemployed jobseeker and claim unemployment benefits and possibly general housing allowance before applying for basic social assistance.

Students are having to resort to social assistance due to the low level of student financial aid

Students have in recent years made the point that the level of financial aid is so low that it causes many to have to apply for social assistance, a form of emergency financial aid.

Basic social assistance was paid to 33,494 students in 2022.

Basic social assistance is publicly funded emergency financial assistance. Individuals and families living or residing permanently in Finland can get social assistance if their available income and assets do not cover their necessary expenses such as food and housing.

Basic social assistance is not taxed and does not count as income for student financial aid purposes.