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
- InfoFinland – Rental home
- Information package for tenants
- The Expat Finland Guidebook
- Housing in Finland
Private companies (some pages may be only in Finnish)
- Joensuun kaupungin asuntotoimisto
- OVV Asuntopalvelut
- www.asuntoverkko.com
- www.vuokraovi.com
- www.avara.fi
- You can also search for available privately rented apartments on regional Facebook groups (Vuokra-asunnot Joensuun seutu & Vuokra-asunnot Joensuu) and on tori.fi
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