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The Helsinki Metropolitan area is a fun place to live in, but finding suitable accommodation in the capital region can be challenging.

There is a lot of competition in affordable housing, so it is important to start searching for a room many months prior to arrival. Look into different options and make sure that you have reserved accommodation before you arrive.

Metropolia does not have housing services to offer. Thus it is the student's responsibility to find an accommodation for the period of their studies.

When looking for an apartment, note that the Helsinki region has an excellent public transportation network. Use the HSL Journey Planner to check the locations of different accommodation options.

Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region - HOAS

Many students of Metropolia live in Hoas’s (Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region) apartments. A full time degree student in the capital area can apply for a room in a shared apartment, a studio apartment, a two-room apartment, a roomie apartment or a family apartment after being admitted to a school.

The affordable rent includes water and in some apartments electricity, too. In addition, there is a free internet connection and usually a common sauna and laundry room as well.

Hoas apartments are situated near campuses or within good public transportation connections in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen. See the locations of the properties on a map

There are several Hoas properties near Metropolia campuses, for example:

  • Arabia Campus: several properties in Toukola, Kumpula and Viikki. Great public transportation connections from further locations, too.
  • Karaportti Campus: Juusintie property in Kauniainen very near and several properties in Kilo and Leppävaara. Good connections from Kiltakallio and Kirkkojärvi, too.
  • Myllypuro Campus: Several properties within quick and easy connections. Check out at least Mellunmäki, Kivikko, Kontula, Kurkimäki, Itäkeskus, Pukinmäki and Malmi.
  • Myyrmäki Campus: Three properties in Myyrmäki. In addition several properties in Malminkartano, Kannelmäki and Hakuninmaa.

More information about applying and different apartment types on Hoas website

HOAS for Exchange Students

Most of Metropolia exchange students live in HOAS apartments. A limited number of furnished apartments has been reserved for the incoming exchange students.

HOAS is an easy, safe and affordable option for exchange students. The tenancy agreements for exchange students are made for full semesters, regardless of the length of your exchange. The rent in all HOAS locations includes basic furniture, water, heating, electricity and Internet connection, as well as access to a laundry room and a sauna. All housing areas have shops, public transportation and other services nearby.

Applying for a HOAS room

The application periods for exchange student housing are:

  • Autumn semester and academic year: 1 April - 5 May
  • Spring semester: 1 October - 5 November

Please apply as soon as the application period starts! HOAS cannot guarantee a room for all applicants, due to the large number of students. Offers will be sent to students via email after Metropolia has confirmed the student exchange selections, so there is no risk of getting stuck with an apartment but not being accepted for exchange.

On the HOAS application form choose "Student exchange" as your degree, and one of the campuses below as your faculty/location based on your field of study.

HOAS will offer you the best available location in relation to your campus, but please be prepared to live further away from the campus since there are hundreds of students applying for the same locations.

Remember that it is easy to travel around the Helsinki region: the public transport in Helsinki is ranked among the best in Europe! You can check the transport connections from your apartment to the city centre or the campus areas at Helsinki Region Transport Journey Planner.

Accommodation options at HOAS

There are four furnished room types that HOAS offers for exchange students:

  • room in a shared apartment
  • shared room in a shared apartment
  • studio apartment and
  • shared studio apartment.

See the details and prices on the HOAS website.

The majority of the furnished apartments are shared apartments. Hoas has a very limited number of furnished studios available. HOAS recommends also applying for another apartment type, such as a shared apartment, at the same time, otherwise the applicant might not receive housing offer at all.

The tenancy agreements for exchange students are made for full semesters, regardless of the length of your exchange.

HOAS housing offers

HOAS makes the offers by email. Check your email on a regular basis - also junk mail / spam mailbox, just in case. Most of the HOAS housing reservations are sent out during June/November, so if you have not received a housing reservation e-mail by July/early December, be sure to search for other accommodation options.

Accepting HOAS offer

When you receive a housing offer, accept it as soon as possible. If you do not accept it by the deadline mentioned on the offer, the housing will be offered to someone else. You will not get a second offer. Please contact HOAS if you need more response time, or if you already know you will decline your only offer. Read carefully the detailed instructions on the HOAS website.

Please note especially that a signed tenancy agreement cannot be cancelled or edited afterwards.

Private Market

You can also search for accommodation on the private market. However, it might be very difficult to find affordable accommodation, especially if you are an exchange student looking for furnished accommodation for a short period of time.

In the Helsinki Metropolitan area there are relatively few rental apartments available and the rents are high (appr. 600-800 euros/month/studio) even if you live outside the city centre of Helsinki - furniture, water, electricity and Internet connection are not included in the rent either. The highest demand for affordable housing is at the beginning of each semester, so start looking months in advance.

Be cautious in accepting a rental apartment from a private owner without seeing it though – there are scams and fake advertisements in the market.

Please note that Metropolia cannot offer any assistance in finding accommodation from the private market.

Temporary Housing Options

Many companies in the Helsinki region rent out furnished apartments or rooms in apartment hotels for a temporary stay, for example:

For hostels and other options, see for example:

See also these

Cost of Living in InfoFinland site
Residence Permits and Registrations for exchange students
Student Tutors for exchange students