As the new school season approaches, demand for student accommodation in Finland is nearing its peak. This surge is fuelled by the growing number of students who receive offers from higher education institutions and are due to begin their studies in the coming autumn.
The student housing situation is forecast to be tight this year, with some cities already struggling to cater to demand, according to the Finnish Associations of Student Housing Organisations (SOA). The increasing cost of living, coupled with a rise in the influx of international students relocating to Finland after the pandemic, has intensified the challenges faced by student housing foundations.
"During the Covid pandemic and a couple of years before, in many places, it was possible to offer housing to pretty much every applicant, even if was not necessarily their first choice. Since last year, the situation is becoming increasingly tighter," SOA's executive director Lauri Lehtoruusu told news agency STT.
Tampere and Oulu report being particularly overwhelmed by student housing applications this year, while Vaasa also has a queue, similar to last year.
In Helsinki, the demand for private rentals is gradually being overshadowed by a growing number of student housing applications.
Yle looked into the student housing situation in Finland's most popular student cities:
Helsinki
Around 8,000 students are already queuing for student accommodation in Helsinki. The Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region (HOAS) is currently able to provide accommodation for roughly one in four student applicants in the metropolitan area.
However, the new government's planned benefit cuts will likely increase demand for student housing, which offers accommodation at prices much lower than the private market. Students living in the capital could see their living costs rise by 75 euros a month as a result of the cuts.
"Based on the government programme, it is possible that the student housing support system will undergo big changes," HOAS Managing Director Matti Tarhio told Yle.
Turku
Turku currently faces similar queues for student housing as in previous years, according to Turku Student Village Foundation (TYS).
"So far, we have received just under 2,500 applications. If previous trends still hold true, the number will rise to around 3,500 applications by the beginning of September," Pirjo Lipponen-Vaitomaa, the foundation's Director of Customer Relations and Communications, said.
Oulu
This year's spring and early summer have been busier than in the past for Oulu's accommodation providers.
By the end of May, the Student Housing Foundation of Northern Finland (PSOAS) received nearly 20 percent more applications than last year, with the trend expected to continue into summer.
"The long-term trend is that studio flats are becoming more popular in Oulu. At the same time, there is also a greater demand for shared housing than we are able to offer," PSOAS service manager Jari Simonen said.
Tampere
The Tampere Student Housing Foundation (TOAS) reported currently having a record number of housing applications in its system.
The foundation received more than 4,000 applications in June alone, some 500 more applications compared to the same period last year.
"The highest number of applications is for studio apartments, as has been the case before. There are also more applications for family apartments than last year as well as slightly higher interest in shared apartments than in recent years," Managing Director Kirsi Koski told Yle.
Vaasa
The Student Housing Foundation of Vaasa (VOAS) has 460 people on its waiting list, of whom around 100 have already been offered accommodation.
Long housing queues are typical in Vaasa, according to VOAS, however, the foundation said that last year was particularly difficult.
The foundation is hoping for some 200 vacancies by autumn. However, it is impossible to know for sure how many flats will be vacated in the next weeks.
Jyväskylä
The Central Finland Student Housing Foundation (KOAS) has so far received more than 800 applications, 460 of which have already received housing offers.
"We are not able to offer accommodation to every applicant. The number of applicants is now slightly higher than last year. Dozens of applications are coming in every day for the autumn," Tiia Matilainen, KOAS' Housing Office Manager, told Yle.
The increase in student housing applications is possibly also due to higher prices in Jyväskylä's private market.
"Another factor is the post-pandemic reality, with students now coming to study on-site," Matilainen added.
Kajaani
In Kajaani, there still seem to be plenty of options from which to choose. The search for student accommodation in the city is just starting to pick up.
Demand is currently highest for affordable studio apartments in good locations, according to Ismo Kukkonen, the managing director of local renting firm Kajaani Pietari.
"Students today are very price and quality-conscious. The location of apartments in relation to the place of study, and its affordability, quality and amenities are important features," he said.