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Checklist for new international degree students

Upon arrival in Finland, register with the authorities, open a bank account and update your information in Peppi study register.

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Upon arrival in Finland, you need to register with certain authorities. Opening a Finnish bank account is also very recommended, and the online banking credentials entitle you to identify yourself in various online services in Finland. After you have taken care of the registrations, remember to update your information in the student register. If you plan to work in Finland, please note that you need to apply for a Finnish tax card.

1. Visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV)

  • Book an appointment at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) to register your address and personal information. You will also receive a Finnish personal identity code if you have not received it with the residence permit. Fill in the application and check the required attachments on DVV´s website.
    • You can download the certificate of student status needed at DVV on Peppi student information system once you have received your Uniarts ID. See the instructions on Student Uniarts’ website.

2. Open a bank account

  • Book an appointment at a bank to open a Finnish bank account. Note that you need to register at DVV and have the Finnish personal identity code before you can open a bank account, and it might take some time before you will have the account in use. You might also need to have a Finnish identity card issued by the Police of Finland to prove your identity at the bank.

3. Update your contact information in Peppi study register.

  • Find the instructions on Student Uniarts’ website.
  • You can update some of the information yourself, like address and phone number.
  • Inform the study services about your Finnish personal identity code once you have received it. Please note that the code is sensitive personal information and you should, therefore, either visit or call the study services or send the code by encrypted email (see the instructions).

4. Visit HSL to register your student discount on public transport in Helsinki region

  • Register your student discount on the HSL public transportation service if you use the public transportation in the capital area. Read more about student card and student discounts on Student Uniarts’ website.
  • Note that you need to have received the Finnish ID number and registered your home address at the DVV before you can get the discount at HSL.

5. Pay the student health care fee to Kela

  • You can pay the fee already when you have been accepted as student but you must pay it by 15 November (for the autumn semester) or 15 March (for the spring semester) the latest.
  • You have to pay the fee on your own initiative: Kela will not send a bill for the fee.
  • You must pay the fee even if you have private health insurance.
  • You do not have to pay the healthcare fee if you have social security coverage from another EU/EEA country, from Switzerland or from the United Kingdom.
  • Read more about Student healthcare and see more information on the fee and how to pay it on Kela’s website.

6. Apply for a Finnish tax card, if needed

Register your address and personal information in the Finnish Population Information System (DVV)

If you are staying in Finland for more than a year, you need to register with a municipality of residence at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV). Registering entitles you to enjoy municipal benefits, including a student discount with HSL (public transport) and services provided by the municipality. You will also receive a Finnish personal identity code if you have not received it from Migri and you will be registered an address in Finland. The address can be registered as temporary or as permanent. Please visit the DVV website for more information on the different address types.

Please note that if you come from outside of the EU/EEA countries, you usually need to have a Finnish personal identity code and a registered address in Finland to open a bank account or to get a service contract with mobile phone operator. 

See more information at DVV’s website: https://dvv.fi/en/international-student.

Finnish personal identity code

The Finnish personal identity code is used to identify persons in Finland; it consists of 11 characters, including your birthdate (DDMMYY) and five additional digits. The code is needed, for example, when dealing with the Finnish authorities, opening a bank account, and paying wages. The Finnish personal identity code is called henkilötunnus (or ‘hetu’) in Finnish and sometimes it may also be referred to as social security number.

You will receive the code either from Migri along with your residence permit/EU registration or from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency when registering your address and personal information.

Note that the code is unique and sensitive personal information, so please do not share it in social media or other open channels. Once you have the code, remember to update it in the student register by visiting the student services or sending them an encrypted message from your Uniarts email.

Opening a bank account

It is advisable to open a Finnish bank account if you are studying in Finland for a longer time. It is required if you receive the Finnish scholarship.

There are multiple banks in Finland, such as Osuuspankki, Nordea, S-pankki, Danske Bank and Aktia. Please note that practices vary between different banks. You should always make an appointment at the bank where you want to open an account in advance and to confirm the necessary documentation needed. When opening a bank account, you will need to have the Finnish personal identity code. You might also need to have a Finnish identity card (“henkilökortti” in Finnish) issued by the Police of Finland to be able to identify yourself at the bank. Always check with the bank in question which identification documents they require.

Usually, the following documents are needed at the first banking appointment:

  • Passport (or Finnish identity card, please check with the bank)
  • Residence permit card (if applicable)
  • Certificate of student status (you can download it from Peppi study register)
  • Finnish personal identity code
  • Address in Finland (registered at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency)
  • Some other documents required by the bank (always check with the bank in question!)

Please note that opening a bank account might take time, and you might not get the full online banking credentials right away. However, the full banking credentials are very useful in Finland as they are needed for identifying yourself when using various online services.