University of Helsinki
Dear all new students,
We would like to remind you once more about how important it is to search for housing here in Helsinki through all possible channels. A good guidebook for this can be found at our housing webpages, please do read the Housing Guide carefully through!
Are you going to apply for housing through HOAS, the largest provider of students flats here in Helsinki? Are you looking for a flat in the city centre with a maximum rent of 250 euro? Hope not, as such housing does not exist… Please, do not narrow down the suitable housing options on the application form. If you choose only a few parts of the city that you are willing to live in and accept only a maximum rent of 300 euro, your chances of getting a housing offer from HOAS are not that good. We are more than aware that our students’ budgets are limited, but it is still better to accept any housing offer so that you have a place to stay when you arrive in Helsinki. After you have settled down, you can always start looking for a cheaper option. Btw, HOAS is now also on Facebook so if you have questions to HOAS please post them at their FB pages.
If you are arriving in the beginning of September and haven’t heard from HOAS by mid-August, then it is time to check some other short-term housing options, e.g.the CheapSleep hostel. You can use the booking code STUDENT in their reservation system at www.cheapsleep.fi in order to get a discount (the booking code is active starting from June 1, 2012).
Also put the date 30 August in your calendar. Find a flat, Mate! is an event for international students looking for an apartment and for landlords looking for a reliable tenant for a longer or shorter period of time. More information about the event, place and date is available at the Helsinki Region Welcome Weeks pages.
We hope that this writing did not scare you off and that everything goes well with your preparations. We are very much looking forward to seeing you all here in Helsinki!