ISYY, the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (opens in a new tab), looks after the students’ rights and interests. ISYY operates on both the Joensuu and Kuopio campuses.
On this page you can find information on the following subjects:
- Bachelor’s and master’s degree students’ membership fee
- Bachelor’s and master’s degree students’ membership fee amount
- Student healthcare services and healthcare fee for higher education students
- Exchange students’ membership fee
- Doctoral students’ membership fee
- Non-degree students who can join the Student Union
- Voluntary fees
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree study right in another university in Finland
Bachelor’s and master’s degree students’ membership fee
If you are a bachelor’s or master’s degree student, you are a member of the Student Union under the student union act. You pay the Student Union membership fee annually when you register as present.
If you simultaneously hold a valid bachelor’s and/or master’s degree study right as well as a doctoral or licentiate study right, you are a member of the Student Union and pay the bachelor’s/master’s degree membership fee when you register as present.
If you have more than one study right at the same level (bachelor’s or master’s) at the University of Eastern Finland, you only need to pay the Student Union membership fee once, even if you register as present for more than one study right.
As a Student Union member, you can get a student card (opens in a new tab) and are entitled to various membership benefits (opens in a new tab) such as discounts on long distance train tickets and bus fares as well as in student cafeterias on campus. Students may also use the student card in Tuudo.
Note for first-year students: If you are a first-year bachelor’s or master’s degree student, you must register as present and pay the Student Union membership fee for the whole academic year. You may only register as absent if you have a statutory reason for doing so. You can find more information on registering as absent in the first year in Kamu.
Bachelor’s and master’s degree students’ membership fee amount
In the 2026–2027 academic year, the fee is:
- Full academic year (from 1st of August to 31st of July): 73 €
- Autumn semester only (from 1st of August to 31st of December): 36 €
- Spring semester only (from 1st of January to 31st of July): 37 €
Student healthcare services and healthcare fee for higher education students
If you are a bachelor’s or master’s degree student registered as present at a Finnish higher education institution, you are entitled to use the services of the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) (opens in a new tab) and must pay the healthcare fee to Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland) by the due date.
NOTE! International exchange students are not entitled to student healthcare services.
You will not be exempted from paying the fee even if you, e.g., do not use the services of the FSHS, do not receive student financial aid or are studying abroad. You must pay the fee even if you are studying remotely and are not based in Finland.
However, you do not have to pay the healthcare fee if you have social security coverage from another EU/EEA country, from Switzerland, or from Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In this case, you need to prove this to Kela. Despite not paying the fee, you can use the FSHS’s services.
Kela will not send you a bill for the student healthcare fee. You pay the fee on your own initiative in the Kela e-service for each academic term.
The due date for paying the student healthcare fee is determined based on the date on which you register as present.
On the Kela website you can find information on the healthcare fee and the due dates as well as the payment instructions (opens in a new tab).
Exchange students’ membership fee
As an exchange student at UEF, you are welcome to join the Student Union, but you are not required to do so. To become a member, you pay the Student Union membership fee. For the 2026–2027 academic year, the voluntary fee is:
- Full academic year (from 1st of August to 31st of July): 73 €
- Autumn semester only (from 1st of August to 31st of December): 36 €
- Spring semester only (from 1st of January to 31st of July): 37 €
NOTE! International exchange students are not entitled to student healthcare services.
Doctoral students’ membership fee
If you are a doctoral or licentiate student registered as present, joining the Student Union is voluntary. For the 2026–2027 academic year, the voluntary fee is:
- Full academic year (from 1st of August to 31st of July): 56 €
- Autumn semester only (from 1st of August to 31st of December): 27,50 €
- Spring semester only (from 1st of January to 31st of July): 28,50 €
You can pay the fee upon annual registration during the registration period in Oili or afterwards by contacting the Student and Learning Services’ customer service (contact information at the bottom of the page).
Student benefits for doctoral students
As a doctoral or licentiate student, you are entitled to a student discount from VR. To get the discount, you need a valid student card with the VR logo. Frank, Slice, and Tuudo all have the VR logo on their digital student cards.
As a doctoral or licentiate student, you are not entitled to:
- subsidised meals (Kela meal subsidy)
- student health services (FSHS)
- discounts on buses
The membership entitles you to use the services of the student union and to join events organized by the Student Union. You can also get student discounts in various shops, theatres, hotels and restaurants. Contact the Student Union for information on student benefits for postgraduate students (opens in a new tab).
Student card for doctoral students
To use student cards from Frank or Slice (opens in a new tab), you need to pay the Student Union membership fee. You can also use Tuudo student card.
Non-degree students who can join the Student Union
As a rule, if you are completing non-degree studies (e.g., training for a specialisation in medicine, flexible study right), you cannot join the Student Union. However, the Student Union may choose to accept non-degree students as members with an official decision.
The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland has decided to accept the following student groups as members. If you belong to one of these groups, you may join the Student Union if you choose.
Students in specific certificate and qualification programmes
If you are studying full-time in one of the following programmes, you can join the Student Union:
- certificate programme for special education teachers
- certificate programme for kindergarten special education teachers
- certificate programme for kindergarten teachers (75-credit programme)
- qualification studies for career counsellors
- multidisciplinary study programme in basic education (separate study right).
The membership fee is €73 for the full academic year, €36 for the autumn semester, or €37 for the spring semester. You are entitled to the Kela meal subsidy and student discounts on trains and long-distance buses (Matkahuolto), but you are not entitled to FSHS services.
Students with an alumni study right
If you have activated your alumni study right after graduation, you can join the Student Union. The membership fee is €56 for the full academic year, €27.50 for the autumn semester, or €28.50 for the spring semester. You are not entitled to the FSHS services, Kela meal subsidy, or student discounts on trains and long-distance buses (Matkahuolto).
Healthcare fee for non-degree student groups
Because these student groups are not entitled to FSHS services, you do not pay the healthcare fee to Kela.
If you wish to join the Student Union, contact the Student and Learning Services’ customer service (contact information at the bottom of the page) for payment instructions.
Voluntary fees
Sykettä sports services (opens in a new tab) are at your disposal after paying the sports fee at the ISYY office or on the SYKETTÄ webpage. NOTE! Not available to alumni study right students!
If you would like to support the development activities of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) (opens in a new tab), you can do this by transferring a sum of your choice to SYL’s fundraising account.
Bachelor’s or master’s degree study right in another university in Finland
If you hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree study right at another Finnish higher education institution and have paid the Student Union membership fee there, you still need to register normally at the University of Eastern Finland. If you register as present at UEF, you also pay the ISYY membership fee.
Student and Learning Services’ customer service contact information:
If you have questions regarding the Student Union membership fees, please contact the Student and Learning Services’ customer service.