UEF’s campus cities Joensuu and Kuopio are about two hours apart. Choose the city where your programme is based — commuting between the cities is not practical for daily studies.
Student housing companies
In Joensuu and Kuopio, student housing is provided by independent, non-profit student housing companies Joensuun Elli (Joensuu) and Kuopas (Kuopio). They are usually the most affordable option. Please note that the number of apartments is limited, and the cheapest options may not be available to everyone. Private-market rents are generally higher. Most apartments are unfurnished and situated across the city.
Joensuun Elli in Joensuu
Shared flat: 250–400€ per month
Studio apartment (for one person): 400–600€ per month
Two or three room apartments (e.g. for families): 600–900€ per month
For more information: Asuntokohteet – Opiskelija-asunnot Joensuun Elli (opens in a new tab)
Kuopas in Kuopio
Shared flat: 300–420€ per month
Studio apartment (for one person): 330–850€ (average 430€) per month
Two or three room apartments (e.g. for families): 600–1000€ per month
For more information: Application, apartment types and rents – Kuopio Student Housing Company (opens in a new tab)
How to apply for housing?
The busiest rental period is in August–October. If you receive an offer from a student housing company, it is recommended to accept it even if it is not the cheapest option.
When to apply?
- Exchange students: apply as soon as you recive your official Letter of Acceptance from UEF, but no earlier than three months before your arrival.
- Non-EU citizens studying for a degree: apply for housing only after receiving your residence permit.
- Other degree students: Apply from May onwards. Housing may be offered as early as July or August.
Application links
- Joensuu: Apply with Elli
- Kuopio: Apply with Kuopas
Fill out the application carefully. You will typically receive a housing offer by email about one month before your planned arrival.
Important: accepting housing offer is binding
When you accept a housing offer, it is considered a signed lease. You must pay rent from the confirmed starting date. If you do not confirm the offer, your reservation and application will be cancelled automatically.
Leases always begin on the first day of a calendar month and end on the last day of a calendar month. This means you pay for the full month even if you do not need the apartment for the entire period.
Housing in Joensuu – Joensuun Elli
Joensuun Elli provides housing for more than 3000 students in several locations across Joensuu, situated 0.5-7 km from campus. Local busses operate from housing areas to the city centre and to university.
What to expect
- Most students live in a shared flats with a private room and shared kitchen, bathroom, and toilet (1-4 flatmates of the same gender).
- Exchange students are usually places in a furnished room (bed, mattress, desk, chair, wardrobe). There are no curtains, rugs, linen, dishes, cutlery. The Student Union offers survival packages to cover the basic needs.
- Degree and post-graduate students are usually placed in unfurnished rooms (wardrobe only).
- If you are arriving with your family, you can apply for a family flat. Please note that you can apply a family apartment also with a friend or a relative.
Rent includes: electricity, heating and water. A furniture fee applies to furnished rooms. Internet (ElliNet) is available for 20 euros/month. Free laundry rooms and a shared sauna are available in every housing unit. Private sauna or a parking space for car can be reserved for an extra fee. There are no meals or cleaning service available.
There are no computers in the flats, and in order to be able to use the internet connection, tenants may have to buy a suitable adapter for their personal computer. Note that the internet will not be available right away. (There are also other possibilities, for example, a mobile broadband modem that you can purchase from a tele-communications company and is usually a cheaper alternative.).
Temporary accommodation in Joensuu
If you arrive before your room is available, you can find temporary accommodation at
- Hotel GreenStar (opens in a new tab)
- Sports Institute of Eastern Finland ISLO hostel (opens in a new tab)
- Scouts’ Hostel budged accomodation (opens in a new tab)
- Holiday Linnunlahti (opens in a new tab)
- Furnished apartments Kotimaailma (opens in a new tab)
- Furnished apartments Forenom (opens in a new tab)
- Assembled accommodation in Joensuu (only in Finnish, opens in a new tab)
- airbnb
Housing in Kuopio – Kuopas
Kuopas provides housing for over 3000 students in 30 apartment buildings across Kuopio, within 8 km from campus. Local busses operate from housing areas to the city centre and to university.
What to expect
- Most international students live in furnished shared flats with a private room and shared kitchen and bathroom (1-4 flatmates of the same gender).
- Family apartments (two or three bedrooms) are availabel. When not occupied by families, they may sometimes be rented to friends sharing together.
Rent includes internet (10 Mbit, upgradeable for a fee), water, heating and free laundry, and one free shared sauna session per week. Electricity and parking are not included. All furnished shared apartments have a modem. A deposit is required.
For full details on apartments, amenities and the application process, visit Kuopas’s website (opens in a new tab).
Temporary accommodation in Kuopio
If you arrive before your room is available, you can find temporary accommodation at
- Kuopio Hostel Hermanni (opens in a new tab)
- Hotel Savonia (opens in a new tab)
- Hotel – SAWOHOUSE (opens in a new tab)
- Kuopio Hostel Matkustajakoti (opens in a new tab)
- Furnished accommodation Kotimaailma (opens in a new tab)
- Furnished accommodation Forenom (opens in a new tab)
- Qasa (opens in a new tab)
- Spa Hotel Rauhalahti (opens in a new tab)
- Tekman Tuki Association (opens in a new tab)
- airbnb
If Kuopas is unable to offer housing, you can Niiralan Kulma (opens in a new tab), another housing company in Kuopio.