Healthcare Services for Students

The instruction belongs to the following themes

By selecting a degree programme you are able to see the general content as well as the possible degree programme-specific content. You do not have to select a degree programme to see the Open University's instructions.

This page details some of the healthcare services you can utilise during your studies. The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) is discussed in detail and useful links to learn about the public, private, and emergency healthcare services are mentioned. Support for your mental wellbeing is also listed. 

Please note that it is easier to access these services if your Personal Identity Code is added to the student register. You can find instructions on updating your Personal Identity Code here. 

  

Finnish Student Health Service

The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS, also referred to as YTHS which comes from its Finnish name Ylioppilaiden terveydenhoitosäätiö) is the go-to place for students’ healthcare needs in all situations besides an emergency.

Service Provision 

The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) can help you with your health and illness related questions. FSHS offers general, dental, and mental health services for degree students at the University of Helsinki. Get acquainted with these services and the working of FSHS through their YouTube channel

Service Beneficiaries 

You are entitled to access FSHS if: 

  • You are pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree at the University of Helsinki 
  • You are registered as attending 
  • You have followed Kela’s instructions on paying the healthcare fee 

Please note that you are not entitled to FSHS as an exchange or doctoral student. Please visit the Health Insurance page for information that applies to you.  

Kela Healthcare Fee 

The student healthcare fee must be paid by all students who are completing a master's or bachelor's degree at a Finnish institution of higher education and have registered as attending for the term.  

However, several exceptions apply on the basis of your social security coverage. Visit the Kela website for more information on how to pay the fee and the conditions that apply.  

Contacting the Service 

The FSHS services are open on weekdays. Please visit the FSHS website for a step-by-step guide on the process of accessing the services. You can also find contact information for all the service units on the FSHS contact information page. 

Other Services  

FSHS provides a host of other services including remote testing for STDs, vaccinations, mental health support, a nutritional mobile app, and travel health advice. We invite you to explore the available services and contact the service providers in case of any questions.

Public Healthcare Services

Besides healthcare services from FSHS, you are entitled to use public health services in Finland if you have a municipality of residence (infofinland.fi) in Finland.  

Please keep in mind that using the Public Health Services are not free, however the costs are usually reasonable and will be less expensive than visiting a private clinic. 

General Public Health Services 

If you want to utilise the public health services in the event of ill health, you will need to contact your own health and social services center (sosiaali- ja terveyskeskus) first. Please note that these centers are open only during working hours on weekdays. After contacting your health center, you will be able to make an appointment with a doctor or a nurse.  On the City of Helsinki website, you can get to know the step-by-step procedure for accessing public healthcare services and also find your local health station here (see here for Espoo and Vantaa). 

You can also read more about the public healthcare system on the InfoFinland website.  

Kela Card 

Anyone who is covered under the Finnish national health insurance system is entitled to a Kela Card. This entitlement is dependent on your status in Finland and you can call Kela’s ‘International Situations’ service line to check your eligibility.  

Read more about the benefits of a Kela card and the application process on Kela’s website. Some frequently asked questions about the Kela card and access to public healthcare services are answered on the International House Helsinki website

NB! The Kela card is distinct from the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which might have been issued to you from your country of origin. In case you need any clarifications on your status and/or the card you should use, calling Kela is the best solution.  

Emergency Public Health Services 

NB! In an emergency, you will be treated even if you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland. However, the medical costs will be collected from you afterwards.  

When your local health center is closed and you need emergency care, you can also call the Medical Helpline and they will be able to guide you to the appropriate location for treatment and advise how urgently you need to seek treatment 

In a case where life, health, property or the environment is in danger, call the emergency number (hätänumero)- 112. You might also want to download the ‘112 Suomi App’ for any unforeseen situations. 

Student health meetings

If your fitness for study has declined for health reasons, you can request that a student health meeting be organised through the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS). Such meetings can also be proposed by University or FSHS staff, but the process can only begin with your consent.  

In a student health meeting, you will discuss the most appropriate support measures for your fitness for study together with representatives of the University and the FSHS. Your medical information will not be discussed at the meeting unless it is at your own initiative. For further information on the objectives of student health meetings and the circumstances in which they can be organised, see the FSHS website

If you wish to have a student health meeting organised, do the following: 

  1. Contact the FSHS, for example, through the Self online service and propose a student health meeting. 
  2. A nurse or doctor will help you complete the necessary information in the form for student health meetings at the University. In the form, you can also express your request for a specific person to represent the University (e.g., a teacher, education coordinator or study psychologist familiar with your situation). At this point, you will agree on the meeting date. 
  3. The representative of the University participating in the meeting will be announced to you and the FSHS by email within five working days of the form’s submission. Forms will not be processed between 19.6.-31.7. and 20.12.-6.1.
  4. The University representative can contact you before the actual meeting if they need further information on the state of your studies and the support you are currently receiving. You can also propose a meeting yourself. 
  5. Student health meetings are held face to face or over remote connections. 
  6. The FSHS will draw up a follow-up plan and share it with you. With the exception of any recommendations for individual arrangements and the entries of the study psychologist, the University does not store information on student health meetings. 

Private Healthcare Services

You can also access healthcare services provided by private clinics. These services can be used by anyone—including those who do not have a municipality of residence in Finland. 

The contact information for private clinics in your area can be found online. While it might be faster to get an appointment with a private clinic than through public services, do consider the cost as private services are considerably more expensive than the public ones. Depending on your social security coverage in Finland, Kela might partially reimburse private healthcare costs. For more information, please contact Kela or visit Kela’s website

Private clinics might be a good option if you have purchased a health insurance. You can read more about private healthcare services on the InfoFinland website.  

Mental Health Support

There are various pathways to support your mental well-being that are provided by different organisations and in diverse settings and languages. You can find all the information related to this on the Mental Well-being page. 

Accident insurance for students

University's degree students are covered by a statutory accident insurance taken out by the University. Exchange students and other students who are not completing their degree at the University of Helsinki are not covered by this insurance. Consequently, they are responsible for their own insurance cover.

More information, an insurance confirmation certificate and instructions for reporting an accident are available in Flamma.