You can go to HOPS website and apply for a student accommodation at Riihimäki using their online application form. Both exchange students and international degree students need to apply for an accommodation. HAMK is not responsible for arranging apartments for students. Students should take care accommodation themselves and negotiate with HOPS directly if anything. Students studying in Hämeenlinna and Riihimäki are the priority for getting a housing offer.

Note that June – August and November – January is usually the busiest time to apply for a student accommodation. Therefore, be prepared for longer waiting times to receive your offer during peak application time. When you know the time of your arrival in Finland, it is better that you apply for an accommodation well in advance. For non-EU/EEA degree students, apply for an accommodation after you have given your fingerprints at the local Finnish embassy for your residence permit. Your application is valid for three months. You need to fill in an application again if you do not receive an offer after three months.

Student apartments with lifts and other special assistance are possible. On the first page of the application form, you can tick the box “lift” as one of the criteria. If you have other special request, you can notify HOPS by filling in the special requests text box at the end of the application form.

If you are applying together with your friends, all applicants should fill in the application. In your applications, fill in other applicants´ information. If you are applying for an apartment for your family, you need to fill in one application and provide all necessary information of your family members. If you are moving in with an unborn child, attach a certificate of pregnancy.

If you are moving in with a pet, make sure to notify HOPS in the application form. Keeping household pets is allowed only with permission from the property manager and your roommate (if you live in a shared apartment).

Most of the student apartments are shared by two to three persons, but each person will have his or her own bedroom, with a shared kitchen and a bathroom.

The rent for shared apartments is approximately 264 – 358€ per month. Studios´ rent start from 399€. The rent includes all services, such as electricity, water, internet, furniture, and the right to use the laundry. It is also possible to book a private weekly slot for the sauna (6€/month).

Please note that if you arrive after the 15th of the month or leave before the 15th of the month, you will only have to pay half of that month’s rent.

Summer rent: you can keep your room in the shared apartments for half of the cost during June, July, and August. This only applied to shared apartments, but not studios. HOPS sends an information letter every year regarding this and if you want to pay the summer rent, you must fill in the form and return it before the deadline given. After that, you need to leave your keys to HOPS´ office. You can leave your belongings in the room.

Special notice for exchange students:

In the autumn semester (1 September – 31 December), the minimum rental period for exchange students is four months. The rent will be charged even if the student leaves earlier. In the spring semester, the rental period for exchange students is 4 (minimum) – 5 months (from the beginning of January or February until the end of May). The rent will be charged even if the student leaves earlier.

Grocery stores, gyms and other services are located nearby the student housing area. The student housing complex has a laundry room and a sauna. In the laundry room you can use the washing machine and the dryer for free. When planning to do the laundry, you should make a reservation in the reservation book (mark the time and the number of your apartment), which is placed in the laundry room.

For degree students:

Most apartments for rent in Finland are unfurnished. If you want to include basic furniture in your HOPS´ apartment, you need to mention it in the application or at the latest before you sign the lease to the property manager. If you would like furniture in your apartment or room to be taken away, you can report a problem on HOPS webpage and request the removal of the furniture.

For exchange students:

Apartments for exchange students include basic furniture: bed, desk in the bedroom and a dining table with chairs in the kitchen.

Shopping opportunities for furnishing your apartment

If you need to furnish your apartment, you can check out the “furnish your apartment” section on HAMK`s Practicalities for Living in Finland webpage.

Additional information to be added:

More information regarding laundry, storage, sauna, parking, and common areas can be found here.

If you are offered a student apartment from HOPS, we recommend that you take it. The confirmation of accepting an offer is done by paying a deposit and signing a lease contract. Together with the apartment offer, an invoice for deposit payment will be sent to you. After you have paid the deposit, you will sign a lease agreement with HOPS.

Please make sure that you have the banking service that allows you to pay deposit and rents for your accommodation. Cash is not accepted for payment related to accommodation in Finland. If you do not have a Finnish bank account yet, you can either use online banking from your own bank or ask your bank to make the transfer for you. You can send the payment receipts to HOPS after you have made the transfer.

Regarding signing the lease agreement with HOPS, if you do not have the Finnish online banking credentials, you can sign the agreement contract by hands, scan the signed contract, and send it back to HOPS: If you have the Finnish banking credentials, you can sign the lease electronically.

NB: If you cancel your rental agreement one month (or earlier) before your tenancy begins, you will get half of your deposit back. If you cancel your rental agreement later than that, you won´t get your deposit back.

Before you arrive in Finland, plan the collection of your apartment´s keys.

Starting from August 2022, HOPS does not have a local office at Riihimäki anymore. HOPS will bring the keys to the info desk of Riihimäki campus. The info desk is in wing B and the closest door is the main entrance B1 (check Riihimäki campus map here). You can collect the keys from the info desk between 7:00 – 15:00, Mon – Friday). Please double-check from HOPS that your key has been brought to the info desk and let Tuula Salin (tuula.salin@hamk.fi), who is working at the info desk, know when you are about to go and pick it up.

If you arrive at a time when you cannot pick up the keys, one option is to stay in a hotel or a hostel. Here you can find the list of hotels and hostels in Riihimäki.

If you cannot acquire the key personally, you can contact the arrival team to help you collect it.

More information on arrangement of keys, lost of keys, and other keys related services, see local info by HOPS.

The rent is paid monthly, in advance by personal bank transfer by the date given on the invoice you receive from HOPS. Remember to fill in the reference number when paying. The reference number is individual and personal. Should you face difficulties paying the rent, be sure to contact the accommodation manager, with whom you can also settle a delayed payment of your rent.

Special notice for exchange students

Exchange students can also pay rents for the whole period of your stay in advance, for example for the whole period of September 1 to December 15. This is made easier for exchange students so that you do not need to pay the rent every month.

With most of HAMK´s student accommodation providers, it is not compulsory to purchase an additional home insurance. Consult the property manager for more information about the insurance coverage for your apartment.

You can also take out a home insurance on your own. Home insurance coverage depends on the contract and may include, robbery of property, damage to furniture or others. You can consider contacting one of the home insurance providers:

Pohjola
Fennia
If
Tapiola

The insurance providers might provide information online in Finnish and in Swedish only, but you can contact them via phone or email or by visiting their local offices, as the personnel usually is able to provide you with services in English.

If you need advice concerning student accommodation at Riihimäki campus area, you can contact HOPS´ service email hops@retta.fi. You can also contact the property managers below.

Maarit Kihlamo
Property manager
Tel. 010 228 7089
maarit.kihlamo@retta.fi

Päivi Orkola
Executive manager and property manager
Tel. 010 2287018
paivi.orkola@retta.fi

Please note that each student is responsible for keeping the apartment clean. On departure, the rooms should be in the same condition as on arrival. If you arrive after the 15th of the month or leave before the 15th of the month, you will only have to pay half of that month’s rent.

Remember to visit a post-office and fill in the Change of Address (osoitteenmuutos) form to report your temporary address here in Finland. It is also a good idea to put a name tag on the letter box. That way you make sure that you receive all your letters!

For more information, please visit HOPS´s local info and FAQ webpages.

If you need a place to stay for a short term (e.g., a few days before the start of your student apartment lease; you arrive outside office time for picking up your apartment´s keys) in Riihimäki, there are hotels and hostels available nearby the city center and the campus. See the the list of hotels and hostels in Riihimäki.

If you are searching for a rental apartment from other housing providers, here are some of the options.

NAL Asunnot is a non-profit company that rents and buildt affordable homes for young adults under 30 years old.

Vuokraovi Riihimäki is a searching portal for accommodation in Riihimäki. There is the collection of available apartments from the private market.

Lumo Rental Apartments Riihimäki is one of the biggest private rental apartment companies in Finland.

Please note that if you live in a rental apartment provided by private sectors, electricity, internet, and many other services are not included in the rent. In this case it is also compulsory to have a home insurance. You need to sign contracts with those service providers separately, and the Finnish ID card will be needed to finalize this process.