Student housing

Exchange students placed in furnished apartment at KOAS and Soihtu are required to sign a tenancy agreement for a fixed term corresponding to the entire duration of their exchange:

• 1 August – 31 December (autumn semester)
• 1 August – 31 May (academic year)
• 1 January – 31 May (spring semester)

The fixed-term tenancy agreements are legally binding and cannot be terminated within the tenancy period. The first possible move-in date is the first workday of the month.

Please note that it is not possible to switch from one student housing to another (from KOAS to Soihtu, for example) during the tenancy period once you have accepted an offer for furnished housing.

The furnished apartments are mostly single study-bedrooms with a shared kitchen/kitchenette and bathroom. The rent for a single study-bedroom in shared apartment ranges from 260 € to 360 € per month (+ 15-30€ monthly furniture fee + possible water fee).

JYU housing quota also includes a few furnished studio apartments at Kortepohja Student Village of Soihtu. JYU housing quota does not include studio apartments at KOAS. The rent for a studio apartment is around 400€ (+ 15-30€ monthly furniture fee + possible water fee).

Both in KOAS and Soihtu, the rent has to be paid from the first day of the month onwards.

All the apartments in the JYU housing quota are furnished. Furniture includes a bed, desk, chair, and storage space. Internet connection, basic household items and bedding (mattress, pillow, and duvet, but no towels or bed linen) are also included in the rent of a furnished apartment. Laundry facilities, saunas and common rooms are available in the buildings.

More information about the apartments and services for tenants on both KOAS's and Soihtu's websites. Please note that most of furnished student apartments are located about 2-3 km from the university's main campus.

Exchange students who have applied for furnished student housing will be informed of the housing application results by the end of May 2026 (autumn semester & academic year) / mid-November 2026 (spring semester).

If you can be placed in furnished apartment, your housing application data will be disclosed to either KOAS or Soihtu. You will then receive an offer directly from the housing office via e-mail, approximately 1 month before housing is needed. Please make sure to follow your e-mail (including spam folder) regularly. You must confirm/decline the offer within the deadline stated in the offer, by following the instructions provided. Unconfirmed reservations will be cancelled automatically and the room/apartment offered to another applicant. The confirmation is legally binding. Please note that credit card or check payments are not accepted. The payment should be made without charges to the beneficiary.

If you cannot be placed in furnished apartment, you will be added to a waiting list. Students on waiting list may be offered housing at a later stage.

KOAS and Soihtu have slightly different practices, so please read these instructions carefully when and where you will be able to pick up your apartment keys.

KOAS

Approximately 14 days before the lease begins, you will get an e-mail from the KOAS key box system. In the email you will find the following information:

• the address of the KOAS key box
• dates and hours when the key can be picked up
• a PIN code with which you can enter the room where the key box is located and open the key box

The key box room will be open for pickup at any hour of the day (24/7). The PIN code, which you have received earlier by e-mail, will work both to the door of the key box room and to the key box. You may share the PIN code and the location of the key box with your tutor and ask them to pick up your key in advance, if necessary.

Soihtu

You can pick up the keys to your apartment at the earliest on the first working day of your tenancy agreement, after 12 pm. This means that if your tenancy agreement starts on a weekend or a on a holiday, you can get the keys on the next working day, because the previous tenant is legally entitled to keeping the keys until then.

If you arrive during opening hours, please visit the Soihtu Housing Service Point at Ilokivi (street address: Keskussairaalantie 2) and pick up the keys from the office.

If you arrive outside opening hours, please request your keys to be placed in key box well in advance. Soihtu has key boxes in the lobbies of Ilokivi (Keskussairaalantie 2) and Rentukka (Taitoniekantie 9). You can request your keys to be placed in key box via a separate order form (the link to the form can be found in the Welcome e-mail or in the Tenant's Page). Please fill out the form no later than 12 pm on the day before the pickup date. Do note that Soihtu does not process key box requests on weekends and public holidays. You will receive a PIN code to the locker via SMS and e-mail when the keys are available in the key box, and you will have 7 days to pick them up. Key boxes can be accessed with a PIN code 24/7.

Contact information and opening hours of Soihtu

Soihtu instructions for exchange students

Application deadline

Application for furnished student housing should be submitted as part of the exchange application form during the exchange application period.

Rental period

Exchange students placed in furnished housing within the JYU quota at KOAS and Soihtu are required to sign a tenancy agreement for a fixed term as follows:

• 1 August – 31 December or
• 1 August – 31 May or
• 1 January – 31 May

The fixed-term tenancy agreements cannot be terminated within the tenancy period. The first possible move-in date is the first workday of the month.

Availability of apartments

Applying for furnished student housing does not automatically guarantee you to receive an offer. This is dependent on the availability of the apartments and the number of applications each semester. Also, your preferences for furnished student housing will be taken into consideration but cannot be guaranteed.

Housing offer and deposit

If you can be placed in furnished apartment, you will receive an offer directly from the housing office via e-mail, approximately 1 month before housing is needed. If you are placed on a waiting list, a room may be offered to you at a later stage.

You must confirm/decline the housing offer within the deadline stated in the offer, by following the instructions provided.

Rent and other payments

The rent has to be paid from the first day of the month onwards.

All students living in student housing are responsible for obtaining their own home insurance.