For new students
Welcome to your new student union! JYY is the students’ own advocacy and service organization, supporting you throughout your studies. We offer advisory services, organize events, strengthen a sense of community, and engage in advocacy work to make students’ everyday lives smoother. On this page, you will find the best tips for getting started with your studies!
Welcome to the best Student Union in Finland!
Every undergraduate student at the University of Jyväskylä is a member of the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä, i.e. JYY. JYY is the students’ own community, providing you with support and help in everyday life and studies through a variety of services ranging from housing and student events to advocacy. At JYY, we are here for you to ensure that you get to enjoy the best possible student life in Jyväskylä!
You can find the student union’s service point at the Student Union Building Ilokivi on Seminaarinmäki.
Find your home at Soihtu
JYY’s business unit Soihtu offers high-quality and affordable student housing in Jyväskylä. As a Soihtu tenant, life is communal, sustainable, and smooth. We offer apartments that suit a student budget, and the rent includes electricity and internet, as well as laundry shifts, shared sauna times, a gym, and several study and hobby spaces.
JYY’s student events
JYY organizes various student events and club activities throughout the year, where you can meet new people and become part of the student community in Jyväskylä. Our events are interdisciplinary, meaning that all university students are welcome to participate regardless of their field of study!
Follow JYY on social media!
By following us on social media, you’ll stay up to date with the latest news in student life, the best student events, and topics that affect student life.
New student’s checklist
Every undergraduate student at the University of Jyväskylä joins JYY as a member by paying the student union membership fee. Registration is most conveniently done through the OILI academic year registration service. More information about registration and membership fee instructions for the upcoming academic term can be found on the university’s website.
The student card is the student union membership card and at the same time the official way to prove student status. With a valid student card, a student is entitled to, among other things, student-priced meals, discounts on public transport, and services from the Finnish Student Health Service (YTHS). As a student at the University of Jyväskylä, you can use either the Slice digital student card or order a physical student card. If you are a new student, you can activate the Slice student card starting from August 1.
More detailed instructions for activating the student card can be found here.
Student financial aid for higher education students primarily consists of the study grant, housing supplement, and student loan. On the “Livelihood” page, you will find a summary of matters related to students’ income and social security that are worth reviewing at the beginning of your studies.
Detailed instructions for applying for student financial aid can be found on Kela’s website.
You can browse the student housing offered by JYY on the Soihtu website. In addition to Soihtu, student housing in Jyväskylä is also provided by KOAS. In Soihtu apartments, water, electricity, and internet are automatically included in the rent.
Higher education students must pay a healthcare fee to Kela each academic year. The healthcare fee funds the operations of the Finnish Student Health Service (YTHS). The autumn installment must be paid no later than November 15. More information about paying the healthcare fee can be found on Kela’s website.
Healthcare for higher education students is provided by the Finnish Student Health Service (YTHS in Finnish), which offers general health, mental health, and oral health services. You can primarily use FSHS services at the service point in your own study location, but if necessary, also elsewhere in Finland. The services are covered by the healthcare fee paid to Kela.
More information about FSHS services, locations, and appointments can be found on the FSHS website.
Subject organizations are student organizations specific to each field of study that organize interesting activities and provide students with opportunities to have an influence. In addition to joining your own subject organization, it is also worth following your organization’s social media channels. You can explore the subject organizations of the University of Jyväskylä and the hobby organizations operating under JYY here.
Get to know the opportunities offered by your new home city and university!
- Guide for New Students at the University of Jyväskylä
- Explore the university’s selection of minor subjects
- Explore University Sports services
- Explore the City of Jyväskylä’s student pages
- Get to know Jyväskylä
Start the semester on campus
At JYY’s Opening Fair on August 26 in the Agora lobby (Mattilanniemi 2), you can get to know the organizations and representative groups operating under JYY!
The university’s Opening Ceremony for the academic year will in turn fill the campus with opening festivities on September 2. Explore the opening program from the link below!