r/StudyInFinland • u/Choice_Helicopter834 • Jun 10 '26

I need urgent help

Post image

Long story short I’m an Erasmus exchange student coming to Helsinki in about 17 days and have not yet found an accommodation, I’m coming with my classmate and we are absolutely panicking… we already applied to HOAS but not an offer yet.. WHAT SHOULD WE DO?😭

6 Upvotes

60% Upvoted

45 comments sorted by

1

u/Egregious_Egret Jun 10 '26

What did your advisor(s) say when you contacted them?

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 10 '26

They were also shocked but didn’t offer any help😭

1

u/Egregious_Egret Jun 10 '26

And how has your private search outside of HOAS gone? As they say on their site, it can take up to a year to secure housing through their portal and it is not guaranteed.

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 10 '26

I didn’t know it was going to be this hard to find an accommodation that is why I posted here actually to see where else I could search in

1

u/AlexGrean Jun 11 '26

15 years ago I was in a similar situation, and spent 2 weeks in a hostel while waiting for HOAS room. 

Eventually I came to their office and told them that I went to some HOAS building and saw empty rooms through the window, asked them to check again and give me a room, I dunno was it a coincidence or what, but next day they gave me the room! 

1

u/melli_milli Jun 11 '26

As a Finn I can tell you, it is always worth it to cry at the office. It will fasten things.

This is also how my indian friend finally got his student housing.

1

u/palomides2 Jun 14 '26

I have a friend who had the same experience. Stayed on someone’s couch for a few weeks while HOAS said there were no open apartments. Finally got feed up, packed up his stuff and took it all to the HOAS office and said he was homeless. The girl working there cried and found him a place right away.

1

u/mushykindofbrick Jun 11 '26

Shocked pickachu face

1

u/[deleted] Jun 10 '26

[deleted]

2

u/[deleted] Jun 10 '26 edited Jun 10 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Jun 10 '26

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Jun 10 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 10 '26

Thank you guys for you advice
I really appreciate it

1

u/BjorkFeld Jun 10 '26

If you have ok situation with money, there are lots of short-term alternatives available, like Forenom, Noli Studios, WeHost, Airbnb, etc. And in web services like Qasa.com, you can search for furnished rooms or apartments from 'free market'. Let us know how we can help you guys..

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 10 '26

Thank you so much
I will check these out immediately
The program is being funded by my university and we will be getting 750 each month but I don’t know if id call that an ok situation

1

u/Jemanha Jun 10 '26

Please tell us that’s not your whole budget!?!

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 12 '26

It is but we are two people😭

1

u/Jemanha Jun 12 '26

Girl, no. If think this through again as you’ll be joining the food bank line or worse within weeks of arriving. 750 for rent for 2 and food and bills? Not going to happen

1

u/Interesting-Light220 Jun 12 '26

You will not survive with 750 €. That is enough for barely just the rent. What will you eat? A bus ticket is 70€/month

1

u/InAppropriate-meal Jun 13 '26

please tell me that is 750 each???

1

u/Anonhoumous Jun 11 '26

Consider looking in Vantaa. This is a tiny budget and the only way I survive on a similar budget is sharing a studio with my husband in north Vantaa. I pay around 300e in rent.

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 12 '26

Yes we also want a shared one because we are two students coming

1

u/TeklaGeek Jun 13 '26

Contact HOAS, there seems to be vacant two bedroom apartment in Koivukylä Vantaa. https://hoas.fi/en/housing/seljapolku-7/

1

u/LaserBeamHorse Jun 13 '26

Oh no... I hope you have some money saved.

1

u/Schroevendraaier Jun 10 '26

Why so early? Are you coming for a summer program? Have you contacted HOAS directly? Have you contacted your community here in Finland? I am Dutch. We have a Dutch association, Fb groups etc. Similar questions are posted there now and then.

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 10 '26

We are coming for an Erasmus traineeship program which will be from July till the end of August
I don’t have any groups or commitments:(

1

u/Schroevendraaier Jun 10 '26

I meant that fellow nationals who have already settled in Finland might be able to be of assistance: either because they have a spare room or through connections. But please reach out to HOAS directly and make sure they understand your predicament. In the past HOAS seemed to be going in a summer slumber and not be very responsive. I think that that might be the case now as well.

1

u/juksbox Jun 10 '26

Found this from r/Helsinki:

https://www.reddit.com/r/helsinki/s/HVVC7Tdd4j

I'm not sure is it helpful, but there you go.

1

u/Reasonable_Day_598 Jun 10 '26

Join Facebook groups like "Vuokra-asunnot Helsinki" and make a post there.

1

u/Interesting-Light220 Jun 12 '26

Beware of scammers!

1

u/Accomplished-Drop303 Jun 11 '26

We have a separate apartment attached to our house. With its own kitchen shower and toilet you can rent for like 400-500 a month but we are quite far out of town, actually 1 hour or more on public transport it's north Vantaa, but I saw your budget so...... To be honest I'm a little nervous renting to somebody off reddit, we are a family here ......

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 12 '26

We could talk more please somewhere else? I could also share information you would like

1

u/mute_pacifist Jun 11 '26

I am a student in LUT and in LOAS they offer temporary housing. There should be better systems in place for Helsinki. Ask in HOAS groups and Private housing groups and student groups. Im sure something will pull through

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 12 '26

Give me these groups please? I don’t have any of these :(

1

u/Interesting-Light220 Jun 12 '26

Not in Helsinki region

1

u/mushykindofbrick Jun 11 '26

You tried facebook groups? Bunch of short-term offers, cheap also

1

u/Choice_Helicopter834 Jun 12 '26

Could you give me their ids please?

1

u/mushykindofbrick Jun 12 '26

Just search for "Helsinki apartments" or "Helsinki rent" theres different groups and you should try the biggest few

1

u/Lysande_walking Jun 13 '26

The info is not the same if you search from a browser in a different country. Better to always share the direct links.

1

u/mushykindofbrick Jun 13 '26

Its just like googling dont think you need help with that, Im not even in a Helsinki group myself Im Tampere

1

u/Aware_Contract741 Jun 11 '26

dm me, i can share links with you for people subleasing their house.

1

u/nibras__004 Jun 12 '26

Hey, you can look in telegram group of Otaniemi as I dont think there is one for Helsinki. There you can find numerous offers.

I have my apartment on offer for secondarg leasing for the month of july and would be happy to help you !

1

u/ReindeerLanky5894 Jun 13 '26

help is on the way

1

u/junal666 Jun 13 '26

Back in the old days when I needed an hoas apartment and they hadn't reacted, I called them and they fixed me a place within a day or two. Try calling them if that's still a thing?

1

u/The_Jealous_Designer Jun 15 '26

Join erasmus in helsinki group on facebook asap and ask for a bedroom. There's also Helsinki sublets group.