ÅA Survival Guide 2015-2016

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Hou s i ng
7.2 Housing in Vasa
The Student Housing Foundation inVasa (VOAS)
The Student Housing Foundation in Vasa,
VOAS, offers housing for students in Vasa. The
rent varies depending on the type of flat and
location. For more information please visit their
website, where you can also apply for housing.
VOAS
Olympiagatan 3 B, 65100 Vasa
Phone: +358 (0)6 327 6530
e-mail:
Lärkan
Åbo Akademi University has an agreement
with Lärkan to provide a certain number of
apartments or rooms for exchange students.
Lärkan offers student apartments 1.2 km from
the university, close to the railway station and
the city centre. The rent varies between 250€
and 400€ depending on the type of housing.
For more information, please visit their website,
where you can also fill in a housing application.
Lärkan
Realia Isännöinti Oy
Fredsgatan 16 A, 65100 Vasa
Phone: +358 (0)10 228 8100
e-mail:
7.3 Private Market Flats
If you prefer to rent a flat elsewhere in Åbo
or Vasa, get in touch with any of the housing
agencies. Please note that flats on the private
market are often rented for a minimum of one
year and are rarely furnished.
There are housing agencies that specialise in
serving students, for instance:
Opiskelijoiden Vuokravälitys in Åbo
Tavastgatan 14, 20500 Åbo
Phone: +358 (0)2 233 8308
e-mail:
You can try , which also has
information in English.
For furnished apartments, have a look at
and
In addition, you can check the advertisements
in the local newspapers Turun Sanomat and Åbo
Underrättelser (Åbo) and Vasabladet (Vasa) under
vuokrattavana/uthyres, or you can put your own
request to rent a flat in any of these newspapers.
Social media can also be of help, there are
groups for the purpose of finding flats for rent
e.g. on Facebook. The Student Union also has
a few rental flats in Åbo mainly for students.
Contact them for further information.
Buying a Flat
A foreigner living in Finland has the right to
buy a flat. The statutes of certain housing
associations may prohibit transfer of its shares to
foreigners. If you encounter any such restrictions,
you can apply for special permission from the
Advisory Committee for Foreigners’ Investments
of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. You can also
contact a real estate agent or lawyer to assist you
in such matters.
Foreigners’ rights to land and house ownership
are restricted only in exceptional situations.
7.4 Practical Matters Related to
Housing
There are various guides on student housing in
Finland for international students, which might
be helpful even if you do not live in an official
student accommodation. Three guides are listed
here:
Finland’s Student Housing Ltd,
Turun Ylioppilaskyläsäätiö, > Tenant
VOAS
The Starting Package (exchange students only)
TYY, ÅAS and Turku University of Applied
Sciences all provide a starting package service
for exchange students in Åbo. Exchange students