Emma Nummelin, Anton Holm and Iris Pitkäkoski are working at Nordea during their studies. We talked to them about finding a balance between working and studying.
We also present the current income limits that apply to student financial aid, based on information we have obtained from Kela. You can use the information to check how much you can earn in a year without having to pay back your student financial aid.
We interviewed some students about working while studying and how they manage their finances.
The video is about 12 minutes long.
Often people think of working and studying as non-complementary, with work taking away too much time from studying.
But things aren’t always this black and white. For example, Iris believes work has taught her certain routines that have helped her fit her studies, work and free time in her daily schedule.
“A regular daily rhythm has helped me maintain a healthy lifestyle, improving my study performance.”
A clear benefit of working is obviously money. This too can be a matter of the student wanting predictability and a feeling of control in their life.
“Working provides me with a certain income level, which gives me a sense of security,” says Emma.
For many students, working isn’t only about the short-term benefits, as they may have much more long-term goals.
“Working is the best way to network and gain contacts, which will help me find a job after I graduate,” says Anton.
The management of your personal finances starts from identifying your income and expenses. We have compiled calculations of a typical student’s income and expenses to help you plan your finances.
Despite the many advantages of working, you should remember that studying is your main occupation as a student. Whether you’re in vocational school or university, your studies demand time and effort.
The early stages of studies can be particularly taxing. That’s when you have to learn a lot of new things and may feel pressure to get to know a large number of new people.
For this reason many students take out a student loan to pay for daily expenses so they can focus on their studies. Iris, for example, took out a student loan for precisely this reason at the beginning of her studies.
“When I started my studies, I spent my student loan mostly on living as I was getting oriented to my new life as a student.”
Working can bring welcome change to student life, but too much work can distract you from your studies.
A very strict daily schedule might not leave enough time for rest, which could lead to exhaustion and feelings of anxiety. Anton believes that, when combining work and studying, you should also consider whether you have enough time for rest and recreation.
“I try to find time to do something fun every day, be it exercising and sports or spending time with my friends.”
We have made indicative calculations on how taking out a student loan for 1, 3 or 5 academic years affects subsequent loan costs.
Working 12 hours a week, Iris has found a good balance between working and studying.
“Two days a week feels suitable for me. Since I have a clear schedule, I have plenty of time for studying and enough free time for myself.”
In terms of balancing work and studies, a weekend job is also a good option for students, and the money earned provides welcome relief for a student budget.
“When I worked only on weekends, I was able to complete my studies faster,” says Emma.
Besides your calendar and study schedule, another factor influencing how much you should work is the annual income limit for student financial aid.
Your personal income affects the amount of the study grant and housing supplement paid to you. However, your income doesn’t affect your right to draw down a student loan guaranteed by the state.
If you receive financial aid for students, you have a personal annual income limit that depends on the number of months during which you receive financial aid in a calendar year. The fewer the number of financial aid months in a calendar year, the more you can earn freely, and vice versa.
If you exceed your annual income limit, Kela may recover the excess financial aid from you. That’s why it’s important to keep track of how much income you have earned during the year.
Most students work summer jobs, as there aren’t that many studies available in the summer. That’s why students typically draw down the study grant from September to May, which adds up to 9 financial aid months during the calendar year.
See how the annual income limit for financial aid is calculated in 2025 and 2026
The general housing allowance will no longer be paid to students after 31 July 2025. The majority of students can get the student housing supplement from the beginning of the 2025 autumn term.
The amount of the housing supplement is only affected by your personal income. In other words, your assets and savings and your parents’ income do not influence it.
The same income limits apply to the student housing supplement as to the study grant. If you exceed your personal annual income limit, you have to be prepared to pay back some of your housing supplement, too.
For further information on the changes, please visit Kela’s website.Opens new window
In 2025 and 2026, students may earn slightly more than in previous years without being obliged to pay back their financial aid.
| Months of financial aid | Annual income limit (euros) |
| 1 | 38,023 |
| 2 | 35,786 |
| 3 | 33,549 |
| 4 | 31,312 |
| 5 | 29,075 |
| 6 | 26,838 |
| 7 | 24,601 |
| 8 | 22,364 |
| 9 | 20,127 |
| 10 | 17,890 |
| 11 | 15,653 |
| 12 | 13,416 |
You can also check your annual income limit using Kela’s calculatorOpens new window
If your income exceeds the limit set by Kela, you will have to pay back the excess financial aid along with an additional increase of 7.5%.
However, you can avoid the additional increase if you keep track of your income and cancel or pay back your financial aid in advance.
Read more about cancelling and paying back financial aid on Kela’s websiteOpens new window
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