International students

Registering with the authorities and opening a bank account

Remember to register with the Finnish authorities upon your arrival in Finland and open a bank account, if needed. The required registrations depend on your home country, so please check the correct instructions below. After you have taken care of the registrations, remember to update your details in the student register.

Register your right of residence

Upon your arrival in Finland, you need let the authorities know of your stay and register your right of residence. Please check the correct process depending on your home country.

Apply for a municipality of residence at DVV

You are required to apply for a municipality of residence if you are staying in Finland for more than a year. This applies to all nationalities.

Finnish personal identity code

The Finnish personal identity code (i.e. social security number, ‘henkilötunnus’ in Finnish) is a means of identification in Finland. The personal identity code consists of 11 characters, including your birthdate (DDMMYY) and five additional digits. The code is always unique. You can check your personal identity code from e.g. your residence permit or the notification of registration that you receive from DVV.

Note that the identity code is sensitive personal information, so please do not share it in social media or other open channels.

Update your information in the student register

After you have received your Finnish personal identity code and registered your Finnish address, remember to update them also in the student register.

To update the personal identity code, visit the student services or send them an encrypted message from your Aalto email to [email protected]. If you visit the student services in person, remember to take your identity card and the Finnish identity code with you.

You can update your Finnish address in Sisu yourself. Instructions for updating your personal details can be found in Sisu Help.

Opening a bank account

There are multiple banks in Finland, such as Osuuspankki, Nordea, Danske Bank and Aktia. Osuuspankki and Nordea are the biggest and most popular banks among international students.

Please note that practices vary between different banks. You should always make an appointment at the bank where you want to open an account in advance, also to confirm the necessary documentation and to ensure you get everything done in one go.

International students
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