Kela OT 1e: Student Aid for Vocational and Upper Secondary

What is Kela OT 1e - student financial aid (upper secondary and vocational)?

Form OT 1e is Kela's English application for Finnish financial aid for students (opintotuki) in vocational education, upper secondary school (lukio), a folk high school or sports institute, or basic education for adults. You can apply for your whole period of study or for a period you choose, and ask for the government guarantee for a student loan. Kela checks by itself which aid you can get, including the provider supplement and the supplementary allowance for study materials.

The six pages cover the applicant and, for under-18s, to whom the decision is notified; the bank account; your current and previous studies; your parents and their income when you live with them or are under 18; your housing and the housing supplement; studies during the summer; studying abroad; apprenticeship training, foreign income and other benefits; military or non-military service; and the enclosures Kela needs.

FileIt guides you through OT 1e in plain English, checks your personal identity code and IBAN, asks only the questions that apply to you, checks that longer answers fit their boxes, and prints everything into Kela's own PDF, saved in your vault. As printed on the form, you can file online at www.kela.fi/english, post it to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA, or send the documents to your school. FileIt never sends anything to Kela.

Who fills it: Students in vocational education, upper secondary school, folk high schools, sports institutes or basic education for adults
Given to: Kela online, by post to PL 10, 00056 KELA, or through your educational institution
Aid applied for: Study grant, housing supplement, government loan guarantee
Earliest start: The beginning of the month in which Kela receives the application
Edition: OT 1e 06.25
Pages: 6

Who needs to fill out Kela OT 1e - student financial aid (upper secondary and vocational)?

Vocational students working towards a basic, further or specialist vocational qualification.
Upper secondary school (lukio) students, including those in an IB Diploma programme.
Students at a folk high school or sports institute, and adults completing basic education.
Under-18 students, whose guardian Kela informs of the decision unless the student chooses otherwise.

When to use Kela OT 1e - student financial aid (upper secondary and vocational)

When you start vocational or upper secondary studies and want aid from the first month.
When you move out of your parents' home and want to apply for the housing supplement.
Before an on-the-job training period or study exchange abroad, or before studying over the summer.

What you need before you start

Your personal identity code and IBAN.
The institution, campus, qualification and the start and expected graduation dates.
Details of earlier completed or interrupted studies.
Your rent, landlord, home address and the rental agreement if you apply for the housing supplement.
Dates and details of any studies abroad, apprenticeship training, foreign income or other benefits.

What’s on Kela OT 1e - student financial aid (upper secondary and vocational)

The 2025 edition has 6 pages. FileIt asks for it in 14 parts, and it is signed by Applicant:

1 ApplicantApplicant
2 Bank account numberApplicant
3 ApplicationApplicant
4 StudiesApplicant
5 Parents and parental incomeApplicant
6 Type of housingApplicant
7 Applying for the housing supplementApplicant
8 Financial aid during the summer monthsApplicant
9 Studying abroadApplicant
10 Own income and other benefitsApplicant
11 Military/non-military service or voluntary armed serviceApplicant
12 EnclosuresApplicant
13 Additional informationApplicant
14 SignatureApplicant

How to fill out Kela OT 1e - student financial aid (upper secondary and vocational), step by step

1 1-3 Applicant, account and application

Identity code, name and contact details, who is told of the decision if you are under 18, the bank account, whether you apply for the whole study period or set dates, and whether you want the loan guarantee.

2 4 Studies

Institution, campus and qualification, the IB Diploma question for lukio students, your start and expected graduation dates, any illness or disability that could slow you down, and previous studies completed or left unfinished.

3 5 Parents and parental income

Only if you live with a parent or are under 18: separated parents, a parent's new spouse, a drop of at least 20% in your parents' combined income, and income from abroad.

4 6-7 Housing and housing supplement

Where and since when you live, whether your parent owns or rents out the home, and for the supplement the rent, number of residents, landlord, address, spouse and children.

5 8-9 Summer and studies abroad

Summer study dates (and for lukio students the summer school and courses), and for studies abroad the type, country, period, housing and return plans.

6 10-14 Income, service, enclosures and signature

Apprenticeship periods, foreign income, other benefits and grants from abroad, upcoming military or non-military service, the enclosures you add, extra information, then place, date and signature.

Common mistakes to avoid

Filling in the parents' section when you are 18 or over and don't live with a parent.
Applying for the housing supplement for a home you own, or while living with your parent.
Giving both a 'living here from' date and a housing period in section 6.
Forgetting to file a notification of move with the population data system after moving.
Leaving out the study certificate when your studies need one, or the certificate for a period abroad.

After you fill it out

Sign the PDF and file it online at www.kela.fi/english, post it to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA, or hand it to your educational institution. FileIt never sends anything to Kela.

Keep the application, the rental agreement and Kela's decision in your FileIt vault; you will need them if your housing or studies change.

Fill out Kela OT 1e - student financial aid (upper secondary and vocational) online with FileIt

Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 96 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kansaneläkelaitos / Kela) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start Kela OT 1e - student financial aid (upper secondary and vocational) now — it’s free

Kela OT 1e - student financial aid (upper secondary and vocational): frequently asked questions

Which students use OT 1e?

Students in vocational education, upper secondary school, folk high schools and sports institutes, and basic education for adults. Higher education students use OT 2e, and students taking a whole degree abroad use OT 3e.

Do I have to list my parents' income?

Only if you live with your parent(s) or are under 18. Kela gets your parents' taxable income itself; you report only if it has fallen by at least 20% or if they have income from abroad.

Can I get aid for the summer?

Section 8 is for studies during the summer months. Upper secondary school students give the summer school and number of courses and enclose a certificate.

Will my parents see the decision?

If you are under 18, Kela notifies your guardian. The form lets you choose your parent, another legal guardian, or that you don't want your guardian notified.

How far back can aid be paid?

The form says aid can be granted no earlier than the beginning of the month in which Kela receives the application.

Does FileIt submit the application?

No. FileIt fills Kela's PDF and saves it in your vault. You file it with Kela or your school.

Official sources

Blank form (PDF), published by Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kansaneläkelaitos / Kela): https://www.kela.fi/benefit-forms/OT1e.pdf
Official instructions and guidance: https://www.kela.fi/financial-aid-for-students
Edition shown on this page: OT 1e 06.25 (checked 2026-10-19).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kansaneläkelaitos / Kela) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.