Kela benefits and rehabilitation for adults

Kela’s services can provide you with financial support as well as rehabilitation. Get to know the services and how to apply for them.

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Financial support for students 

Financial aid for students

Financial aid for students aims to provide you with financial security during your studies. It includes a study grant, a government guarantee for a student loan, and a housing supplement. Your income affects how many months of aid you can get per academic year.  

Read more about financial aid for students on Kela’s website(Link leads to external service)

Rehabilitation allowance for young people

If you are between 16 and 19 years old, you can apply for a young person's rehabilitation allowance for studies or other rehabilitation aimed at working life, such as a work placement. To receive rehabilitation allowance, you must have a valid personal education and rehabilitation plan drawn up in your wellbeing services county.  

If you receive a rehabilitation allowance for young persons for your studies, you cannot receive student financial aid at the same time.  

Read more about the rehabilitation allowance for young persons on Kela’s website(Link leads to external service)

Financial support for education and training

You can receive support from Kela for education and training that enables you to participate in working life despite having an illness or disability.

Kela can compensate your actual study costs, such as tuition fees and learning materials. You can also get support from Kela to cover the costs of travel between home and school.

Read more about financial support for education and training on Kela’s website(Link leads to external service)

Assistive devices for learning

If you need assistive devices for your studies, Kela can acquire them for you. Kela can provide you with assistive devices starting from the 7th grade of comprehensive school, provided that you are looking to start vocational studies and enter the labour market after comprehensive school.

Read more about the provision of assistive devices by Kela(Link leads to external service)

Other financial support

Disability allowance

When you turn 16, you will stop receiving disability allowance for persons under 16 years of age. However, you can apply for the disability allowance for adults. The disability allowance is payable at three rates: the basic rate, the middle rate, and the highest rate. The rate at which you are granted the allowance depends on your need for assistance, guidance and supervision, as well as the disability category.

Read more about the disability allowance for adults on Kela’s website(Link leads to external service)

Rehabilitation subsidy and disability pension

At the age of 16, you can start receiving a rehabilitation subsidy or a disability pension if your disability or illness prevents you from studying or from working to earn a reasonable living.

If you are granted a rehabilitation allowance or disability pension, the payment of child benefit and any disability allowance will stop. To compensate for the disability allowance, you can apply for the care allowance for pensioners instead.

Read more about rehabilitation subsidies and disability pensions on Kela’s website(Link leads to external service)

Read more about the care allowance for pensioners on Kela's website(Link leads to external service)

You can also apply for other financial support from Kela, such as housing allowance for pensioners or social assistance.

Read more about benefits available from Kela(Link leads to external service)

Kela's vocational rehabilitation services for young people

NUOTTI coaching

If you are between 16 and 29 years old and need support in your studies or work, you can apply for NUOTTI coaching. During the coaching, you work together with your own personal coach in planning your future and achieving your goals.

Read more about NUOTTI coaching on Kela's website (Link leads to external service)

Training try-out

If you are between 16 and 29 years old and are finding it hard to choose a specific education or training programme, you can apply for a training try-out. You can choose the educational institution you want to try out, and Kela pays the costs of the try-out to the educational institution.

Read more about training try-outs on Kela's website(Link leads to external service)

Vocational rehabilitation for young people

If you are between 16 and 29 years old and need help in planning your future, you can apply for vocational rehabilitation for young persons from Kela. You can apply for rehabilitation if you have not yet found a suitable education option or job, or if you have interrupted your studies or are at risk of doing so.

Vocational rehabilitation for a young person is always planned with the individual in mind and the goals are defined together with you. When applying for rehabilitation, you do not need to know what kind of rehabilitation you are applying for. Kela will help you find a suitable form of rehabilitation.

Read more about vocational rehabilitation for young persons on Kela's website(Link leads to external service)

Oma Väylä rehabilitation

Oma Väylä rehabilitation is intended for young people aged between 16 and 29 who need support in their studies or work due to a neuropsychiatric disorder. Rehabilitation is carried out through individual and group sessions.

Read more about Oma Väylä rehabilitation on Kela's website(Link leads to external service)

Other rehabilitation provided by Kela 

Rehabilitation and adaptation training courses   

Rehabilitation and adaptation training courses help you adapt to the changes brought about by your illness or disability.

During the course, you will receive support for rehabilitation, information about your condition, peer support, and help for managing daily life.

Read more about rehabilitation and adaptation training courses on Kela's website(Link leads to external service)

Rehabilitation is free of charge. You may be entitled to a rehabilitation allowance for the duration of your own or your loved one's rehabilitation.

Read more about rehabilitation allowance(Link leads to external service)

Kela also reimburses trips made to rehabilitation. Read more about the reimbursement of travel costs(Link leads to external service)

Multidisciplinary individual rehabilitation

Multidisciplinary individual rehabilitation aims to improve and support your capacity to function in your everyday life. It is arranged for young people with a broad range of symptoms which cause a variety of problems.

Services are provided especially to children with sensory impairments.

Read more about multidisciplinary individual rehabilitation on Kela's website(Link leads to external service)

Rehabilitation is free of charge. You may be entitled to a rehabilitation allowance for the duration of your own or your loved one's rehabilitation.

Read more about rehabilitation allowance(Link leads to external service)

Kela also reimburses trips made to rehabilitation. Read more about the reimbursement of travel costs(Link leads to external service)

Intensive medical rehabilitation

You can also receive intensive medical rehabilitation from Kela if your illness or disability causes considerable difficulties in your everyday life.

Read more about intensive medical rehabilitation on Kela's website(Link leads to external service)

Rehabilitation is free of charge. You may be entitled to a rehabilitation allowance for the duration of your own or your loved one's rehabilitation.

Read more about rehabilitation allowance

Kela also reimburses trips made to rehabilitation. Read more about the reimbursement of travel costs(Link leads to external service)