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Membership

Membership of a student union is compulsory by law for all Finnish undergraduate students – and for those international students who are studying for a Finnish degree (bachelor’s or master’s). Therefore, as a student at Åbo Akademi University you’re automatically also a member of the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University (ÅAS). Through your membership in ÅAS you get, among other things, advocacy in student-related matters, advice, various student discounts and so much more. Exchange students studying in Finland for three months or more can join a student union, too.

Membership Fee

The membership fee at the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University is 69.00 € for the academic year 2023–2024 (34.50 € for fall semester, 34.50 € for spring semester) and should be paid prior to registration at the University.

Postgraduate students

Postgraduate students studying for a licentiate or PhD can also become members of the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University (ÅAS). As a postgraduate student, you can choose whether you want to pay the Student Union fee and become a member or not. The fee for 2023–2024 is 64.00 € (32.00 € per semester).

By being a member of the Student Union, you will receive, among other things, advocacy in student-related matters, services at ÅAS service points, counseling, and various discounts, including museums and swimming pools, etc., but not on buses. From 1.1.2024, those pursuing an advanced degree are entitled to a student discount with VR.

Unfortunately, starting from August 1, 2009, postgraduate students are not allowed to use the health care services provided by Student Health Services.

Student card

The student card works as a student identification card, and you are entitled to certain benefits with it.

Benefits include subsidised student lunches, cheaper train and bus tickets etc.

The National Union of Finnish Students (SYL/ FSF) issues the Student Union membership card (opiskelijakortti in Finnish or studentkort in Swedish). To obtain your student card you must pay the student union fee (save the receipt!) and register at Åbo Akademi University. After that, the Frank card can be ordered and paid at: www.frank.fi.

You will need to upload a photograph to complete the student card order. The photograph should be about the same quality and style as a passport photo.
PLEASE REMEMBER that bachelor’s and master’s degrees are graduate students, NOT post-graduate.

You can check the progress of your order via www.frank.fi or via the link you get with the confirmation e-mail. If you did not get a link to check your card-status, contact Frank immediately to figure out what might be wrong with the order.

Your card will be delivered to you via mail. Note that Frank delivers student cards only to Finnish addresses. Make sure that your address information is up to date. After you’ve recieved your card you need to take it to the Student Union’s Service Point so that it can be validated with the sticker for this term or academic year.

The student union membership fee must be paid every year, and you must also validate your student card every year. This is done by getting a new sticker for the card. The card is not valid without the appropriate sticker.

There are also free apps for mobile devices, for example Frank App, Tuudo or Kide, which work on Android and iOS devices. It works as the regular student card described above. Please remember to use the same information for it as you have used at registration with Åbo Akademi University. If there are discrepancies, the app cannot validate your membership. Check your information with the University if you are having trouble with validation. You can check the current information at Self Service.

Student Card Sticker

You get the student card sticker from the Student Union Office in Åbo or Vasa.

If you aren’t able to come to the office, there are two options for you to get your sticker:

You can give your student card and a letter of authorization to a friend and have them come to our office instead.

You can send the following to our office (Kåren, Tavastgatan 22, 20500 ÅBO) via the postal services:

  • your student card
  • receipt over paid student union fee
  • copy of ID (driver’s license is OK)
  • a short letter telling us who you are and what you wish for
  • an envelope with stamp and the return address you wish for your card to be mailed to

We need all the above in order to give your student card its sticker. Without a return envelope or stamp/address, your student card will be kept at the office for your pickup.

Questions about the membership fee or validation sticker?

If you have any questions, read about the enrolment process here or contact kansli@studentkaren.fi or havtornen@studentkaren.fi.

Refund of the membership fee

You can apply for a refund of the student union fee if, for example, you have registered your attendance and paid the student union fee but change your status to non-attendance. If you have already collected a sticker for your student card, you will need to visit one of the ÅAS’ Service Points and present your student card.
If you wish to apply for a refund of the student union fee, you can use this refund form (PDF). Please read the form carefully and include all the requested information when submitting your application.

NB! Refunds can only be made to accounts with BIC and IBAN numbers.

Deadline for submitting the form and receiving a refund of the student union fee:

  • Autumn term/ full academic year: 30 September
  • Spring term: 31 January