Moving to Finland involves two distinct phases: preparing everything before you leave Bangladesh, and registering with the right authorities once you arrive. Missing a step in either phase, from packing for Finnish winters to registering for your personal identity code, can slow down your first weeks unnecessarily.
Quick Answer
Before departure, confirm your residence permit and insurance are valid, book your flight to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, and pack for Finland's cold climate. After arrival, register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) for your personal identity code first, since it's required before you can open a bank account, get a tax card, or access many local services.
Study in Finland helps Bangladeshi students work through this checklist in the right order, so nothing is missed in the final weeks before departure. For the residence permit and insurance requirements specifically, see our visa assistance guide and insurance requirements guide.
Finland's climate ranges from mild summers to genuinely cold winters, with temperatures regularly falling well below freezing between December and February. Warm layered clothing, a proper winter coat, insulated boots, gloves, and a hat are essential if arriving for the autumn intake. Many specific winter items are easier and often cheaper to buy locally in Finland once you arrive, rather than carrying bulky winter gear from Bangladesh.
Most Bangladeshi students fly into Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Finland's main international gateway, typically connecting through a hub such as Doha, Istanbul, or a European city, since direct flights from Dhaka are not currently available. Booking well ahead of your intake date generally offers more availability and better routing options. Check your airline's baggage allowance in advance, since moving for a multi-year degree program usually means traveling with more luggage than a typical holiday trip.
Registering with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) for your Finnish personal identity code, known as a henkilötunnus, is the single most important first step after arrival. This code is required before you can open a bank account, apply for a tax card, or access many local services. Booking your DVV appointment in advance, ideally before you even arrive in Finland, is strongly recommended since appointment queues can be long.
If you've arranged housing through a student housing foundation such as HOAS or TOAS, you'll typically need to collect your keys from their office during normal business hours. If you're arriving late at night or on a weekend when the office is closed, contact your housing provider or student tutor in advance to arrange an alternative. For the full picture of student housing options, see our accommodation guide.
Once you have your personal identity code, you can open a Finnish bank account, commonly used banks include Nordea, OP Financial Group, S-Pankki, and Danske Bank. A Finnish bank account and its online banking credentials are also used to identify yourself across many other Finnish services, making this an important early step, not just a financial one.
A prepaid SIM card can be purchased immediately from R-Kioski stores or supermarkets without needing a personal identity code, a practical option for your first days before your DVV registration is complete. A contract-based SIM plan, often better value long-term, generally requires your personal identity code to set up.
Knowing the right order to register with Finnish authorities, and what to prepare before you even leave Bangladesh, makes the first few weeks significantly less stressful. Study in Finland supports students by:
Warm layered clothing, a winter coat, insulated boots, gloves, and a hat are essential for Finland's cold winters, particularly for students arriving for the September intake. Many winter items are often easier to buy locally in Finland after arrival.
Register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) for your personal identity code first. This is required before you can open a bank account, apply for a tax card, or access many other local services.
Booking well ahead of your intake start date is recommended, since this generally offers better availability and routing options through common connecting hubs.
Yes, for students staying longer than a year, registering with DVV for a personal identity code and municipality of residence is required and unlocks access to most local services.
Generally no. Most Finnish banks require a personal identity code before an account can be fully opened, so DVV registration should be completed first.
