The Student Union and student card

The Student Union at Åbo Akademi University (ÅAS) is a public corporation with around 5000 members. All bachelor’s and master’s students at a university are according to the Universities Act required to be members of their university’s student union. ÅAS primary task is to advocate for the members’ interest and advocate for the opportunity to study. The student union ensures that their members’ time as students are as good as possible. In addition to advocating for students, ÅAS also offers its members services such as student housing, legal aid, harassment contact person, a student chaplain, student discounts, support for student representatives at the university’s administrative bodies, and discounted student lunches.

Membership in the student union

Membership in the student union is mandatory for all students at the bachelor’s or master’s level in accordance with Universities Act 558/2009, 46§. The student union fee is paid when you enroll as present.
For doctoral students and exchange students the student union fee is voluntary. You can pay the student union fee at the same time that you enroll as present, or via the bank transfer details that get from the student service desk. If you pay the fee via bank transfer, you need to send a receipt of the payment to the student service desk in order for your membership to be registered.
Non-degree students or students within specialization studies should not pay the student union fee, since they are not entitled to be members of the student union.
Read more about the student union fee on the student union website.

Student card

The student card is used to prove that you are a student and are entitled to student discounts
Using your student card you can eat at the student restaurants with a student benefit and get a student discount at VR and on local transport.
A couple of days after you have enrolled as present at ÅAU and paid the student union fee, you can activate your student card.
You can order a physical student card from the Frank website.
The Frank App can be downloaded on Android and iOS phones, and works as a digital student card on you phone.
New students can activate their Frank App a couple of days into August, when your new student right has been registered into the student register.
Check out the Tuudo app, more information on the intranet.

Repayment of the student union fee

See the student union’s website for instructions