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Student cards

Student card is a sign that you are a member of a Student Union. HAMKO’s members have access to a plastic AMK student card and Pivo digital student card.

NB. Study Path students get a special Study Path student card, since Pivo and AMK student card are not available for them.

AMK student card

All HAMKO’s members receive a plastic student card. The validity of the student card is indicated by the academic year sticker, which is a proof of the paid membership fee. We always get the stickers for one academic year at a time, so the sticker is renewed every year.

It is possible to attach HAMK library card and access ability to the HAMK campuses to your student card. These features will remain valid throughout your studies, so you do not need to update them.

Once you have picked up your student card, you can activate it as a library card at any HAMK library customer service point. More information about the library card and library’s services can be found on the HAMK Library website.

You can activate the access ability to your student card yourself on self-service point found on each campus. There’s more information about access to campuses on HAMK website.

If your card gets lost, please contact hamko[at]hamko.fi to order a new one.

Opiskelijakortti on sini-keltainen.

Pivo digital student card

As HAMKO’s member, you also have access to Pivo’s digital student card and thousands of student benefits all over Finland! Pivo Student Card is an official student card that also gives you Kela meal subsidy and VR and Matkahuolto discounts. If you wish, you can start using Pivo’s mobile payment features, too.

Pivo is a mobile payment application, to use which you need online banking credentials and your payment card information. However, Pivo’s student card is free of charge.

How to activate student card:

  1. Download Pivo, sign in with your online bank user identifiers and add your payment details.
  2. Open Pivo and select Student card and pick your organization.
  3. Create a student card by following the app’s instructions

Read more about Pivo.

A Student Card or a Meal Subsidy Card?

Pivo’s student card can be used by university students, university of applied sciences students and vocational school students who are members of their student union.

With the meal subsidy card, you get only a student-priced lunch supported by Kela, no other student benefits. VR and Matkahuolto’s student-priced tickets and the other student benefits can be used with Pivo’s student card.

If you decide to become a member of your student union, you can easily update your meal subsidy card to a student card at Pivo.

Student CardMeal Subsidy Card
Official student cardX
Free to useXX
Inexpensive student lunchesXX
VR and Matkahuolto discountsX
Slice.fi student benefitsX

The most frequently asked questions about using Pivo

Why can’t I find the app in my app store?

Check that the app store’s country setting is Finland.

I just joined, but why does Pivo say it can’t find me?

  1. Students who start studies in January 2024: When you join in 2023, your membership and student card will come into effect on January 1, 2024, when the semester starts and you are an attending student.
  2. We go to approve members who have joined several times a working day during office hours, it may be that your application has not been approved yet, especially if you joined in the evening or on the weekend. NOTE! Between 22 and 31 December 2023, the acceptance of new members is on hiatus.
  3. If you haven’t put your Finnish ID (social security number) in your member information, Pivo can’t find you. You can complete your information through this form. If the supplement is not successful, please contact us. NOTE! Taking data protection into account, do not send your personal identification number via message.
  4. Check if you have registered to be present.

Why did Pivo suddenly log me out?

If you haven’t used Pivo for a long time, you may have to log in to the entire application again for security reasons.

Everything should be fine, but Pivo is still not working, what should I do?

Here’s one tip for these kinds of situations that I got from Pivo:

  1. Delete the Pivo app.
  2. Download the app again.
  3. Sign in using the option that you have forgotten your ID or password. You will have to sign in with your online bank user identifiers. Remember to add your payment details, too.
  4. Choose student card and give Pivo permission to check membership from us. After that, follow the instruction to get student card working.

If this does’n work, please contact us.

I graduated / interrupted my studies / resigned from my studies, why doesn’t Pivo work anymore?

The student card is only in use when the student is present at the educational institution. Pivo receives real-time confirmation from the national student register of the user’s student status. The student status will be removed in connection with graduating from the register or withdrawing from studies, therefore the use of Pivo’s student card feature also ends at the same time.

More answers you can find from Pivo’s website.

Become a member!

Hey HAMK student, join your own Student Union! HAMKO promotes your interests and as a sign of your membership you’ll get an official student card with thousands of student benefits all over Finland.

Become a member Renew membership