Finnish Education System and Requirements for Studying in Finland

Finnish Education System and Requirements for Studying in Finland

The Finnish education system and the emphasis on reading developed as an important part of Lutheranism, as Christians were required to be able to read the Bible in their native language. Literacy rose above 50% in the late 18th century, reaching 80-90% in later years, and is now 99.9%.

In the 19th century, mobile schools were established in rural areas where there were no municipal schools and reading was taught to increase the literacy rate. In Finland, which was under Swedish rule until the mid-19th century, the school language was Swedish, but after the mid-19th century, the official school language was Finnish. In the 19th century, folk schools called kansakoulu and learning schools called oppikoulu were established and everyone was given the right to attend folk schools. In 1921, schooling was made compulsory. Since working-class people usually went to folk schools and left schools as professionals and started working life, these types of schools were abolished and a modern education system was introduced between 1972 and 1977 in order to provide equal education for everyone.

In Finland, schools provide education in Finnish and Swedish. Compulsory education in Finland includes pre-school education and basic education, which is given one year before basic education, and children must receive education until they turn 18.

According to the OECD's PISA tests, Finland ranked first in reading and science and second in mathematics in 2003, but fell down the list in subsequent years. In 2013, it ranked 5th in science, 6th in reading and 12th in mathematics.

According to the results of 2015, it was 4th in reading, 5th in science and 12th in mathematics. According to the results of 2018, it was 6th in reading, 6th in science and 16th in mathematics out of 76 countries.

What Types of Schools Are There in Finland?

The types of schools in Finland are listed below.

• Early childhood education : Early childhood education is organized by municipalities in daycare centers and family daycare centers. The aim of the education is to develop children's social and manual skills, play and outdoor activities, as well as to develop language learning for children whose native language is not Finnish or Swedish.
• Preschool education : Preschool education organized by municipalities is free and generally covers children aged 6 and up. Preschool education, which is provided for 4 hours a day from Monday to Friday, includes social skills, playing games and outdoor activities.
• Basic education : Compulsory and free for all children permanently residing in Finland, basic education begins when the child is 7 years old and ends when the child completes the basic education curriculum or when ten years have passed since the beginning of education. Basic school consists of 9 grades and is organized for a minimum of 20 hours per week.
• High school education : Students who are in the spring semester of the 9th grade apply for high school education, which is the most common option after basic education.
• High School : High schools are schools where no vocational training is given, but multi-faceted education is given. Courses are taught as in basic schools, but the studies are more detailed and independent. High school lasts between 2-4 years, depending on the student.
• Preparatory education for high school : If the student's native language is not Finnish or Swedish or if the language skills are not yet at the level required for high school education, the student can apply for preparatory education for high school (LUVA).
• Vocational high school : Vocational education focuses on practice rather than high school education. Vocational high school education lasts approximately 3 years and students can continue higher education if they wish.
• Preparatory education for vocational training : Students who do not have sufficient language or vocational skills can apply for vocational preparatory education (VALMA).
• Higher Education : Students who complete high school education can continue higher education. Higher education in Finland is provided by universities and universities of applied sciences. Higher education institutions may be free or fee-based.
• Universities of applied sciences : Education provided by universities of applied sciences is more practice-oriented than education provided by universities. Learning also includes on-the-job learning. It takes 3.5-4.5 years to complete a bachelor's degree at a university of applied sciences. In addition, three years of work experience in the same field is required to apply for a master's degree afterwards.
• Universities : University education is based on scientific research. It takes about three years to complete a bachelor's degree at a university, and about two years to complete a master's degree. Universities offer English language tuition for some undergraduate programs. However, the language of instruction for most undergraduate programs is either Finnish or Swedish.
• Adult education centres, summer universities, study centres, sports training centres : There are many educational institutions in Finland that offer education to people of all ages without requiring a diploma. Most of these studies are aimed at adults.

What are the Education Stages in Finland?

The stages of education in Finland are listed below.

• Early childhood education and care
• Preschool Education
• Basic training
• General high school education
• Vocational training
• Higher Education
• Adult education

How Many Years Does Compulsory Education Last in Finland?

Compulsory education in Finland consists of one year of pre-school education for 6-year-olds and nine years of basic education for children aged 7-16.

What is the Finnish Education System Like?

Education in Finland is of high quality. Finnish education, which ranks at the top of PISA studies, has small differences in student learning outcomes and almost all students complete comprehensive schooling within the target time. Pre-school, basic and upper secondary education are free of charge, and the majority of higher education institutions are also free. The aim of the Finnish education system is to provide equal opportunities for everyone to receive a quality education and to grow up as active citizens, regardless of family income.

The Finnish education system is distinguished from other education models by its recognition of equal education for everyone, teaching through games, personalized education, lack of standardized assessment tests, less homework, use of advanced technology opportunities in education, lifelong education opportunities, inclusive education, and teachers with master's degrees.

What is the Pre-School Education System Like in Finland?

According to Finnish law, children must attend preschool or similar activities one year before starting compulsory primary education. Preschool education in Finland is for children aged 6 and is free. Children also receive free meals during the day, and free transportation is provided for children who live more than 5 kilometers from school.

Preschool education in Finland is provided for 4 hours a day, between Monday and Friday. In preschool education, children learn mathematics, environmental and nature awareness, art and culture through various games.

What is the Primary School Education System Like in Finland?

According to Finnish law, all children must attend compulsory primary education. Primary education in Finland begins at age 7 and continues for 9 years. At the beginning of each year, the municipality sends a notification of compulsory education to parents of children aged 7, which indicates the local school the child should be enrolled in. The local school is usually the school closest to the home.

In Finland, the academic year begins in August and ends in late May or early June. Although there are differences between schools and classes, lessons are generally 45 minutes long and continue for 20 lessons per week. In Finland, compulsory basic lessons are taught by class teachers in the first six years of basic education. In the last three years of basic education, specialist teachers teach specialty lessons.

In primary education, students are expected to learn two languages ​​in addition to the language of the school (Finnish or Swedish). In addition, students in primary education are given courses in art, music, cooking, carpentry, metalwork and textile work.

Students in basic education also benefit from school health services, one meal a day, free books and materials, free school trips, free transportation and accommodation services.

What is the High School Education System Like in Finland?

At the end of high school, a proficiency exam is held. A national language exam is mandatory for the proficiency exam, and can be taken in Finnish, Swedish and Sami. In addition to the national language exam, at least 3 more exams must be taken. These exams are chosen from the second national language exam (Finnish or Swedish), a foreign language exam (English, German, Russian, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese or Latin), a math exam, and science or humanities (history, religion, physics, chemistry, biology, psychology or philosophy) exams.

How Much Does High School Education Cost in Finland?

In Finland, high school education is free of charge and the number of private schools is very few. The average tuition fee in private schools is 2,000 euros.

What is the Higher Education System Like in Finland?

In Finland, undergraduate education usually lasts 3 years, and postgraduate education lasts 2 years. University education is not compulsory and is provided free of charge.

There are two types of universities in Finland. These are traditional universities and universities of applied sciences. Admissions to universities are made based on high school grade point average, high school graduation exam and university entrance exam. The university entrance exam is usually composed of a small number of longer and more complex questions rather than multiple choice, memorization and mechanical problem solving tests. Traditional universities encourage scientific research and provide theoretical education. Universities of applied sciences educate more according to the needs of the business world and prepare their students for a profession.

How Much Are University Tuition Fees in Finland?

In Finland, Swiss, EU and EEA citizens are exempt from paying fees for higher education. For citizens of other countries, education at universities that teach in Finnish or Swedish is free. However, at universities that teach in English, the minimum fee is 1,500 Euros per year, with an average of 5,000-18,000 Euros.

Annual tuition fees at the University of Helsinki, one of Finland's best universities, range from 13,000 to 18,000 euros, at Aalto University from 12,000 to 15,000 euros, at the University of Oulu from 10,000 to 13,000 euros, and at the University of Tampere from 8,000 to 12,000 euros.

Those who want to study at universities in Finland can also apply for scholarship programs of these institutions.

What is Foreign Language Education Like in Finland?

In Finland, students are expected to learn at least two foreign languages ​​in addition to the language of the school during compulsory education. In basic education, students can be taught four different languages, two of which are compulsory and two are optional.

The A1 curriculum is compulsory, starting in grade 1 (ages 7-8) as of 2021, and the preferred language is usually English. The A2 curriculum includes an optional language, usually Spanish, German, or Russian, and starts in grades 3–6 (ages 9-13).

The B1 curriculum is the other compulsory language course. It starts in the 6th grade (ages 12-13) and usually focuses on the second national language, i.e. Swedish or Finnish. The B2 curriculum is an optional foreign language, such as Spanish, German, Russian or French. This course starts in the 8th grade (ages 14-15).

Turkish citizens who have a Finland student visa can apply for a Finland language school .

What is English Education Like in Finland?

The most preferred foreign language in Finland is English. English education, which is a compulsory course in basic education, begins at the 1st grade level (7-8 years old).

What is the Finnish Model in Education?

In Finland, all stages of education, from preschool to higher education, are free of charge. Compulsory education in Finland begins with comprehensive school (basic education) and ends when the child reaches the age of 18. The Finnish model of education includes early childhood education and care, one year of preschool, nine years of basic education (comprehensive school), upper secondary education lasting between two and four years, and three years of higher education provided by universities or universities of applied sciences. There are also educational opportunities for adults of all ages.

Early childhood education and care supports a child's development and well-being while also ensuring that children acquire learning habits. Pre-school education improves a child's learning and development opportunities.

Basic education prepares the child for higher education and supports his/her development. While general high school education provides the child with the necessary equipment to facilitate higher level education, vocational high school education prepares the child for a specific profession. While university education provides specialization in a branch of science, university education in applied sciences provides specialization in a profession.

The Finnish education model is a successful education model because students are not evaluated with standardized tests, students are encouraged to cooperate rather than compete, teachers are highly educated, learning by experience is emphasized, classes are not crowded, homework is not given, and school hours are not intense.

Are There Private Schools in Finland?

Yes, there are private schools in Finland, but they are very few in number.

Why Are There So Few Private Schools in Finland?

The reason for the small number of private schools in Finland is that the education provided by the municipalities is sufficient and that private schools have the same rights and responsibilities as municipal schools. Most schools are financed by the municipal governments.

What is the Examination System Like in Finland?

In Finland, all students who have completed basic education can apply for high school entrance. While it is sufficient to have a basic education completion certificate for high school entrance, some high schools may hold their own special exams.

In Finland, the exam for entering universities is called the proficiency exam. The purpose of the Finnish proficiency exam is to discover to what extent students have acquired the knowledge and skills required by the high school curriculum and to what extent they have reached a sufficient level of maturity in line with the general high school goals.

Passing the proficiency exam gives the candidate the right to continue his/her education at university and other higher education institutions. Admissions to universities are made according to high school GPA, high school graduation exam and university entrance exam.

What is Finland's Education Policy Like?

The Finnish education policy has an innovative and pragmatic structure. It is different in that everyone is given equal education rights, teachers are constantly researching and renewing themselves, concepts are taken as basis in education rather than subjects, and education is provided through games. Schools in Finland are financed and managed by municipalities.

Finland began transitioning to a new education model in 2016. Instead of numerous rote-learning and mechanical problem-solving questions, an exam system consisting of a small number of long and complex questions is used.

Teaching is a respected profession in Finland. Teachers in Finland are constantly improving themselves. A person working as a teacher in Finland usually earns around 3,570 EUR per month. Teacher salaries in Finland vary depending on the teacher's qualifications, experience, skills and location, but range from 1,750 EUR to 5,570 EUR.

What is the Finnish Education Revolution?

The Finnish education revolution took place between 2014 and 2017. The aims of the education revolution are to develop the strengths of the Finnish education system and at the same time to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. In particular, there are new approaches to meaningful learning, student participation and education equality. The basic principle in Finnish education thinking is that equal and quality education is the best way to respect children and childhood and to build a sustainable future for both individuals and the country as a whole.

The purpose of education is to promote lifelong learning, holistic development and well-being of all students, as well as developing their skills to live sustainably. The aim of the revolution in education is to raise individuals who learn to think and learn, have cultural competence, have high interaction and expression power, can look after themselves and manage their daily lives, can read and write in more than one language, are digitally competent, enterprising and participatory.

What are the Best Schools in Finland?

The best Finland for international students are listed below.

• University of Helsinki
• Aalto University
• University of Oulu
• University of Tampere
• Lahti University of Technology
• University of Turku
• University of Eastern Finland
• University of Jyvaskyla
• Åbo Akademi University

What Education Can Citizens of the Republic of Türkiye Receive in Finland?

The trainings that citizens of the Republic of Türkiye can receive in Finland are listed below.

• Language education in Finland
• Undergraduate education in Finland
• Postgraduate education in Finland

Schools usually teach in Finnish or Swedish, but there are also universities in Finland that teach in English .

Can I Get Vocational Training in Finland?

Vocational training is available in Finland.

Can I Work While Studying in Finland?

In Finland, citizens of EU, EEA countries, Switzerland or Scandinavian countries have the right to work without a permit during their student years.

Citizens of other countries who have obtained a Finland student visa have the right to work with a residence permit, but with certain restrictions. These restrictions are that the work is related to the education received or is considered an internship, and that the work is part-time, not exceeding 25 hours per week during the semester.

Working full time is allowed on public holidays.

What are the requirements to study in Finland?

The requirements for studying in Finland are listed below.

• Finland residence permit
• International health insurance
• Proof of how expenses will be covered while studying or scholarship information
• University admission certificate in Finland
• Information about place of residence

What is the Cost of Education Consultancy in Finland?

The fee for education consultancy in Finland varies between 160 Euros and 700 Euros, depending on the educational institution to be registered and the education level of the student.

2026 Application Checklist

• Valid Passport: Must be valid for at least 6 months beyond stay.
• Proof of Funds: Bank statements or Blocked Account confirmation (2026 rates).
• Biometrics: Appointment confirmation and receipt.
• Health Insurance: Travel or private insurance covering €30,000+.
• Form IMM 5645: Fully completed Family Information form.