Finland Guide: Education

Find information about universities, admission processes, tuition fees and how the education system works. You will also find information about other learning opportunities in further education.

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  Introduction

  The Finnish education system

  Finland offers a world-class standard of education and ranks consistently among the best countries in the world for results in literacy, numeracy and science-based subjects. Education is free of charge to all children and full-time students.

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  Pre-primary education

  Pre-schools in Finland

  Pre-primary education is aimed at 6-year-old children in the year before they are due to begin their compulsory basic education. It is not compulsory in Finland but each municipality is obliged to offer the service.

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  Schools in Finland

  Compulsory primary education

  Primary education in Finland is compulsory from the year of a child's six or seventh birthday and lasts for nine year.

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  Secondary education

  Vocational and upper secondary schools

  Students can enter secondary education having successfully graduated from basic education, in most cases around the age of 15. They can either choose a vocational or upper secondary school.

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  Higher education

  Universities and polytechnics in Finland

  Higher Education in Finland is split between universities (yliopisto), which focus on scientific research, and polytechnics (ammattikorkeakoulu), where the focus is on teaching the expertise needed for working life. Competition for places is relatively fierce.

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