The Finnish education system
A guide to guardians
The Finnish education system has three levels. Comprehensive school starts
at the age of seven and usually lasts nine years.
After comprehensive school, pupils apply for upper secondary education
institutions, meaning general upper secondary schools and vocational institutions,
via the joint application procedure. Pupils can also apply for preparatory education
for programmes leading to an upper secondary qualification (TUVA education),
which lasts one year, via the joint application procedure.
After upper secondary education, students can continue their studies at a higher
education institution, meaning a university or university of applied sciences.
All upper secondary education institutions offer Finnish as a second language
teaching and special needs teacher support.
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