Education System in Finland

Learning not for school - but for life.
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Education is one of the cornerstones of the Finnish welfare society. The Finnish education system has no dead ends and learners can always continue their studies on an upper level of education. 

Education in Finland is free, promotes social equality, and is concerned with 鈥渓ifelong learning.鈥 The new core curricula for pre-primary and basic education adopted in 2016 focus on learning, not steering. Finnish teachers are highly educated and strongly committed to their work.

Education is provided in both Finnish and Swedish, and in some municipalities also in S谩mi. Financing for education is provided by municipal governments in cooperation with the national government. At the national government level, education is managed by the and the .

The Finnish education system consists of:

  •  which is provided for children before compulsory education begins,
  •  which is provided for children in the year preceding the beginning of compulsory education,
  • (comprehensive school), which is compulsory,
  • , which is either general upper secondary education or , and
  •  provided by universities and universities of applied sciences.
  • Furthermore, is available at all levels.

at the Ministry of Education鈥檚 website.

Interested in coming to Finland and explore the education system? Check out our grant programs for U.S. students, scholars, teachers and other professionals to Finland.