Applying for studies after comprehensive school

Contact the educational institutions in question and go through your situation with them. They will tell you how close you are to getting a study place. 

For example, even if you have been admitted to a study place that you gave as your second choice, you are still on the waiting list for your first choice. Your application will remain valid until mid-August.

If you have just completed comprehensive school, you must continue to send applications until you get a study place.

Contact the guidance counsellor of your comprehensive school. Together you can consider your educational and training options and the guidance counsellor can give you advice on how to move forward. You also can contact the guidance counsellor after you have completed basic education. 

You can also contact the guidance counsellor of the general upper secondary school or vocational institution that you are interested in.

The local employment services will help you when you need advice and guidance in putting your training and employment plan into practice. You can also find educational subjects on the Koulutusneuvonta Facebook page (in Finnish).Opens in a new window.

If you have just completed comprehensive school, you can continue your compulsory education in the following education and studies:

• General upper secondary education (education for young people or adults), matriculation examination
• Vocational education and training (vocational upper secondary qualification or further vocational qualification)
• Preparatory education for programmes leading to upper secondary qualification (TUVA)
• Education provided by folk high schools for young people in compulsory education age
• Apprenticeship training
• Preparatory education for work and independent living (TELMA), if you need special support
• Education in the Sámi language and culture of at least one semester, if you are Sámi
• Basic education for adults
• Corresponding education and training provided outside Finland

You can find Questions and answers related to compulsory educationOpens in a new window. on the website of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

You cannot improve your comprehensive school grades as part of summer studies. If you want to improve your grades, you should apply for admission to the tenth year. In the tenth year, you can study comprehensive school subjects or subjects that prepare you for a profession. For more information on the tenth year, contact your school’s guidance counsellor, or go to school websites or to studyinfo.fi.

You can also improve your final grades by taking part in VALMA preparatory education. In VALMA, you can prepare for vocational education and training so that you have better chances to get a study place. It also gives you a chance to see how to study for a vocational qualification. You will also gain extra time to consider what you want to study.

Yes, you can. If you were not accepted to the study place which you applied to, you will receive a letter from the Finnish National Agency for Education with instructions on how to proceed. The letter will include the number of points you received and of your possible reserve spot on the waiting list. The letter includes instructions on how to lodge a complaint.

Ask the educational institution for a written decision on the results of the selection process and attach this to your complaint. Submit the complaint to the Finnish Supervisory Agency within 14 days of receiving the school’s decision. You can find the contact details in the letter sent to you containing information about your application process and reserve places in the education you applied to.