The IB Diploma Programme is a challenging two-year pre-university course for students aged 16 to 19. In Finnish schools, DP studies are preceded by a preparatory year, during which students take upper secondary school courses in accordance with the Finnish national system. However, the language of instruction is English.

During the pre-year, the students choose the six subjects they will study in the Diploma Programme from the 6 subject groups.

1. Language A: English A Literature, English A Language and Literature, Finnish A Literature (or a self-taught language A literature)
2. Language B: Finnish, French, German (or two languages A from group 1!)
3. Individuals and Societies: History, Psychology
4. Experimental Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
5. Mathematics: Math HL, Math SL, Math Studies SL
6. Electives: Another subject from groups 2, 3 or 4.

Over the course of the two years the students

• study six IB subjects
• write an Extended Essay of about 4,000 words in a Diploma subject
• follow a course in Theory of Knowledge
• plan and implement their own CAS programme (Creativity, Action, Service)

Three or four of the subjects taken must be studied at higher level (HL), the others at standard level (SL)