What is English-language basic education like?
The language of instruction in English-language basic education is English. The only exception is the subject of Finnish language and literature, which will be taught in Finnish. Applicants must have native or near-native proficiency in English, but prior skills in Finnish are not required. English-language basic education is offered at certain Finnish-language schools.
Applicants for grades 8–9 are also required to have spoken Finnish language skills, equalling the A1 level in spoken interaction in accordance with the European framework. See the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Self-assessment grid(Link leads to external service) .
The objectives and key contents of learning are the same for both English-language basic education and Finnish-speaking basic education. The English-language basic education in Ressu Comprehensive School follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) frame of reference.
English-language basic education is available in two of the city's Finnish-language comprehensive schools and two contractual schools. In addition there are a few private schools that have their own application procedures. English-language basic education is not available in the City's Swedish-language schools.
How to apply for English language basic education?
Basic education provided in English starts either in Grade 1 of primary school or in Grade 7 of lower secondary school, and must always be separately applied for through a language test. A pupil who has participated in full-time English-language education abroad or in another city can also apply for other classes through the continuous admission route, if there is room in the class. Learn more about the different application methods below.
Application period in January
Application period for English-language education starting in Grade 1 has ended. The application period was 7–26 January 2025.
Admission decisions for pupils starting 1st grade in August 2025 will be sent to homes by post on 7 March 2025.
If there are free places left in the fully English-language groups in Grade 1, an additional supplementary admission round will open in May-June. You can apply for the free places in Grade 1 if you have moved to Helsinki after January 2025. Details about the free places will be posted here closer to the application period.
Application period in December–January
Application period for English-language education starting in Grade 7 has ended. The application period was 16 December 2024–16 January 2025.
Admission decisions for pupils starting 7th grade in August 2025 will be posted to applicants on 26 March 2025.
If you have moved to Helsinki after January 2025, and want to apply for potential free places, see instructions below in section 'Continuous admission for grades 1–9, open year-round'.
Also, if there are free places left in the fully English-language groups in Grades 2–8, an additional supplementary admission round will open in May-June. Details about the free places will be posted here closer to the application period.
Only pupils who move to Helsinki during their basic education and have previously studied in English-language basic education in Finland or abroad can be admitted to an English-language class. A child will take the language test according to their birth year.
Admission criteria
- Native or near-native English proficiency. The pupil should have sufficient language skills to participate in English-language instruction based on the language test result.
- The pupil is moving or has recently moved to Helsinki and has not yet completed basic education. The application may be sent before moving to Helsinki, but the pupil’s home address must be registered in Helsinki in order to be invited to the language test. If your address information is not yet available in the national Population Information System, we will ask you for a proof of address (such as a rental contract).
- Within the last 12 months, the pupil has studied abroad in English-language instruction which is similar to Finnish basic education based on the Basic Education Act, or in other English-language basic education following the Basic Education Act elsewhere in Finland.
- Please note: We will ask all applicants to provide certificates of their previous English-language basic education (all or majority of teaching was given in English). If necessary, we will check with the pupil's former school to verify the information. Studying the English language as one subject is not sufficient to meet the criteria.
- Applicants for grades 8–9 are also required to have spoken Finnish language skills, equalling the A1 level in spoken interaction in accordance with the European framework. See the Coucil of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Self-assessment grid(Link leads to external service) .
How to apply for English-language basic education in the middle of a year
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Fill in the online application form
Fill in the online application form below. Please attach the most recent certificate or statement of the English-language basic education to your application form.
No Wilma username and password are needed for filling in the application form, but you need to have a valid email address.
- Start by writing your email address in the address field and click “Send verification”.
- Then, go to your inbox, open the email that you received and click on the link in the message, and you can proceed to fill in the application form.
- After submitting the form, you will receive an email confirming that we have received your application.
Online application form: Continuous admission to English-language basic education(Link leads to external service)
If you have problems with filling in the form, check the following things: - If you have previously logged in on Wilma using an existing username and password, log out.
- Clear your browsing history.
- Change the language of Wilma to English.
- If none of the above works, try again later.
- If you need to make changes to your application, or you are unable to apply electronically, please contact oppilaaksiotto@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program) .
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Wait for a contact and invite for the language test.
We will contact you by the end of the current month. During school holidays, such as during June and July, the contact period may be longer. If the criteria above are met, the school will invite you to a language test for testing the child's language skills.
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Take the child to the language test
Schools hold test days once a month. The tests are held either at Ressu Comprehensive School, Maunula Primary School or Maunula secondary school. The school will invite you for the language test closer to the test date to give you more detailed information about the test date and time. Please note that schools do not hold test dates during summer holidays in June or July.
Language test dates 2025
- Thursday 3 April
- Thursday 8 May
- Friday 1 August
- Autumn's language test dates will be confirmed before summer 2025.
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Wait for the language test results and admission decision
The decisions on pupil admission are made based on the language test results as soon after the test as possible. If you are accepted as a pupil, the school will contact you to tell you when school starts. You must immediately accept the school place.
If you are not accepted at the school, you should enrol in preparatory education or your own local school. We can assist you with this process.
We wish you all success on your school journey!
This application round is intended only for children applying for English-language basic education in Grade 1 which starts on 7 August 2025. For other grades, apply through continuous admission (see section Continuous admission for grades 1–9).
Application period 5 May–27 July 2025
The supplementary admission round for English-language education is only for vacancies in Grade 1. It can be arranged only if the English-language first grades have free places available after the main admission in January. If there are no places available during the application period, you can still send an application, because more places may become available during the summer. If there are vacancies in the school of your preference, the school will send your child an invitation to the language test.
The supplementary application round will be held during the spring and summer so that the accepted pupils can start school in a new class in August 2025.
Applicant must always take a language test to English-language basic education. You can use the same application form to apply for free places in bilingual education. If you apply to multiple schools, list the schools in the order of preference. Schools with the same language programme use the same language test and the results of your child can be taken into consideration in the pupil admissions of each school your child applies to.
Who can apply?
- If you are an applicant living in Helsinki, you can apply through the supplementary application for the Grade 1 only if you have moved to Helsinki after January 2025.
- Applicants living outside Helsinki can also apply, but Helsinki residents are given priority in the pupil admission. However, applicants living outside Helsinki can’t participate in the supplementary admission round if they have already applied for a place earlier in autumn 2024 or spring 2025.
- The applicant must have an address in Helsinki when the school starts.
- If the pupil later moves out of Helsinki, they can continue at the school in Helsinki until the end of the school term. After that, they can continue only if the school has free places.
- If you wish to apply to grades 2–9, see section 'Continuous admission to grades 2–9' above.
Apply with an electronic application form
Apply by using an electronic form. The form opens on Monday 5 May by 12.00 noon and closes on Sunday 27 July 2025.
You need a valid email address to use the electronic form. All guardians must agree on sending the application, but the electronic identification by email is required from one guardian only. No Wilma username and password are needed for sending the application form; all you need is a valid email address.
Application form opens on Monday 5 May 2025 by 12 noon.(Link leads to external service)
Start by writing your email address in the address field and click “Send verification”. Then, go to your inbox, open the email that you received and click on the link in the message, and you can proceed to fill in the application form.
After submitting the form you will receive a confirmation email to confirm that we have received your application. However, the confirmation email does not include a detailed description of the options that you chose.
If you have problems with filling in the form, check the following things:
- If you have previously logged in on Wilma using an existing username and password, log out.
- Clear your browsing history.
- Change the language of Wilma to match the language of the application form.
- If none of the above works, try again later.
- If necessary, contact oppilaaksiotto@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Language test on 1 August 2025
The language test for basic education in English will be held on Friday 1 August at Ressu Comprehensive School.
If you have applied within the application period, you will receive an invitation to the language test by email. See the date and time of the test in the invitation. You do not need to prepare the child for the test. The test measures the applicant's English language skills.
Free places for basic education in English
If there are no places available during the application period, you can still send an application. More places may become available during the summer. If there are vacancies in the school and age group of your preference, the school will send your child an invitation to the language test.
The numbers of free places will be posted here before the application period starts on 5 May by 12 noon.
| Basic education in English, 1st Grade | Number of places |
|---|---|
| Ressu Comprehensive School | |
| Maunula Primary School |
Admission decisions
The schools will email the admission decisions to guardians by secure email on 5 August 2025.
Further information and enquiries about supplementary admission
English-language and Bilingual Services
If you have questions about the supplementary admission or applying, get in touch with Eduguidance:
eduguidance@hel.fi (Link opens default mail program)
+358 9 310 38998(Link starts a phone call)
Which schools offer English-language basic education?
English-language basic education is offered in the schools listed below. Learn more about the schools and the English-language basic education they provide by visiting the schools’ websites: