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How and when to apply to basic education in different languages

Here you can find the important dates and instructions on how to apply to basic education in English and bilingual education in different languages in Helsinki.

Supplementary application round for basic education in English and bilingual education 8 May–30 July 2023

Supplementary applications mean the round of applications for the free places that have not been filled in the main application round in January. Places are for the school year that starts in August 2023. For basic education in English, only places for grade 1 are available. For bilingual education, you can apply to all grades from 1 to 9.

The application period takes place on 8 May–30 July 2023 and the language tests take place in early August. Register for a language test by submitting the electronic application form below (requires strong authentication with online banking credentials or mobile certificate):

Electronic application form: Supplementary application round for English-language or bilingual basic education

If you are unable to use the electronic form, fill out and print the PDF form. Deliver it to us according to the instructions on the PDF.

PDF application form: Supplementary application round for English-language or bilingual basic education

Bilingual education

Language tests for bilingual Finnish-English education Fri 4 August

The language test for bilingual Finnish-English education will be held on Friday 4 August at Kulosaari Primary School. We will email all applicants further instructions regarding the language test.

If you are applying for bilingual Finnish-English education in Grade 1, you can choose whether you take the language test in Finnish or English. For other grades, you will be tested in both Finnish and English.

Language tests for other bilingual education options

Each school providing bilingual education holds a language test for the free places on Friday 4 August at their own school. We will email all applicants further instructions regarding the language test. The other options for bilingual education are Finnish–Chinese, Finnish–Estonian, Finnish–Russian and Finnish–Spanish. See the schools for each programme in the table below.

Free places for bilingual education

If the number of places is 0, you can still apply. It is possible that places will become available before August.
If there is a dash (-) in the box, the programme is not available at all for this grade.
Grade
School languages 1 2
 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Laajasalo comprehensive school
 Finnish-English
 0 2 1 1 1 - 1 - -
Vesala comprehensive school
Finnish-English
 0 2 4 4 - - 4 - -
Malmi comprehensive school
Finnish-English
 1 4 5 6 4 4 8 - -
Kulosaari primary school
 Finnish-English
 2 2 0 1 0 0 - - -
Töölö primary school
 Finnish-English
 0 4 4 2 0 0 - - -
Käpylä comprehensive school
Finnish-Spanish
 0 8 8 3 0 0 - - -
Meilahti primary school
 Finnish-Chinese
 Places are available for all grades.
Meilahti lower secondary school
 Finnish-Chinese
 Places are available for all grades.
Myllypuro comprehensive school
Finnish-Russian
 Places are available for all grades.
Latokartano comprehensive school
Finnish-Estonian
 17 17 8 0 12 13 - - -

 

Basic education in English

Language test for basic education in English, Thu 3 August

The language test for basic education in English will be held on Thursday 3 August at Ressu Comprehesive School. We will email all applicants further instructions regarding the language test.

Free places for basic education in English 

School Grade 1
Ressu comprehensive school 4
Maunula primary school 1





Admission decisions of the supplementary application round

The schools will send out the admission decisions to guardians by Tuesday 8 August by email.

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
Email eduguidance@hel.fi, telephone +358 9 310 76965

Other school options for basic education in English and bilingual Finnish-English education in grades 7–9

In addition to the municipal schools offering English-language classes, the following lower secondary schools organise basic education in English and/or as bilingual Finnish-English education for grades 7–9:


Admissions for applicants who move to Helsinki in the middle of basic education 


Basic education in English, continuous admission

Pupils who move to Helsinki in the middle of basic education and have previously studied in English in Finland or abroad have the right to apply for vacancies in grades 2–9. The pupils are placed in classes in accordance with their year of birth. The student must meet the following criteria:

  • The pupil lives in Helsinki. The application can be submitted before moving to Helsinki, but to get a school place, the student's address must be in Helsinki according to the Finnish population information system.
  • The pupil has received English-language instruction abroad or in Finland that is parallel to Finnish basic education in accordance with the Finnish Basic Education Act, or to English-language education provided elsewhere in Finland in accordance with the Basic Education Act. We ask all applicants to provide certificates of previous studies in English-language education (instruction fully in English or majority of instruction in English).
  • Based on the aptitude test, the pupil has sufficient language skills and competence to participate in English-language instruction.
  • In addition, a pupil who is applying to 8th or 9th grade should have A1-level Finnish skills in spoken interaction. See details in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (PDF), section Spoken interaction.

The Board of Education Division has approved the admission criteria on 26 October 2021. See the English translation of the school admission criteria in Finnish-language basic education: Determination of a pupil’s school and criteria for school admission in Finnish-language basic education (PDF)

How to apply 

  1. Fill in the electronic application form (if you  have Finnish online banking credentials). Attach a recent certificate or study report of prior studies in basic education in English.
    If you are unable to submit the electronic application form, please fill out the PDF application form, basic education in English, continuous admission. Print it, sign it and return it to the Education Division along with the most recent certificate of studies or transcript of records as an attachment. See further details on the PDF form. 

  2. Attach the applicant’s most recent certificate of studies in English-language basic education. Please attach a copy of the original certificate and if needed, a translation of it in Finnish or English with the required information. Please make sure the following information is included in the attachments:

    • school details (name of the school, contact person such as the principal)

    • dates or times of the completed studies (start date, end date if applicable)

    • information that indicates that the language of instruction has been English, i.e., the studies have been completed entirely or mainly in English-language instruction

    • Date and a school stamp or a signature.

      If the information or the attachments are inadequate, we will send you a request for additional information. The request for additional information must be resolved within two weeks.

  3. The education coordinator will be in touch with you within two weeks from submitting the application (during the school holidays the time period can be longer).
  4. If the above criteria are met, the Education coordinator will refer you to the school for language testing.  The school will be in touch with you about the testing time and place. (Please note that no testing is held during the school holidays from June to July.)  The schools organise language testing for continuous admission applicants once a month and the tests will be held either in Ressu comprehensive or Maunula primary school. (Please note that no testing is held during the school holidays from June to July.)

Language test dates in 2023 (Continuous admission, Basic education in English)

    • Spring 2023: Thu 2 March, Thu 6 April and Thu 4 May.

    • Autumn 2023: Thu 3 August, Thu 7 Setember, Thu 5 October, Thu 2 November and Thu 7 December.


Bilingual Finnish-English education, continuous admission

If a pupil moves to Helsinki in the middle of basic education and has previously studied in bilingual Finnish-English education elsewhere in Finland, the pupil can apply for bilingual Finnish-English education if the following criteria are met:

  • The pupil lives in Helsinki. (The application can be submitted before moving to Helsinki, but in order to get a school place, the student's address must be in Helsinki according to the Finnish population information system.
  • The pupil must have an actual need for a school place, i.e. the pupil is still without a school place in Helsinki. Please note: having or accepting a place in another school or in preparatory education or home-schooling means the applicant does not meet the admission criteria in the continuous admission route.
  • The pupil has received bilingual (Finnish-English) education provided elsewhere in Finland in accordance with the Basic Education Act. We ask all applicants to provide certificates of previous studies in bilingual Finnish-English education.
  • Based on the aptitude test, the pupil has sufficient language skills and competence to participate in instruction both in Finnish and in English.

The Board of Education Division has approved the admission criteria on 26 October 2021. See the English translation of the school admission criteria in Finnish-language basic education: Determination of a pupil’s school and criteria for school admission in Finnish-language basic education (PDF)

How to apply

  1. Fill in the electronic application form: Continuous admission for bilingual education. Please note that you need Finnish online banking credentials for identification. Attach a recent certificate or study report of prior studies in basic education in bilingual education.
    If you do not have Finnish online banking credentials, please fill out the PDF application form, bilingual Finnish-English education, continuous admission. Print it, sign it and return it to the Education Division along with the required attachment according to the instructions on the form. The Education coordinator will contact you within two weeks of completing the application form (during holidays the contact period may be longer).
  2. The Education coordinator will contact you within two weeks of completing the application form (during holidays the contact period may be longer).
  3. If the above criteria are met, the Education coordinator will refer you to the school for language testing. The school will be in touch with you about the testing time and place. (Please note that no testing is held during the school holidays from June to July.)

The Board of Education Division has approved the admission criteria on 26 October 2021. See the English translation of the school admission criteria in Finnish-language basic education: Determination of a pupil’s school and criteria for school admission in Finnish-language basic education (PDF)

For further information and enquiries, please contact:

English-language and Bilingual Services

If you have questions about English or bilingual education services, or early childhood education in different languages, please email, call or book an online appointment. We speak Finnish and English.

Email eduguidance@hel.fi

Tel. +358 9 310 76965







 24.05.2023 16:49