Language of education
‘Language of education’ refers to the language of the student’s education in comprehensive (grades 1–9) and upper secondary (grades 10–12) school in Finland, and is thus either Finnish or Swedish. The student’s language of education can also be defined by Finnish or Swedish as the second language in the Finnish matriculation examination if the student passes the examination with magna cum laude honours or higher.
Students demonstrate proficiency in their language of education by writing a maturity essay in that language and taking any other related requisites specified in the degree requirements.
Note:
- A student who completes the matriculation examination in Finnish or Swedish but whose comprehensive and upper secondary education was in some other language is not considered to have Finnish or Swedish as the language of education.
- Upper-secondary school Finnish or Swedish studies at an IB or EB school are not equivalent to studies in Finnish or Swedish as the language of education.
- Finnish studied as a mother tongue as part of the basic teaching of the German school in Finland does not qualify as equivalent to Finnish as the language of education.
- The language of education is not determined on the basis of a vocational degree.
Exemption:
The student can apply for an exemption from a demonstration of proficiency in the language of education in the following cases:
- The student has passed Finnish or Swedish as the second language in the Finnish matriculation examination with lower honours than magna cum laude.
- The student's language of education is defined as Finnish or Swedish as based only on completed primary and secondary education. The student's upper secondary education (lukio) is completed in a foreign, not in any of the national languages, e.g. IB school.
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