Students in vocational upper secondary education and training are mainly aged 16-25 years. The school-based education system means full-time studies for three years at a vocational institution. Education and training of compulsory studies is primarily organised in year classes. Else, students follow their individual study plans.

In the apprenticeship system, training is not based on age groups. The minimum age is 15 and there is no maximum age.

Geographical accessibility of education in Finland is high. The school network is comprehensive at all levels of education throughout the country.

Applicants, who have completed the basic education syllabus or a corresponding earlier syllabus, may be admitted as students to education and training leading to an upper secondary vocational qualification. More precise student admission criteria are determined by the Ministry of Education. The criteria include previous study record in basic education or general upper secondary education (average grade of all subjects and grades emphasised in the relevant field), work experience and entrance or aptitude tests.

Education providers may ignore the order of scores in student admission for individual student-related reasons ("flexible selection"): applicants deemed by the education provider to have sufficient capabilities to complete the education and training may also be admitted as students.

People who have accomplished the matriculation examination and general upper secondary education also have the opportunity to complete an upper secondary vocational qualification.

Admission as a student requires a good state of health, such that it does not form an obstacle to participation in the education concerned.

Admission procedure will take place through the joint application system, which is today an electronic process maintained by the Finnish National Board of Education.

Students are free to choose which educational institution they apply to. If a person does not gain admittance to the school of his or her first choice, other possible schools are considered.

Vocational upper secondary education and training is based on the basic education syllabus. The scope of upper secondary level vocational qualifications taken after basic education is 3 years (120 credits).The duration of studies is up to 40 credits shorter for those who have completed the general upper secondary school syllabus, as some of their studies are accredited.

Even if the education and training mostly takes place in institutions, all qualifications include at least 20 credits (approx. six months) of instruction at the workplace (on-the-job learning). Vocational qualifications may also be completed asapprenticeship training, which also contain courses arranged in the institutions. Furthermore, upper secondary vocational qualifications may also be obtained through competence tests independent of how the vocational skills have been acquired. Like other vocational adult education and training, competence-based qualifications are governed by a separate act.

The objective of upper secondary vocational education and training is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to acquire vocational competence and to provide them with the potential for self-employment as well as further studies.

Upper secondary vocational education and training is primarily free of charge for students, but students have to pay for the materials.

A three-year vocational upper secondary qualification gives general eligibility for higher education in both polytechnics and universities.

General Issues

Vocational upper secondary qualifications and study programmes are defined in a Ministry of Education decree. The fields of education are as follows:

• Humanities and education;
• Culture;
• Social science, business and administration;
• Natural sciences;
• Technology, communication and transport;
• Natural resources and the environment;
• Social services, health and sport;
• Tourism, catering and domestic services

Vocational upper secondary education and training in humanities, education and sports is mainly provided by liberal adult education institutions.

There are altogether 53 vocational upper secondary qualifications and 119 study programmes in them. The qualifications provide the students with a wide variety of basic skills as well as more specialised skills in some areas.

The Vocational Education Act 630/1998 stipulates that the aim of Finnish upper secondary vocational education and training is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to gain vocational expertise, as well as the capabilities to find employment or to become self-employed. In accordance with the provision of the Vocational Education Act 630/1998 and the Government Resolution 213/1999, upper secondary vocational education and training provide students with extensive basic vocational skills for various assignments in their field and more specialised competence and vocational skills as required by working life in one sector of the qualification. This enables those who are qualified to find placements in working life, to perform various tasks in their field in changing conditions, and so to develop their vocational skills throughout their lives.

Upper secondary vocational education and training fall within level 3 of the EC classification, according to the Council Decision on the comparability of vocational qualifications between the Member States of the European Community (85/368/EEC) and the Recommendation of the Ministry of Education on the classification of Finnish vocational education and training (1998).

Upper Secondary Vocational Education and Training in a Nutshell

• Admission requirement is the completion of basic education syllabus;
• Education providers primarily select their students based on earlier academic achievement but may also hold entrance exams or aptitude tests and may take the applicant’s work experience into consideration;
• Application takes place through a joint application system electronically;
• The studies primarily aim at obtaining the vocational skills needed in working life;
• Additionally, three-year studies give general eligibility to apply for studies at universities and polytechnics ;
• Opportunities for individual progress in studies have been enhanced;
• A vocational upper secondary qualification can be obtained through attending a vocational school, through apprenticeship training, or through a competence test;
• 20 credits (around 6 months) of the studies are conducted on-the-job;
• Skills demonstrations were launched in 2006 as proof of having reached the goals given to vocational studies.