After passing the YKI test, you will get a certificate that officially proves your language skills in different languages. For example, you can use YKI certificates when you apply for a job, study place or Finnish citizenship (Finnish and Swedish test certificates), or when you need to prove your language skills to an employer.

Test assessment and the certificate

You will get your YKI certificate around 2 months after the test date.

We will post the certificate to the address you gave when you registered for the test. YKI tests are organised in many different languages and at various skill levels around Finland. A large number of people take these tests. This is why it takes some time before you get your certificate. You should remember this when you are selecting a test date that suits you.

Back to top

If your address has changed or you need a new certificate

All YKI tests are assessed by experts at the Centre for Applied Language Studies of the University of Jyväskylä. If you have any questions about your YKI test result or the certificate, you can send an e-mail to the YKI information service: yki-info [at] jyu.fi

Please remember that addresses are not updated in the YKI register automatically. If your address changes, you must send your new address to the YKI information service.

Contact the University of Jyväskylä’s YKI information service if

  • your address has changed after you registered for the YKI test
  • your certificate has been lost or damaged in the post
  • you need a new certificate in a different language.

The test fee includes one certificate. You select the language of your certificate when you register for the test. Possible languages of the certificate are Finnish, Swedish and English. If you need a new certificate, each new copy costs 15 euros.

Back to top

How long will the certificate be valid?

Your YKI certificate will never expire. You should remember, however, that your language skills will get worse if you do not use the language. For this reason, an employer may test your language skills if, for example, you apply for a new job and give an old certificate to the employer. The employer may want to interview you, or ask you to re-take the YKI test. 

Back to top

Test results

You will not get a general grade for the YKI test. You will receive a separate grade for each of the four YKI test parts (speaking, listening comprehension, writing and reading comprehension). 

You have passed the YKI test part if your grade is

  • 1 or 2 (for a basic level test)
  • 3 or 4 (for an intermediate level test)
  • 5 or 6 (for an advanced level test).

You have not met the requirements for the skill level if your grade is

  • below 1 (for a basic level test)
  • below 3 (for an intermediate level test)
  • below 5 (for an advanced level test).

These grades mean that the you did not reach the lowest required level of skills in the test part in question. If you receive one of these grades for one part of the test, this does not mean that you have failed the whole test.

You have to take all four YKI test parts at the same time. However, you can use the grades you get in YKI test parts for different purposes. For example, your YKI certificate may be good enough for you to apply for Finnish citizenship, even if you get a grade below 3 in one of the four test parts. For this reason, you should check what kind of YKI test result you actually need.

Back to top

Reassessment

The persons assessing the YKI tests are experts who have been trained in testing language skills. Most of them are teachers of the language in question. They use a scale of six levels (1 to 6), which corresponds to the CERF language proficiency scale (A1 to C2). The test questions have been drawn up to match this scale. This ensures that the participants' language skills can be assessed reliably.

If you are not satisfied with the assessment of your YKI test, however, you have the right to ask for a reassessment. By law, you can submit a claim for correction, which means a reassessment of your YKI test. You can ask for a reassessment within 14 days after getting your YKI certificate. 

You will have to pay a fee of 50 euros for each part of the test you want to have reassessed.

Please note that it takes around three months to handle a reassessment.

Ask for a reassessment of your YKI test on the YKI registration page

 

Statistics on reassessments

  • In 2018, 110 requests for reassessment were made. The reassessment changed the grade of a test part in 3 cases.
  • In 2019, 179 requests for reassessment were made. The reassessment changed the grade of a test part in 4 cases.
  • In 2020, 207 requests for reassessment were made. The reassessment changed the grade for a test part in 5 cases.
  • In 2021, 253 requests for reassessment were made. The reassessment changed the grade for a test part in 5 cases.
  • In 2022, 216 requests for reassessment were made. The reassessment changed the grade for a test part in 3 cases.

The statistics show that the work quality of qualified and trained assessors is consistent. The reassessment rarely changes the grade of a test.

Back to top