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General upper secondary education


General upper secondary education provides students with extensive general knowledge and the readiness for further studies. Studies usually last for three years, and at their completion, students take the Finnish national matriculation examination.

The Finnish general upper secondary is, on average, a three-year education, equipping students with transversal general knowledge to continue either at a University or a University of applied sciences or vocational training. General upper secondary education is based on the general upper secondary education syllabus. During general upper secondary students complete 150 credits in total. Matriculation exam is completed at the end of studies. 

This site introduces general upper secondary education (GUSE) in Finland in the light of the national core curriculum (NCC) of 2019, implemented August 2021. 

 

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What is General Upper Secondary Education?

What is General Upper Secondary Education?

General upper secondary is a voluntary education following basic education. Its purpose is to strengthen transversal general knowledge.

Subjects at General Upper Secondary

Subjects at General Upper Secondary

General upper secondary subjects have common compulsory and elective modules.

Transversal competences in General Upper Secondary Education

Transversal competences in General Upper Secondary Education

Transversal competences are at the centre of general upper secondary education.

Applying to a General Upper Secondary

General upper secondary education is applied through the joint application system Studyinfo, where you will also find information on applications and studies.
Minedu
About General Upper Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education and Culture's site.
Matriculation Examination
Matriculation is an examination based on the general upper secondary syllabus, which qualifies for Finnish higher degrees. Read more at "Ylioppilastutkintolautakunta", the examination board's, website.