The instructions on this page are intended for you if you have received a decision issued by the Finnish National Agency for Education
- on your eligibility for a teaching post in Finland
- on the recognition of your studies as comparable to the teacher education studies or
- on sufficient studies for teaching in a foreign language.

Oppilas viittaa luokassa.
Photo: Satu Haavisto

The qualification requirements for teachers have been defined in the Decree on qualification requirements for teaching staff (986/1998). The Finnish National Agency for Education's decision provides eligibility in terms of the education required for the profession.

For example, if work experience or language proficiency is required for the post, the employer will check that you have the required work experience or language proficiency. 

Read the general instructions for recipients of a recognition decision.

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In the decision, you may be required to complete some studies, an adaptation period or an aptitude test as an additional requirement. 

The following instructions for completing the additional requirements have been classed according to the type of the decision.

Decision recognising professional qualifications

Read these instructions if
1) you have received a decision on the recognition of teacher’s professional qualifications obtained in an EU or EEA country and
2) the decision states that you have to complete an adaptation period or aptitude test in Finland.

Decision recognising a degree or studies as comparable to studies required for teaching

Read these instructions if
1) you have received a decision on the recognition of your degree and studies as comparable to the studies required for teaching and
2) the decision states that you have to complete supplementing studies in Finland.

Decision on sufficient studies for teaching in a foreign language

Read these instructions if
1) you have received a conditional decision on sufficient studies for teaching in a foreign language and
2) the decision states that you have to complete an aptitude test.
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If there are language proficiency requirements for a teaching post, you must separately prove to the employer that you have the required language proficiency.

The language proficiency requirements for teachers have been defined in the Decree on qualification requirements for teaching staff. 

Below you will find examples of the language proficiency requirements for teachers:

  • If you teach in pre-primary education or in primary and lower secondary education, you must have excellent oral and written skills in the language of instruction of the school. 
  • It you teach in general upper secondary education, you must master the language of instruction. If you teach mother tongue and literature, you must have excellent oral and written skills in the language concerned.
  • If you teach in vocational education and training, you must master the language of instruction. If you teach mother tongue, you must have excellent oral and written skills in the language concerned.

You can prove your proficiency in Finnish or Swedish, for example, with

  • a civil service language proficiency certificate
  • a national language proficiency certificate
  • in some situations, with a Finnish degree certificate

If you teach in primary and lower secondary education, have qualified as a teacher in Sweden and have completed your teaching practice in Swedish, you will probably not need a separate certificate of excellent proficiency in oral and written Swedish.

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Read more about teaching professions on our website describing Finnish National Agency for Education’s decisions on the recognition of teaching qualifications and teacher education studies.

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