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Financing of general education The state and the local education providers share the financial cost for tuition. Pre-primary education, primary and lower secondary education (basic education) and upper secondary education are all free of charge. I...

Tuition fees in upper secondary education Students from third countries will, in future, be required to pay tuition fees in both general upper secondary education and vocational education and training. These fees apply to those who start their stu...

Questions and answers related to compulsory education This page provides answers to frequently asked questions on the extension of compulsory education. Questions and answers related to compulsory education Free of charge Guidance and supervision ...

Education for immigrants Immigrants usually participate in the same early childhood education and care, education and training as the rest of the population. In addition to these, integration training and support for learning as well as preparator...

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its effects in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture On this page, we will update information on the impacts of the situation in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education a...

Early childhood education and care services Early childhood education and care is provided or arranged by local authorities or private service providers as centre-based early education activities and family-based daycare activities. Municipalities...

Local youth work Youth work and youth policy fall within the remit of municipalities and are implemented in multiprofessional cooperation. The local authorities may also work together and provide youth services regionally. The Ministry of Educatio...

Basic education in the arts Basic education in the arts is provided primarily for children and young people on an extracurricular basis. Basic arts education is provided at music institutes and schools, art schools, dance institutes and schools, h...

Library network The Finnish network of libraries consists of public i.e. municipal libraries, research libraries (university libraries and libraries of universities of applied sciences), special libraries, and libraries located at schools and othe...

Developing general upper secondary education In order to develop general upper secondary education, the Ministry of Education and Culture is drawing up proposals for overhauling the financing of general upper secondary education, and for reforming...

Pupil and student welfare Pupils in pre-primary, primary and lower secondary school as well as students in upper secondary school have the right to pupil and student welfare services (also known as student welfare). It consists of student welfare ...

7.1.2026 | GENERAL UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION OR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION PROVIDER guides and supervises learners who have been left without a student place or who have dropped out gives guidance on how ...

7.1.2026 | If your school journey is over 7 km, the Social Insurance Institution (KELA) subsides it. If the distance to your nearest educational institution is over 100 km, you have the right to allowances for accommodation and school journeys. • teachers an...

Financing of sport The task of sports administration and services is to promote sports and physical activity. The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the general direction, coordination and development of sports policy and for ens...

Promotion of physical activity The Ministry of Education and Culture endeavours to create conditions for a physically active lifestyle for the whole population. The aim is to enable the Finnish population to be physically active to a degree that s...

22.9.2025 | The Ministry of Education and Culture’s proportion of the 2026 budget proposal is EUR 8.9 billion, which is some EUR 4.4 million more than in the 2025 Budget. Despite continued pressure on general government finances, the proposal maintains investment in education, research and competence.

13.11.2025 | International higher education students could play an even bigger role in driving Finland’s growth. Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen and Minister of Science and Culture Mari-Leena Talvitie invited businesses, cities, higher education institutions and students to find solutions to improve international students’ employment prospects in Finland.

9.10.2025 | Students from non-EU countries will in future be required to pay tuition fees in both general upper secondary education and vocational education and training. These students will therefore no longer be included in the system of central government transfers to local government. At the same time, providers of vocational education and training will be permitted to sell commissioned education leading to a qualification also to citizens of EU Member States and EEA countries.

30.1.2025 | A working group preparing an overhaul of student financial aid has assessed the current situation in student financial aid and key development needs in the student financial aid system. Needs for development that were deemed essential include reinstating indexation and restructuring interest assistance and loan granting practices to improve the security of student loans. The working group's proposals were submitted to Minister Sandra Bergqvist on 30 January.

Local authority cultural activity Local authorities (municipalities) are responsible for organising cultural activities that support local cultural life and those involved in it. It is the local authority that decides on the content of public cult...