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Ministry of Education and Culture Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity Mika Poutala Christian Democrats in Finland Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity Poutala is responsible for matters covered by the Department of Youth and S...

Youth sector organisations The Ministry of Education and Culture funds part of the national youth sector organisations’ expenditure by granting them discretionary general transfers annually. Youth sector organisations comprise: youth organisations...

Sports organisations Sport and physical activity organisations in Finland have over 1.1 million members. The Ministry of Education and Culture allocates government grants to national organisations that promote sport and physical activity while mun...

General upper secondary education General upper secondary education and the matriculation examination taken at the end of it make it possible to apply for studies in higher education institutions. The unit of the scope of studies is a credit. The ...

The areas of expertise The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the development of education, science, cultural, sport and youth policies, and for international cooperation in these fields. The Ministry’s mandate covers early child...

Policies and development Educational policy objectives are used to further develop student financial aid. The goal is to provide students with sufficient financial aid so that it promotes full-time studies based on the student’s plans and to help ...

28.4.2017 | The government has on 28 April 2017 agreed on the general government finance plan for 2018-2021. The level of the allocated appropriation for the Ministry of Education and Culture is 6.3 billion euros in 2021. Additional 340 million euros will be allocated to know-how, of which 200 million will come from the budget and 140 million for education and research will be allocated as capitalisation.

15.2.2012 | The administration of education and science policy in the Ministry of Education and Culture has been reorganised. General education and vocational education and training now form the Department for Education Policy, and higher education and science policy come under the Department for Higher Education and Science Policy. The whole range of adult education was compiled to form the Division for Adult Education and Training, which also takes care of student financial aid.

7.10.2019 | A budget of EUR 6.8 billion is proposed for the Ministry of Education and Culture’s administrative branch for 2020. The draft budget measures seek to increase the skills level in Finland, make education more equitable, improve the quality of education and enhance the wellbeing of children and young people. Financing for the arts and culture will support creative work and production and promote equal access to the arts and culture.

17.9.2019 | The Government will invest in knowledge and education with a financing package of approximately EUR 350 million for all levels of education. This investment will raise the level of skills and competence in Finland, make education more equitable and improve its quality, and enhance the wellbeing of children and young people. The Government agreed on the content of the budget proposal for 2020 in a budget session on Tuesday 17 September.

16.9.2020 | The Government will create conditions for growth in competence levels and employment by extending the duration of compulsory education, allocating funding for continuous learning and lowering fees for early childhood education and care. With the proceeds from gambling services diminishing, the funding for beneficiaries will be fully secured for 2021.

3.11.2016 | The Government proposes that the Act on Financial Aid for Students be reformed. The amount of the study grant in higher education would be brought to the same level with the study grant in secondary education, and the maximum period of eligibility for the grant would be shortened.

5.8.2022 | For the 2023 budget proposal, the Ministry of Education and Culture proposes an appropriation of EUR 7.6 billion for its branch of government, which is EUR 175 million more than in the 2022 Budget.

12.1.2023 | The Ministry of Education and Culture has published the first bildung review, which provides an overview of development in the Ministry’s administrative branch over the past decades. The latest stage, which began in the 1990s, is characterised by a decline in the achieved learning outcomes, the plateauing of the rising level of education among Finns, as well as a gradual decrease in public input into education.

19.9.2022 | The budget proposal for 2023 of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government will continue to invest in education and culture. The budget proposal helps implement the key objectives in the Government Programme of raising the level of education and competence, bridging learning gaps and increasing educational equality. Arts and culture will be used to boost conditions and strengthen engagement in creative work.

8.4.2021 | On Thursday 8 April, the Government submitted to Parliament a report on education policy. The Education Policy Report paves the way for equitable and high-quality education in the 2040s in Finland, where skills requirements are growing and age cohorts are shrinking. The report outlines the target state for education and research when moving forward to the 2040s and the necessary changes in resources, structures and guidance to achieve it.

9.10.2023 | The Ministry of Education and Culture’s proportion of the 2024 budget proposal is EUR 8.0 billion, which is EUR 274 million more than in the 2023 Budget. The budget proposal implements the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government by raising the level of education and competence of the entire population. The measures in the budget proposal aim to strengthen the effectiveness of science and improve the conditions for conducting research and development.

23.9.2024 | The Ministry of Education and Culture’s proportion of the 2025 budget proposal is EUR 8.45 billion, which is some EUR 411 million more than in the 2024 Budget. The proposal implements the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government, which aims to invest, even in a difficult economic situation, in raising the level of education and training and improving the conditions for conducting science, research and development.

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.

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.