The candidate then chooses three other compulsory tests from among the following four tests: the test in the second national language, a foreign language test, the mathematics test, and one test in the general studies battery of tests (sciences and humanities). As part of his or her examination, the candidate may additionally include one or more optional tests.

Read more: The Finnish Matriculation examination  www.ylioppilastutkinto.fi

Children living in Helsinki who reach the age of compulsory education (7 years) during 2012 must officially enrol in school. Electronic enrolment can be carried out between 9 January and 1 February 2012.

Only children who enter the local school indicated in the compulsory education notification can be enrolled electronically. The user ID and password required for electronic enrolment are given on the child's compulsory education notification.

Guardians can enrol their child in the local school corresponding to the home address at the school in question on Wednesday 1 Febryary 2012 from 8:00-10:00am and 5:00-7:00pm.

The Education Department's Information Desk at Hämeentie 11 A will provide guidance on electronic enrolment between 9 January and 1 February 2012 during office hours (8.15 a.m.– 4.00 p.m).

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The schools in Helsinki are closed on Christmas holiday between the 23rd of December 2011 and 6th of January 2012.

The Helsinki Education Department wishes everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The autumn joint application period entrance, aptitude and language examinations will be held on 25 October–8 November 2011. Each institute will invite prospective students to the examinations by letter.

The autumn joint application period is for students seeking secondary level education placement beginning in January 2012 ends 7.10.2011.

The results from the joint application will be ready by November 18th at the earliest, and the institutions will inform the applicants who were selected as well as those who were not.

City of Helsinki comprehensive schools will have their autumn break on Thursday and Friday 13–14 October.

There may be some slight variations in the break scheduling for certain schools. The break and holiday calendar can be found on each school's website.

The autumn joint application period is for students seeking secondary level education placement beginning in January 2012. The application period is between September 28th and October 7th, 2011.

The joint application is done online, but it is also possible to apply using a regular application form. The form can be found at www.haenyt.fi, and it must be submitted to the National Board of Education no later than Friday October 7th, 2011 by 4:15pm. Regular application forms should be returned to the National Board of Education, Guidance Office, PL 380, 00531 Helsinki.
Instructions for completing the form can be found in the Education Guide 2011 published by the National Board of Education (link www.koulutusnetti.fi). If you need help to fill out the application form, please contact the National Board of Education Guidance Office, tel. 020 690 691.

Possible entrance, aptitude and language tests will be arranged between October 25th and November 8th, 2011.

The results from the joint application will be ready by November 18th at the earliest, and the institutions will inform the applicants who were selected as well as those who were not. The applicant offered a study place should notify the institute no later than December 2th, 2010 whether he/she accepts the study place or not.

The City of Helsinki's vocational institutes offer a selection of education, which begins in the spring. More information can be found on the institutions´ websites and on the national education website www.koulutusnetti.fi.
Helsinki City College of Social and Health Care (Hesote) www.hesote.edu.hel.fi
Helsinki City College of Culinary Art, Fashion and Beauty (Helpa) www.helpa.edu.hel.fi
Helsinki City College of Technology (Heltech) www.heltech.edu.hel.fi

Matriculation Examinations in upper secondary schools begin on the 12th of September with language tests

http://www.ylioppilastutkinto.fi/en/index.html
Also every upper secondary school gives more detailed information about the arrangements of the examination at the school.

Upper Secondary School

The Education Department Administration (Hämeentie 11 A) will be closed 4–22 July (weeks 27–29). The Information Desk Services and Archives will provide service by telephone from 27 June to 29 July on weekdays from 9 am to 3 pm.
The administration staff will take their holidays mainly in July, the quietest time of the year at the Education Department because of the school holiday season. Starting Monday 25 July, the Education Department will resume normal hours on weekdays, from 8:15 am to 4:00 pm.

Contact information and exceptional service hours
Education Department Information Desk Services
Tel. (09) 310 86400, e-mail neuvonta.opetusvirasto(at)hel.fi
Telephone service hours 27 June–29 July: weekdays from 9 am to 3 pm

Future Desk
During the summer, comprehensive-school graduates may seek assistance at the Future Desk at Simonkatu 3 C, 2nd floor.
Open until 19 June and after 12 August on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 pm to 4 pm without appointment,
20 June–11 August from Monday to Thursday from 12 noon to 4 pm
The Future Desk staff are on call weekdays between 9 am and 4 pm, tel. 050 402 5525.

Education Department Archives
Tel. (09) 310 86638
Telephone service hours 27 June–29 July on weekdays from 9 am to 3 pm

School leaving certificate copies can be ordered from the Archives by telephone or using the order form available at the Education Department website at www.edu.hel.fi > Palvelut > Lomakkeet > Muut lomakkeet (Päättötodistusjäljenöksen tilauslomake).

Information on students admitted to the upper secondary schools and vocational institutions maintained by the City of Helsinki will be published on 16 June starting at 8:00 am.

Students admitted to upper secondary schools must confirm their study place by Friday 30 June 2011 before 4:00 pm. Instructions for accepting the study place will be sent together with the study place decision. Those admitted to upper secondary schools must confirm their place by delivering their original comprehensive school leaving certificate to the school to which they have been accepted.

Vocational institutions will send instructions for confirming the study place, and notify of the deadline by which the confirmation must be submitted, with the letter of acceptance.

The results of the joint application system (Finnish page)

The school year in the comprehensive schools, upper secondary schools and vocational institutions in Helsinki ended on Saturday 4 June.

Those graduating with a vocational diploma celebrated on Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

The upper secondary school graduates received their white caps on Saturday. As usual, the adult upper secondary schools in the City of Helsinki will celebrated their graduation on Friday evening.

Most comprehensive schools held their end of the year celebrations and handed report cards on Saturday.

The names of new matriculates have been posted on the Matriculation Examination Board website.

New matriculates will hold graduation ceremonies and receive their traditional white student caps on 4 June.

The feedback and replies will be published in most cases, subject to the feedback provider’s consent. The feedback page can be found on the service map at www.hel.fi/palvelukartta in connection with each office. A link to the service map is also available on the Education Department’s feedback form page.

More information:
Leena Oulasvirta, tel. +358 9 310 80563
Eija Yletyinen, tel. +358 9 310 87116

Possible entrance, aptitude and language tests will be organised between 26 April and 27 May. The results of the joint application will be published on 16 June at the earliest.

The application period for upper secondary education runs from 28 February until 18 March. The applications should be submitted using the electronic application form available at www.haenyt.fi.

The candidate then chooses three other compulsory tests from among the following four tests: the test in the second national language, a foreign language test, the mathematics test, and one test in the general studies battery of tests (sciences and humanities). As part of his or her examination, the candidate may additionally include one or more optional tests.

Read more: The Finnish Matriculation examination
www.ylioppilastutkinto.fi

The City of Helsinki offers Afternoon activities for first and second graders and children enrolled in special education programs. The application period for Afternoon activities is between the 27th of January and the 29th of April 2011.

Further information can be found here

All children living in Helsinki who have been born in 2004 have received a notification of compulsory education via mail. Electronic enrolment in the local school can be carried out from the 3rd of January.

The Helsinki Education Department wishes everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

(Photograph: Joska Pyykkö)
 

“Mission for Finland”, the report of Finland’s Country Brand Delegation, was launched on Thursday, 25 November at the Torpparinmäki Comprehensive School in Helsinki.

The task of the Country Brand Delegation, which was appointed by Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb in 2008, has been to provide Finland with a strategy that will convince the world to turn to us more often and more effectively.

“Finland’s image must be based on real, existing strengths. Only by developing our strengths in a creative manner can we make Finland better known and more interesting. In my view, the delegation has succeeded extremely well in this creative thought process,” explains Jorma Ollila, who chaired the delegation.

He also emphasised that the delegation cannot build a brand for Finland; it can only suggest measures that help Finland to strengthen its international competitive edge.

The report lists more than one hundred concrete tasks for the authorities, companies, organisations and ordinary Finns.

At the launch event, Jorma Ollila gave three tasks one of which is connected with school well-being: Talk also to the quietest pupils of your class. The ninth-graders of Torpparinmäki accepted the task on behalf of all Finnish schoolchildren.

In the words of Alexander Stubb: “The delegation has produced a thorough analysis of the Finnish identity. However, even more important than analysis is action. Real brand work starts now.”

For the complete report, go to www.tehtavasuomelle.fi.
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (official site)

Enrolment is binding. The combination of subjects, the compulsory and additional tests chosen or the levels of tests cannot be changed afterwards. There is a basic fee for the Matriculation Examination and a separate fee for each test. These are payable when candidates enrol.

Further information is available at www.ylioppilastutkinto.fi/en.

The results of the joint application period should be available by no earlier than 19 November 2010. Each school or institution notifies students receiving a study place and the Board of Education notifies those who did not receive a study place.

When the results of the autumn joint application period have been received, the student must confirm their study place by notifying the school or institution in question by no later 3 December 2010.

Any places remaining open will be filled until the end of December. Contact the school or institution for information on the additional application period.

The autumn joint application period was held for students applying for vocational comprehensive and upper secondary level education beginning in January 2011. This autumn Swedish-language education was not included in the application period.

The autumn joint application period entrance, aptitude and language examinations will be held on 25 October–8 November 2010. Each institute will invite prospective students to the examinations by letter. The language examination is given to applicants whose native language is not Finnish.

The autumn joint application period is for students seeking secondary level education placement beginning in January 2011 ends 8.10.2010.

The results from the joint application will be ready by November 19th at the earliest, and the institutions will inform the applicants who were selected as well as those who were not.

There may be some slight variations in the break scheduling for certain schools. The break and holiday calendar can be found on each school's website.

The autumn joint application period is for students seeking secondary level education placement beginning in January 2011. The application period is between September 29th and October 8th, 2010. In the joint application, students can apply to a vocational education based on comprehensive school or general upper secondary school.

In the joint application, students can apply to a vocational education based on comprehensive school or general upper secondary school. Information regarding the study places beginning in the spring can be found at www.koulutusnetti.fi.

The joint application is done online, but it is also possible to apply using a regular application form. The form can be found at www.haenyt.fi, and it must be submitted to the National Board of Education no later than Friday October 8th, 2010 by 4:15pm. Regular application forms should be returned to the National Board of Education, Guidance Office, PL 380, 00531 Helsinki. Instructions for completing the form can be found in the Education Guide 2010 published by the National Board of Education. If you need help to fill out the application form, please contact the National Board of Education Guidance Office, tel. 020 690 691.

Possible entrance, aptitude and language tests will be arranged between October 25th and November 8th, 2010.

The results from the joint application will be ready by November 19th at the earliest, and the institutions will inform the applicants who were selected as well as those who were not. The applicant offered a study place should notify the institute no later than December 3th, 2010 whether he/she accepts the study place or not.

The City of Helsinki's vocational institute Helsinki City College of Social and Health Care (Hesote) has a large selection of practical nurse education based on comprehensive and general upper secondary education, which begin in the spring. More information can be found on the institution’s website www.hesote.edu.hel.fi and on the national education website www.koulutusnetti.fi.

The autumn 2010 matriculation exam begins on Monday 13 September with the advanced course foreign language (English, German, French, Russian/Spanish) listening comprehension test.

The written tests begin on Friday 17 September with the textual skills section of the mother tongue (Finnish/Swedish) test and end on Wednesday 30 September with the mother tongue test in Saami.

Each upper secondary school decides on the starting times for the listening sections of different foreign language tests. The written tests begin at 9 am in all upper secondary schools. The upper secondary schools can provide more detailed instructions concerning what time the candidates must arrive at the test location.

A total of 37,336 candidates have registered for the autumn exam in Finland, which is about 900 more than last year.

Further information is available on the Matriculation Examination Board website www.ylioppilastutkinto.fi.

Autumn 2010  exam dates

Organised by the Helsinki Traffic Safety Association and Helsinki City Transport HKL's 'Uncle Blue', sixth-grader traffic patrols are posted on all routes used by schoolchildren, bringing the message of traffic safety to streets in and around school areas.

The traffic patrols work in pairs at crossings near their respective school, both in the morning before school starts and the afternoon when it lets out. When it is safe to cross the street, the traffic patrol crosses the street together with the smallest schoolchildren or even an elderly per-son who cannot move very quickly. The patrols do not direct or stop traffic, but rather serve as a living traffic signal for all road users. The bright yellow safety vests and caps are highly visible, which is necessary, for example, near the Tehtaankatu comprehensive school, where tram traffic and the narrow street present their own challenges for crossing the street.

The traffic patrol programme is exceptionally useful to schools located in close proximity to busy thoroughfares. The Helsinki Traffic Safety Association and Helsinki City Transport HKL's 'Uncle Blue' organise patrol operations, train new patrols and provide safety vests and caps to schools. Sixth-grade teachers at each school bear the responsibility for supervising patrol operations. The teacher must receive permission from each patrol's parents and organise the patrol schedules for pupils volunteering for patrol duty.

This autumn's new traffic patrols will receive training on Wednesday, 18 August, after which they will assume their actual duties. Local police officers in the Southern Police Precinct will visit with designated school traffic patrols when the schedules are finalised.

In addition to the first few weeks of the early autumn term, patrols will also be posted in December to advertise the use of reflectors. This school year, traffic patrols will also be given an unofficial group examination, whose questions pertain to the following subjects in sixth-grader traffic education: health, safety and responsibility for oneself and others.

In the spring the traffic patrols will be rewarded for their distinguished service with a diploma as well as a spring excursion and sweet treats.

Teaching in the City of Helsinki’s comprehensive schools, general upper secondary schools and vocational institutes starts on Monday, 16th August.

With effect from August 1st the administration of Pukinmäki primary comprehensive school and Pukinmäki comprehensive school will be merged to form a single comprehensive school. The school’s new name is Pukinmäki comprehensive school.

With effect from August 1st the administration of the Malmi primary comprehensive school and the Malmi secondary comprehensive school will be merged to form a single comprehensive school. The school’s new name is Ylä-Malmi comprehensive school.

The Koillis-Helsinki general upper secondary school’s name will be changed to the Helsinki Media upper secondary school with effect from August 1st.

The autumn term of the adult education programmes of the Helsinki Adult general upper secondary school and the Swedish speaking Tölö specialiseringsgymnasium will start on 31st August.

The workshop instruction for young people at the metal department of the Metallica workshop and the WooDoo workshop will start on the 9th August, the Media Spa (Mediakylpylä) on the 24th August and the Blue Workshop (Sininen Verstas) on the 19th August. The car section of the Metallica workshop starts on the 8th November.

More information about study and holiday dates at the City of Helsinki's schools and institutes for the academic year 2010-2011.

General information about the holiday dates at the schools and institutes can be found on the web pages of the Finnish National Board of Education.

Admission, aptitude and language tests for supplementary applications will be held between 30th July–5th August 2010.

Information about the selection of students will be published on 10th August, 2010. Study places must be accepted by 24th August, 2010.

Read more Joint application