Starting school a year later or a year earlier

Parents or guardians can apply for their child to start school a year earlier or a year later. Applications must be submitted well in advance, so that the decisions can be made before the child's basic education starts.

Starting school a year early

A child can start basic education one year earlier than what is statutory, if the child can manage the studies based on a psychological and, if necessary, a medical report. The decision requires a psychological and, if necessary, a medical statement on the child commissioned in Finland. The decision is made by the District Manager for Basic Education. 

Before applying for school a year early, remember the following:

  • As a guardian, you will commission and pay for the psychological and medical statements yourself. The statements must be commissioned in Finland. Bear in mind that getting the statements and decisions can take time. 
  • You cannot enrol the child at the Asti online service. Instead, you enrol to school with an electronic enrolment form. The form will become available at hel.fi/welcometoschool when the school enrolment begins. 
  • Attach the statements to the Wilma enrolment form or deliver them to the school where you wish to enrol your child.
  • If you wish to enrol the child to school a year early after the school enrolment period has ended, get in touch with the principal of your local school. 

For more information, contact your local school. During the school holidays, you can get in touch with the Education Division advisory services. 
 

Starting school a year late

You can apply for permission for the child to start basic education a year later than what is statutory. The decision is based on a psychological and, if necessary, a medical report commissioned in Finland. The Basic Education District Manager makes the decision on starting basic education a year later.

If you need help with applying, ask your child's daycare centre or pre-primary education place for assistance.

Before applying for school a year late, remember the following:

  1. Inform the local school principal, that you are applying for permission for the child to start school a year late.  
  2. Before enrolling, get a psychological and, if necessary, a medical report commissioned in Finland.

  3. Fill in the PDF application form below for starting school a year later:

    Application for starting school a year later, PDF in Finnish

    Application for starting school a year later, PDF in Swedish 

  4. Deliver the documents (psychological and/or medical statement and the application form to the child's pre-primary education place or local school. You can also visit the local school on the school enrolment day and deliver the documents. 
  5. Enrol your child to your local school.  The Basic Education District Manager makes the decision.

If the child already has a decision on starting school a year late, enrol the child to school on the school enrolment day in January. 

If the child starts school a year later, an extra year of pre-primary education will be organised at a daycare centre. After receiving the decision, you can apply for a pre-primary education place in a daycare centre by submitting an application to the daycare centre manager. For more information, ask your local daycare centre.