Application period in January 2025
Parents and guardians of children who will be entering Grade 1 in August 2025 can apply for bilingual education. The application period runs from January 7 to January 26, 2025.
Starting in August 2025, bilingual education will be available for Grade 1 pupils at Aleksis Kivi Comprehensive School in the Kallio district. This initiative is part of the Helsinki’s ongoing efforts to expand education options in English and support multilingualism in the city.
No more language tests for 1st graders
This year will bring another significant reform to bilingual education in Helsinki, as the first graders’ language tests to bilingual education will be abolished. This will apply to all language pairs in which the city provides bilingual education; Finnish–Chinese, Finnish–Estonian, Finnish–North Sami, Finnish–Spanish, Finnish–Russian and Finnish–Swedish. If the number of applicants exceeds the available spots, a lottery system will be used.
Learn more
For more details on how to apply, as well as information on the bilingual education program itself, please visit the Education Division web page: Bilingual education. The page will provide guidance on the application process, and other relevant information for parents and guardians.
Bilingual education offers a great opportunity for children to develop language skills and cultural understanding from a young age. By providing bilingual education, Helsinki wants to foster inclusive and diverse education for all.
For additional enquiries, please contact the school that provides bilingual education or send an email to the city's Eduguidance team.
- Aleksis Kivi Comprehensive School
- Eduguidance – Advisory services for English-language and bilingual education services
eduguidance@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
