Starting in August 2026, students in Finland will be able to complete the national upper secondary (lukio) education entirely in English. The Ministry of Education and Culture has granted licenses to six institutions to provide English-language instruction under Finland’s official curriculum framework.
Licenses were issued to Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia, and to the cities of Helsinki, Oulu, Pori, and Tampere. The authorization covers Helsinki Language High School, Jyväskylä Lyceum, Oulu Lyceum, Pori Upper Secondary School, and Pyynikki Upper Secondary School in Tampere. The English School of Helsinki already holds a valid license for English-language upper secondary education, bringing the total number of authorized schools to six.
The initiative, rooted in Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government program, aims to strengthen Finland’s appeal to international residents and returning expatriates, while also ensuring equal educational opportunities for students who are not proficient in Finnish or Swedish.
According to the Finnish National Agency for Education, the English-language curriculum mirrors the Finnish and Swedish versions in content and structure. The reform follows amendments made by Parliament to the Upper Secondary School Act and the Matriculation Examination Act in December 2024.
The first English-language matriculation examinations will be available in autumn 2028. The program is expected to serve around 200 students annually, primarily in major cities and regional centers where demand is highest.
The reform does not target students arriving in Finland from third countries solely for study purposes. Instead, it focuses on those already residing in the country, including international families and returnees.
The new English-language Finnish upper secondary program will exist alongside other international study options already available in Finland, offering students greater flexibility in choosing a pathway to higher education both in Finland and abroad.
