The School system
The school year begins in mid-August and ends at the beginning of June. In addition to the summer and Christmas holidays, there is a one-week winter holiday in March and an autumn break in October.
Although the official school day begins at 8:00 o´clock each morning and ends at 3:45 in the afternoon, the length of each student´s day depends on his or her individual program of study.
The Finnish school year, approximately 190 days, is divided into five periods, each of which is seven weeks long. Depending on the length of their studies, students select from four to seven courses for each period. At the end of each period, there is an exam week when students may have exams in up to seven subjects. After each period, they receive computer lists showing the grades of all courses taken. Retests are arranged five times a year for those who have failed courses. A student is entitled to one retest for one failed course; should he fail again, the course must be repeated.
Finnish upper secondary school operates as a non-graded system where students may continue their studies after comprehensive school. Their studies have been divided into a wide variety of courses broken into approximately 22 lessons, each lasting 75 minutes. In the non-graded system, students are not tied to a particular grade level or course plan, but instead, may choose courses according to their own abilities, standards, and confidence. They are required to take at least 75 courses, of which 47 - 51 are compulsory to receive the upper secondary school certificate. (The number of compulsory courses is dependent upon a student´s choice of an advanced or general level of study in mathematics.) There is no restriction upon a maximum number of courses a student may take. Students may complete their programs of study in 2 - 4 years. After finishing their studies in upper secondary school, most all take 4 - 8 of the nation-wide matriculation examination. (See "The Finnish Matriculation Examination")
At the beginning of each school year, students receive the teaching program and timetable for the whole year. Students plan their schedules themselves or together with tutor students or study counsellors for each period. They are able to take into account their own individual needs and interests as they plan their schedules.
Education is free for Finnish students, and they get a free lunch during the school day but they have to buy their books and school materials and supplies. They also have an opportunity of receiving financial aid for their studies.
