A new education reform in Finland will allow students to complete general upper secondary education in English starting in August 2026, marking a significant shift in the country’s traditionally bilingual (Finnish and Swedish) school system. The move, approved by Parliament in December 2024, is part of a broader strategy to attract foreign skilled workers with families and to support returning Finnish expatriates.
Who can enrol: requirements and restrictions
The English-language education track will be accessible only to students who lack sufficient skills in both Finnish and Swedish, the two official languages. In addition, it will not be available to non-EU citizens who relocate to Finland solely for educational purposes. According to the Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH), eligibility is further limited by residency criteria: adolescents must not have completed more than three years of Finnish basic education, while adult applicants must have lived in Finland for no more than three years, unless justified by “particularly weighty reasons.”
When and how: calendar and curricula
From August 2026, schools that obtain authorisation from the Ministry of Education and Culture will be able to offer the new English-language general upper secondary programme. Interested schools must develop local curricula based on the national core curriculum published by OPH in March 2025. The programme mirrors the existing Finnish and Swedish versions in content, structure and learning objectives.
The first matriculation exams in English are scheduled to take place in autumn 2028. These are national exams that mark the completion of upper secondary studies and are a prerequisite for university admission in Finland. Until now, they have only been available in Finnish and Swedish.
Complementing the International Baccalaureate
The law enabling this reform entered into force on 2 August 2025. It is part of a set of changes that also includes updates to tutorial support and special education curricula. The Finnish government hopes the measure will enhance the country’s attractiveness in global talent competition, without compromising the central role of the national languages in education and society.
Finland already offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) in several schools, but the new option provides an alternative English-language pathway rooted in the Finnish education system. While the IB covers a limited set of six subjects, the national curriculum allows for broader subject offerings and includes the Finnish matriculation exam.
Urban rollout and integration goals
The reform is expected to launch primarily in larger cities, where demand is higher and where there are more families with multilingual or international backgrounds. Policymakers emphasise that the goal is not to replace the national languages but to create inclusive pathways that support labour market integration and educational equity for diverse learners.
