You will find below a list of the most popular international and bilingual schools for expats in Finlandwith fee information. It includes nursery schools, primary and secondary (high) schools and you will find the right school to prepare for International Baccalaureate, and other diploma in Finland. Some schools will follow the American or British curriculums with English speaking programs while others are regulated under the French, Russian or German education system.

Education in Finland

The Finnish education system is well-funded and of high importance to the Finnish people. Teachers are generally highly qualified, with small class sizes and high performing students. The system is open to everybody, irrespective of domicile, sex, economic situation or linguistic and cultural background.

It consists of daycare programs (for babies and toddlers), one-year of pre-school (or kindergarten for six-year olds), 9 years of compulsory basic comprehensive school (peruskoulu, age seven and to fifteen), and may continue to post-compulsory secondary school and higher education. After finishing basic school, students choose to continue their secondary education in either an academic track (lukio) or a vocational track (ammattikoulu). Both paths take three years, and are optional. However, the system is not rigid and vocational school graduates may formally qualify for polytechnic or - in rare cases - university education.

According to the Finnish constitution, both Finnish and Swedish are national official languages. Swedish is a mandatory school subject for Finnish-speaking pupils in the last three years of the primary education (grades 7 to 9).

International Schools

International schools can be the perfect solution for an expat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Finland. There may be some local population, but the schools are usually geared for an international student body. Schools may follow a curriculum model from the US, UK, or France. Primary instruction may be any language (and multiple languages are usually taught), but it is usually in English or French. Schools provide similar standards of schooling around the globe, providing for an easy transition between schools whether they are in France or Vietnam. Schools also provide internationally accepted accreditation such as the international baccalaureate.

Admission and enrollment procedures vary from school to school. Space is often limited and preference may be given to students based on nationality. Tuition tends to be expensive based on local standards, but offers high standards of learning, boast smaller class sizes, first-rate facilities, and extracurricular. Boarding facilities are available at some schools, but most only provide day classes.

Accreditation & Membership

• The CoIS (Council of International Schools) is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which provides educational accreditation, teacher and leadership recruitment services, links to higher education, governance assistance and help with founding new schools.
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) provides accreditation services for more than 2000 public and private institutions.

Helsinki

International School of Helsinki (ISH)
Address: Selkämerenkatu 11
Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 358-9-686 6160
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

ISH is a coeducational day school divided into two sections: Lower School (K1-5) and Upper School (6-12). The curriculum is internationally focused, based in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme. ISH is accredited by NEASC and CoIS.

The English School
Address: Mäntytie 14
00270 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 010 321 7920
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

This school is composed of a 2-year primary school (5 and 6-years-olds), a comprehensive school (classes 1-9) and High School. The curriculum follows the national guidelines and is based on Christian values, but places a special emphasis on both English and Finnish languages. The High School prepares students for the Finnish Matriculation Examination, Cambridge exams, and SAT and AP exams.

Etelä-Tapiolan lukio
Address: Ahertajantie 5
02100 Espoo, Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 09-81639101
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

A college oriented school that offers intensive English study, and testing by the University of Cambridge. This school also provides the the IB program.

Ressu Comprehensive School
Address: Lapinlahdenkatu 10
00180 Kamppi, Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 358 9 310 82108
Tuition Rates: Free

Also known simply as Ressu, this city-operated school consists of 9 grades, from ages 7-15. Grades 1-4 follow the PYP and 5-9 follow the MYP. The school's curriculum is based on the Finnish national core curriculum and the International Baccalaureate Organization curriculum (both IB Middle Years Programme and IB Primary Years Programme). The language of instruction is English and Finnish.

Mattlidens Gymnasium
Address: Mattliden 1
02230 Esbo, Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 816 430 50
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

This is the only Swedish-speaking school in Espoo. Since 1990 , the school offered an international International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB).

Kielo International School
Address: Vanha Helsingintie 2
00700, Helsinki, Finland
Tel: +35840 1761 961
Email: info@kieloschool.fi
Tuition Rates: The fee for a school year is 6000 €. A registration fee of 100€ is non-refundabl

Kielo is a private international primary school for students in grades 1-6, located in Malmi, Helsinki. Following the Finnish national curriculum with English as the main language of instruction, Kielo has a child-centred approach to learning, focusing on students' welfare and development along with academic achievement.

French school in Helsinki

L'école française Jules Verne
Address: Ratakatu 6A
00120 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 358 9 565 1926
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

This school belongs to the "Agency for French Teaching Abroad" network. It provides the French curriculum approved by the French Ministry of Education, from kindergarten to high school. The French maternelle caters to 2.5 to 5 years olds and offers introduction to reading and writing, numeracy, artistic and creative activities, and Finnish lessons. All teachers belong to the French National Education system.

Lycée franco-finladais d'Helsinki
Address: Raumantie 4
00350 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 0295 33 2500
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

Helsinki French-Finnish School (Finnish: Helsingin ranskalais-suomalainen koulu) offers French language, culture, and curriculum from pre-school to High School. This school belongs to the "Agency for French Teaching Abroad" network and all teachers belong to the French National Education system.

German school in Helsinki

Deutsche Schule Helsinki (DSH)
Address: Malminkatu 14
00100 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 358 9 685065-0
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

Private coeducational school for students aged 7-18 with German instruction. Students take the Reifeprüfung as their matriculation examination.

Russian school in Helsinki

Finnish-Russian School
Address: Kaarela Alley 2
00430 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: 358 40 3055 355
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

This school offers a preparatory class for six-year-olds, comprehensive school, and higher secondary school. In addition there is a private day-nursery, Kalinka. Finnish and Russian are the languages of instruction. The school is free of charge, but the day-nursery and afternoon-care that the school organizes are payable.

Oulu

Oulu International School (OIS)
Address: Kasarmintie 4
90130 Oulu, Finland
Tel: 358 8 557 1459
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

An IB (International Baccalaureate) world school owned by the City of Oulu, OIS offers the Primary Years (PYP) and Middle Years (MYP) programmes. OIS follows the National Core Curriculum and the IB guidelines and standards.

French school in Rauma

Ecole Areva MLF de Rauma
Address: Nanun Koulu Höylääjänkatu 25
26100 Rauma, Finland
Tel: 358 (0) 2 823 59 75
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

This school belongs to the "Agency for French Teaching Abroad" network. It provides the French curriculum, according to official instructions from the French Ministry of Education, from kindergarten to high school. All teachers belong to the French National Education system.

Rovaniemi

Lyseonpuiston Lukio
Address: PL 8216
96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
Tel: 358 40 7381837
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

This is the oldest upper secondary school in Finnish Lapland. The school offers teaching in Finnish for the national upper secondary school programme, and in English for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

Turko

Turku International School
Address: Kraatarinkatu 4
20610 Varissuo, Turko, Finland
Tel: 358 (0)50 4323706
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

Turku International School belongs to a network of international and IB-schools. It offers primary (grades 1-4), secondary (grades 5-9) and upper secondary education. The official language of the school is English. Curriculum is based on the National Framework Curriculum, but use some ideas and content from the IBO Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in teaching and assessment. The upper secondary education is based on the IB Diploma Programme.

Vantaa

International School of Vantaa
Address: Hagelstamintie 1
01250 Vantaa, Finland
Tel: +358 40 6386378
Tuition Rates: Free

The school is unified, consisting of grades 1-9 with approximately 480
students. The language of instruction is English. The curriculum is based on
the Finnish National Curricula. French, Spanish, and German are offered from
grade 4. Swedish instruction begins in grade 6. One of our aims is to produce
competent, self-motivated students who can function in an international
environment and cope in English.