Completion of the General Upper Secondary School Syllabus

The scope of the general upper secondary school education syllabus for youth is 150 credits. (Act on General Upper Secondary Education 714/2018, Section 10, Subsection 3.)

The upper secondary school syllabus includes studies in the mother tongue and literature, the second national language and foreign languages, mathematical and natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, and studies in religion or ethics, as well as studies in arts and physical education (subject groups) and guidance. The upper secondary school syllabus may also include thematic studies that develop broad knowledge and competence. It may also include study modules for demonstrating special competencies and interests in different subject groups or subjects (Upper Secondary School Diploma). (Act on General Upper Secondary Education 714/2018, Section 11, Subsections 1 and 2.)

The learning requirements of general upper secondary education and preparatory education for upper secondary school include compulsory and nationally optional studies in accordance with the annexes 1-3 of the [Government] decree, which the education provider must offer to students. Additionally, the learning requirements may include upper secondary diplomas and other optional studies in a manner determined by the education provider. (Government Decree on Upper Secondary Education 810/2018, Section 12.)

The general upper secondary school syllabus or the syllabus of the preparatory education for upper secondary school is considered completed when the studies included in the syllabus have been completed as stipulated in the government decree referred to in Section 11, Subsection 4, taking into account any special educational tasks mentioned in Section 6 or any trial permits mentioned in Section 18. (Act on General Upper Secondary Education 714/2018, Section 36, Subsection 1.)

A student has completed the upper secondary school syllabus when they have successfully completed the subject requirements and the minimum number of credits of 150 is met. The upper secondary school syllabus must include at least 20 credits of nationally optional studies. From other studies that are not compulsory or nationally optional, only studies the student has successfully completed may be counted towards the upper secondary school syllabus.

The student’s studies may be organized partially differently from what is stipulated and determined in the [Upper Secondary School] Act upon the student’s request or consent, if:

1. the student is considered to have some previously acquired knowledge and skills equivalent to the upper secondary school syllabus;
2. completing the upper secondary school syllabus would be unreasonable for the student considering their circumstances and previous studies;
3. it is justified due to the student’s illness, disability, or other health-related reasons. (Act on General Upper Secondary Education 714/2018, Section 29.)

If the student’s studies are organized differently than determined by law, the required minimum number of credits, 150, must still be met.

Independent Completion of a Course

A student may complete a course/module independently for a justified reason. The most common justification for independent completion is the overlap of courses/modules. Other justifications for independently completing a course/module may be that the subject is one that must be taken in the matriculation examination, or another justified and teacher-approved goal.

Before independently completing a module, the student discusses this with the subject teacher and requests final approval from the principal after the teacher has signed the upper part of the form related to independent completion.

• Application for independent completion of a course/module (in Finnish)

Instructions:

The student prints the form and discusses the matter with the subject teacher well in advance of the start of the period in which the independently completed course is organized.
The student and the teacher fill out the form together.
Either the student or the teacher turns the form in to the office or the principal.
The principal makes a decision on the matter and returns the form to the teacher, who arranges the course completion with the student.
After the student has completed the course, the teacher returns the form to the secretary, who records the course completion in the study register.

Accreditation of Studies and Activities Outside of Upper Secondary School as Part of the Upper Secondary Syllabus

Completed credits from other educational institutions or activities that are deemed suitable for the upper secondary education syllabus (e.g., studies at summer universities, summer schools, scout activities, music institute studies, hygiene passport, occupational safety card, first aid course) may be accepted into the upper secondary education syllabus. The student applies for accreditation in writing from the principal. The completed credit must be worth at least 1 credit in scope (18 hours).
Accreditation of competencies and studies is recorded in the annual plan.

• Application for accreditation of studies and activities outside of upper secondary school (in Finnish)

Instructions:

Print and fill out the form. Write a free-form description of the course or activity (number of hours, etc.) on the form.
Attach a copy of the course or activity certificate to the form. You can obtain a copy by visiting the teacher’s lounge, for example.
Return the form and the certificate copy to the principal or the guidance counselor’s mailbox, which is located in the teacher’s lounge.
The principal will make a decision regarding the recognition.

Withdrawing from Upper Secondary School (form)

If a student withdraws from upper secondary school while completing the upper secondary syllabus, they must first consult with the guidance counselor or principal. The student must submit a written notice of withdrawal to obtain a withdrawal certificate. The withdrawal notice must be signed by a guardian for students under 18 years old. The withdrawal notice can be printed from the school’s website. Once the student has submitted the withdrawal notice, a withdrawal certificate will be issued, which will include the completed studies.

A student who has not completed the upper secondary syllabus within the determined time is considered to have withdrawn. A student is also considered withdrawn if they are absent from school without a valid reason, and it is evident that they do not intend to continue their studies (LL Section 24, Subsection 2).

If a student withdrawing from upper secondary school does not have another educational institution to which they will transfer, the school has the obligation to report their information to outreach youth work. After that, an outreach youth worker will contact the young person.

Changing the Mathematics Syllabus

When changing from the advanced mathematics syllabus to the basic syllabus, the completed studies will be credited as follows:

Advanced syllabus module	Basic syllabus module
MAA2	MAB2
MAA3	MAB3
MAA6	MAB8
MAA8	MAB5
MAA9	MAB7

Other approved completed studies corresponding to the advanced syllabus or credits left over from modules during the switch may be accepted as other optional studies in the basic syllabus at the principal’s discretion.

When a student transitions from the advanced syllabus to the basic syllabus, they must be given the opportunity for additional assessments to determine their level of competence, if they wish.

When a student transitions from the basic syllabus to the advanced syllabus, they may be required to take supplementary studies, and in this context, grades may also be reconsidered. The credits that remain unfulfilled from the modules during the switch must be completed in a manner determined by the principal.