Ylioppilastutkinto
Finland's matriculation examination: the digital exams that end upper secondary school.
The ylioppilastutkinto (studentexamen in Swedish) is a set of national exams taken at the end of upper secondary school in Finland. All exams are done on a computer, and the results weigh heavily in university admission.
Overview
Most students in Finland take the matriculation examination over the last year or so of upper secondary school, spreading their exams across the spring and autumn sessions. To pass you take at least five exams: mother tongue, which everyone takes, and at least four more chosen from mathematics, the second national language, a foreign language and the general studies subjects, with at least one at the advanced level. You need to complete it within three consecutive sessions.
The grades matter beyond the certificate. Finnish universities fill a large share of their places through certificate-based selection, where points are given for the grades in particular subjects, so the choice of subjects and levels shapes your options. That makes it worth planning early and treating the exams as a project. The exams are long, up to six hours, and reward clear written answers that show your reasoning, so practising full papers under real conditions is the best preparation.
The exams you choose
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Mother tongue and literature
Finnish, Swedish or Sámi, or Finnish or Swedish as a second language. Everyone takes it.
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Second national language
Swedish for Finnish speakers, Finnish for Swedish speakers, at advanced or intermediate level.
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Foreign languages
English, German, French, Spanish and others, at advanced or shorter level.
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Mathematics
Advanced or basic syllabus, with parts with and without a calculator.
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General studies
Subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, history, psychology and philosophy.
How it's scored
Each exam is marked by your teacher and then by the board's censors, and gets one of seven grades: laudatur (L), eximia (E), magna (M), cum laude (C), lubenter (B), approbatur (A) or improbatur (I), which is a fail. Grades are scaled so that roughly the same share of candidates get each grade every session. You can retake an exam you passed as often as you like to raise the grade.
How to prepare
- Practise in Abitti, the exam system, so the digital tools feel familiar on the day.
- Work through the board's past exams and their marking guidelines: they show what earns points.
- Check which subjects and levels your university programme counts in admission before you choose.
- Spread your exams over the sessions so you are not taking too many at once.
Official pages
Dates, registration and fees change from year to year, so check them on the official pages.