Matriculation and school-leaving exams

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Education and trainingStudents

The matriculation examination is an upper secondary degree that aims to strengthen transversal general competence. To obtain this degree, upper secondary schools organise matriculation examinations twice a year.

Ylioppilaslakit rivissä pöydällä, ruusujen kera. Pöydällä on kuviollinen valkoinen pöytäliina.

Matriculation is a national final exam and passing it provides general eligibility for further studies.

Examination structure

Starting from spring 2022, matriculation includes a minimum of five (5) exams. This applies to examinees who start their exams during spring 2022. Examinees who take part of their exams in autumn 2021 (or spring 2021 and autumn 2021) and the remaining exams in spring 2022, will complete their matriculation in accordance with the current model. 

Taking the native language and literature exam will continue to be compulsory for all examinees, and the required other four exams must be chosen from these: 

  • foreign language 

  • second national language 

  • mathematics 

  • humanities and natural sciences 

As before, at least one exam must be an advanced syllabus exam. Examinees will choose exams from a minimum of three different groups. 

In the second national language and foreign language, advanced syllabus means an exam based on a so-called A-level language that is common to everyone and starts in primary school. 

Examinees are free to take one or several exams in humanities and natural sciences. You can take a maximum of two different exams in humanities and natural sciences per examination period. The order of the exam days in humanities and natural sciences may vary between examination periods. On the first exam day in humanities and natural sciences, you can take one of the following exams: religion, ethics, social studies, chemistry, geography, or health education. On the second exam day in humanities and natural sciences, you can take one of the following exams: psychology, philosophy, history, physics, or biology.

Studies completed in other educational institutions and ones that are not offered in your own school, can also be added as extra subjects in the matriculation examination. 

Matriculations started in autumn 2021 or earlier

Matriculation includes a minimum of four exams, of which native language - or optionally Finnish as a second language - is compulsory to everyone. Students choose three other exams compulsory to their matriculation from the following four exams: 

  • second national language 

  • one foreign language exam 

  • mathematics exam 

  • exam in humanities and natural sciences 

In addition to the four compulsory exams, students can add one or several additional exams to their matriculation as they see fit. 

In the second national language, foreign languages, and mathematics, exams of two different degrees of difficulty are organised. Regardless of their studies in upper secondary school, examinees are free to choose the exam level for themselves. However, examinees must take the more demanding, A-level (advanced syllabus) exam in at least one of the following compulsory exams: 

  • second national language 

  • foreign language, or 

  • mathematics 

Enrolment for the Matriculation Examination

Registration for the matriculation examination is based on Upper Secondary School guidelines. Instructions and schedules can be found on the high schools' own pages.

Qualification fees

Due to change of legislation, Finnish Matriculation Examination is free-of-charge for candidates who have started their studies in autumn 2021 or later. The candidates who have started their studies earlier, pay an examination fee to participate in the Matriculation Examination. 

Read more examination fees on the YTL page, go to the page >

Special arrangements

In matriculation examinations, special circumstances comprise, for example, difficulty with reading and writing, foreign origin, illness, injury, or challenging life situations. In these cases, special arrangements can be made for the student’s matriculation examination. The MEB has separate regulations for these. Special arrangements can include, for example, additional time provided for exams, larger font size or display, or a separate smaller space. The matriculation examination certificate does not include notes for difficulty with reading and writing or special arrangements. 

It is in the student’s best interest that special arrangements are suggested at the earliest possible stage, well in advance of the student registering for the first exam(s). Before a student or their guardian starts applying for special arrangements from the MEB, it is a good idea to discuss the required arrangements and their implementation with the upper secondary school’s special needs teacher, guidance counsellor, or head teacher. 

The MEB decides on the use of special arrangements based on the application submitted by the student or guardian. All applications and statements are created in an electronic service, and the head teacher sends them to the MEB via the electronic service. 

Read more about special arrangements on the YTL page >

Matriculation scoring

The exams are scored by using verbal grades (from highest to lowest):

  • laudatur (L)
  • eximia cum laude approbatur (E)
  • magna cum laude approbatur (M)
  • cum laude approbatur (C)
  • lubenter approbatur (B)
  • approbatur (A)
  • improbatur (I)

The school’s teachers conduct preliminary scoring for all matriculation exams. The MEB censors re-evaluate all exams and decide on the scores in compliance with the mutually agreed evaluation criteria in each subject-specific specialist group. The MEB decides on grade distribution after the scoring is completed, and this is done separately for each examination period.

Matriculation certificate

Once all compulsory matriculation exams and upper secondary school courses have been completed and passed, the MEB grants the matriculation certificate. Students also receive a general upper secondary education certificate in addition to the matriculation certificate. The matriculation certificate includes the levels and grades for passed exams - but not additional exams’ failed grades or a mention of any special arrangements. If a student has already received their matriculation certificate and later raises their grade(s) or takes additional exams, the MEB sends a separate certificate for these to be appended to the original certificate. 

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High school graduatesHigh schoolsGraduation