Application as a TEPPO student

Working life-oriented basic education (TEPPO) familiarises students with working life already during their basic education! The studies of working-life oriented basic education alternate on-the-job training periods at workplaces with teaching at school. TEPPO students will have five to seven on-the-job training periods over a school year.

TEPPO programme is suitable for all students, regardless of whether the student aims to continue their education in a vocational or general upper secondary school or whether they are yet undecided on what they wish to do in the future. The focus on working life can also be considered a form of support for integration in Finnish society and learning the Finnish language, for example.

Read more about TEPPO.

The students of the school’s 7th and 8th grades can apply. 

The application criteria are: 

• the student is motivated by and committed to working life-oriented studies 
• the student needs personal experiences to develop their capabilities for planning their career and to find their own strengths. 
• the student will benefit from familiarising themselves with different working environments and early working life contacts with regards to choosing their career or integration process 
• the student needs more motivation, structure or support with their studies OR the student needs more variety or challenge from their studies 
• the student’s guardians are committed to supporting the flexible working life-oriented studies. 

The main application procedure to flexible, working life-oriented studies takes place in spring. The application period is from 7th of January until 15th of March 2026.

After the school year has started, there is a continuous application procedure for the flexible working life-oriented studies. If there are free student places in the TEPPO programme, those can be filled over the course of the school year. Find out more from the TEPPO guidance counsellor or principal of your school.

The guardian will fill in the application form in Wilma together with the student, using the guardian’s Wilma ID. The form can be edited over the course of the entire application period. If the young person has a valid pedagogic document, this is shown automatically in the Wilma application.

You can also apply by using a paper form. You can get the form from the school or you can print it here. Return the paper application form to the school no later than Friday 13 March 2026 at 16:00.

After the application period, all applicants and their guardians are interviewed at the school, always by the school’s two different experts. A trial period with a workplace can also be used when electing students, if the school considers this necessary. The decisions on student elections will be made and reported to the students’ guardians in May 2026. The decisions are based on the criteria for electing the students, the information entered into the application forms and the interviews with the students and the guardians.

The information is also available in following languages: eesti keel, pусский, soomaali, shqip, عربية. Information here.