Education


The education system in Finland is very similar to the United States. All levels of education are free provided by the government. They start with the regular elementary school starting at five with the option of preschool if the family wants. Private school is very rare in their culture because it is provided for free. They finish elementary school and go to secondary and finish out the normal route that occurs in America, graduating at about 18. However, once they finish secondary school, they have the opportunity to go to a University for free. Every single person qualifies for further education, which would be a blessing in American Culture. If a Finn attends college, then they are completely focused on that career, for example they can’t also be an athlete. Oftentimes, Finns are able to study abroad for a semester completely for free. After they complete all of the schooling they will then attempt to get a full time job. 

A typical school day in Finland often occurs throughout the five weekdays where they focus more on hands-on learning rather than tests. They get many breaks and time outside which is much needed for kids. The length of school does vary by grade level, but oftentimes they focus on the main objectives and don’t keep them in class all day long. They do not believe in as much homework that we have in our culture, but once they hit the University level they are accustomed to getting used to it. All levels of school do not have uniforms as they are public schools, but they also dress very conserved so dress code would not be an issue. Class usually starts around eight and ends around one. 



The percentage of individuals that go on to further their education is around 75 percent. Most people do end up going to a University because it is provided by the government and it is free. They can use this opportunity to attain a great job later in life. The college graduation rate is around 70 percent, which is slightly better than the United States. It is most common for women to go to a University and graduate, but all genders have an equal chance of doing so. There are also a good amount of immigrants that live there to receive the free college that comes with citizenship. 

The culture in Finland teaches many similar things that us Americans do, as they teach the main primary subjects such as math, science, english, and all of the above. They also take a big emphasis on them learning both the languages of their country which include both Finnish and the Swedish language. Their culture is big on individualism, making the kids learn how to work for themselves and by themselves. According to California State University Monterey Bay, “Finnish schools focus more on children's needs, such as nutrition and health as well as on culture and poverty.” This is rather different than the United States curriculum and provides many real life schools for the people to learn.

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