Further education and the joint application procedure

The joint application is done online at Opintopolku.fi between February 17 and March 17, 2026. Your application must arrive by March 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM.

You can apply either at school with a guidance counselor or at home together with a guardian. A guardian must be consulted when a young person applies for education, and schools can decide how to arrange this. School guidance counselors will give more details about their school’s application practices.

In the joint application, you can apply to seven study programs. On the application form, list the programs in order of preference, with your favorite first. You can only be accepted to the highest choice for which your points are enough. Lower choices will be canceled. Enter correct information because the school can cancel your admission if you give false details. Send any required attachments mentioned on the form. Check your information, submit the form, and print it if needed.

After sending your application, you will get a confirmation email to the address you provided. The email includes a link to edit your application during the application period. You can add or remove choices or change their order. If you have online banking credentials, a mobile certificate, or an electronic ID card, you can also make changes in the “Oma Opintopolku” service during the application period. All changes must be saved by March 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM.

If the program has an entrance exam, all applicants will be invited to take it.

In a discretionary application process, the student’s grade point average or scores are not considered. Instead, the applicant’s educational needs and ability to succeed in studies are assessed. A young person may apply through a discretionary process if there is a special reason for doing so.

You can find more information about discretionary selection from your school’s guidance counselor, the websites of upper secondary institutions and the Opintopolku -service.

In the spring, students finishing basic education apply for upper secondary education based on their final grades. Some schools, both general and vocational, may also have entrance exams, suitability tests, or preliminary assignments. You can check these requirements on the Opintopolku website or the schools' own websites. National admissions criteria can also be found on Opintopolku.

The required grades for general upper secondary school and points for vocational education change yearly based on the number of applicants, so they cannot be predicted in advance.

Applicants may be asked on the application form if they have any health-related issues that could affect their selection. If needed, the school may ask for additional information. Schools guidance counselors and health professionals can help with these health considerations.

Preparatory education for an upper secondary qualification (TUVA) is intended for young people and adults who have completed basic education or equivalent. In TUVA education, you can prepare for vocational and high school studies and complete their courses. In TUVA studies, you can improve your basic education grades, strengthen your Finnish language skills, and develop study skills for further education. The duration of TUVA education is up to one year.

Those finishing basic education can apply for TUVA education through the joint application process or later through continuous application. In Tampere, TUVA education is offered by vocational colleges Tredu, Sasky, and special vocational colleges Aitoo, Kiipula, and Luovi. The institutions themselves announce their selection criteria for TUVA education.

Information about the results will be available at the earliest on June 11, 2026. You will receive an email from Opintopolku to the email address you provided in your application. The email will contain a link to accept your study place. You will also receive an acceptance letter from the educational institution, either electronically or on paper. The letter will include instructions on how to enroll as a student. The institution may publish the names of accepted students on its website if you have given permission.

If you do not receive the result letter, check your spam folder. Not everyone receives the electronic result letter at the same time, so the letter may still be on its way. In the joint application process, the result letter is sent to all applicants, even if you have not been offered a study place. The result letter will mention your position on the waiting list. If you do not receive the result letter, contact your school's guidance counselor during the summer.

Accept your study place through the link sent to you by email from Opintopolku. After that, sign up as a student according to the instructions given by the educational institution. You must accept the study place by June 25, 2026, or earlier if instructed by the institution. Follow the institution's instructions for enrollment and make sure to fill in any required information, such as in the secondary school's Wilma system.

If you have any questions about joint application, you can get help from your school's guidance counselor during the summer after the results are released. Each school has informed students about their specific practices and the times when each guidance counselor is available.

For application matters, you should also contact the educational institution you applied to. You can find the contact information for the institutions on their websites. It is advisable to contact the institutions as soon as you receive information about your study place.

TreduNavi application service guides those applying to Tredu's programs:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 040 170 5649

Sasky Avain guides those applying to Sasky's programs:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 040 590 0709

Contact your school's guidance counselor as soon as possible. They are available during the summer after the results are released. Each school has informed students about their specific practices and the times when each guidance counselor is available.

You can apply for programs with available places during the summer in the continuous application process. You can also apply for preparatory education for an upper secondary qualification (TUVA). You can find more information about available study places at Opintopolku, on the educational institutions' websites, and from your guidance counselor.

Your guidance counselor can best advise you on what to do next. You can plan and make new applications together. All students in Tampere will find a study place, but it may take until August to confirm it. The waiting list positions for the joint application process are valid until August 14, 2026, so you can get a place from the waiting list until then. You can ask the educational institutions directly about available study places in August, especially after August 14, 2026, when the waiting list positions are no longer valid.

The waiting list positions are valid until August 14, 2026, so you can get a study place from the waiting list until that date. You can track your position on the waiting list using the Oma Opintopolku service with your online banking credentials. The educational institution will contact you if you get a study place from the waiting list. Remember to answer your phone and check your email during the summer.

Yes. Accept the place you have received and register as a student. You will be notified if you get into a higher-choice institution, and you can accept that place. Remember to answer your phone and check your email during the summer.

Your school's guidance counselor will guide and help with application matters even in August if you have not started your studies. All young people in Tampere will get a place for further studies.