Applying for a place in a school other than the pupil’s local school

A pupil may be admitted to such a school if the school has free places and if their admission does not increase the number of teaching groups in the school. Pupils from outside the municipality may be admitted if there are free places in the school after all applications for student admission from pupils living in the municipality but not in the school’s catchment area have been processed.

If the school does not have places for all applicants, pupils are admitted in an order of importance on the following criteria:

Grades 1 – 6:
1. a reason associated with the pupil’s state of health or pupil welfare reason that cannot be managed in the school assigned to the pupil (expert statement)
2. the pupil’s sibling attends the same school at the same time (this criterion does not apply if the sibling has been placed in the school in question based on a decision on special support or they have been admitted without living in the catchment area or through an entrance examination)
3. the pupil attended pre-primary education in the school in question

A decision on admission from outside the catchment area concerns grades 1 to 6.

Grades 7 – 9:

1. a reason associated with the pupil’s state of health or pupil welfare reason that cannot be managed in the school assigned to the pupil (expert statement)

If the number of applicants that fulfil the admission criteria exceeds the number of free places, the pupils are selected by drawing lots.

If the school is not the pupil’s local one, the guardian is responsible for any costs incurred from transporting and escorting the pupil. School transport may also be granted to a school other than the local school, however, if the transport costs are the same or less expensive than those incurred from the pupil’s transport to their local school. In this case, the prerequisite is that travel to school takes place by public transport. The guardian must always apply for transport using the school transport application form. The guardian is also responsible for the costs of school transport when the pupil needs transport to school due to an illness or leisure time accident. Temporary school transport required because of an accident that occurred at school is arranged by the school if necessary.

If the pupil moves to another catchment area during the school year, the guardian must immediately notify the principal of the current school and the Education Office. A new school place will be assigned to the pupil. However, the pupil has the right to attend their former school until further notice, provided that the school does not incur any additional costs and the guardian pays the costs incurred from transporting the pupil. The decision is made by the school principal.

Application for a right to attend

The application should be returned to the school principal. The form is in Finnish. If you need help filling in the form, please contact the school principal.

Application for a right to attend (pdf) (in Finnish)