Pre-school education
Pre-school education is education intended for children aged 6 and provided at day-care centres. It provides children with skills preparing them for comprehensive school. Pre-school education is usually provided before noon, and the child can continue in day care in the afternoon.
Pre-school education starts in August, with registration in February. More information is provided in letters to children reaching pre-school age, on the day care website and in the local newspaper.
All children applying for pre-school must submit an application for pre-school education. This can be done either electronically or using an application form.
To read more, go to:
City of Rovaniemi
linkkiCity of Rovaniemi:
Pre-school educationFinnish
Multicultural day care
For the City of Rovaniemi, multicultural day care means treating all children equally and fairly regardless of their age, gender and skin colour.
The city strives to apply the principle of local service in the provision of day care for each child. In day care, the child gets to know Finnish culture, learn Finnish and act as part of a social group.
A foreign-language family is entitled to interpreting services as necessary. Day care co-operates with the Immigration Office in matters relating to the child and the family. When the child begins day care, the “Information about the immigrant child” form is completed with the family.
Basic education
Registration for comprehensive school
In the City of Rovaniemi, there are 23 comprehensive schools with grades 1–6, the Teacher Training School of the University of Lapland
and the private Rovaniemi Steiner School.
The City of Rovaniemi’s school services have been divided into four areas, which are also the school catchment areas within whose limits the pupil’s local school is determined. In most cases, the local school is the school closest to the pupil’s home.
Registration for comprehensive school takes place by visiting or phoning the school indicated in the letter sent to the home of each child starting school.
To read more, go to:
City of Rovaniemi
linkkiCity of Rovaniemi:
Basic educationFinnish
linkkiCity of Rovaniemi:
Registration for basic educationFinnish
Immigrant education
Immigrant pupils mainly use normal comprehensive school and upper secondary school services. Preparatory education for comprehensive school, which normally takes a year, is organised for children who have recently moved to the country. For pupils who are recent immigrants, there is a preparatory grade at Keskusta School. After this, the immigrant pupils will relocate to a Finnish-speaking class at their local school.
Special features of teaching
Native language education is provided in Russian as well as other languages where possible. Finnish is taught as a foreign language, aiming at working bilingualism.
Pupils not participating in teaching of the majority religion receive teaching in their own religion if their parents/guardians require this and there are at least three pupils of the same denomination.
Immigrant pupils are primarily evaluated in accordance with the general evaluation criteria for comprehensive school, taking account of each pupil’s starting point.
In their first three years in the country, immigrant pupils receive remedial education specially intended for them. Also entitled to such remedial education are new pupils. Other support measures at comprehensive school are other remedial education, special education, personal learning plans, flexible evaluation, curriculum development, learning material development and pupil welfare.
City of Rovaniemi
linkkiCity of Rovaniemi:
Immigrant educationFinnish
Preparatory vocational education
Lapland Vocational College
Lapland Vocational College offers preparatory education for immigrants who wish to obtain vocational education.
To read more, go to:
linkkiLapland Vocational College:
Lapland Vocational CollegeFinnish | English
Immigrant education at Rovala-Opisto
Rovala-Opisto offers immigrant education, including studies in the Finnish language and culture, working life skills and information about Finnish society. The integration training is attended by students from dozens of different countries, and is conducted in Finnish. There may be 8–15 students on an individual course, and the usual number of teaching groups is 8–10.
The integration training is labour market training, and applications for the courses can be made through the Rovaniemi Employment and Economic Development Office. Kela clients may receive education support during their studies. The course application can be made online.
The integration training features studies in the Finnish language, communication skills and many other subjects. Knowledge of the basic rules of working life and Finnish society is important for those moving to Finland. The courses involve studies in the basics of working life, practice of job hunting skills and planning for the future.
To read more, go to:
Rovala-Opisto
linkkiRovala-Opisto:
Immigrant educationFinnish
Vocational education
Lapland Vocational College
Lapland Vocational College offers studies and basic and adult vocational education in all fields except sports and tourism, catering and domestic services.
To read more, go to:
linkkiLapland Vocational College:
Lapland Vocational CollegeFinnish | English
Apprenticeship training
Lapland Apprenticeship Centre
Lapland Apprenticeship Centre provides apprenticeship training in accordance with the Vocational Education and Training Act and the Vocational Adult Education Act as well as services supporting working life and regional development.
To read more, go to:
linkkiApprenticeship training in Rovaniemi:
Lapland Apprenticeship CentreFinnish
Upper secondary schools
The City of Rovaniemi has four upper secondary schools: Lyseonpuisto Upper Secondary School, Muurola Upper Secondary School, Ounasvaara Upper Secondary School and Rovaniemi Vocational Upper Secondary School.
To read more, go to:
City of Rovaniemi
linkkiCity of Rovaniemi:
Upper secondary schoolsFinnish
Higher education
Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences
Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences (RAMK) is the EU’s northernmost university of applied sciences and part of the Lapland University Consortium. RAMK offers 11 Bachelor’s degree programmes in Finnish and three in English, five Master’s degree programmes and one specialisation study programme in English.
To read more, go to:
linkkiLapland University of Applied Sciences:
Lapland University of Applied SciencesFinnish | English
University
The University of Lapland is the northernmost university in the European Union. Our university of science and arts carries out teaching and research in the fields of education, tourism and business, law, art and design and social sciences. Our research activities focus on two multidisciplinary, international fields: Arctic affairs and tourism research.
To read more, go to:
linkkiUniversity of Lapland:
University of LaplandFinnish | English
Open University of Lapland
The Open University of the University of Lapland offers studies meeting the requirements of the Faculties of Education, Law, Art and Design and Social Sciences. The offering is complemented by language and method studies.
To read more, go to:
linkkiOpen University of Lapland:
Open University of LaplandFinnish | English
Adult education centres
At an adult education centre, you can engage in studies or hobby activities involving languages, arts, sports, etc. Rovaniemi has two adult education centres, information on which is provided at the following addresses:
To read more, go to:
linkkiCity of Rovaniemi:
City of Rovaniemi Adult Education CentreFinnish
linkkiRovala:
Rovala instituteFinnish
Help in matters related to education
Educational and vocational information service
Educational and vocational information service of the Rovaniemi Employment and Economic Development Office:
Valtakatu 16
96200 Rovaniemi
Job counsellor 010 604 6590
H3. MoniNet
MoniNet is a multicultural centre located in Rovaniemi, Lapland. It is maintained by Rovalan Setlementti ry. It serves immigrants living in Rovaniemi and other areas of Lapland’s province. Our services are in Finnish as well as English, Russian and Swedish.
Contact information:
MoniNet
Etelärinne 32
96100 Rovaniemi
tel. 040 559 6564
To read more, go to:
linkkiRovala's MoniNet:
MoniNetFinnish | English | Russian