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Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu

Finland, Helsinki

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Independently researched by doris.
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The school at a glance
Instructs in Finnish, English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 9 - 18 years
Type Co-educational
Opened 1886
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum Finnish Curriculum, IB (DP)
Taught languages English, Finnish, French, German, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, Ukrainian, Korean
Typical class size 25
Strengths Languages, STEM, Performing Arts
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Leadership and Professional
Stages Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

SYK is an independent, coeducational day school in Helsinki, founded in 1886 and the oldest coeducational school in Finland. It offers the Finnish national curriculum for grades 3–9 and, in upper secondary, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) taught in English, complemented by a DP Core. The Lukio upper secondary is language‑focused, with a broad language program and official certificates such as DELF (French) and Deutsches Sprachdiplom (German). Language options include A languages (French, German, Russian, English); B1 Swedish; B2 and B3 options (French/German/Russian); and rotating languages such as Arabic, Japanese and Korean. The IB section was created in 1990. The school collaborates with Aalto University, Open University, Helsinki Summer University and the University of Helsinki; it coordinates the national LUKKI language development project and supports LUMA science education. The campus includes a swimming hall and a separate music school. International study trips extend to France, Germany, Latvia and Uzbekistan. SYK emphasizes opportunities for language, science and arts across a long‑standing, inclusive tradition.

www.syk.fi

Isonnevantie 8, 00320 Helsinki, Finland

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu has typical class sizes of 25, instruction in Finnish, English.

Location
SYK is located in Etelä-Haaga, Helsinki, at Isonnevantie 8, 00320 Helsinki, Finland. The school sits in Etelä-Haaga with excellent access by car and public transport. From Mannerheimintie, turn onto Vihdintie; Isonnevantie is the first right after Haagan fire station. Public transit serves the school with bus lines stopping on Vihdintie (37, 41, 52, 57, 59, 200, 300, 321, 345), tram lines 10 and 15 nearby, and Huopalahden railway station about 900 metres away.

Stages
Comprehensive education for grades 3–9; upper secondary (grades 10–12) with an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme; the IB section is taught in English.

Type
Independent coeducational day school.

Country affiliation
Finland

School day structure
For grades 3–5: 08:30–10:00 (periods 1–2); 30-minute lunch; 10:30–11:15 (period 3); 11:45–12:30 (period 4); 12:45–13:30 (period 5); 13:45–14:30 (period 6); 14:45–15:30 (period 7). For grades 6–7: 08:30–10:00 (periods 1–2); 10:30–11:15 (period 3); 11:45–12:30 (period 4); 12:45–13:30 (period 5); 13:45–14:30 (period 6); 14:45–15:30 (period 7); 15:30–16:15 (period 8).

Bus service
Bus services stop near the school on Vihdintie (Korppaantie area) with lines 37, 41, 52, 57, 59, 200, 300, 321 and 345. Tram lines 10 (Pikku Huopalahti–Tarkk'ampujankatu) and 15 (Itäkeskus–Keilaniemi) stop nearby. Huopalahden railway station is about 900 metres from the school.
Diving Deeper
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Fees
Overview of school charges
- Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu (SYK) does not charge tuition for its teaching from the third grade through upper secondary level; the school is non-fee-paying.

Application fees
- There is no application fee for entry to SYK's programmes. Applications to the IB/upper-secondary places use the standard application procedures (electronic joint application or the IB application channels) without a separate school application charge.

Tuition fees by school year / year group
- Grades 3–9 (perusopetus): No tuition is charged; education is provided without a recurring tuition fee.
- Upper secondary / Lukio and IB Diploma Programme (preparatory year + DP): No tuition is charged; IB-line studies are provided without tuition fees. For students who began upper-secondary studies from 2021 onward, course materials and matriculation exam costs are not charged to the student by the school. Students who began earlier may still cover some study-material and examination costs themselves.

Billing schedule and payment terms (where charges apply)
- Regular school tuition billing: Not applicable (no tuition charged).
- Extracurricular service billing (examples):
- SYK Music School (voluntary, after-school individual lessons) bills twice a year (two payments per academic year). The published semester fee schedule (effective 1.8.2026) is: 30 min lessons €453, 45 min lessons €680, 60 min lessons €906. The short-course (music basics) annual fee is €155 for 45 min. Enrollment in the music school is binding.
- Matriculation / examination charges: Matriculation-exam fees (ylioppilastutkinnon maksut) are charged as applicable; the school applies an administrative office fee in connection with matriculation registrations (an office fee of €15 is charged in addition to the matriculation-exam fee).

Boarding fees
- SYK does not operate a boarding school; there are no boarding fees.

Other costs and typical incidental fees
- Voluntary music lessons at SYK (see Music School fees above).
- Matriculation-exam related costs and administrative fee (see above).
- Certain facilities or services run by the school (for example public access to the school swimming hall) have separate usage charges and specific payment methods appropriate to that service; such service charges are billed or collected separately from general school provision.
- Uniforms: No school uniform requirement is enforced as a school-wide tuition-related charge; there is no published mandatory uniform fee. (SYK follows standard Finnish practice where mandatory school uniforms are not used for general pupil cohorts.)

Refund and cancellation rules (where fees apply)
- Music School: Enrollment is binding. A registered place is secured by enrolment and the activity may be discontinued at the turn of a term by written notice; fees are assessed per semester. This means that fees already billed for the current semester are generally binding unless special circumstances apply.
- Matriculation / exam refunds: Standard matriculation-exam refund and appeal rules apply where set by the matriculation authorities; the school charges the administrative office fee in connection with registrations and follows applicable procedures for late changes or cancellations.

Fee payment options and invoicing details
- Electronic invoicing (verkkolasku / OVT) is accepted; the school publishes its OVT identifier for e-invoices. Postal invoices may be sent if electronic invoicing is not used. Bank transfers are accepted to the school's IBAN and SWIFT identifiers. These invoicing and bank-account channels are used for payments to the school for chargeable services.
- For some on-site services (for example public use of the swimming hall), card payment is required at point of sale.

Summary statement for the 2026/27 academic year
- Core instruction at SYK (grades 3–12, including the IB Diploma Programme) is provided without tuition charges for families; there is no boarding and therefore no boarding fees. Chargeable items are generally limited to optional services (for example music school tuition, facility usage fees) and certain examination or administrative fees; these optional services have their own published prices, billing schedules and binding enrolment rules.
Academics

Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu teaches Finnish Curriculum, IB (DP) for students aged 9 to 18.

Curriculum
The school is an IB World School offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) in upper secondary with a DP Core. The Lukio is language-focused with a broad language program and official language qualifications. Language options include A languages (French, German, Russian, English); B1 Swedish; B2 French, German, Russian; B3 Spanish, Italian, French, German, Russian; and rotating languages such as Arabic, Japanese, Korean, and Ukrainian. The Lukio also offers official certificates such as DELF (French) and Deutsches Sprachdiplom (German). The program provides extensive mathematics and science coursework and a science-focused track with collaborations with Aalto University, Open University, Helsinki Summer University and the University of Helsinki; it coordinates the national LUKKI language development project and engages in LUMA science education. Lukion diplomas in art, physical education, music and theatre are available, and international study trips are organised to France, Germany, Latvia and Uzbekistan. The curriculum emphasizes interaction and self-expression in language learning; the school collaborates with national and international partners to support higher education pathways.

Higher Education Progression
Higher education guidance is provided by the Lukiolaisen OPO-sivu, including the Lukiolaisen Opas (2026–2027) and Yo-info, with admissions information via Opintopolku.fi and links to Ylioppilastutkinto materials. The Lukiolaiset receive information and support for applying to universities and universities of applied sciences through these resources, and collaborations with universities such as Aalto University and the University of Helsinki are highlighted to support higher education planning.
Wellbeing
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Parent Experience
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Facilities
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Extra-Curricular Activities
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Languages
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Reputation
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Admissions

Admissions
SYK offers two curricula: the Finnish national curriculum for classes starting in 3rd grade up to high school, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) in the high school. The IB Diploma Programme section was established in 1990; SYK was the first school in Finland, together with Mattlidens Gymnasium, to offer the full IB diploma programme. The school is chartered, co-educational, government supported, and non-fee paying, and operates as a day school with no boarding. It is located at Isonnevantie 8, 00320 Helsinki, Finland, in Etelä-Haaga, about 6 km outside the city center and accessible by public transportation. Languages of instruction are Finnish for the national curriculum and English for the IB section. Admissions involve a selection process for both sections; in the IB section, about 8–11% of applicants are accepted each year. The graduating class in the national section is approximately 120 students, and the IB graduating class is about 30 students. Languages taught at the school include English, French, German, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, Ukrainian, and Korean.
School Events
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