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Taught languages English, Finnish, Swedish, French, German, Spanish
Strengths Languages, Service and Sustainability, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Community and Service, Cultural and Language, Academic and Intellectual
Stages Secondary School, Sixth Form, Senior Secondary School
Introduction
Turku International School delivers IB Diploma Programme for secondary students in Turku, Finland. The school is a public institution under the City of Turku, with the Diploma Programme taught at Turun Normaalikoulu and pre-DP year bridging to DP in English to prepare students for university study worldwide. The DP follows six subject groups, with three subjects at Higher Level and three at Standard Level, plus core elements Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity and Service. Language offerings include English A and B, Finnish B, French B, German B, and Spanish B. The IB campus is housed in the Turun Normaalikoulu building at Annikanpolku 9, and a library with about 10,000 items provides access to university databases. Free daily lunch is provided. CAS is a core element, featuring real-world projects and service, such as involvement with the Together association. About 95% of DP graduates proceed to universities worldwide.
Turku International School has 200 pupils, instruction in English, Finnish, Swedish.
Location
The Turku International Upper Secondary is located at Annikanpolku 9, 20610 Turku, Finland, in the Turun Normaalikoulu building. The school is the Turku International Upper Secondary (IB World School) delivering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Stages
Upper secondary (IB Diploma Programme). There are two streams in our DP upper secondary: national and international.
Type
Public school; follows the IB Diploma Programme.
Additional learning support
Special education is provided (DP staff includes a Special education teacher).
Country affiliation
Finland
School day structure
TIUS follows a Finnish school calendar with an Autumn term and a Spring term; autumn and winter holidays are scheduled within the 2025–2026 school year.
Fees
Application fees - There is no application fee for applying to Turku International School (grades 1–9). Applications are submitted using the school's separate online application process.
Tuition fees (by year group and term) - Grades 1–9 (all year groups): No tuition charge. Tuition per term: EUR 0. Tuition per academic year: EUR 0. Basic education at Turku International School is provided as municipal (city) basic education and carries no tuition fee for pupils.
Billing schedule and payment terms - Morning and afternoon activity charges (when a pupil participates) are billed monthly. If a child starts or leaves mid-month, the full monthly fee is charged. The August charge is half the normal monthly fee. For other paid services provided by the City of Turku, invoices are issued according to municipal invoicing procedures and standard municipal invoice payment terms apply (city's payment term: 30 days net unless otherwise agreed).
Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable. Turku International School is a municipal day school providing basic education for pupils in grades 1–9; there is no boarding provision and therefore no boarding fees.
Other costs and optional fees - Morning activities (07:30–10:00): EUR 50 / month. August charged at 50% of this rate. - Afternoon activities (until 15:00): EUR 110 / month. August charged at 50% of this rate. - Afternoon activities (until 17:00): EUR 130 / month. August charged at 50% of this rate. - School meals: Pupils receive a free warm meal every school day; there is no charge for the daily school lunch provided as part of basic education. Optional snacks or cafeteria items sold separately may incur a personal cost. - Extracurricular clubs, hobby activities, study trips, or optional courses organised outside the mandatory school day may carry separate charges; those optional activity fees vary by activity and are invoiced separately when applicable. Morning/afternoon activity charges and hobby arrangements are managed under the City of Turku's basic-education services. - Uniforms: No school uniform requirement is specified in the school rules or public student information for Turku International School. If a voluntary uniform or branded clothing option exists for a particular event or parent association activity, any purchase is optional and charged to the family.
Refund and absence rules (where applicable) - Morning/afternoon activities: If a child is absent from morning/afternoon activities due to illness for more than 10 days during a calendar month, half of the monthly fee is charged for that month. If the absence due to illness lasts the entire calendar month, no fee is charged for that month. If a child is absent for an entire calendar month for reasons other than illness, half of the monthly fee is charged. Refunds or fee reductions require submission of the appropriate change form or discretionary discount/exemption application as set out by the city. Monthly billing is not pro‑rata if attendance begins or ends mid-month (full month charged). The August monthly fee is charged at half the normal rate. - Other paid services: Refunds or cancellations for optional paid services, trips or club activities follow the terms and conditions of the organiser or the City of Turku service organising the activity; invoiced municipal services follow the city's invoicing and credit/refund procedures. Standard municipal invoicing guidance and contacts apply.
Fee payment options - Recommended and available municipal payment methods include e-invoice (e-lasku) via online banking, electronic invoice delivery services (OmaPosti or Kivra), paper invoices by post, and paying in person at the city's payment desk (Monitori at Kauppatori) if needed. For suppliers and other invoicing, the City of Turku uses electronic invoicing standards and provides invoicing details for payments and technical invoice delivery. Municipal invoices are typically subject to the city's standard payment terms (30 days net unless otherwise agreed). Specific payment instructions and invoice references are included on each City of Turku invoice.
If a fee is charged specifically by an external provider (for example, a private hobby organiser, an external trip operator, or purchases of voluntary school clothing), payment methods and refund terms follow that provider's stated terms.
Academics
Turku International School teaches IB (DP) for students aged 16 to 18.
Curriculum
The Turku International School provides basic education for grades 1–9, following the Finnish National Core Curriculum with English as the main language of instruction. Grades 1–6 are taught at Turku International School's building (Kraatarinkatu 4). Grades 7–9 and the IB Diploma Programme are taught at Turun Normaalikoulu (Annikanpolku 9). The Diploma Programme is offered for upper secondary students. The DP is preceded by a pre-diploma year; the pre-DP year follows the national core curriculum, uses English as the language of instruction, and students complete 25–30 courses. DP subjects are six from Groups 1–5 with at least one from Group 1; three subjects are studied at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL), with the option to take up to four HL; the core includes Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and CAS.
Wellbeing
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The Turku International Upper Secondary School operates a study welfare team that supports students' physical, mental and social welfare and promotes safety across the school community. The team includes a guidance counsellor, a school psychologist, a special needs teacher and a school nurse. Guidance is provided in lessons and in personal and group meetings, and the guidance counsellor advises on general studies, career choices and further education. The welfare team works with teachers and guardians to support students' wellbeing and personal development.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
A Special needs teacher organizes dyslexia tests to identify reading and writing difficulties. The teacher writes documents needed for special arrangements in examinations. The Special needs teacher also provides targeted support for students with learning difficulties within the welfare team framework.
Mental Wellbeing
The welfare team focuses on students' mental welfare, study motivation and coping with stress, with the school psychologist providing related support. Guidance is offered in lessons and in personal or group meetings, in collaboration with other teachers and guardians. The team's work is part of promoting overall student welfare and wellbeing within the school community.
Safeguarding
The welfare team is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting safety and welfare in the school community. The guidance counsellor supports students on general studies, career choices and education, contributing to wellbeing. The school social worker helps with study problems, relationships, addressing bullying, and guiding guardians; discussions are confidential. The school nurse provides health care and supports health, welfare and safety, including health inspections and monitoring student well-being. The school rules prohibit bullying and harassment and require respectful treatment of others.
Admissions
Admissions
1. Turku International Upper Secondary is intended mainly for international families moving to Finland and living and working temporarily or permanently in Turku and surrounding municipalities, and for Finnish families returning to Finland after years abroad. 2. There are two streams in the Diploma Programme: national and international. Applicants for the international stream apply online; there are two routes: the Finnish national joint application system Opintopolku and the Turku International Upper Secondary online application. 3. Language of instruction: for the international stream, students study either Finnish or Swedish as language A (mother tongue) and English as language B, or English as language A and Finnish as language B. 4. The entrance exam for the international stream contains three parts: two subtests of English and one subtest of Mathematics. If the language of instruction has been English, there is no entrance exam; otherwise an entrance exam is required. 5. The online application form opens on January 16 and closes on March 17 at 16:00. Invitations to the entrance exam are sent based on the submitted application forms. 6. Eligible applicants are invited to the entrance exam; admissions results are communicated from June 11 at the earliest. 7. For 2026 pre-DP entry, the entrance exam will be held on April 20, 2026; for DP1 entry, entrance tests are scheduled for August 3–4, 2026. 8.
FAQs
What curriculum does Turku International School follow?
The school provides basic education for grades 1-9 following the Finnish National Core Curriculum with English as the language of instruction.
How many students attend the school?
Approximately 200 students attend Turku International School in Turku, Finland.
Does the school offer special needs support?
Yes, a special needs teacher organizes dyslexia tests to identify reading and writing difficulties, with support provided accordingly.
What age range does the school serve?
The school primarily serves upper secondary students aged 16 to 18, though it also provides basic education for grades 1-9.
