During your stay in Finland, you will live with a host family and attend a local high school.
| PROGRAM | DEPARTURE | RETURN | FULL TUITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Fall Year | Early August | Late June | $14,995 |
- Placement with a carefully selected host family
- Enrollment in a local Finnish high school
- Airport transfers
- Domestic and international travel
- All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
- Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
- Support from a YFU Finland Area Representative while on program
- Comprehensive insurance
Finnish schools are some of the best in the world. The schools are modern and teaching methods are relaxed but effective. You will attend lukio (high school), where you’ll pick from subjects such as social sciences, mathematical and computer-related studies, physical education, a wide range of languages (including Finnish, Swedish, German, French, Spanish, and Russian, depending on the school), as well as arts and special courses. Information technology is also a popular subject in many Finnish schools. Finnish schools use a system of periods, and this means that students take individual courses, up to 6 per period, and one school year is typically 5 periods.
All students applying for the year program must be available for a mandatory 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation*, which usually takes place in mid-July or early-mid December (Spring programs). This orientation is a required part of the program aimed at preparing students for their experience overseas.
*Due to COVID-19, the 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation described above may take place online, dependent upon recommended guidelines at the time of the event. YFU will continue to assess the situation as it develops.
Additionally, students receive a 3-day orientation upon arrival, which includes an introduction to the Finnish language and an overview of what to expect in their program. Year students also attend a local mid-year orientation in January or February.
Finnish high schools generally do not offer extracurriculars. However, YFU students are encouraged to join sports, clubs, and teams available in their communities!
Finnish programs also include the option to participate in optional trips and excursions at an additional cost:
Trip to Tallinn, Estonia: While in Finland, students may have the opportunity to travel to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, for a 2-night trip in the Fall. You will have a chance to explore the lovely medieval town in the midst of winter preparation and Christmas.
Trip to Lapland: In the spring (typically March), students may also have the opportunity to visit Lapland, a region above the Arctic Circle where you can expect to experience a very different landscape as well as a different way of life. You may get a chance to ski, visit a reindeer farm, and maybe even see the Northern Lights.
- 2025 Fall Departures: Students born January 1, 2008 – September 30, 2009
- Students who do not meet this age requirement or will graduate from high school before the start of their program are not likely to be accepted into the Finnish Programs.
Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. Students must be fluent in English and are encouraged to have a minimum of 1 year of study in Finnish or Swedish. Must have a minimum of four years of English studies.
Host families live throughout Finland in rural, suburban, or urban areas and may speak Finnish or Swedish. Most students are placed in the countryside or in medium-sized towns.
