Admissions FAQ

  1. Can my child apply for a place in upper-secondary school?
    Turku International school only teaches basic education, which in Finland means primary and lower-secondary education, or classes 1-9. Upper-secondary education in Turku is detailed here.

  2. Does my child need to pass an admission test to study at TIS?
    Yes, we have an admission test. The test consists of several sections – each of different language skills (e.g. speaking, writing, reading). The student will need to get a passing grade for each specific section of the test in order to be admitted to TIS. The purpose of the admission test is to ensure that the student’s English language skills are on a high enough level to be able to study at TIS.

  3. Is there just one admission test for all applicants?
    No, Turku International School has specific entrance exams for each grade level, and primary school tests are also specified for students who apply in the middle of the school year.

  4. Can my child take the admission test online?
    In principle, all admission test are taken at Turku International School in Turku. If there is a strong justification for remote testing in the interest of the child – that is, a case where remote testing would be absolutely necessary – it can be considered.

  5. How are the students chosen to study at TIS based on the admission test?
    All applicants need to get a passing grade for each section of the admission test to be admitted to TIS. If there are fewer available places than applicants having passed the test, the students will be accepted in the order of their admission test scores. Priority is also given to students whose mother tongue is English or whose parent(s) speak English, or the applicant otherwise has an international background.

  6. My child passed all the sections of the admission test but there were not enough places. What will happen now?
    Applicants who passed all the sections of the admission test but did not receive a place can stay on a waiting list to wait for an opening. However, pupil places cannot be reserved or promised in advance.

  7. My child passed the test and we would like them to be admitted to TIS, but we still live abroad. Can my child be admitted anyway?
    No. Before a decision on admission can be made, the applicant and the applicant’s guardian must have a permanent home address in Turku (or in the municipalities covered by the agreement).

  8. My child did not pass all the admission test sections. Can they try again?
    Yes, but only the next school year.

    1st-graders are an exception to this principle: if there is space in the class, the applicant can be chosen to retake the test in August (before grade 1 begins). However, this can only be done for a justified reason and on a discretionary basis. The Admission test working group at TIS makes the decisions on who will be chosen to retake the test in August.

  9. My child will start in TIS. Who will cover the transport costs to school and back?
    The guardian is responsible for the pupil’s transport costs.

  10. What are these admission principles based on?
    TIS follows the City of Turku’s admission criteria. Please find more information about pupil admission in Turku here.