FAQ – Frequently ask questions
On this page, you can find answers to frequently asked questions about studying at Sataedu. If you cannot find the information you need, please contact us.
You can find contact details for study counselling, teaching and apprenticeship training in Sataedu’s staff contact directory.
For more information about Sataedu in English, visit sataedu.fi/inenglish.
Choosing a programme and vocational qualification
What vocational qualifications can I study at Sataedu?
At Sataedu, you can complete a vocational qualification, further vocational qualification or specialist vocational qualification. You can also complete individual qualification units instead of a full qualification.
Sataedu also offers continuing education and short courses.
What are the different types of vocational qualifications?
A vocational qualification is a good choice if you do not yet have a qualification or previous experience in the field. It gives you the basic vocational skills you need to work in the field.
A further vocational qualification is suitable if you already have a qualification or substantial competence in the field. It allows you to develop your professional skills further.
A specialist vocational qualification is suitable if you already have strong professional skills and extensive work experience. It allows you to deepen and broaden your professional competence.
Can I complete individual qualification units?
Yes. Instead of completing a full qualification, you can complete one or more qualification units. This is a good option if you want to develop your skills or explore a new field.
You can also work towards a full qualification by completing one qualification unit at a time, at a pace that suits your situation. Qualification units can also be completed through apprenticeship training, where you study mainly by working at a workplace.
How do I choose the right study programme at Sataedu?
Start by exploring Sataedu’s programmes and their descriptions (in Finnish).
If you are not sure which field or programme is right for you, Sataedu’s study counsellors can help you find a study path that suits your interests and goals.
Where can I study at Sataedu?
Sataedu has locations in Harjavalta, Huittinen, Kankaanpää, Kokemäki, Nakkila, Parkano, Rauma and Ulvila.
Some programmes can also be completed entirely online.
Who can I contact about Sataedu’s study programmes?
Sataedu’s study counsellors can help you with questions about choosing a programme, applying and studying.
You can also find more information on the programme page (in Finnish).
Applying to Sataedu and student selection
What are joint application and continuous admission?
Joint application is Finland’s national application system mainly for young people finishing basic education and applicants who do not yet have a qualification after basic education.
Continuous admission is a flexible way to apply to Sataedu at different times of the year. Available programmes may include vocational qualifications, further vocational qualifications, specialist vocational qualifications and individual qualification units.
Can I apply to Sataedu if I already have a qualification?
Yes. You can apply even if you already have one or more qualifications.
You can study for a qualification in a completely new field or develop and expand the competence you already have.
Can I change careers and study at Sataedu as an adult?
Yes. You can change careers and apply to Sataedu as an adult.
If it has been a long time since you last studied or you are not sure which programme would suit you, contact a Sataedu study counsellor. They can help you find a suitable study path.
What are the admission requirements for Sataedu’s study programmes?
Sataedu’s programmes are taught in Finnish, so you need sufficient Finnish language skills to study. Some qualifications have a specific Finnish language requirement. Your language skills may be tested if necessary.
Some qualifications also have requirements related to your health or functional capacity.
In certain fields, student admission is also subject to SORA regulations, which are Finnish rules concerning health, functional capacity and safety requirements in certain fields of education.
Vocational qualifications in social and health care, maintenance of instruments and equipment, and education and guidance include an aptitude test.
Which Sataedu programmes have an aptitude test?
Applicants to vocational qualifications in social and health care, maintenance of instruments and equipment, and education and guidance take an aptitude test.
What happens in the aptitude test and can I prepare for it?
The aptitude test assesses your suitability for the field. It includes a written test and an interview with a psychologist.
You do not need to prepare for the aptitude test in advance.
How does Sataedu select students?
The selection process depends on how you apply.
In joint application, Finland’s national application system for students finishing basic education, students are selected according to the national joint application criteria.
For other programmes, selection is based on an interview or aptitude test. For photography programmes, your portfolio, which includes samples of your work, also affects the selection.
Check the programme page for more information.
What should I do if I am not accepted into a programme?
Contact a Sataedu study counsellor. They can help you find other programmes or different ways to work towards your goal.
Can I apply to several Sataedu programmes at the same time?
Yes. You can apply to several programmes at the same time.
Studying at Sataedu
How much in-person teaching will I have at Sataedu?
Young students admitted through joint application, Finland’s national application system for students finishing basic education, receive in-person teaching and guidance five days a week.
In other programmes, the amount of in-person teaching depends on the programme and how it is organised. Check the programme page for more information.
Can I study online at Sataedu?
Yes. Sataedu offers programmes and courses that you can complete fully or partly online.
Check the programme page to see how the programme is organised.
What does blended learning mean at Sataedu?
Blended learning combines in-person teaching, online studies and independent study. The balance between these ways of studying depends on the programme.
Can I study part-time at Sataedu?
Part-time study may be possible depending on the programme and field.
If part-time study is possible in your programme, your studies will be planned to suit your situation. This is recorded in your personal competence development plan (HOKS), which is your individual plan for completing your studies.
Can I study at Sataedu while working?
Yes. Depending on the programme and how it is organised, you may be able to study while working.
Apprenticeship training combines studies with paid work. You learn mainly at the workplace and have an employment contract with your employer.
Will I have holidays during my studies at Sataedu?
Yes. Studies usually include autumn, Christmas, winter and summer holiday periods. Public holidays are also days off.
Holiday periods may vary between programmes. For example, labour market training, which is training for jobseekers organised in cooperation with employment services, may follow a different schedule, and studies may also continue during the summer.
Can I complete my studies faster at Sataedu?
Yes. The length of your studies depends on factors such as your previous skills and experience, your goals and how you progress in your studies.
Your studies are planned in your personal competence development plan (HOKS), which is your individual plan for completing your studies. If you would like to progress faster, discuss the options with your teacher. You can also get support from Sataedu’s Opastamo guidance services.
Apprenticeship training
What is apprenticeship training in Finland?
Apprenticeship training combines studies with paid work. You learn mainly at the workplace and have an employment contract with your employer.
You can study for a new profession, complete unfinished studies or develop your professional skills.
What qualifications can I complete through apprenticeship training at Sataedu?
You can complete any Sataedu qualification or individual qualification unit through apprenticeship training, which combines studies with paid work.
If you want to find out whether an apprenticeship would suit you, contact Sataedu’s apprenticeship contact person for your field.
Do I need to find a workplace for my apprenticeship myself?
Yes. You need to find a suitable workplace in your field before an apprenticeship agreement can be made.
An apprenticeship combines studies with paid work and is based on an employment relationship. If you are starting a new job, the apprenticeship is based on an employment contract with your employer. If you are already working and would like to study through an apprenticeship at your current workplace, discuss this with your employer.
How much will I be paid during apprenticeship training?
An apprenticeship is an employment relationship, so your employer pays you a salary according to the applicable collective agreement, which sets the minimum terms and conditions of employment in your field.
Your working hours must average at least 25 hours per week
Will I be paid for study days during my apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is based on an employment relationship, but your employer decides whether you will be paid for the time you study at Sataedu or in another learning environment outside your workplace.
If your employer does not pay you for these study days and you lose income as a result, you may be eligible for financial support for apprenticeship students. This can include a daily allowance, family allowance, travel allowance and accommodation allowance.
Payment for study days and possible allowances are agreed when your apprenticeship is arranged.
How do I apply for financial support for apprenticeship training?
As an apprenticeship student, you apply for these benefits in Wilma, Sataedu’s student information and communication service.
You can submit an application when your apprenticeship period has been recorded in the system and your bank account details have been added. Your application will be checked by a study secretary.
Workplace learning
What is workplace learning and how much of my studies will take place at a workplace?
Workplace learning means learning practical skills at a workplace as part of your vocational studies.
The amount of workplace learning depends on your qualification and your personal study plan. The skills and competence you already have may also affect how much workplace learning you need.
Do I need to find a workplace for my workplace learning myself?
If you are an apprenticeship student, you need to find a workplace for your apprenticeship yourself.
In other programmes, your teachers will help you find a suitable workplace for workplace learning, where you learn practical skills as part of your vocational studies. They can also use Sataedu’s network of workplace partners.
Can I choose where I complete my workplace learning?
You can tell us where you would like to complete your workplace learning. The workplace and your tasks there must allow you to develop the skills and competence required for your qualification.
When possible, we try to find a workplace close to where you live.
Study costs and financial support in Finland
What financial support can I get as a student in Finland?
If you study full-time, you may be entitled to student financial aid. Depending on your situation, student financial aid may include a study grant, a government guarantee for a student loan and a housing supplement. You may also be eligible for a school transport subsidy.
Check the current rules and eligibility requirements with Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.
If you are an unemployed jobseeker, you may in some situations be able to study while receiving unemployment benefit. Discuss your studies with the employment services before starting your studies.
Do I have to pay to study at Sataedu?
If you are covered by Finland’s compulsory education system, your upper secondary education is free of charge.
If you are not entitled to free education, there may be costs. Fees for further vocational qualifications, specialist vocational qualifications and their qualification units are shown on the programme pages. If your programme includes training for a specific card or certificate, you pay the fee for the card.
Students from outside the EU and EEA are charged an annual tuition fee. There are legal exemptions, for example based on certain residence permits. Check Sataedu’s tuition fee information (in Finnish) to see whether an exemption applies to you.
Previous studies and recognition of prior learning
Can I continue unfinished vocational studies at Sataedu?
Yes. You can apply to Sataedu again. Contact a study counsellor for your field. Together, you will look at the studies you have already completed and other skills and competence you have gained.
We will make a personal study plan for you, officially called a personal competence development plan (HOKS). It shows what you already know, what you still need to learn and how you will complete your remaining studies.
How does Sataedu recognise my previous skills and studies?
When you start your studies, we identify and take into account the skills and competence you already have. You may have gained them through previous studies, qualifications or work experience. This means that you do not need to study again what you already know.
Your previous skills and competence are recorded in your personal competence development plan (HOKS), which is your individual plan for completing your studies. The plan also describes what new skills you need, how you will gain them and what guidance or support you need. It is updated during your studies when necessary.
Support for students
What study and student welfare support can I get at Sataedu?
You can get support at different stages of your studies at Sataedu.
A study counsellor can help you plan your studies, make study and career choices, and develop your study skills. Study counselling is available to all students.
Student welfare services can support your health, wellbeing and ability to study. You can get support from a student health nurse, social worker or psychologist.
Finnish language studies and education for immigrants
Where can I study Finnish at Sataedu?
Sataedu provides integration training and Finnish language training for immigrants. In integration training, you learn Finnish and develop skills for studying, working and living in Finland.
Sataedu provides integration training in Huittinen, Kankaanpää and Rauma.
If you would like to take part in integration training, contact the employment services.
What education and training does Sataedu offer for immigrants?
Sataedu offers integration and Finnish language training as well as vocational education and training (VET) for immigrants. Sataedu also provides programmes that help you prepare for vocational studies.
Some programmes are offered as labour market training, which is training for jobseekers organised in cooperation with employment services.
Programmes and application periods vary, so always check the current programmes before applying. More information.
Can I study in English at Sataedu?
Sataedu’s vocational programmes are taught in Finnish, and vocational qualifications are completed in Finnish.
What level of Finnish do I need to study at Sataedu?
You need sufficient Finnish language skills to follow the teaching and study in Finnish.
In some fields, sufficient Finnish skills are also important for occupational safety.
Social and health care programmes and education and guidance programmes have specific Finnish language requirements. If you do not have a certificate showing your Finnish language skills, your skills may be tested.
Further studies and a new qualification
Can I apply to a university or university of applied sciences after a vocational qualification?
Yes. A Finnish vocational qualification makes you eligible to apply for higher education.
You can prepare for higher education while completing your vocational studies. At Sataedu, you can take pathway studies, which allow you to complete studies offered by a university of applied sciences as part of your vocational qualification.
You can also take general upper secondary school courses or complete the Finnish matriculation examination alongside your vocational studies.
Can I complete another vocational qualification?
Yes. You can study for a new qualification even if you already have one or more qualifications.
You can study in a completely new field or deepen your current professional competence by completing a further vocational qualification or specialist vocational qualification.
Sataedu user accounts and digital services
How do I reset my Sataedu password?
Students can reset their Sataedu password using Sataedu’s password reset service. You need access to the mobile phone number registered in your student information.
If you are a guardian or workplace instructor, contact Sataedu for help with resetting your password.
What should I do if I cannot log in to Sataedu’s systems?
First, try changing your Sataedu password.
If this does not solve the problem, contact Sataedu IT Support.
How can I log in to Sataedu’s services from abroad?
If you are studying or visiting abroad, you can access Sataedu’s systems using a verification code.
The code is sent to the mobile phone number registered in your Sataedu student information when you log in.
How can a guardian create a Sataedu Wilma account?
A guardian creates their own account in Wilma, Sataedu’s student information and communication service, using Suomi.fi identification, Finland’s online identification service.
A guardian of a student under the age of 18 can create an account. You need a working email address and Finnish online banking credentials or a mobile certificate for identification.
When the student turns 18, they can give permission for the guardian’s access to continue. If you cannot create an account, contact the Sataedu study office.
Where can I find Sataedu’s instructions for students?
As a student, you can find information and services for your studies in Aula, Sataedu’s student intranet. You log in to Aula with your Sataedu account, which you receive when your studies begin.
Sataedu’s website also provides practical instructions about passwords and user accounts, Wilma, Sataedu’s student information and communication service, and other student services.
Where can I find Sataedu Moodle and Wilma?
You can find links to Moodle, Sataedu’s online learning environment, and Wilma, Sataedu’s student information and communication service, in Aula, Sataedu’s student intranet, and at the bottom of the Sataedu website.
You can also go directly to the services:
- Moodle: moodle.sataedu.fi
- Wilma: sataedu.inschool.fi