Vaasa Region » Education and Competence » Educational Opportunities

Educational Opportunities

In the following, all educational opportunities in the Vaasa region where the language of instruction is English are listed according to the system used by the Finnish National Board of Education.

www.opintoluotsi.fi offers plenty of information on studying in English in Finland. Do take a look at CIMO´s (Centre for International Mobility) pages as well.

Pre-school Education
The Vaasa English Playschool offers day care and an early childhood immersion program in English. At the pre-school level, several hours of the total weekly school time are conducted in Finnish.
Contact information:
Teirinkatu 2, FI-65350 Vaasa
Phone: +358 6 315 1411

Basic Education
Comprehensive school, grades 1-6
Vasa övningsskola
The school offers an English stream, where the instructing is based on method called Teaching Through English. The school emphasizes an individual study plan.
Contact information:
Kyrkoesplanaden 11-13, FI-65100 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 324 7702, Fax +358 6 324 7701

Comprehensive school, grades 7 - 9
Vasa övningsskola
The English stream continues at the junior high school level. Nearly half of the instruction is conducted in English.
Contact information:
Kyrkoesplanaden 11-13, FI-65100 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 324 7602, Fax +358 6 324 7608

Upper Secondary Education
Vasa övningsskola's IB section
offers The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, where the language of instruction is primarily English (aside from language studies). The IB Diploma is comparable to the Finnish Matriculation Examination and provides eligibility for higher education, both in Finland and abroad.
Contact information: Skolhusgatan 31, FI-65100 VASA
IB Coordinator Jockum von Wright
phone +358 6 324 7617
jockum.wright(at)abo.fi

Higher education 

Vaasa Consortium of Higher Education is a co-operation forum of the five universities and two polytechnics in Vaasa.

University Education

The University of Vaasa offers the following study programmes in English:
Scandinavian Business Studies
International Business Programme
East-West Business Studies
International Programme in Finance
Multimedia Authoring Systems
Intercultural Studies in Communication and Administration
International Programme in Telecommunication
Contact information:
P.O. Box 700, FI-65101 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 324 8111 (exchange), Fax +358 6 324 8208

Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration (Hanken)
Hanken offers studies leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral Degrees.
Contact information:
P.O. Box 287, FI-65101 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 353 3700, Fax +358 6 353 3703

The Open University at Hanken offers courses in Business and Economics studies and also language courses Swedish for Foreigners 1 and 2.

Åbo Akademi University in Vasa offers studies in English within Education, Teacher Education, Social Sciences and Developmental Psychology as well as language courses. For English speaking students studies can be adjusted and arranged according to individual preferences.
Contact information:
International Office
Strandgatan 2 B, P.O. Box 311, FI-65101 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 3247 203, Fax +358 6 3247 123

Polytechnic Education
Vaasa Polytechnic offers three degree programs in English: Information Technology, International Business and Tourism.
Contact information:
Phone: +358 6 326 3111, Fax: +358 6 326 3002

The Open Polytechnic also offers courses and study modules in English.

Vocational Education
Adult Education 
Language Courses 

Vaasa Vocational Institute offers a 3-year study programme in restaurant Meal production and Restaurant Service.
Contact information:
Student Affairs Office
Ruutikellarintie 4, FI-65100 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 326 7511 

Evangeliska folkhögskolan i Österbotten offers an open Immigration Programme, where emphasis is on the Finnish and Swedish languages and on the Finnish culture and society.
Contact information:
Strandgatan 21-22, FI-65100 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 317 4913

The Swedish Adult Education Centre of Vaasa (Arbis) offers courses in Swedish, Finnish and other languages, from beginners to advanced.
Contact information:
Kyrkoesplanaden 15, FI-65100 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 325 3500

The Finnish Adult Education Centre of Vaasa (Vaasa-opisto) offers courses in Finnish, Swedish and other languages, from beginners to advanced.
Contact information:
Pitkänlahdenkatu 43, FI-65101 Vaasa,
Phone +358 6 325 3496

Korsholm Adult Education Centre (Korsholms vuxeninstitut) offers language courses at all levels.
Contact information:
Skolvägen 1, Smedsby, FI-65610 Korsholm
Phone +358 6 327 7260

Vaasa Adult Educational Centre (VAKK) offers courses in Finnish, Swedish and other languages at a number of levels.
Contact information:
Runsorintie 1, FI-65380 Vaasa
Phone +358 6 213 5111
vakkinfo(at)vaasa.fi