History of the Matriculation Examination

The Matriculation Examination originated in the entrance examinations of the Academy of Turku, which assessed candidates’ knowledge of the basics of Latin and Christian doctrine. In 1852, the examination was linked to the general upper secondary school syllabus for the first time. This is regarded as the beginning of the modern Matriculation Examination. Over the course of more than 170 years, the Matriculation Examination has become a national institution and a central part of the Finnish school and university system.

Education for all

According to former Chair of the Matriculation Examination Board (1998–2006) and Emeritus Professor Aatos Lahtinen: “The Matriculation Examination has been an essential factor in the development of Finnish education. As an examination equal for all, it has also served as a pathway for social mobility by enabling talented individuals, regardless of their social background, to participate in building and developing Finnish society and culture.”

Society has changed dramatically over the past 170 years. The matriculation examination has also evolved in order to preserve its educational significance in a changing society. It has become the final examination of general upper secondary school, measuring the knowledge, skills and maturity acquired during upper secondary studies. At the same time, it is an important tool for evaluating upper secondary education. The examination provides general eligibility for higher education. Its role in student selection for universities and other higher education institutions is now increasing again.

The number of graduates has risen substantially. In the 1850s, around one hundred candidates completed the examination each year; in 1920, approximately one thousand; and in 1950, about 4,000. From that point onwards, the number grew rapidly. In the early 2000s, around 35,000 candidates completed the examination annually, representing more than half of the age cohort.

An ever‑evolving examination

Originally, the Matriculation Examination consisted of oral tests. The statutes of 1852 introduced written tests alongside the oral ones for the first time. However, the examination was still entirely conducted at the university. Written tests were transferred to general upper secondary schools in 1874. Oral tests were not abolished until the decree of 1919. At that time, five compulsory tests were prescribed: the test in the mother tongue, the test in the second national language, the test in a foreign language, the test in mathematics, and, as a new test, the test in humanities and natural sciences.

Special matriculation examinations for military personnel were organised in the 1940s. These included only three compulsory tests: the test in the mother tongue, the test in a foreign language, and either the test in mathematics or the test in humanities and natural sciences. The decree of 1947 formalised the option between mathematics and humanities and natural sciences, reducing the number of compulsory tests to four. At the same time, candidates were allowed to take additional tests.

In 1994, it became possible to complete the examination over a longer period, across a maximum of three consecutive examination rounds. This periodicised matriculation examination has gained considerable popularity: today, around two thirds of candidates complete their examination over multiple examination rounds.

The 1994 reform proposal also included a revision of the structure of the examination. From 1995 onwards, a pilot was conducted by decision of the Ministry of Education in which the structure of the examination was somewhat more flexible than in the standard examination. The structure consisted of four compulsory tests and additional optional tests chosen by the candidate. Candidates following the pilot structure first took part in the matriculation examination in spring 1996. The revised structure gave students better opportunities than before to demonstrate their particular strengths.

The piloted structure was confirmed to apply to all upper secondary students in 2005, and in the same year a reform of the tests in humanities and natural sciences was also confirmed. Today, separate tests are held in religion, worldview studies, psychology, philosophy, history, social studies, physics, chemistry, biology, geography and health education. The tests in humanities and natural sciences include interdisciplinary tasks.

Mother tongue the only compulsory subject for all

The mother tongue test is the only compulsory test for all candidates. It can be taken in Finnish, Swedish or Sámi. In addition to the mother tongue test, the candidate selects three other compulsory tests from the following four: the second national language test, a foreign language test, the mathematics test and a test in humanities and natural sciences.

The mother tongue test has been a compulsory part of the Matriculation Examination from the very beginning, since 1852. Its status has been strong. Until 1971, a failed performance in the mother tongue test meant failing the entire Matriculation Examination. Since 1970, the mother tongue subject has included two test sittings. From 1992 onwards, candidates were offered source-based tasks in the first sitting and traditional essay titles in the second sitting. The final grade was determined on the basis of the better performance.

Since 1994, the mother tongue test has also been available in Sámi languages. It has been possible to take the test in North Sámi since 1994, in Inari Sámi since 1998, and in Skolt Sámi since 2012.

Since 1996, a candidate whose mother tongue is neither Finnish, Swedish nor Sámi has been able to take a Finnish or Swedish as a second language test instead of the mother tongue test. Since 1996, a candidate has also been able, if they so wish, to take the mother tongue test in that language instead of the second national language test.

The current mother tongue test consists of two parts. Between 2007 and 2018 it included a text skills test and an essay test. Since autumn 2018, the mother tongue test has consisted of a reading comprehension test and a writing skills test. These tests are held on separate days, and the grade in the mother tongue is determined on the basis of the weighted total score from these tests. In Sámi, only the writing skills test is organised.

The Mathematics test included from the outset

The Mathematics test has been one of the compulsory tests of the matriculation examination since 1852. Initially, the test was oral, although a blackboard could be used as an aid. The Mathematics test became a written test in 1874. It comprised ten tasks, of which at least three had to be completed. Logarithm tables could be used as an aid in solving the tasks. At first, the mathematics test was the same for all candidates. The basic-syllabus mathematics test was introduced in 1901.

In the so-called wartime Matriculation Examinations of the 1940s, mathematics was exceptionally optional alongside the test in humanities and natural sciences. The 1947 decree on the matriculation examination made this optionality permanent. Partial compulsory status for mathematics was reintroduced in 1962 by making the advanced-syllabus mathematics test compulsory for those who had completed at least 15 weekly lessons in the subject. Until the 1960s, both tests contained ten tasks. After this, some tasks included alternatives due to different syllabi. In the basic-syllabus mathematics test, the number of applied tasks increased significantly in the 1990s. In 1996, optionality was restored so fully that candidates, regardless of the syllabus they had studied, could freely choose either the advanced or basic-syllabus mathematics test or the test in humanities and natural sciences.

Both the advanced and basic-syllabus mathematics tests were reformed in 2000 and 2016. Each test currently consists of 13 tasks, of which candidates may answer no more than ten. In part of the test, the use of technical aids is restricted. From autumn 2024 onwards, the mathematics tests will be reformed again, and the number of tasks will decrease slightly.

The history of the test in the second national language

The test in the second national language became part of the Matriculation Examination in 1874 as a compulsory test. Only during the wartime years (1918, 1940, 1942), when the examination was not held, was it possible to matriculate without taking the test in the second national language. In addition, in 1944, 1945 and 1946, exceptional wartime Matriculation Examinations were organised, comprising only three compulsory tests: the mother tongue test, a foreign language test, and alternatively either the mathematics test or the test in humanities and natural sciences. In Swedish-language schools, the foreign language test could be replaced by a test in the second national language. The test in the second national language has been reformed in the same way as foreign language tests. From 1965 onwards, a four-part test was trialled as an alternative. It consisted of a translation task into the language of instruction, a task to be completed in the language concerned, questions related to the language content, and a short essay. In 1972, the test was changed into a three-part format: a reading comprehension part, a short essay, and a listening comprehension test.

Fifty years of listening comprehension

Listening comprehension in foreign languages has been assessed in the Matriculation Examination for fifty years. Introduced as a trial in 1972, the practice was established permanently in 1974. Over 170 years, the foreign language test has become more diverse, and the current test includes a wide range of task types. The proportion of candidates’ own production has also been increased.

The examination already included a foreign language test in 1852. In addition to the mother tongue test and oral tests, candidates were required to complete a translation from their mother tongue into Latin or another foreign language. The Imperial Decree of 1874 stipulated the following regarding the foreign language test: “A translation from the pupil’s mother tongue into Latin, executed without serious grammatical errors; however, those who have not attended a general upper secondary school in which Latin is a compulsory subject are entitled to substitute the latter language with Russian, German or French.” Dictionaries could be used as aids in the language tests. 170 years ago, the foreign language was most often Latin. German was the most popular language in the early twentieth century. Today, the majority of candidates take the English language test.

The 1919 decree allowed candidates to take examinations in several languages within the time reserved for the foreign language test. In the test, depending on their choice, candidates were required to translate either from German, French or English into the language of instruction or from the language of instruction into the foreign language. From 1965 onwards, an alternative four-part format was trialled in the test in the second national language and in foreign languages (English and German). It consisted of a translation task into the language of instruction, a task to be completed in the language concerned, questions related to the language content, and a short essay. In 1972, the test was changed into a three-part format: a reading comprehension part based on a foreign-language text, a short essay, and a listening comprehension test. The trial arrangement was extended nationwide by decree in 1974.

The foreign language test based on the basic syllabus is offered in Latin, English, German, French, Russian, Sámi, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Classical Greek was also included in the language selection until 2002. A listening comprehension part was added to the Spanish test in 1997 and to the Italian test in 2000.

Digitalisation brings new opportunities for developing the examination

Digitalisation has advanced by leaps and bounds throughout the 21st century. In line with the programme of Prime Minister Katainen’s government, the Board began to prepare for the introduction of information and communication technology in the Matriculation Examination. The aim of the reform was to improve the assessment of the achievement of curriculum objectives: the new technology was seen as enabling the development of the examination and its tasks to better measure information retrieval, information management skills and the maturity of candidates’ thinking skills. General upper secondary schools were also to be encouraged to make greater use of information technology in teaching. Following the completion of the Board’s preliminary study in January 2013, the development project for a digital examination, Digabi, was launched later the same year.

The first digital tests were organised in autumn 2016. At that time, most of the examination was still completed on paper, but the tests in philosophy, geography, and German (both basic and advanced syllabi) were taken in the digital test system, accounting for around five per cent of all tests in the examination round. The spring 2019 examination was the first fully paperless examination round, in which all tests were organised digitally. The digital Matriculation Examination is continuously being developed, and the next major step will be the discontinuation of USB flash drives in a few years’ time.

Many of the objectives of digitalisation have already been achieved: various videos and other digital materials are now widely used. There is also ongoing discussion about introducing oral tests as part of language tests. If this happens, the examination’s 170-year history will come full circle.

A structural reform increased the number of required tests

The most recent major change in the history of the Matriculation Examination is the reform of its structure, introduced from the spring 2022 examination onwards. The reform retained the broad optionality of tests but increased the number of required tests from four to five. All candidates are still required to include the mother tongue and literature test in their examination. In addition, the examination must include at least four different tests from at least three of the following groups: mathematics, the second national language, a foreign language, and a test in humanities and natural sciences.