Usein kysyttyä

Test environment

What is the digital test environment Abitti?

Abitti is the digital exam system used to sit the Finnish matriculation examination. It gives every candidate a fair, secure and reliable computer-based test environment.

On a test day, candidates bring their laptop and start it using the dedicated candidate application, which locks out the computer's usual files and programmes. The laptop connects to a closed exam network with no internet access. This network links the candidates' computers to a group of exam-room servers, which distribute the questions and materials and store the answers as they're submitted.

The system is built to tolerate faults: if a server or network component fails, it can be replaced or restarted without candidates losing the answers they've already given. Security relies on both technical restrictions, which block access to forbidden content and functions, and monitoring, which flags attempts at cheating that can't be blocked outright.

A new version, Abitti 2, will replace the old system that relied on USB sticks from the autumn 2026 examinations onwards.

Certificates

How does the grading system work in the Finnish Matriculation Examination?

The grading system in the Finnish Matriculation Examination ensures fairness and comparability by using a standardized approach. The Board's censors assess each candidate's test according to predetermined criteria. Starting from 2014, score limits are determined based on the average of standardized total scores, improving comparability across different subjects and tests. This method takes into account the distribution of participants over two successive examination periods. The aim is to have properly comparable examinations and grades, allowing the reliable and fair use of Matriculation Examination grades for university admissions and other higher education institutions.

Read more in Assessment of the Examination.

How to validate a Matriculation Examination Certificate?

Validating of a Certificate of the Matriculation can be done in the Digital and Population Data Services agency's web service. Read the instructions for validation here.

How will candidates receive their Matriculation Examination Certificates?

Candidates will receive their Matriculation Examination Certificates at the end of the examination period after passing all four compulsory tests. From June 2023, the certificates will be available in digital format (pdf-file) in addition to the paper certificate. Digital certificates are validated by a digital signature by the Matriculation Examination Board.

More about the certificates here.

Matriculation Examination in English

How does the English-language matriculation examination differ from the Finnish- or Swedish-language examination?

The English-language matriculation tests are administered as translation tests, meaning their content is the same as that of the Finnish- and Swedish-language tests. The structure of the examination is identical to that of the Finnish- and Swedish-language matriculation examinations. The mother tongue and literature test is taken as Finnish as a second language and literature if the school also provides Finnish-language general upper secondary education, and as Swedish as a second language and literature if the school also provides Swedish-language general upper secondary education.

How does the language of instruction in a general upper secondary school affect the completion of the English-language matriculation examination?

The language of instruction in a general upper secondary school is Finnish or Swedish, and it affects the completion of the English-language matriculation examination. If a candidate completes the English-language matriculation examination in a school where the language of instruction, in addition to English, is Finnish, they will take the Finnish as a second language and literature test as their mother tongue and literature test, as well as the second national language test in Swedish. In addition, the candidate will be issued, alongside the English-language matriculation certificate, a matriculation certificate in Finnish.

The same principles apply to Swedish-language schools, with language choices determined according to the Swedish language of instruction.

Who can supplement their matriculation examination with tests in English?

A person who has successfully completed the matriculation examination in English may supplement their examination with tests in English. A person who has completed the matriculation examination in another language may also supplement their examination with tests in English. However, the education provider is not obliged to offer this opportunity to a candidate who has completed the examination in another language.

Who is eligible to participate in the matriculation examination in English?

Participation in English-language general upper secondary education and the matriculation examination is strictly regulated by law. A candidate taking the English-language matriculation examination must be enrolled in a general upper secondary education programme that is specifically designed to lead to the English-language matriculation examination.

The examination may also be taken by a person who has previously completed the general upper secondary syllabus in English, for example abroad. It is also open to a person who has studied or is studying a vocational qualification in English and does not have sufficient proficiency in Finnish or Swedish. Furthermore, a person who has completed the preparatory studies required for the IB Diploma, but not the diploma itself, and who lacks sufficient Finnish or Swedish language skills, may take the examination. The criteria for Finnish and Swedish language proficiency are defined in legislation.

Before sitting the tests, the candidate must have completed studies in the same way as for the Finnish- and Swedish-language matriculation examinations.

The examination can only be taken in a general upper secondary school that has an official authorisation to provide English-language education.