Information for Candidates

Links to information available elsewhere on the Board’s website:

• Examination dates
• Grade boundaries
• Features of a good answer
• Ordering certificates and test results

Dear candidate for the Autumn 2026 Matriculation Examination

This notice compiles the most important information related to participating in the Matriculation Examination. It is important that you read it carefully.

If you are planning to supplement your examination or retake tests after having already graduated, please contact your former general upper secondary school well in advance of the enrolment deadline. Follow the deadlines provided by your school. Enrolment for the spring examination must be completed by 1 December at the latest, and for the autumn examination by 5 June at the latest.

For more information, please refer to the Board’s general regulations and guidelines.

Contents of the Page

Voit siirtyä suoraan kyseiseen kohtaan tällä sivulla linkin kautta.

• Completing the Matriculation Examination and graduating
• Taking the test
• Enrolment
• Examination fees
• Retaking a failed test
• Retaking a passed test
• Supplementing the examination
• Absence from a test or submitting a blank test performance
• Compensation
• Restarting the examination after failing and including passed tests in a new examination
• Restarting the examination from the beginning while it is still incomplete
• Cancellation of enrolment
• Taking into account circumstances that adversely affect test performance
• Feedback surveys
• Requests to have results checked
• Request for an administrative review
• Publication of name information
• Matriculation Examination Certificate
• Viewing the test after final grading

The Board’s information pages on preparedness for sudden illness:

• Preparedness for sudden illness among candidates and invigilators

Also see:

• Conduct of the test session
• Instructions and materials in the test system (you will be redirected to another site)
• Formula editor used in the answer field (you will be redirected to another site)
• With the ILMO tool, you can test which subject combinations allow you to complete the Matriculation Examination under the new structure (you will be redirected to another site)

Completing the Matriculation Examination and graduating

The Matriculation Examination must be completed within a maximum of three consecutive examination rounds (see also “Retaking a failed test”). You may add new subjects to your examination during these three rounds. The examination languages are Finnish and Swedish, in accordance with the language of instruction in your general upper secondary school. Starting from autumn 2026, general upper secondary school studies may also be completed in English at schools that have been granted permission to provide education in English. The first English-language Matriculation Examinations will be held in autumn 2028. All tests must be taken in the same language. Your examination begins when you enrol for one or more tests for the first time.

Your examination is considered complete once you have passed the five required tests and completed the general upper secondary school syllabus or other qualifying studies (for example, in a vocational institution). You cannot graduate or receive your Matriculation Examination Certificate if your studies are incomplete. Check with your own school by when your studies must be completed. Your school reports completed studies to the Board by 5 May in the spring and by 4 November in the autumn. If your studies are delayed, your graduation will be postponed accordingly. See all graduation dates in subchapter 1.1.9 of the Board’s regulations.

To complete the examination, candidates must pass at least five tests. All candidates must take the test in mother tongue and literature. The Finnish or Swedish as a second language and literature test may be taken by candidates who are entitled to sit this test. You may choose the four other required tests from at least three of the following groups:

• second national language
• foreign language
• mathematics
• humanities and natural sciences

At least one of the five required tests must be based on the advanced syllabus. In addition, you may include one or more other tests in your examination. You may add new supplementary tests for up to three examination rounds. You can graduate with any combination of tests that meets the above requirements. Use the ILMO tool to explore which subject combinations allow you to graduate.

You may include tests at different levels in the same subject in your examination, for example both the basic and advanced mathematics tests. However, only one test in the same subject can count toward the five required tests.

You may also choose subjects included in the Matriculation Examination that are not offered at your own school.

After graduating, you may supplement your examination with new subjects.

Taking the test

All tests are taken in digital format. Familiarise yourself well in advance with how to complete the digital matriculation examination tests. If you are not an upper secondary school student, you can ask the principal of the school handling your enrolment how you can practise taking the digital matriculation examination test. You can explore the test system and instructions at cheat.abitti.fi.

The Abitti 2 test system will be introduced in the autumn 2026 Matriculation Examination. You can explore the Abitti 2 system at abitti.fi. When taking the Matriculation Examination using Abitti 2, you must bring a computer with an up-to-date version of the candidate application installed. You must install the application yourself before the test if your computer is not managed by your school.

Read more about using the candidate application and instructions related to the test at abitti.fi > For candidates > Joining and taking the test.

• You must bring a computer, its power cable and wired headphones to the test. All wireless devices (e.g. Bluetooth) are prohibited, even if used with a wired connection. Follow the instructions provided by your school.
• You must ensure that you have installed an up-to-date version of the Abitti 2 candidate application on your computer. In most cases, this means the latest version of the application.
• Make sure that, in the test system, you select in the test for which you have enrolled. Also choose the correct language version of the test. Separate versions of the tests are available for visually and hearing-impaired candidates. If you have enrolled for such a version and cannot find it in the system, ask an invigilator for assistance.
• If you complete the wrong test, your performance will be considered interrupted and will be failed. An interrupted test cannot be compensated.

You must comply with the Board’s regulations. Bringing a mobile phone or other electronic devices (such as smartwatches or smart rings) into the exam room is prohibited. Possession or use of wireless devices (such as Bluetooth headphones or wireless mice) is also prohibited.

Bringing prohibited devices into the exam room is considered an attempt to cheat. During the test, you may use only the materials provided in the test and the software and materials available in the test system (e.g. instructions, formulae and tables). Possession, use or attempted use of other materials is considered cheating.

If you start or attempt to start your computer in any system other than the test system during the test, this will be considered cheating. Switching user accounts during the test is also considered cheating.

Cheating or violating the examination regulations will result in all your tests in that examination round being failed, and you may be barred from enrolling for the next examination round.

Enrolment

When enrolling for the Matriculation Examination, follow the deadlines set by your general upper secondary school. Enrolment for the spring examination must be completed by 1 December at the latest, and for the autumn examination by 5 June at the latest.

Enrolment details must be submitted in writing to the principal in a manner approved by the school. Check that your details are correct. Your school may use an electronic enrolment system for the examination. Ask your school how to submit your enrolment details.

If you have already graduated and wish to retake tests or supplement your examination with new tests, enrol primarily through your former general upper secondary school. If that school no longer exists, enrol at another general upper secondary school in the same municipality or at the school closest to your place of residence.

Enrolment is binding. You cannot change your choices regarding subject combinations or the level of a test after enrolment. You may apply for changes to your enrolment details if you have an illness or another particularly compelling reason. After the deadline, the Board may accept a late enrolment only for a particularly compelling reason. You may cancel your enrolment approved by the principal in writing no later than 1 December for the spring examination and 5 June for the autumn examination.

Examination fees

If you are not entitled to free education under the Compulsory Education Act, you are required, after enrolling for the examination, to pay a fee for each individual test you have entered. Fees must be paid in accordance with the instructions provided by your general upper secondary school. Please contact your school if you have any questions regarding payment.

You may request a refund of individual test fees from the Board if you do not have the right to sit the test or if the Board has, upon your application, cancelled your enrolment. The fee for the mother tongue and literature test may be refunded only if you have not taken both the reading literacy and writing skills tests in the same examination round. A request for a refund must be submitted to the Board no later than by the end of the year in which the examination took place. You cannot be awarded a Matriculation Examination Certificate if you have not paid the examination fees. Please read the instructions for fee refunds on the Examination Fees page.

Completing tests free of charge

If you are entitled to free education under the Compulsory Education Act, you may also complete matriculation examination tests free of charge. If you have started your free studies in a general upper secondary school or a vocational institution, you may be entitled to take tests without paying fees.

If you are covered by the free-of-charge provision, you may complete the first five tests free of charge. If you receive a failing grade in any of these five tests, you may resit that particular test free of charge. If you enrol for more than five tests in the same examination round, you may choose which of the tests in that round you will complete free of charge.

Your right to free tests ends when you have completed the Matriculation Examination, a vocational qualification, or equivalent studies abroad.

However, your right to free tests will end no later than the end of the calendar year in which you turn 20.

Please contact your school if you have any questions regarding free-of-charge provision.

Resitting a failed test

A failed test may be resat three times during the three immediately following examination rounds. A person who has completed the Matriculation Examination may resit a failed test as many times as they wish.

When resitting a failed test, you may, if you wish, change from a more demanding level to a test based on a shorter syllabus. Changing the level requires that your set of required tests still includes at least one test based on the advanced syllabus. If the time limit expires or you do not obtain a passing grade even on the third resit, you must complete the entire examination again (see Starting the examination again after a failed examination).

A failed test is not recorded on the certificate. However, a failed grade will be entered on the certificate if you complete the examination despite a failed grade (see compensation).

Resitting a passed test

A passed test may be resat as many times as you wish. You may choose the timing of the resit yourself. If you resit a test before receiving your Matriculation Examination Certificate, the better grade obtained for that test will be recorded on the certificate. You may also resit a test in which you have received the grade laudatur, if you wish.

The possibility to resit passed tests an unlimited number of times applies to all candidates, regardless of when the passed test was originally completed or how many times it has previously been resat.

Supplementing the examination

It is possible to supplement your examination with new tests after you have completed the examination. You may choose the timing of the supplementation yourself. You may also supplement the examination by taking a test in a subject you have already completed at a different level. You may resit the test as many times as you wish.

Absence from a test or submitting an empty test

If you do not attend the test session or do not submit a test for assessment, the test will be considered failed. Such a test cannot be compensated (see Compensation). Merely logging into the test system is not accepted as a test performance. If you do not answer any of the tasks in the test, there is no test to assess, and compensation is not possible.

A passing grade in the test in mother tongue and literature requires that you have completed both the reading literacy test and the writing skills test. If either part is missing, the overall performance is considered incomplete, in which case your entire performance is failed.

You cannot graduate (i.e. be awarded the Matriculation Examination Certificate) if you are missing a test performance in any of the tests required for the examination.
 

Compensation

Compensation means that you may still have the opportunity to complete the Matriculation Examination even if you do not receive a passing grade in one of the required tests. In compensation, the passing grades obtained in the other tests required for the examination are taken into account.

If you do not receive a passing grade in a required test but complete the examination through compensation, you may resit the failed test later as many times as you wish. You may choose the timing of the resit yourself.

Read more: What are compensation points and how do they work?

Starting the examination anew after a failed examination and inclusion of passed tests in a new examination

If you do not complete the examination successfully within the prescribed time, your examination will be deemed failed. However, tests that you have passed may be included in a new examination. Tests completed with a passing grade from the six previous examination rounds are automatically included in the new examination. Tests older than this cannot be included. Each test included in the new examination will expire after six examination rounds if you still have not completed all the tests required for the examination.

Please contact your school if you do not wish to include previously passed tests in your new examination.

Restarting the examination while it is still in progress

If, for particularly compelling reasons, you wish to restart the examination from the beginning while it is still in progress, you must request written permission from the Board. You cannot include the approved tests from the unfinished examination in the new examination.

Cancellation of enrolment

Enrolment is binding. If you have enrolled for the examination and have the right to participate, absence from a test will be counted as a used attempt. You may submit an application to the Board requesting cancellation of your enrolment if there is a particularly compelling reason for your absence from the test. Your application must include supporting documentation, such as a medical certificate for illness, a certificate of studies or employment abroad during the examination round, or a certificate confirming an obstacle due to military service. Studying or working in Finland, or military service alone, is not sufficient grounds for cancelling an enrolment. The Board will decide, on the basis of your application, whether your enrolment will be cancelled.

Cancelling an enrolment does not extend the time allowed to complete the Matriculation Examination. Enrolment for the mother tongue and literature test may be cancelled if, for a valid reason, you are prevented from taking either the reading literacy test or the writing skills test, or both, during the same examination round.

Taking into account circumstances that adversely affect test performance in the Matriculation Examination

The Board may take into account circumstances that adversely affect test performance in the Matriculation Examination if you have one of the following:

• an illness or disability
• a hearing impairment
• a visual impairment
• dyslexia
• a particularly difficult life situation
• insufficient command of the language of instruction (candidates with a foreign-language background)

The primary way of addressing such circumstances is to grant special arrangements for the test situation. Any score compensation is applied only to those tests that would be failed without additional points. Additional points for a failed test may be awarded regardless of whether special arrangements have been applied for or used. However, additional points cannot be awarded on the grounds of insufficient command of the language of instruction.

From the autumn 2026 examination onwards, tests will be conducted using the Abitti 2 system. This does not affect the special arrangements available.

For further information, contact your general upper secondary school or visit the Board’s website. Statements and applications must be submitted to the Board in accordance with the deadlines specified in the regulations.

Feedback survey

The Matriculation Examination Board collects feedback on tests in each examination round from candidates and general upper secondary school staff. Information on the opening of the feedback surveys will be published separately on the Board’s website and social media channels. Please respond to the feedback survey, as the feedback received is important for the development of the Matriculation Examination.

Requests to check the results

Once the results have been finalised, you will receive them from your general upper secondary school. Your results and your assessed test performances will also be available in the My Studyinfo service. If you suspect that there are errors in the results, contact your teacher or the principal to have the matter clarified.

Request for administrative review

If you suspect that an error has occurred in the assessment, you may submit a request for administrative review to the Board. The request must be submitted within 14 days of the date on which you have had the opportunity to access your assessed test performance. A request for administrative review may be submitted by the candidate or, in the case of a candidate under 18, by their guardian. You may also authorise another person to submit the request on your behalf. In such cases, you must provide that person with a letter of authorisation, which must be attached to the request. Instructions on how to submit a request for administrative review are available on the Board’s website. A fee is charged for submitting a request. The fee is paid in the electronic service in connection with submitting the request. The fee will be refunded if the grade or score changes as a result of the administrative review.

Publication of names

Both the Board and the general upper secondary school have the right to release the names of successful candidates for publication, for example to the media, after the accuracy of the information has been verified. If you do not wish your name to be published, you must request in writing or electronically, well in advance, that your name be removed from the list intended for publication. Submit your request to the principal well before the results are finalised. If you are missing course credits, you are not considered to have completed the Matriculation Examination and your name will not be included on the list.

Matriculation Examination Certificate

The Matriculation Examination Certificate will be sent to your general upper secondary school once you have successfully completed the tests required for the examination and have also received your school leaving certificate or a certificate of completion of a vocational qualification.

Remember to collect your Matriculation Examination Certificate from your school. It is not possible to collect the certificate directly from the Board’s secretariat.

In addition to the paper certificate, new graduates will also receive a digital certificate. You can download the digital certificate from the My Studyinfo service. The information in the digital certificate will be updated if you retake tests or supplement your examination (see Retaking an Approved Test and Supplementing the Examination).

Read more about the Matriculation Examination Certificate here.

Access to test performances after final assessment

Your test performances will be made available to you in the My Studyinfo service without a separate request (see Requests to check the results and Request for administrative review). For digital test performances from spring 2019 or earlier, you may order a paid printout in accordance with the instructions on the Board’s website.