IB Tikkurila FAQ
What does PRE-DP mean?
Pre-DP (=pre-Diploma) means 10th school year, a preparatory year prior to the IB Diploma program. In Finland, upper secondary level education lasts for three years, which is why the 2-year IB DP program is complemented with one pre-DP year.
What does IB1 mean?
DP1 = 11th year
DP2 = 12th year (final year)
Does the school accept older students?
No, it does not. IB DP is for students of 15 to 19 years of age.
Can I apply to IB if I don't speak Finnish?
Only if you can study your native language in IB as a so-called self-taught language and if your native language is mentioned on the IBO's list. Please see the instructions for applicants. IB Diploma always requires two languages. To study English only is not an option. We offer, however, Finnish for beginners at pre-DP. Some students have been able to study Finnish B in the Diploma program on the basis of the pre-DP year.
What is the level of English required for IB studies?
Either you have an international school background or you have achieved good skills in the national English A program. Finnish jr high is a good basis for the IB DP!
The national application form is only in Finnish and I don't speak Finnish. What should I do?
Please contact Opintopolku / Studyinfo at their website (Studyinfo.fi / Opintopolku.fi).
Can I apply to both, PRE-DP and DP1?
Yes, you can, if you have completed / will complete 10th year by August. Some applicants that qualify for DP1 will still apply to pre-DP because they want to improve their Math or English skills. If you reside in Finland, you will take the DP1 entrance exam which can also be assessed according to the pre-DP criteria.
If I'm not attending a school at the moment who will fill out the appraisal form?
Contact your former school and ask them to fill out the form.
What do I need for the entrance examination?
You only need to bring your ID (an ID card or your passport). The school will provide a pen and an eraser.
Is it necessary to apply individually to each school in Helsinki region or is there a centralized process?
All applying to pre-DP must apply through the Finnish centralized system called Studyinfo. Those applying to DP1 only must send their applications separately to each school. Espoo, Helsinki, and Vantaa use the same forms (appraisal form + application form) so you only must fill out the form once even if you apply to several schools. However, you have to send the form separately to every school, in our case to ib.admissions@vantaa.fi.
If I apply with a non-Finnish certificate, should I participate in the entrance exam?
If you apply to DP1 (or both to pre-DP and DP1) and reside in Finland, you should participate in our entrance exam on Apr 14. If you apply to pre-DP only with a non-Finnish certificate, you are not supposed to participate in our entrance exam. We can admit or not admit discretionary (=harkinnanvarainen) applicants on the basis of their school records. Applicant’s language profile must also meet the IB criteria. We do not admit applicants who do not have a legal guardian who lives in Finland.
Must I study Swedish?
Yes, you must study two courses Swedish at pre-DP if you have studied Swedish before, and one course (Swedish for beginners) if you have not studied Swedish before. After the pre-DP year, you don’t need to study Swedish but you can if you want.
Can I study Finnish for beginners?
At pre-DP, we teach three courses in Finnish for beginners in our pre-DP. If you study some extra independently in the pre-DP, you can continue your Finnish studies in the Diploma programme as Finnish B standard level (accepted by Finnish universities). However, you don’t need to study Finnish after pre-DP year if you study English and your native language (as self-taught) as your two compulsory languages.
Must I study Finnish?
Yes, you actually must study some Finnish at pre-DP. We teach Finnish as a native language (Finnish A), Finnish as a second or foreign language (Finnish B) and Finnish for beginners at pre-DP. After the pre-DP, you don’t need to study Finnish if you study English and your native language (as self-taught) as your two compulsory languages. However, if you want to apply to Finnish universities, you must remember that many of them require Finnish skills (Finnish B). E.g. Finnish medical schools and law schools require Finnish skills.