The Finnish Language and Culture Education for Immigrants
Is your mother tongue something other than Finnish and you want to learn the basics of the Finnish language and culture? Register for Basic Studies in the Finnish Language and Culture 1A, 1B or A2, which are organised as evening courses in Salpaus, Lahti, Finland.
The education focuses on the Finnish language, everyday skills, study skills, working life skills, social and cultural knowledge as well as personal and professional needs.
We study the vocabulary and phrases of everyday life together. The topics of the 1A and 1B courses include personal life, home, free-time and work. In the 2A course, we practice everyday communication situations, and the topics include free-time, hobbies, nature, health, education and holidays. The course textbook is either Suomen mestari 1 (renewed edition) or Suomen mestari 2.
Basic Studies in the Finnish Language and Culture 1 A (starting level 0)
Is your native language something other than Finnish, and you want to learn the basics of Finnish language and culture? Register for the Basic Studies in Finnish Language and Culture 1A training.
Training Content
- Finnish Language
- Everyday Skills
- Study Skills
- Social Knowledge and Cultural Awareness
- Work Skills
We study together vocabulary and phrases for everyday life. Topics include, for example, getting to know, me and my close circle, weather, time, daily routine – easy communication and interaction situations. The textbook used in the training is Suomen mestari 1 (revised edition), chapters 1-5. The student buys the book themselves.
Training Date and Time
August 13 – December 17, 2025 on Mondays and Wednesdays, 16.30–19.00
Total training duration is 175 hours (includes contact hours and remote tasks).
Registration period
June 16 – August 3, 2025
Basic Studies in the Finnish Language and Culture 1 B (starting level A1.2, target level A1.3)
Is your native language something other than Finnish, and you want to learn the basics of the Finnish language and culture? Join the Basic Studies in Finnish Language and Culture 1B course at Salpaus. This course is a continuation of Basic Studies in Finnish Language and Culture 1A.
Training Content
- Finnish Language
- Everyday Skills
- Study Skills
- Social Knowledge and Cultural Awareness
- Work Skills
We study everyday vocabulary and phrases together. Our topics include, for example, personal life, home and living, leisure time, work – easy communication and interaction situations. The textbook used in the training is Suomen mestari 1 (revised edition), chapters 1-5. The student buys the book themselves.
Training Date and Time
August 13 – December 17, 2025 on Mondays and Wednesdays, 16.30–19.00 (not during week 43)
Total training duration is 175 hours (includes contact hours and remote tasks).
Registration period
June 16 – August 3, 2025
Basic Studies in the Finnish Language and Culture 2 A (starting level A1.3)
Is your native language something other than Finnish, and you want to learn the basics of the Finnish language and culture? Join the Basic Studies in Finnish Language and Culture 2A course at Salpaus.
Training Content
- Finnish Language
- Everyday Skills
- Study Skills
- Social Knowledge and Cultural Awareness
- Work Skills
We study everyday vocabulary and phrases together. Our topics include, for example, travel, health and illness, nature and environment, leisure time and hobbies – easy communication and interaction situations. The textbook used in the training is Suomen mestari 2 (revised edition), chapters 1-4. The student buys the book themselves.
We study everyday vocabulary and phrases together. Our topics include, for example, easy communication and interaction situations. The textbook used in the training is Suomen mestari 1 (revised edition), chapters 1-5. The student buys the book themselves.
Training Date and Time
August 14 – December 18, 2025 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 16.30–19.00 (not during week 43)
Total training duration is 175 hours (includes contact hours and remote tasks).
Registration period
June 16 – August 3, 2025
Basic Studies in the Finnish Language and Culture 2 B (starting level A2.3, target level A2.1)
Is your native language something other than Finnish, and you want to learn the basics of the Finnish language and culture? Join the Basic Studies in Finnish Language and Culture 2B course at Salpaus. This course is a continuation of Basic Studies in Finnish Language and Culture 2A.
Training Content
- Finnish Language
- Everyday Skills
- Study Skills
- Social Knowledge and Cultural Awareness
- Work Skills
We study everyday vocabulary and phrases together. Our topics include, for example, , celebrations and customs, education and work, easy communication and interaction situations. The textbook used in the training is Suomen mestari 2 (revised edition), from chapter 5 onwards. The student buys the book themselves.
Training Date and Time
August 14 – December 18, 2025 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 16.30–19.00 (not during week 43)
Total training duration is 175 hours (includes contact hours and remote tasks).
Registration period
June 16 – August 3, 2025
Basic Studies in the Finnish Language and Culture 3 A (starting level A2.1)
If your native language is not Finnish but you have good basic communication skills in Finnish, or you have completed the Basic Studies 2 course, you can participate in the Finnish Language and Culture Basic Studies 3A course at Salpaus to further strengthen your skills.
Training Content
- Finnish Language
- Everyday Skills
- Study Skills
- Social Knowledge and Cultural Awareness
- Work Skills
- Content according to personal and professional needs
We study everyday vocabulary and phrases together.Topics include, for example, environmental protection, culture, history and society, email communication.
The textbook used in the training is Suomen mestari 3 (revised edition), chapters 1-5. The student buys the book themselves.
Training Date and Time
August 14 – December 18, 2025 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 16.30–19.00 (No classes during week 43)
Total training duration is 175 hours (includes contact hours and remote tasks).
Registration period
June 16 – August 3, 2025
Basic Studies in the Finnish Language and Culture 3 B (starting level A2.1+)
If your native language is not Finnish but you have good basic communication skills in Finnish, or you have completed the Basic Studies 2 course, you can participate in the Finnish Language and Culture Basic Studies 3A course at Salpaus to further strengthen your skills.
Training Content
- Finnish Language
- Everyday Skills
- Study Skills
- Social Knowledge and Cultural Awareness
- Work Skills
We study everyday vocabulary and phrases together. Topics include, for example, family life, cultural differences, home technology, sports.
The textbook used in the training is Suomen mestari 3 (revised edition), from chapter 5 onwards. The student buys the book themselves.
Training Date and Time
August 14 – December 18, 2025 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 16.30–19.00
(No classes during week 43)
Total training duration is 175 hours (includes contact hours and remote tasks).
Registration period
June 16 – August 3, 2025
Payment
Price is €120 (VAT 0 %) for each training course.
Please, familiarize yourself with our cancellation terms and billing practices.
Registration period
June 16 – August 3, 2025
The training will be implemented if there are at least 16 participants.
Location
Salpaus Further Education, Svinhufvudinkatu 10, FI-15110 Lahti, Finland.
National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) intermediate level test – preparatory training and test
Do you want to prepare for the National Certificates of Language Proficiency intermediate level test? Participate in the preparatory training at Salpaus, familiarize yourself with the task types, and practice them.
Preparation for the National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) intermediate level test, minimum starting level A2.2.
Training Content
You will study Finnish at the level required for the YKI test. You will also practice various task types included in the YKI test. The areas covered in the training include:
- Understanding spoken Finnish
- Speaking
- Understanding written texts
- Writing
Training Goals
You will be better prepared to pass the YKI test.
Training Date and Time
August 5 – August 28, 2025, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 16.30 to 19.00
Payment
Price is €40 (VAT 0 %).
Please, familiarize yourself with our cancellation terms and billing practices.
Registration period
Register by July 29, 2025.
Location
Salpaus Further Education, Svinhufvudinkatu 10, FI-15110 Lahti, Finland.
National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI)
YKI tests are available in Finnish, English, Italian, and Russian. You can take the basic or intermediate level test in English, Russian, or Italian, or the intermediate level test in Finnish at Salpaus.
The YKI tests are developed in Finland, based on law (964/2004) and the European Framework of Reference for Languages, allowing anyone to get an assessment of their language skills.
Test: National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI test)
YKI tests – Course Content
The test consists of four subtests:
- Understanding written texts
- Writing
- Understanding spoken language
- Speaking
The basic and intermediate level test lasts approximately 5 hours.
The test is conducted in a classroom (for understanding written texts and writing) and in a language lab (for understanding spoken language and speaking).
Steps for registrations
Registration is done electronically through Opintopolku.fi
- Go to the registration page.
- Select the language: Finnish, English, Russian or Italian.
- Choose the basic or intermediate level.
- Select city: Lahti.
- Find Koulutuskeskus Salpaus and click the green button to register.
- Authenticate via Suomi.fi (with bank credentials) if possible. If you don’t have credentials, authenticate via email. A link to register will be sent to your email.
After registration, you will receive a payment link via email. You must pay the test fee within the specified time frame in the registration confirmation. If you forget to pay, your test spot will be canceled.
If you have dyslexia, hearing, or vision difficulties, you can apply for special arrangements. Note that you need to fill out the Special arrangements application form. Send the form as soon as possible to the test location: Koulutuskeskus Salpaus / Larissa Rauss, Svinhufvudinkatu 10, 15110 Lahti.
An expert statement (e.g., a doctor’s note) should be sent by mail to the University of Jyväskylä’s Center for Applied Language Studies.
For detailed registration instructions, more information on special arrangements, and the application form, please refer to the provided guidelines.
You can register for
- General Language Examination (YKI) basic level test in English
- General Language Examination (YKI) intermediate level test in English
- General Language Examination (YKI) basic level test in Italian
- General Language Examination (YKI) intermediate level test in Italian
- General Language Examination (YKI) basic level test in Russian
- General Language Examination (YKI) intermediate level test in Russian
- General Language Examination (YKI) intermediate level test in Finnish
