Student Counselling in Upper Secondary Education (Lukio)
The goal of student counselling is to ensure that the students will receive necessary knowledge and skills to begin their studies in upper secondary education, to successfully complete them, and to find a place for their further studies.
Student counselling lessons cover issues that are common to all students, such as studies in the Finnish lukio and the Finnish matriculation exam, further studies, and questions related with their choice of profession and career planning. For example, students will be informed about the structure of their studies, optional subjects, and study techniques.
Student counsellors will also give the students personal guidance and support when they plan their further studies and professional careers.
To whom and on what terms
Each general upper secondary student is entitled to guidance counselling.
Basic information and legislation
General upper secondary students are entitled to regular guidance counselling as part of their studies. Students are also provided with counselling on how to pursue further studies.
As a general upper secondary student, you must prepare yourself a personal study plan, which sets out your study goals, matriculation examination plan, a plan for further studies and a career plan. You must prepare the plan at the start of your studies with the assistance of the teaching staff and it will be regularly updated as you are making progress with your studies.
You are entitled to counselling related to pursuing further studies and making career plans if you have completed the general upper secondary school syllabus and have not received a study place leading to a degree. You are entitled to the counselling in the next calendar year after completing the syllabus. The counselling is the responsibility of the education provider in whose educational institution you have completed the syllabus. The education provider may have centralised all post-examination guidance into one specific educational institution.
The purpose of the guidance is to ensure that the students are able to use the guidance and other counselling that they have received, will thoroughly examine further study options and are able to prepare meaningful further study and career plans during their general upper secondary studies.