Enrolling in School

Children born in 2018 will start their studies in basic education in the beginning of the school year 2025-2026.

Local school

The local school admission decision is made for every first-grader-to-be based on the child’s home address. The decision on your child’s local school will appear in Wilma student information system on 23 January 2025. The decision will be mailed on 23 January 2025 to guardians who have chosen to receive a written decision. 

Oulu University Teacher Training School will mail a written decision to guardians whose child’s local school Oulu University Teacher Training School is.
 

Out-of-catchment school

You can also apply for a place in a school other than your child’s local school. 

You must apply for an out-of-catchment school between 23 January and 13 February 2025. Fill in a separate electronic form Hakemus muuhun kuin osoitettuun lähikouluun 1. lk ("Application to an out-of-catchment school for grade 1"). Admissions are made by the school's regional manager.

The decision on your child’s admission to an out-of-catchment school will appear in Wilma student information system on 27 March 2025. The decision will be mailed on 27 March 2025 to guardians who have chosen to receive a written decision. 

If your child is admitted to an out-of-catchment school, you will be responsible for covering any school transportation expenses.

If you wish to apply for a place in Oulu University Teacher Training School, please fill in the electronic form Hakemus muuhun kuin osoitettuun lähikouluun (Application to an out-of-catchment school). The main application period is between 23 January and 13 February 2025.

If you are moving to a new address during the spring or the summer, please contact your local school's principal and the principal of your new local school (the school closest to your new address). If you are not sure what your new local school is, please contact your future regional manager. You can find the regional managers' contact information on our website concerning comprehensive schools and regions.
 

Admitting pupils from all regions

Oulu Christian School, Oulu Steiner School, Taikatahti School and the Swedish-language Svenska Privatskolan i Uleåborg admit pupils from all city regions. The schools are responsible for making their own admission decisions.

Oulu International School has an entrance exam. Read more about Oulu International School and applying for a place in OIS on the school website.
 

At any other times, please enroll your child in school by contacting your regional manager. You can find the regions and regional managers' contact information by clicking this link.

Local school

Pupils continue from primary school to lower secondary school following the regular practices.

The local school of your seventh-grader-to-be will be announced in Wilma system. The decision on admission will appear in Wilma 23 January 2025 in Hakemukset ja päätökset ("Applications and decisions") tab. A written decision will be mailed 23 January 2025 to guardians who have chosen to receive a written decision.

Out-of-catchment school

A guardian can apply for their child to study in a school other than the assigned local school. 

You can apply for a place in an out-of-catchment school between 23 January and 13 February 2025. Fill in the electronic form Hakemus koulunkäynnistä muussa kuin osoitetussa lähikoulussa 7. lk ("Application for an out-of-catchment school for 7th grade).

The decision on your child's admission will appear in Wilma 27 March 2025 in the Hakemukset ja päätökset ("Applications and decisions") tab. A written decision will be mailed to guardians who have chosen to receive one in 27 March 2025.

If a child is admitted to an out-of-catchment school, the guardian is responsible for covering the expenses of possible school transportation.

If you want to apply for a place in Oulu University Teacher Training School, please fill in the electronic form Hakemus koulunkäynnistä muussa kuin osoitetussa lähikoulussa 7. lk ("Application for an out-of-catchment school for 7th grade). The main application period is between 23 January and 13 February 2025.

Admitting pupils from all regions

Christian School of Oulu, Steiner School of Oulu, Taikatahti School and the Swedish-language Svenska Privatskolan i Uleåborg admit pupils from all city regions. These schools will make their own admission decisions. 

Applying for Oulu International School (OIS) requires taking an entrance test. Read more about OIS and how to apply on the school website.

At any other times, please enroll your child in school by contacting your regional manager. You can find the regions and regional managers' contact information by clicking this link.

Where can I find the application forms in Wilma?

The application for an out-of-catchment school and the application forms for special subject emphasis classes can be found 23 January - 13 February 2025 in the address: https://ouka.inschool.fi/browsecourses. 

The application for morning and afternoon care can be found in Wilma system. You need functioning Wilma credentials to use the system. The application form can be found in the Hakemukset ja päätökset ("Applications and decisions") tab. If you cannot see the tab in the main navigation bar on your browser, you can find it by clicking the additional menu (icon with three dots). On the top right-hand corner of the Hakemukset ja päätökset ("Applications and decisions") tab there is a brochure icon with a text ”Tee uusi hakemus" ("Fill in a new application"). By clicking the icon you can find all the different application forms.

Hakemukset ja päätökset ("Applications and decisions") does not function on the Wilma app. Please use the browser version by logging in in the address https://ouka.inschool.fi/

We are moving to Oulu from another city, what do I do?

If you are moving to Oulu in the middle of the school year, you can enroll your child in school by contacting your local school. If you are unsure about what your local school is, please contact your regional manager. You can find the regions and regional managers' contact information by clicking this link.

We are moving to another address in Oulu in the spring/summer, what do I do?

Inform both the current school and the future school about the move. If you are unsure about what your local school is, please contact your regional manager. You can find the regions and regional managers' contact information by clicking this link.

We are moving to another city before the beginning of the school year, what do I do?

If you move to another city before your child starts studying in grade 1, but your child has already been assigned a local school, please inform the assigned local school's principal about your move. If your child has already started studying in grade 1, please inform your current school about the move.

We are moving to another address in Oulu, can my child continue to study in their old school?

If a pupil is moving to another address in Oulu, they may continue to study in their old school until they finish the 6th or 9th grade. The guardian is responsible for any expenses regarding possible school transportation. You can apply for a place in school by filling in an electronic form "Hakemus koulunkäynnistä muussa kuin lähikoulussa" ("Application for an out-of-catchment school") found on the Opetuksen lomakkeet("Teaching forms") website.

We are moving to a neighboring city, can my child continue to study in Oulu?

If a pupil moves to a neighboring city during their basic education years, they may continue to study in their old school until they finish the passing school year. The guardian is responsible for any expenses regarding possible school transportation.  You can apply for a place by filling a form Hakemus koulunkäynnistä muussa kuin lähikoulussa ("Application for an out-of-catchment school") found on the Opetuksen lomakkeet ("Teaching forms") website. Return the form to your current school's principal.

My child needs school transportation, what do I do?

Pupil's school transportation expenses can be compensated by the principal's constitutional decision if the distance to the local school is more than 5 kilometers. School transportation is primarily organized by public transportation and service transportation. Separate bus and taxi transportation is organized secondarily if needed.

School transportation expenses can be compensated if the way to school is dangerous or due to a notable health reason. Your regional manager will make the decision by an expert opinion. A guardian can apply for a discretionary transportation subsidy for the school year by filling a separate form in Wilma system.

The principles of school transportation in early childhood education and care can be found on the website concerning school transportation.

I want to apply for a place (mid-school year) in another school, what do I do?

You can apply for a place in a school other than your current school by filling a paper form Hakemus koulunkäynnistä muussa kuin lähikoulussa ("Application for an out-of-catchment school") found on Opetuksen lomakkeet ("Teaching forms") website. Return the form to your child's current school's principal.

I want to apply for a place in Oulu University Teacher Training School (which is not our local school), what do I do?

You can apply for first and seventh grades in Oulu University Teacher Training School by filling an electronic form Hakemus koulunkäynnistä muussa kuin osoitetussa lähikoulussa ("Application for an out-of-catchment school") 23 January - 13 February 2025 in the address: https://ouka.inschool.fi/browsecourses.

I want to apply for a place in Oulu International School, what do I do?

Oulu International School has their own application form. The application form and more information on applying for a place in OIS can be found from Oulu International School website.

I want to apply for a place in Oulu Christian School / Oulu Steiner School / Taikatahti School / Svenska Privatskolan i Uleåborg, what do I do?

Oulu Christian School, Oulu Steiner School, Taikatahti School and the Swedish-speaking Svenska Privatskolan i Uleåborg admit pupils from all city areas. These schools will make their own admission decisions. For more information, please contact your child's current school and inform them about applying for private school in the address: https://palvelupyynto.siku.ouka.fi/customerui (child's name, date of birth and the private school you are applying a place for).

I want my child to start in basic education a year earlier, what do I do?

Your child has the right to start in basic education a year earlier than regular if the child has (by the ruling of a psychological and, if necessary, medical evaluation) the precondition to manage in the studies (Basic Education Act 27 §). If you are planning for your child to start in basic education in autumn 2025 (and your decision is supported by expert evaluation), please contact your regional manager by February 2025 at the latest. You can find the regions and regional managers' contact information by clicking this link.

I want to postpone my child's start in basic education by a year, what do I do?

Your child (born in 2018) has the right to postpone their start in basic education a year later than regular if the child does not have the necessary precondition to manage in the studies in the first grade. If you are planning to postpone your child's start in basic education, please contact your child's early childhood education and care group teachers. If your child is not currently in early childhood education and care, please contact a maternity and child health clinic.