Finnish high school graduates face uncertainty as fewer pursue higher education immediately

Over 26,000 Finnish students don their white graduation caps today, but fewer than ever will transition directly to university studies, according to public broadcaster Yle.

New graduates Maiju Eronen and Cansu Özoglu, who completed their final exams at Siilinjärvi Upper Secondary School, embody this shift. Both have applied to study psychology—a highly competitive field where only 1–5% of applicants secure admission. With acceptance far from guaranteed, they are prepared to take a gap year, a choice increasingly common among Finnish graduates.

National statistics reveal a sharp decline in immediate university enrollment. In 2024, just one in three graduates continued to higher education directly after high school, down from 44% in 2010. Nearly a quarter of recent graduates now forgo applying altogether.

The trend persists despite a 2020 reform aimed at accelerating transitions to higher education. While the reform expanded admissions for 19-year-olds, a policy prioritizing first-time applicants—the “first-time applicant quota”—has led many to delay studies in hopes of securing their preferred program.

Heta Tuominen, a professor of education at the University of Eastern Finland, cautions against prolonged gap years. “Students should know that changing fields is always possible,” she said. “One gap year can be beneficial, but multiple years risk stagnation. It’s better to explore different fields than wait endlessly for a single competitive program.”

Eronen and Özoglu remain undeterred. Eronen, who plans to eventually pursue teacher training, will take psychology entrance exams this summer “just to experience them.” Özoglu, who has considered psychology since her second year of high school, will retake exams if necessary while coaching junior basketball and seeking work.

Both stress that their gap years will be purposeful. “If I don’t get in, I’ll use the time to prepare better,” Özoglu said. Eronen added that she hopes to work in retail and possibly enroll in open university courses.

Their graduation marks not just an ending but a period of strategic waiting—a reality now shared by thousands of Finnish students navigating an increasingly competitive academic landscape.