Oulu schools dominate national upper secondary rankings

Two Oulu upper secondary schools topped their respective categories in STT’s annual ranking of Finnish high schools, published Saturday. Haukiputaa Upper Secondary School led the large-school division, while the University of Oulu Teacher Training School’s upper secondary program won among smaller institutions—both achieving their best results in the ranking’s history.

The comparison, conducted since 2012, adjusts for student intake by weighing matriculation exam scores against the average grades of incoming students three years prior. This year’s analysis covered 343 schools.

Recent graduates praised their schools’ supportive environments. “The teachers are the absolute strength—approachable, genuinely interested, and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly from day one,” said Hanna Saarenpää, a graduate of Haukiputaa Upper Secondary.

Top five in each category: Large schools (51+ graduates): 1. Haukiputaa Upper Secondary School, Oulu 2. Borgå Gymnasium, Porvoo 3. Ressu Upper Secondary School, Helsinki 4. Laukaa Upper Secondary School, Laukaa 5. Nurmijärvi Upper Secondary School, Nurmijärvi

Small schools (1–50 graduates): 1. University of Oulu Teacher Training School, Oulu 2. Finnish Christian School, Kaarina 3. Finnish-Russian School, Helsinki 4. Hanko Peninsula Upper Secondary School, Hanko 5. Savitaipale Upper Secondary School, Savitaipale