Former officers coach applicants as police admission gets tougher

Getting into Finland’s Police University College is becoming more difficult, and two retired police officers are preparing young applicants for the entrance exams, Yle reports. Their course devotes 110 of its 540 teaching hours to Finnish language and writing.

Nearly 5,800 people applied to begin studies in 2026, a record number, while the number of available places has fallen from 500 in 2024 to 350. More than 2,400 applicants took the entrance exam, the highest number in more than a decade.

Retired officers Anders Åfors and Matti Ranta have coached applicants for years. Their next preparatory course begins in January at Central Ostrobothnia College in Kokkola. It covers language, law, social studies, psychology, Swedish and physical training.

Åfors said many applicants struggle with the essay, which requires them to use two sources, including at least one text from the entrance exam book. The written test accounts for 30 per cent of the overall score. Applicants can lose points for unclear writing or language errors, and some misunderstand the assignment, he said.

The entrance process begins with a physical test covering endurance, hand-eye coordination, agility, a lat-pulldown or pull-up exercise, and bench press. Applicants who pass continue to written and psychological tests. Suitability assessments, including psychological tests, make up half of the total score. Later stages include further suitability tests, a medical examination, a security clearance and verification of swimming ability.

The preparatory course does not teach police techniques or tactics. It covers subjects relevant to the work, including criminal procedure, criminal law, police law, pre-trial investigation law and coercive measures law. Åfors said applicants need not be exceptional, but should be motivated and able to take charge of situations. Police University College communications director Anna Byckling said a lack of self-knowledge and practice is the most common pitfall in the selection process.