Ammattitutkinto

Overview

Ammattitutkinto means further vocational qualification. It is one of three types of competence-based vocational qualification in Finland. The other two are the initial vocational qualification (perustutkinto) and the specialist vocational qualification (erikoisammattitutkinto). The further and initial qualifications are at level 4 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), and the specialist qualification is at level 5.

There is no single written exam. The qualification is completed by showing competence in practical work, and the training provider that offers the qualification arranges and assesses this.

All 160 Finnish vocational qualifications give eligibility for higher education studies. Demonstrations and certificates are always in the official language of the qualification, Finnish or Swedish, although some qualifications are also offered in English. The agency's list showed 64 ammattitutkinto qualifications in the qualification structure as of 1 August 2026.

Qualifications and fields

Each ammattitutkinto has its own national requirements and may be split into competence areas (osaamisala). The agency's list groups them into fields:

• Humanities and arts, for example the qualification for interpreters, the media qualification and the music production qualification.

• Business and administration, for example the business qualification (with competence areas such as sales, finance, accounting and international trade), the entrepreneurship qualification and the supervisory work qualification.

• Natural sciences, for example the nature field qualification.

• ICT, with the information and communications technology qualification.

• Technology, for example vehicle, energy, electrical and automation, building services and earthworks qualifications.

• Other fields, such as agriculture and forestry, health and wellbeing, services and society, are also covered on the list.

Look up the qualification you want on the agency's page and then in the national qualification requirements (ePerusteet) to see its units.

Exam pattern

• You can complete a full qualification or individual qualification units.

• The main way to show your skills is a skills demonstration (näyttö). You do real work tasks in real work situations and work processes at a workplace. The training provider plans the demonstration for each unit together with you and the workplace. In justified cases it can be held somewhere else, for example for safety reasons.

• Competence shown in the demonstration can be complemented in other ways if the qualification requirements allow it.

• Competence is assessed against the national requirements. In an ammattitutkinto, each qualification unit is graded pass or fail, not on a 1 to 5 scale.

• Assessors are named by the training provider. For vocational units, they are a teacher (or another provider representative) and a representative of working life, who decide together. If waiting for the working-life assessor would unreasonably delay the demonstration, two teachers or provider representatives can do it.

Marking and results

• A failed unit can be shown again, with extra learning if needed.

• You can ask the assessors to review an assessment you think applied the criteria wrongly. The written request is due within 14 days of receiving the results and the grounds. You can then ask the working-life committee to correct the decision, also within 14 days.

• Assessment records are kept at least 6 months after the grade is given.

How to apply

The agency's pages do not explain the application procedure for ammattitutkinto. Ask the training provider about admission, fees and the schedule. The agency points to the Studyinfo portal and to providers for details of qualifications offered in English.

Preparation tips

• Read the national requirements for your qualification and agree the plan for your demonstrations in your personal competence development plan, which is made before training starts.

• The agency also describes recognition of competence you have already gained, as part of assessing competence. Ask your provider how it applies to you.