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Preschool education in Finnish

  • Service
  • Turku
  • Public service

In Turku, your child attends one year of preschool education before their compulsory education starts. We offer pre-primary education in municipal and private day cares and schools.

Preschool education mainly follows the work and holiday schedule of comprehensive schools. Contact your child’s preschool using eVaka online services.

Preschool education is compulsory. That means that your chi ...

Do the following

You will receive notice about your child’s preschool place through eVaka, by mail or through Suomi.fi-service. The place is determined by address. If you do not get an decision during December, enrol your child in pre-primary education in eVaka online service during the first two weeks of January.

You can apply for a secondary preschool place for justified reasons other than the preschool place assigned by the City of Turku. Registration takes place in eVaka by January 15, 2026. The application must include a justification for the change. Applications are processed on a case-by-case basis, and their implementation is not automatic.

To whom and on what terms

Preschool education is organised for 6-year-old children of the municipality. 7-year-olds whose start in school has been delayed can also participate in preschool education. 5-year-olds, who have an extended compulsory education decision made for them, can also take part in preschool education.

Background information

Pre-primary education is free teaching that children receive in a day-care centre or school in the year before compulsory education. Pre-primary education is also organised in private early childhood education and care.

Children in the pre-primary education age, or 6 years, participate in pre-primary education. Those 7-year-olds whose school attendance has been postponed also participate in pre-primary education. It can additionally be attended by 5-year-olds to whom a decision on extended compulsory education has been issued.

The children receive pre-primary education for four hours every morning. During this time, a lunch is served to the children.

If a pupil in pre-primary education needs support, they have the right to the assistance services and aids they need.

Under the Basic Education Act, participation in pre-primary education is mandatory. The child’s guardian is responsible for ensuring that the child participates in pre-primary education or other activities that meet the objectives for pre-primary education the year preceding the start of their compulsory education.

The service is provided by

City of Turku

Responsible for the service

City of Turku
Text edited by: City of Turku
Updated: 14/4/2026