lukioon

Lukioon is the illative form of the Finnish noun lukio, meaning “to high school” or “to upper secondary school.” In Finnish, the form is used with verbs of motion to indicate destination, as in menee lukioon (“goes to high school”). The term commonly appears in everyday language to describe entering or attending upper secondary education.

Lukio refers to the Finnish upper secondary school system, an educational pathway typically followed after completing the comprehensive school (peruskoulu). The program is usually three years long and is attended by students roughly aged 16 to 19. It is academically oriented and primarily designed to prepare students for the national matriculation examination (ylioppilastutkinto), which serves as a key qualification for higher education entries in Finland.

Curriculum and structure in lukio are governed by a national core curriculum. Students study a broad set of compulsory subjects alongside elective courses, and they often choose a track or focus area (such as mathematics-science, language and humanities, or arts) to tailor their studies. In addition to traditional subjects, many lukio programs offer opportunities to study international programs or languages, and some schools provide alternative options like the International Baccalaureate (IB). The culmination of lukio is the ylioppilastutkinto, a nationwide examination consisting of written and oral components in various subjects, whose results are widely used for university admission.

Admission to lukio is generally based on performance in peruskoulu and school-specific criteria; some institutions may require entry tests or interviews, especially for capacity-limited programs. Completing lukio and passing the matriculation exam enables eligibility for Finnish universities and other higher education institutions.