Upper secondary school students are typically aged between 16 and 19 and generally complete the syl¬labus in three years. Adults can study upper second¬ary syllabi and take the matriculation examination in adult upper secondary schools and in special adult programmes provided by ordinary upper secondary schools. Adult classes are usually arranged in the eve¬nings. It is also possible to study only one or some subjects either for self-improvement or in order to raise former grades.
General upper secondary school studies are in the form of courses, which are 38 lesson hours on aver¬age. The entire upper secondary school is a minimum of 75 courses. Adult upper secondary education com¬prises a minimum of 44 courses of 28 lesson hours on average.
The general objectives and allocation of lesson hours between different subjects, subject groups and guid¬ance counselling are decided by the Government. The National Board of Education decides on the aims and core contents of instruction, recording them in a na¬tional core curriculum, which education providers and schools then use as the basis for their curricula.
Tuition is provided free of charge for students who complete the entire upper secondary syllabus. Fees may be charged for studies in individual subjects. Stu¬dents buy their own textbooks and pay a fee for the matriculation examination