Peter Vesterbacka, FHSP programme manager (centre), with Vietnamese students who have qualified for the Finnish high-school scholarship intake 2021. — Photo courtesy of the Finland High School Programme

HÀ NỘI — Finnish educators are looking forward to welcoming more and more Vietnamese high-school students to study in their country, which is known as the world’s happiest nation and for having high standard of education.

The Finland High School Programme (FHSP), an initiative by Finest Future of Finland, a multi-national consultant company to promoting Finnish high school education in Việt Nam and others countries in Asia, is providing hundreds of scholarships for outstanding international students, particularly those from Việt Nam for the 2022 intake.

The 2022 intake has opened applications until September 30, 2021. It expects to welcome as many Vietnamese students as possible to join.

“The FHSP connects international students with Finland high schools and offers them opportunities to start their academic journey there. Students joining the programme will be sponsored with 100 per cent of tuition fees for all high school years,” said Peter Vesterbacka, FHSP programme manager and Finest Future Chairman.

Vietnamese students including those in the 9th and 10th grade, joining the scholarship programme will have free access to high school study, as well as enjoy the advantages of a high-quality curriculum and modern facilities in schools across Finland, according to the FHSP.

Parents sending their children to study in Finland can also apply for a resident permit to live with them during their high school years.

After completing the three-year education, the students are prioritised to have more chances to get free access to world-renowned higher education such as universities and appliant colleges. They can also choose to study in a high school offering a straight pathway to a partner university or stay and start working in Finland.

CEO of Finest Future Vietnam JSC Tuomas Tiilikainen said: "We are constantly building more partnerships with Finnish high schools as we want to provide this opportunity on a large scale in Việt Nam."

Vietnamese Ambassador in Finland, Đặng Thị Hải Tâm who has especially supported the programme, highlighted the efforts by FHSP and the Finest Future team in helping Vietnamese students to access the Finnish high school education.

“To implement the FHSP is hard work. But within a year, Finest Future and its team had achieved very encouraging initial results. I say 'hard work' because high school age is a transitional milestone for every human being. Many parents think that this time is too early for their children to leave the family, especially in Asian culture which has long-term parental protection and not focusing on teaching children to live independently from a young age,” said Tâm.

“However, this is the time when you can acquire knowledge in a fundamental way, a big decision for your strength in your studies and career later. If you have access to a good education like Finland and have your own determination and motivation, I believe that participating in this programme will open up a bright future for you.” 

The high school programme is flexible, from two to four years, with 150 credits. After graduation, there are always open pathways for any student to get a permanent residency and become a Finnish citizen.

The programme successfully piloted the first version- FHSP 2021-  when it welcomed about 16 Vietnamese and Uzbekistan students to study in Finland.

Seven Vietnamese students receiving the FHSP scholarships were selected from hundreds of candidates across the country. They have now arrived in Finland and are ready to prepare for their opening school year.

For more information about the programme visit the Finest Future website or email hello@finestfuture.org.

Finland is home to 380 high schools of equally top quality, regardless of the size and location of the school. All students will study with master-certificated teachers using innovative teaching methods, allowing them to have equal growth and gain an entrepreneurial mindset. — VNS