Basic education in Åland

Åland has its own legislative authority in education and teaching, and all children have the right to attend school regardless of whereabouts in Åland they live. Local authorities are responsible for basic education, which covers grades 1–9. Primary education in Åland is free of charge and includes, in addition to teaching, free teaching materials, student welfare, school meals and school transport.

Education becomes compulsory for children in the year they turn seven. Compulsory education means that children are required to learn the knowledge and skills in the basic education curriculum. The guardian is responsible for ensuring that the educational requirements are met, either through municipal school, substitute private education or home schooling. Compulsory education ends when the child has completed the basic education curriculum and received their leaving certificate, or when 10 years have passed since compulsory education began.

You can read more about basic education in Åland on the websites of the Government of Åland and the Association of Municipalities of Åland.

The right to schooling begins when the child reaches compulsory school age, i.e. the year the child turns seven. Every child of compulsory school age must be given the opportunity to fulfil their compulsory schooling in their home municipality. The municipality must also arrange basic education for children who do not have their home municipality in Åland if the child lives in the municipality due to their guardians' work, studies, illness or similar reasons. For particular reasons, the municipality must also arrange basic education for other children residing in the municipality.

The right to basic education and schooling is set out in Åland law on childcare and basic education on the website of the Government of Åland.

The municipality sends out a notice of compulsory education at the start of the year when the child turns seven. The child must be registered in an Åland municipality, and guardians enrol the child in a comprehensive school via their home municipality's website or using a paper form. Pupils who have recently moved to Åland can be enrolled at any time during the year. Information on how to enrol your child in basic education can be found on the respective municipality's website.

Children living in Åland can fulfil their compulsory education through home schooling. Then the guardian is responsible for ensuring that the education follows the curriculum and that the child acquires the necessary knowledge and skills. The guardian must notify the home schooling to the home municipality in writing each school year and attach a plan for how the studies will be organised. The municipality where the child lives is responsible for monitoring progress and checking that the child meets the knowledge requirements. The City of Mariehamn’s supervisory unit for home education in Åland is responsible for supervising home education in all municipalities in Åland. 

Children who are home-schooled are not enrolled as pupils at any school, but are entitled to pupil health services such as school healthcare, psychologists and counsellors. Children whose native language is not Swedish can participate in preparatory classes organised by the comprehensive school in their home municipality. The municipality may also offer home-schooled pupils access to the same teaching materials used by pupils in the corresponding year group.

Read more about home schooling on the Government of Åland’s website.

Childcare includes after-school activities for schoolchildren. After-school activities are intended to reduce the amount of time children spend alone without adult supervision before and after school. The purpose of after-school activities is to provide supervision and care primarily for younger schoolchildren in grades 1 and 2 whose guardians are working, seeking employment or studying. A child in need of special support is also entitled to after-school activities. After-school care is run by the municipalities, which are entitled to charge a monthly fee. Applications for after-school care places are made to your municipality of residence.

Read more about after-school activities on the website läroplan.ax or on the Info Norden's page Child care in Åland.

Basic education for adults is a form of education aimed at people whose municipality of residence is in Åland, who are over the compulsory school age (17 years and older) and who do not have a basic education leaving certificate. The programme is divided into three stages and can be completed in its entirety or in part, depending on prior knowledge. 

The municipalities are responsible for the education, either on their own, in cooperation with other municipalities, or through Åland Folk High School, which is authorised to provide Grundvux education. Applications for basic education for adults are made through your municipality of residence, the pupil counsellor at the comprehensive school or the guidance counsellors at the Åland Labour Market and Study Service Authority (AMS). Read more on the Åland Folk High School webpage on Grundvux.

On the Info Norden website you can find information on basic education in the other Nordic countries and which authorities to contact if you have questions.