Subject Teacher Education Programme in English (STEP)

The STEP Programme welcomes applicants who meet the following criteria:

• Non-Degree Applicants:
  • Completion of a suitable Master's degree from a Finnish university or abroad.
  • Adequate studies in at least one teaching subject covered by the Programme.
• Degree Applicants:
  • Enrolment as degree students at specific faculties of the University of Helsinki.

The STEP programme provides pedagogical studies for the following school subjects:

• English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Swedish (as the other domestic or foreign language).
• Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.

For more information on how to apply to pedagogical studies in English (STEP), please visit the Faculty of Educational Sciences webpage.

Degree students at the University of Helsinki can apply for pedagogical studies during their Bachelor's degree. However, they must complete the 60 ECTS of pedagogical studies during their Master's degree. Application for pedagogical studies at the Master's level is not possible.

Non-degree students: If you are applying to STEP as a non-degree student (ie. you have already completed a Master's degree in Finland or abroad), you need to submit an Equivalency Certificate (=vastaavuustodistus in Finnish) by the end of the application period. This certificate confirms that you have completed sufficient and appropriate studies in the school subject you intend to teach. Learn more about obtaining an equivalency certificate. Please note that it may take several weeks to obtain the certificate, so act promptly.

NB. If you have received a decision on the recognition of a degree or studies from the Finnish National Agency for Education (=Opetushallitus in Finnish), please contact Siltavuori Student Services (siltavuori-student@helsinki.fi) as soon as you obtain a study right for STEP studies.

Basic Degree Students

The study right for the STEP program remains valid as long as the student's study right for their Master's degree program is active. Degree students should apply for possible extension on their study rights through their respective faculties. For more information on degree students' study rights, please refer to the "If Your Right to Study Expires" page.

Non-Degree Students

For non-degree students (i.e., students who have already obtained a Master's degree), the study right for STEP is limited to two years. For students selected in 2024, the study right is valid from August 1, 2024, until July 31, 2026. Non-degree students can also apply for a one-year extension of their study right if they have made sufficient progress in their studies. For more information on this, please contact the Siltavuori Student Services: siltavuori-student@helsinki.fi. 

Starting from April 1, 2025, the Faculty of Educational Sciences has discontinued academic year registration for non-degree students. The academic year registration information has been removed from Sisu for non-degree students in teachers' pedagogical studies, including previous records. As a result of this change, all valid separate study rights have become active (meaning also for those who were registered as absent or failed to register). This change should not affect the activation or validity of user permissions, or registration for courses.

Info Session about STEP studies and Sisu (how to create a study plan and register for courses) on Zoom, Wednesday 6th of August at 15:00–17:00 (Zoom-link is in the Info for New STEP Students 2025–2026 -letter) 

The STEP programme for the academic year 2025–2026 starts with a mandatory orientation on Thursday 28 August 2025 at 10:00–12:00 in Minerva building (Room K232) in Siltavuorenpenger 5 A. Kindly note that participation in the orientation is a compulsory.

The schedule for the first weeks:

• Fri 29 Aug: 10:00–14:00, Field Trip (more info to follow at the orientation)
• Wed–Fri 3–5 Sep 8:00–16:00: Basic Practice: Getting Acquainted with School (more info to follow)
• You will find your personal timetables after course registration on My Studies page or in SISU Study Calendar. 

The Subject Teacher Education Programme (STEP) consists of 60 ECTS credits of pedagogical studies for teachers. The programme includes studies in education, subject didactics and teaching practices. While the entire STEP program can be completed in one academic year, it is also possible to spread the courses over a two-year period.

STEP programme has two tracks: Arts and Science. Arts and Science students primarily study together. However, in subject didactics, STEP students may be divided into separate groups based on their teaching subjects.

Key points to note about the studies:

• Full-Time Studying: The studies require full-time commitment, and attendance is mandatory during contact teaching sessions.
• Attendance Requirement: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 85% of group sessions. Any potential absences must be communicated and agreed upon with the responsible teacher, who may provide alternative tasks.
• Schedule: The STEP studies run from last day of August until the end of May.

The University of Helsinki uses a study information system called Sisu, where your study rights and completed courses are recorded. In Sisu, you must plan your studies before registering for teaching. In practice, you must first add a course to your study plan and then register for the course.

Please follow these steps to create a Study Plan and register for courses in Sisu. We also strongly recommend attending all the provided information sessions to ensure you're correctly registered.

1) Activate University of Helsinki User Account

In order to use the IT services at the University of Helsinki (including email, Sisu, Moodle etc.), you must first activate your user account: Instructions on how to activate a new account.

2) Create a STEP Study Plan in Sisu

As a new STEP student, you must make a study plan in Sisu before you can register to STEP courses. Kindly follow the instructions on How to make a study plan and register for courses in Sisu.

1. Log in to Sisu
2. Start drawing up your study plan by opening the Structure of studies -page from the navigation panel.
3. Click on the button “New study plan” at the top of the page.
4. Select “My educations” from the pop-up window. Select the study plan template for “Extended Studies in Education for Subject Teachers”. If you have other study rights, they may also be displayed here.
5. In the “Curriculum period” drop-down menu, select the current curriculum period 2025-2026. If you wish, you can rename your study plan. Finally, click on the button “Create a plan”.
6. In the study plan, click on the heading Programme, which will open a selection assistant on the right side of the view. Select PED300 Subject Teacher Education Programme in English (STEP) 60 cr.
7. Your study plan is now done. You do not need to save your study plan, as Sisu does this automatically. 

3) Register for STEP Courses on Sisu

The course registration period for the autumn term 2025 is from 6th to 27th August 2025. The timetable of courses for the autumn semester can be found on Sisu and on the course pages from June 23, 2025 onwards. Please note that changes to schedules are possible until the start of instruction.

The course registration period for the spring term 2026 is from 26th November to 17th December 2025. Please note that the registration period for PED321 Advanced Practice is already Nov. 5 – Dec. 3, 2025. The timetable of courses for the spring semester can be found on Sisu and on the course pages from November 25, 2025 onwards. Changes to schedules are possible until the start of instruction.

How to register for courses in Sisu:

1. Add the course to your primary study plan and select the method of completion through the course brochure.
2. From the course brochure, verify the compulsory requirements for your selected course.
3. Go to Sisu's Registration page to confirm your registration.
4. When you have confirmed your registration, you will receive a tentative status of your registration. If you do not meet some of the conditions listed above (for example, you are a degree student but have not registered for the academic year), take the necessary steps and then register for the course in question.
5. You will receive a final confirmation about being admitted to the course at the end of the registration period, when the registrations have been confirmed. For some courses, your registration might be confirmed automatically right after your registration.
6. Once your enrolment has been accepted, you will find your courses and timetables on the Registration page, in the Study Calendar or in My Profile on the registrations tab.
7. With the Show events in calendar button you can choose if the teaching times are shown in your study calendar.
8. You will find your personal timetables after course registration on My Studies page or in the SISU Study Calendar. 

Help and Guidance for Registering for Courses on Sisu 

• If you need help in registering for courses, please start by reading the Sisu Instructions: Registering for Teaching and Exams.
• You can also attend the Sisu counselling service at Kaisa House Student Services, the Zoom advice is available on Tuesdays at 14–16. During the summer, Zoom is closed 8 July to 11 August and first time open after the summer break Tuesday 12 August.

STEP has two teaching practices:

• Basic Practice 10 cr
• Advanced Practice 10 cr

Teaching practices are carried out either in the University of Helsinki teaching practice schools or in a school that is part of the university's field school network in the Greater Helsinki area. The decision for placements is made by the Faculty of Educational Sciences.

During the practice periods, students familiarize themselves with the school community, observe and analyze lessons run by others, and plan and teach their own lessons. Students also participate in group guidance and get reflection guidance for their development as a teacher at the Faculty of Educational Sciences.

Students complete their practices in only one subject, but they can be qualified to teach other subjects if they have (or later acquire) an equivalency certificate for the subjects in question.

Criminal Records Extract

According to the Universities Act, the university must check the criminal records extract from students completing teaching practice and on-the-job learning with under 18-year-olds. This applies to students who have received their study right or separate study right after 1.1.2012.

For STEP students, the extract is checked once during their studies, i.e. before the Basic Practice.

The extract must be presented to the Practice Coordinator. The students will be notified of the date after the studies start. The students can not begin their practice if they have not presented the extract.

Students who have, after turning 18, lived in other EEA-countries, must deliver the extract from the countries in question. The Faculty of Educational Sciences does not have an obligation to check extracts granted from outside the EEA-countries. The extracts can be ordered and more information of the process received from the Legal Register Centre ("Application for a criminal records extract: students practical training").

An extract obtained for the studies is free of charge. The time of delivery is about 7 working days and the extract cannot be ordered over the phone. The extract on criminal background must not be older than six months when presented.

Recognition of Prior Learning: How to Apply for Credit Transfer for Teaching Practice

Teaching practice cannot be substituted for by any other courses. However,, prior work experience can be considered for substitution if the following principles are met:   

1. Work experience must consist of working as a coordinating teacher principally as a subject teacher (so not, for instance, as a classroom teacher).   
2. The employment must consist of periods of at least one month without interruptions, of which the most recent nine months must be from the past 10 years at the point of completing the STEP program.
3. Only full-time employment (16 weekly lessons) counts as work experience.   
4. Credits can be transferred for previous work experience only towards one practice period included in studies, ie. only Basic Practice.
5. Students who have worked as teachers for at least three academic years (27 months) can apply for the partial recognition (50 %) of the Basic Practice.     
6. For students who have worked as teachers for at least five school years (45 months), the Basic Practice is recognised in full. Students must prove their prior learning by writing an essay reflecting on their learning in accordance with separate instructions.  

If you meet these requirements, please apply for credit transfer by following these Sisu instructions: Applying for Substitution. Please remember to select “Other prior learning” in step 6 of the process. Remember to add your work certificates as an attachment.

Degree Student: Once a degree student has successfully completed the pedagogical studies (60 cr), a clause indicating the completion of Pedagogical Studies for Teachers will be added to their Master's degree certificate. A separate certificate will not be issued to degree students. Instead, the completed studies will be marked on the official study transcript, which can be ordered through this link.

Non-Degree Student: Non-degree students who have completed the Pedagogical Studies for Teachers (60 cr) will receive a separate certificate. The certificate will be issued in English. Please note that the Faculty does not provide STEP certificates in Finnish or Swedish.

After successfully completing the Pedagogical Studies for Teachers (60 cr), you need to submit a study module registration request. Please be aware that the assessment request for the study module cannot be processed until you have finalised your Sisu study plan.

Once you have submitted the study module's assessment request, please send an email to siltavuori-student@helsinki.fi with the subject line "Graduating non-degree student, STEP." The Student Services will then mail your official certificate. The delivery time for the certificate by post is 2-3 weeks from the submission of the study module's assessment request. You will receive further information about the certificate via email.

Equivalency Certificate for Teaching Subjects

If you have completed the pedagogical studies separately after obtaining a Master's degree, you must provide an equivalency certificate (vastaavuustodistus in Finnish) from the relevant faculty to verify your qualifications in the subjects taught in basic education or upper secondary school.

The equivalency certificate is required when applying for a teaching position in a comprehensive or upper secondary school if the Pedagogical Studies for Teachers or studies in a new teaching subject have been completed separately. Instructions for obtaining the equivalency certificate.

By the decision of the Vice-Rector (HY/15757/00.00.06.01/2024), the option for a Master's graduate to convert the study right for the Pedagogical Studies for Teachers obtained during degree studies into a separate study right will be reinstated starting from 1 August 2025. 

1. The transfer application is an e-form (the link will be updated on this page during Spring 2025).
2. The application for a separate transfer must be made upon Master's graduation or at the latest within one year of graduation. If the one-year deadline is exceeded, the study right cannot be converted into a separate right. In such cases, the pedagogical study right is considered lost and must be reapplied for.
3. Transfer applications are processed by the student services of the Faculty of Educational Sciences four times a year. A decision is made by the Dean of the faculty within 3–4 weeks after the application period ends.
4. A separate study right is valid for two academic years. For example, if you graduate with a Master's degree on 2 August 2025 and the study right in pedagogical studies is changed to a separate study right, it will be valid until 31 July 2027. Or if you graduate with a Master's degree for example on 2 December 2025 and the study right in pedagogical studies is changed to a separate study right, it will be valid until 31 December 2027.
5. The study right only pertains to pedagogical studies. If you want a separate right to study a second or third teaching subject, you must apply separately in accordance with the instructions of the faculty in question.
6. Students enrolled in the studies geared for basic and upper secondary education must enclose an equivalency certificate of the teaching subject with their transfer application. The equivalency certificate must be for the subject in which the student has been selected for pedagogical studies. 

If you are planning to apply to STEP, and have questions about the application process and eligibility criteria, please contact the Admission Services: admissions@helsinki.fi.

If you have questions related to STEP studies (regarding study rights, planning of studies, graduation etc.), send an email to Siltavuori Student Services: siltavuori-student@helsinki.fi. Please mention "STEP" as the subject heading of your email.

IT-Helpdesk can assist you if you have problems related to information technology, such as your user account, Office 365 etc. Further information can be found on the Students’ IT services page.