Kuhmoinen Comprehensive and Upper Secondary School
Overview
Kuhmoinen Upper Secondary School is a small school of about 40 students, half of whom usually come from elsewhere. The beginning of the year orientation is an important part in creating a friendly environment and strong team spirit. There are also student mentors assigned to each international student in order to further facilitate their integration into our school. During the year, the students themselves organize school-wide events and after-school activities. The teacher coordinators provide additional support and ensure that no one is left outside the group. We also encourage students to create their own get-togethers and events.
The municipality of Kuhmoinen is located in the Pirkanmaa region in Central Finland. Kuhmoinen experiences the average Finnish weather: Autumn is usually on the warmer side, ranging from 5 to 10 degrees Celsius with occasional rain and sleet before actual permanent snow. The Finnish ruska (change of color of foliage and leaves from green to orange, yellow and red) is exceptional and can best be experienced in Isojärvi National Park, which is located in Kuhmoinen. In the wintertime, the average temperature is 5 to 10 degrees Celsius below freezing with some warmer and colder days and weeks in between. Snowfall is common. The winter weather provides excellent possibilities for skiing, skating and other winter activities. The early night fall creates a possibility to witness the Aurora Borealis or the northern lights. In the spring, the weather gets increasingly warmer by the day, and the day gets longer with earlier sunrise and later sunset. In the summer there are usually more sunny and warm days than rainy days with the average temperature ranging from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius. The hottest days are suitable for swimming in one of the many lakes in Kuhmoinen. The nightless night is at its best in mid-June. Kuhmoinen and its surrounding nature provide an energizing environment for nature-loving people.
In the Finnish school system, each student is monitored throughout their school career by their classroom teacher, special education teacher, and subject teachers. If the need arises, the teachers provide additional help such as extra classes after school for revision and in-class support such as notes and other support materials, different learning styles and personal guidance. Furthermore, the special education teacher has the opportunity to participate in the in-class learning process and also to teach students in need of support independently or in small groups. Special education teacher gives tips and guidance to teachers and supports the students and their teachers when in need. Our school also has an extra teacher who acts as a second teacher when needed. This provides additional support in class and also in smaller study groups.
In upper secondary school there is less hands-on support from the special education teacher and more one-on-one support from the subject teacher or the extra teacher. If needed, the extra teacher can form a study group or give extra classes to support students. Also, the students themselves study together and support each other. Furthermore, the student counsellor helps students navigate the Finnish upper secondary school courses and find ways to study and progress in a meaningful way.
Location
The municipality of Kuhmoinen is located in the middle of the Finnish countryside with nature’s best resources around, such as Lake Päijänne, Isojärvi National Park and countless forests, lakes and recreational areas, beaches and parks. Kuhmoinen Upper Secondary school has its own gym located on the school grounds free of charge for students. Kuhmoinen also has a disc golf course, a Padel court, a mini-golf course, a paintball course and a track and field stadium. About 700 meters from the school, the Kirjonurmen talli stables provide horseback riding classes.
Kuhmoinen centre has within a one kilometre radius two grocery stores, a small movie theatre, a library, a pharmacy, a healthcare centre, some restaurants and bars, local churches, small shops and boutiques, and the small Kuhmoisten satama harbour bustling with life especially in the summer time. The buses go from Jyväskylä to Lahti and onwards (north-south direction) and to Tampere (west) via Kuhmoinen. The nearest train stations are in Jämsä (40 kilometres north) and Lahti (80 kilometres south).
186 km to Helsinki (the capital) (south)
80 km to Lahti (south)
88 km to Tampere (west)
95 km to Jyväskylä (north)
Finland has thirteen universities of which Universities of Jyväskylä, Tampere and Helsinki are the closest and most popular to Kuhmoinen Upper Secondary School graduates. However, students from Kuhmoinen Upper Secondary School continue their studies at all Finnish universities. We do cooperate with University of Jyväskylä with some introductory courses and student visits. Depending on the year, there is additional cooperation with academic speakers that visit our school, as well as online streams and more.
Expenses
Each international student at Kuhmoinen Upper Secondary School receives a tuition-free education that includes free school meals every school day and an afternoon snack during long school days, study materials such as a laptop, books and e-books, and all other support that every Finnish student receives. Furthermore, each international student is assigned a Finnish student mentor to help navigate the Finnish school and free time. The school provides mental health support, health care and study counselling.
Accommodation
The municipality of Kuhmoinen provides a shared apartment for 3 to 4 students. The private sector apartments and municipality apartments are mainly located in the municipality centre 1 to 2 kilometres away from the school, and also some near the health care station 1 to 2 kilometres from the centre and 3 to 4 kilometres from the school. Everything is near, within a few hundred meters to a few kilometres.
The apartment rent in Kuhmoinen varies from 300 euros upwards depending on location, size, age, and even less with roommates. They are all fully functioning apartments with kitchens, bathrooms and other usual accommodations. Most apartments also have their own or a shared sauna.
Study lines
General study line and Horseback riding line
Ratsastuslinja or Horseback riding special program/study line, where up to 28 ECTS of facultative studies can be filled with riding lessons and theory lessons. All obligatory upper secondary school courses are the same as in the general study line. The school provides support with a teacher tutor. The lessons are held in the nearby Kirjonurmen talli stables, whose owners act as teachers.
The horseback riding students have the possibility to participate in riding competitions, the Helsinki International Horse Show and other horse fairs as well as receive coaching lessons from outside experts. Riding lessons twice a week are free of charge, and additional lessons are at a discount. The lessons consist of theory (horse breeding, healthcare, nutrition and other) and practical lessons with feeding, grooming and riding.
To enroll, the student must have previous riding experience, i.e., they can independently ride with the usual gaits (walk, trot, gallop, canter and pace). It is possible to attain said level by participating in a beginner horseback riding class in Kirjonurmen talli stables during the summer, paid by the student.
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General high school
Finland, Kuhmoinen
- Lower Secondary
GPA 7.0
Motivation Letter
Finnish B1.1
- The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English / Finnish.
- Often you can get a suitable transcript from your school. If this is not the case, you will need official translations along with verified copies of the original.
Overview
Kuhmoinen Upper Secondary School has both a general study line and a special program for horseback riding. The student is offered up to 28 ECTS worth of horseback riding and relevant theory courses in the nearby Kirjonurmen talli stables. We also offer a free class for a driving licence (class B passenger cars).
In addition, Kuhmoinen Upper Secondary school is known for its small class sizes (from as small as 3 up to 16 students per course), and individual learning paths. Teachers get to know their students well and are able to provide personalized feedback and support for each student.
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